NIF2.com - ProStocks Irish Open - Rarely Outnumbered, Never Outgunned

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Added: 23 Jul 2014	Category: 2014 Oval Racing
ProStocks Irish Open - Rarely Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
While much of the talk this week will be of the Speedweekend and the 2 Litre Hot Rod World Championship, there is what some people would consider a support race that is more than capable of upstaging the headline act, in fact some would say it will be the headline act on the Saturday night for others perhaps it simply is the headline act, I am of course referring to the ProStocks Irish Open Championship. In the first few years of ProStock racing in the province the Irish Open Championship was staged a few weeks after the Speedweekend and seen a number of Scottish visitors come over to take part, sometimes they were much fancied, while at other times the Ulster division of the class had gone off in a different direction in terms of car choice and the visitors were only really making up the numbers. In 2011, at the final Speedweekend at Nuttscorner Oval, the ProStocks Irish Open joined the Speedweekend party, and stole the show. Over 30 cars took to the track for the opening heat which included the then World Cup champion Ally McDonald. Ryan Stewart took the opening heat win in a Nova (not outlawed from the class), Ryan Abernethy took the second heat I think in a Tigra (now outlawed from the class) and Alan Haugh won the final that could only be described as electric, doing so in a Corsa (also now outlawed from the class). The final from memory had just about every contender in the lead at some stage, it had cars spun early on and race stoppages bringing them back into play, and a grandstand finish with only 8 cars taking the final restart. It announced the ProStocks into the Speedweekend scene, where they have remained ever since. In 2012 the ProStocks were going through a transition period, with many of the popular cars of choice being run out and the class was taking a dip in numbers, but still getting good numbers and still putting on good racing. Steffan McClelland came out the winner on the night. Last year with the ProStock World Cup being held in Northern Ireland for the first time the class was on the crest of a wave, regular meetings were seeing car turnouts in the region of 35 cars and the class was right up there with the best in the UK (it still is, even though the numbers have dropped a little). The ProStocks once again left their mark on the Saturday night of Speedweekend with a superb battle between Ryan Abernethy and Steffan McClelland which I think seen 2 other cars in the mix on the closing lap as well, Abernethy came out on this occasion, but it was another one of those races which leave the crowd going away wanting more. The ProStocks just might not be the Headline act this weekend, but don’t discount them from putting on the race you’re still talking about for years to come.







2011 Top 3


2012 Top 3

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