Brilliant Bell Wins Aghadowey National Hot Rods Final

A keenly contested race meeting at Aghadowey Oval on Saturday April 18th saw Portadown’s Glenn Bell power through to take the honours in the eleventh round of World Series NI for the National Hot Rods. Garvagh’s Stephen Boyd was the other big winner, as he took a last gasp win in the 1600 Rookie Bangers Spring Classic after a sensational finish.
The other feature race winners at the meeting were Enniskillen’s Stevie McNiece (Stock Rods), Ballygowan’s Ethan Martin (Superstox) and Rasharkin driver Jason Darragh (Thunder Rods).

Round 11 of National Hot Rods World Series NI saw a debut for the sublime new Lotus of Simon Kennedy. The heats were all about Ahoghill racer Philip McCloy, as he won the opener ahead of Cork’s Jeff Riordan before repeating the feat in heat two ahead of Ian Riordan and Glenn Bell.
In the feature race final, McCloy looked all set to make it a perfect hat-trick for the night, leading until a mid-race caution period when Carl Sloan found himself stranded on turn three. That closed the field right up for the restart, and it was current form man Bell who romped away from the outside line to hit the front and take the win in superb style. McCloy had to make do with second after a very productive night, ahead of Ian Riordan, John Christie and Jeff Riordan.

The 1600 Rookie Bangers entertained right from the off and it continued throughout the evening. Alan Haugh stormed through the chaos to win the opener ahead of Stephen Boyd, before heat two saw Aaron McGraw get the better of a superb dice with Steven Bolton to grab the victory.
The Spring Classic final saw a big rollover for Josh Goligher on the pit bend, before the climax boiled down to a scrap between Haugh, Boyd and Bolton. As they headed towards the final bend it was anybody’s win, but Bolton and Haugh found the wall which opened the door for Boyd to steam through to victory after a sensational finish. Gavin Gamble and McGraw completed the podium finishers.

The opening Stock Rods heat saw an impressive win for 16-year-old Portadown lad Ryan Jackson, the Junior Productions graduate heading home veteran campaigner Victor McAfee at the flag. Jaydon Brunton led much of heat two before Meath’s Declan O’Connor went ahead to take the win just ahead of Stevie McNiece.
O’Connor relieved Brunton of the lead in the final at mid-distance, and looked odds on to make it a double for the night. That was until a charging Harry Minish took the challenge to him, bundling his way past but attracting a penalty as he went. As the lead duo tripped over each other, the raceway opened for McNiece and Stevie duly grabbed the lead to take what at one stage looked a very unlikely win. Behind McNiece came Jonny Cardwell and Sam McNeice.

The open-wheeled Superstox saw Troy Crawford grab both heat wins as he showed some great pace from the yellow grade. In the opener he led home British and Irish Champion Jordan Robinson and Ethan Martin, before heat two saw him take the flag over Jordan McFetridge who made a great run to second.
The final was their best race of the night, with some superb jostling for position within the pack. Martin managed to break free out front, and Ethan romped home to his first ever final win in the formula, and a popular win it was too! Jamie McCann and Gerard Hartley completed the top three.

A big grid of Thunder Rods completed the programme, and their opening heat was perhaps the race of the meeting! Toby Hutton held firm out front despite a whole gaggle of cars snapping at his heels. But it was Norman Putrdy who took the win after an audacious swoop right around the outside on the last lap. Heat two saw Adam McKinney take the honours ahead of Nolan Wilson and Liam Wilson.
The final saw rapid novice Owen McLaughlin in the initial lead, until Rasharkin’s former Irish Champion Jason Darragh hit the front on lap nine. Darragh held on to take a creditable win ahead of Lee McCloy, James Goldie and Liam Wilson.