NIF2.com - 2012 - #14 - Ballymena Raceway

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Added: 12 May 2012	Category: 2012 Oval Racing
2012 - #14 - Ballymena Raceway - 11/5/12
With not feeling well the previous Friday night and having to work May Day, two weeks seems like a long time during racing season to have not been at the racing. I now try and squeeze indoor football in on a Friday night before heading on to the racing, this causes a bit of a problem when it finishes in Jordanstown at 7 o’clock and the racing start in Ballymena at 7.15 which is between 35-45 minutes away depending on which route you go and the traffic. For the second time this season, and only the second time since I started playing football on a Friday night, there was no one on after us and football went on a bit, so at 7.15 I left Jordanstown and headed for the racing. No big deal, I’ve now accepted I can’t be there for the start of the meeting, and so it’s only a matter of how late. The extra fifteen minutes however was the difference between being on the infield for the start of the opening ProStock heat or not, and as I got through the turnstyle, I heard the sort of clatter you’d expect from someone going on their roof or getting stuck on top of the wall, then seen the yellow flags come out, oblivious and hungry I proceeded in going and getting a burger. When I did get out onto the infield (complete with Burger), I seen the remains of Sean Mark’s ProStock being towed away, and was later told the engine and gearbox had gone in different directions during a big smash on the home straight, it’s certainly not something you see every day and I can still claim not to have seen such a thing happen, but I heard it happen. On to the racing I did see, once it was restarted Billy Finnegan Jnr took the opening ProStock heat, closely followed by Davy Morrison and Ryan Abernethy. Sam McKinstry took the second heat and Adrian McKinstry took the final and I must say it’s nice to see the Sierras winning races in the ProStocks since it was the car I’d have associated with what the classes started with. I was too late to get a programme, so apologies on the Open Hot Rod report, heat one was won by Bill McCurdy, Heat 2 was won by (82) Nevin and the final was won by (87) Nevin. With no clashing National Hot Rod or 2 Litre Hot Rod fixtures this weekend and no drivers from those classes choosing to race, it’s hard to see how this class can grow into something successful, clearly drivers from other classes don’t want to come and race in these as well as their own class. Seven cars last night is the best turnout I’ve seen of them yet. In the Stock Rods there was an opening heat win for Stephen McCready with Victor McAfee taking heat two and Chris Gordon taking the final. The latest grading looks to have been a little unkind on newcomers Derek McMillan and Marc Morrell, but their racing experience from Juniors seems to be aiding them well and they are holding their own and perhaps unlucky that the blue grade is star studded at the minute. I’m sure it’ll work itself out over time. I missed Gp 2 heat one, but I head Big D announce that Mark Turtle had won it. David Wilson took the second heat and Kenny Carson took the final. I also missed F2 heat 1, but based on heat 2 and the final, my guess would be that Graham Fegan won it. Fegan took heat 2 and the final in what was quite a tame affair for the F2’s, and the final seen only 5 of the 10 cars finish, with the other pulling off as the race went on. Approx Car Turnout – 75 cars (Gp 2 Lightning Rods – 23 cars, ProStocks – 19 cars, F2’s – 10 cars, Stock Rods – 16 cars, Open Hot Rods – 7 cars)















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