Spectacular Speedweekend At Tullyroan Oval

World Champion Glenn Bell from Portadown raced to an unprecedented sixth National Hot Rods British Championship at a packed Tullyroan Oval over the weekend. As race fans from across the British Isles enjoyed some fantastic action, Norfolk’s English Champion Perry Cooke won the coveted Ormond Christie Memorial Trophy on Sunday. Another Portadown driver, Jordan Robinson, was also on top form as he sealed a successful defence of his Superstox British title.
A keenly contested World Cup for the Lightning Rods formula saw Nigel Jackson take the victory, whilst young Ollie Williamson made it a clean sweep for Portadown in the major races as he won the Keir Millar Memorial Trophy in the Ninja Karts.

National Hot Rods
Thirty-two of the formula’s best drivers descended on Tullyroan Oval for the National Hot Rods Speedweekend, with the Cirrus Plastics British Championship contested on Saturday. The qualifying heats were shared by Waterford’s Dave Casey, Dungannon’s Derek Martin and Portadown’s defending champion Glenn Bell.
The final paired Bell and Suffolk ace Hayden Ballard on the front row, and despite Ballard’s best efforts both from the start and an early caution restart, Bell was able to edge clear and go on to seal a fantastic sixth British title victory. Scotland’s National Champion Robert McDonald came on strong late on to snatch second, with Ballard, Billy Wood and Martin next home.
Sunday saw the inaugural running of the Ormond Christie Memorial Trophy, which kicked off with the unveiling of the fully-restored 1981 World Championship winning Toyota Starlet. On track the graded order heats went the way of Aghadowey’s Richard Stewart, Hampshire’s Billy Wood and Norwich driver Perry Cooke. The final saw parade laps emotionally led by the Christie Starlet, before the action commenced with Scotland’s James Mooney ahead. English Champ Cooke was making great progress, and he swept ahead to win the magnificent cup and with it the cool and very fitting £962 prize money. Charlie Hardie, Bell and John Christie completed the top four.

Superstox
The contact action of the weekend came from the Superstox formula with the Mk2 Escort Shells and Spares British Championship being their major race. European Champion Steven Haugh swept to heat one glory over National Champion Ian Beaumont, before the second graded heat went the way of England’s Ryan Allgood after a fantastic drive to win ahead of Callum Kelman and Beaumont for an all-English top three.
The British Championship was electric to watch, with all sorts of drama throughout. Defending Champion Jordan Robinson led, only to be moved side mid race as Kelman hit the front. That was short lived, as Robinson worked his way to the front once again. Haugh came in with a last bend assault but he just couldn’t unseat Robinson, as Jordan took a superb win to successfully defend his British title. Haugh, Beaumont, Kelman and Allgood completed the major places.
The Irish Open Championship was up for grabs on Sunday, with the keenly contested reverse grid heats going to Haugh and Scottish driver Benjamin Erskine. The final was all about Haugh, as he raced home to a commanding win over Beaumont and Dean Catherwood. Lightning Rods
The biggest field of Lightning Rods since the BMW era began in the formula took to the Tullyroan track for the World Cup, with the incident packed heats falling to Nigel Jackson and Padraig Palmer.
The Cirrus Plastics-backed World Cup final was intense under the Tullyroan floodlights, with Jackson edging clear early on and holding sway out front to take a commanding victory. Ricky Shaw showed great pace and determination to fight through for a gallant runner up slot ahead of Palmer and defending champion Mark Corry.
Sunday’s action saw the Northern Ireland Open up for grabs, with heats shared between Ronan O’Connor and Shaw. Come the final though it was that man Jackson once again, as Nigel took his second title win in two days ahead of Mark McBurney and Stuart Agnew to end a superb weekend for the formula.

Ninja Karts
A huge entry of Ninja Karts contested the Keir Millar Memorial Trophy on Saturday, with the qualifying heats won by Portadown’s Jaxon Cairns, Scotland’s Rory Wilson and England’s Bobby Davis Jnr Jnr. A superb 41 karts came under starters orders for the big final and after a superb battle amongst the frontrunners it was local lad Ollie Williamson who grabbed the win over World Champion George Cooper and Cairns.
Sunday’s action continued apace with three more qualifying heats ahead of the Tullyroan Challenge Cup. Eddie Fowler, Jack Murphy and England’s Albert Mills shared the heat victories, before a fantastic final saw Murphy take the flag in style ahead of Cooper, Fowler, Davis Jnr Jnr and Cairns.

Stock Rods
Completing the line up were the Stock Rods on Saturday evening, racing for their Tullyroan Challenge Cup and bolstered by some welcome visitors from Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. Heat one fell to Scarva’s Harry Minish before there was a maiden win for Ryan Carroll in heat two after a fine drive. The final was a cracker up front, and it was Glenavy’s Dan Shannon who burst clear to win from Jonny Cardwell and Minish.

Many thanks to our Speedweekend sponsors - Cirrus Plastics and Mk2 Escort Shells & Spares

Added 21/09/2026