donnellyautomotive.co.uk

The 2010 racing season ended on a high note as expected, a 12 race programme with a double header to round off a brilliant Formula Ford season at the County Down venue.

Reigning champion John Ferguson, teenager Jonny McMullen and Mike Edgar all were in contention to become the 2010 champion.

However it was Raymond Lusty who gained pole with Morgan Dempsey alongside for the first race. Lusty returned from the USA to drive a Swift run by AMG Motorsport.

Dempsey just got the nose of his Van Diemen ahead and at the second corner with cars flying off, Lusty and Edgar were briefly off the circuit. This left Dempsey and Ivor McCullough to battle it out for the top spot, lap after lap and at the flag it was McCullough by a very slender margin.

Lusty was on pole for the second race from McCullough, Ferguson was on his own on row three, Edgar on row four and McMullen back on the fifth row. Just like the Martin Donnelly Trophy Neville Smyth made the break and gradually he pulled away from the battle.

Lusty pursued to loose second to McCullough, meanwhile Ferguson was in the heat of the battle. McMullen ever careful of a finish came under the close attention of McGarrity and on the last corner of the final lap, a parked Formula Ford close to the track, Ferguson made contact, loosing a place, still he finished fifth with McMullen on his tail, enough to give the teenager the title and hardly anyone noticed Smyths immaculate drive to victory.

The Formula Vee was also decided and after the Leinster Trophy meeting two drivers were in contention. The two contenders occupied the front row with Ray Moore on pole from Dan Polley. The latter after his resounding victory in the Leinster Trophy was more than keen to take the title.

It all went wrong for the pair as they collided at Fishermans to visit the local scenery, the title going to Moore as Robert Casey took the flag.

Ginetta Juniors made their first visit to the County Down circuit, two races with championship leader Niall Murray finishing third in the first and winning the second. Andrew OBrien who started from pole in race one went on to win.

Jackie Cochrane won both the Historic races with his Sunbeam Tiger and in the Touring Car/GT races, the double for Robin Titterington in his Porsche GT3, best of the tin tops Stephen Traub in race one and Ralph Jess in race two.

A small entry in the Formula Libre races and once again the double for Dan Daly with his Holden powered Reynard. Mark Campbell was the pacesetter in Roadsports in the absence of Stephen Donnelly with Mark Crawford winning the N.I. Sevens championship.

words taken from //www.kirkistown.com

Share.