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| Added: 01 Nov 2011 |
Category: Older Oval Racing |
| And The Year Was..... 2004 |
Easter was the second weekend in April, and already Big Ted, Graham Fegan and Andrew Stewart had been in action in the F2’s at Cowdie, and Pete Shaw had been over in the Saloon.
When the season got under way, Alan Connelly took the traditional opening title of the season, the Yokohama Tyres championship, while Keith Martin took a heat and final double on the opening night, but looking back perhaps the result of the juniors race was the most interesting, Daniel Rodgers, Lucinda Smyth, Chris Gordon, Kieran McIvor and Steven Bolton, all in the results.
The F2 season kicked off on Easter Monday with 16 F2’s at Ballymena, including debuts for Geoff Alexander, Thomas Greer and Richard Stewart. Gavin Fegan took a heat and final double, while in the Stock Rods Davy McKay won the Irish Open championship.
Graham Fegan took the opening Nutts Corner Raceway final of the season, where Grand Nationals had been introduced for the F2s. Graham Fegan went on to take final wins at Nutts Corner and Ballymena the following week, before Gary Grattan became the first outside the Fegan family to take a final at Nutts Corner at the end of April.
May started with a first for Northern Ireland, the debut of the Reliant Robins at Nutts Corner, with several local drivers competing against a similar amount of visiting drivers, providing a decent turnout of cars and a good crowd.
A Week later Clive Richardson took the National Hot Rod British title at Ballymena, heading home a ten car field which included Carl Boardley, Neville Stanley and Dick Hillard.
Graham Fegan’s domination in the new DK car continued with another final win, before the F2’s were on their travels to the British Championship at Cowdenbeath. Graham Fegan was the top qualifier for the big event getting a row 3 start but was taking out early on after Scottish star Stuart Gilchrist hit a marker tyre and rolled high in the air, ripping the wing off Fegan’s car as he drove under the airborne 477 car. The title went to Barry Goldin. The following day Ian Thompson took a win in the heat and a 5th in the final of the Cowdenbeath World Qualifying round.
Andy Stewart took the Final win at Nutts Corner the following Wednesday, before normal service resumed and Graham Fegan won took the final win at Ballymena on the Friday.
Coming from yellow grade Gary Grattan completed the first hat trick of wins for the season on the 20th of May at Nutts Corner, where the Saloons made their first appearance for a big championship, racing for their heats for the Irish Open championship as well as the Robert Hearst Memorial, which was won by Gordon Alexander.
Andrew Stewart took the Irish open title the following evening at Ballymena, leading home Alexander and Winston Weir.
At the same meeting Clive Richardson, Davy McCall, Stewart Doak and Keith Martin secured the top spots for the National Hot Rod World final.
Graham Fegan took the last final win of May at Nutts Corner.
June as ever seen the highlight of the F2 season, as the mainland drivers came over for the Irish Open and Challenge Trophy. Bill Batten dominated the Nutts Corner Raceway meeting, taking the challenge Trophy, while it was Mick Sworder who took both heats and the final to win the F2 Irish at Ballymena.
Domestically Graham Fegan won the first final of the month at Nutts Corner, Gavin took the final two days later at Ballymena, Gary Grattan took a final win the week ahead of the Irish Open, while William Murray made his F2 debut in a new A&D car, Raymond Percy also debuted a new A&D car and took the final win at the end of the month. The traditional Northern Ireland summer caused a cancelled meeting mid June, due to the flooding from heavy rain.
July started with the annual pilgrimage to Ipswich, and Darren Black wrote his first piece for NIF2. Blackman took the National Hot Rod world, with Keith Martin our top finisher in 9th. Eleven 2 Litre’s travelled, but couldn’t stop Kevin Randell from retaining the World title. Stephen Emerson had the best NI showing as he successfully defended the Budweiser 500 Title. Gary Beggs made his first competitive outing in a stockkart and picked up a second and a fourth.
It was touring time for the F2’s as well, with Ian Thompson in action all over the place in chase of world qualifying points. The travelling paid off with Thompson taking final wins at Warton and Knockhill to bag a pole in one of the semis.
Several cars were in action at Skegness for the UK Championship and Northampton for the European championship, including Thompson also racing in a rebel, but there was little success.
At home there was final wins for Raymond Percy and Gavin Fegan, while Davy McCall took the opening qualifying round in the Nationals.
As the season moved into August, the travelling continued for the NI cars, Graham Fegan headed to the West Country to take part in a series entitled the Florida Flyer, claiming top ten finishes in his heats, final and Grand National at Taunton . Meanwhile at Hednesford Neil Smith won the National Hot Rod National Championship, while Mark Keys was the big NI winner taking the Lightning Rods National Championship.
Back at home August 2004 seen the first of the bus DD’s at Nutts Corner and the place was as packed as I ever remember it being, with cars parked as far as you could see in every direction. On the night Raymond Percy took the F2 final.
The following weekend Nuttscorner Oval ran the last 2 daymid summer event which was not to be branded as a Speedweekend, Wayne McClure took the 2 Litre British on the Saturday night before Andrew Murray went on to take the Irish open the following day, a title which wasn’t to be raced for again until 2011.
In the F2’s Raymond Percy took another final win, with Graham Fegan taking 3 more finals in August and Gavin Fegan the other victor in the month.
Davy McCall and Clive Richardson were final winners in the National Hot Rod World Qualifying round, and the month ended with Glenn Bell winning his first world title in the stock rods, Gillian Philp was second with Stuart Fox third.
In September NIF2 had it’s first and possibly only ever driver interview when Simon Kennedy interviewed Glenn Bell for the site.
Raymond Percy and Craig McConnell both took pre world final wins in the F2’s.
Bill Batten took the F2 World at Barford, which seen a fantastic drive from Paul Broatch to take second.
Back home Joe Yates took a final win in the F2’s, Graham Fegan added another final win to his tally before going on to win the Irish open, heading home brother Gavin and Ian Thompson. Graham Fegan also went on to take the F2 Stadium Championship at Ballymena.
Other Champions crowned in September 2004 included Kenny Greer – Irish Champion – GP2’s, Alan Sommerville – Irish Champion – Production Cars, Chris Foster – Ballymena Stadium Champion – ORCi Lightning Rods, Alastair Calvin – Irish Champion – Stock Rods, Steven Bolton – Irish Champion – Junior Rods.
Decky McFerran took the final win of the season in the F2’s at Nutts corner, and the season (mine at least) was seen out by the one and only Combine Harvester DD, not something for the faint hearted to get too close to the fence for.
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Mick Sworder at Nutts Corner |
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Graham Fegan dominated at home |
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Thompson made the world the long way |
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and also guested in a Rebel at the Euro |
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Where this McConnell car was wrote off |
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Skeggy was Soggy |
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Connolly defended the Stock Rod World |
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Glenn Bell won it |
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The Robins debuted at Nuttscorner |
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Keith Martin's Focus |
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2 Litre Irish Open heat line up |
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Banger Action |
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Emerson and Cochrane |
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F2s line up at Nutts Corner |
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F2s in action at Nutts Corner |
| More Photos from 2004 on Flickr |
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