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Mid-Season Speed At Kirkistown.
Saturday 25th June sees the mid-season car race meeting take place at Kirkistown Racing Circuit in County Down. As usual, all the domestic championships will be contested.
The featured class will be the Kirkistown Fiestas. As well as their two championship races, they will have a special “Fiestaval” as a stand-alone third race. The starting order on the grid will be decided by a draw and the winner will be crowned the “Fiestival Ace of 2022”. All of the main contenders have entered. That means that the intense, friendly, family rivalry between the Stewart brothers, Mark and Paul, from Belfast and the father and son team of Derek and Michael Graham, from Portadown will be renewed. To add to the fun, Neville Anderson, from Banbridge, lies third in the Fiesta Championship and will also be mixing it at the front. Strangford driver, Megan Campbell, has not been on her usual form this season, although she still lies sixth in the championship. If she gets her mojo going this time, she will be right at the front as well. Stephen Walker makes the trip from Helensburgh in Scotland every meeting and he has been getting closer to the top six this year. Corey Alleyne, from Letterkenny, is back this time. He performed well in May, driving one of Ricky Hull’s Creative Motorsport cars.
Neville Anderson (97) leading the pack in Fiestas.
In the Saloons and GTs race, all of the main contenders have entered. Once again, Lurgan’s Peter Baxter should have the best chance in his Seat Supercopa. Ralph Jess, from Ballinahinch, will be hoping for some reliability from his BMW M3. Gareth Blaine, from Downpatrick, has been going exceptionally well in a BMW330i and Keith Wray, from Dundonald, seemed to have got a new lease of life, at the last meeting, in his re-fettled 330i. His brother, Greer, from Lisburn had to fight hard to better him, in a similar machine. Donal O’Neill, from Nutt’s Corner, will be back out in his trusty but aging Seat Leon.
The GT class will be made up of Paul McAlinden, from Warrenpoint, in his SHP Wildcat and Jonathan Mills, from Newcastle, in his twin-engined Clio.
Paul McAlinden.
The Modi-5-Cup for Mazda MX5s has six entrants. Gregory Radcliffe, from Banbridge, is the newcomer. He is joined by father of the class, David Cousins, from Ballywalter, Derry driver, Gavin Kilkey, Moira man, Francis Allen, Newry driver, Damian Moran and Culloville driver, Jim Kennedy. This is a very tight class that will only grow with time, as the racing is so good. Picking a winner in advance is a fool’s errand.
Modi-5-Cup Mazdas are never far apart!
The Roadsports class has a small but incredibly fast and close number of entrants. Once again, the main focus will be on new lap record holder, Steven Larkham, from Carrickfergus. Can he beat his uncle Jim, in a similar Radical Pro6? Jim is from Newtownabbey. Ivor “The Driver” Greenwood, from Crumlin, will be out to beat both of them in another Radical as will Banbridge man, Brian Elliott. The Crosslé marque will be represented by Holywood driver, John Benson, in a 37S and Blackrock driver, Bernard Foley, in a 42S. Arnie Black, from Banbridge, may well be factored in with his unique Mermik 1. The potential of this car has not yet been fully released, as Arnie has methodically been working on set-up since he acquired it.
Roadsports and Spritscar lap record holder, Steven Larkham.
Another small but very competitive entry has been received for FF1600s. Top of the list is Ballymena driver, David McCullough, who is the current N.I. FF1600 Champion. He will have the Mondial M89 Duo of Ballycastle’s Brandon McCaughan and “The Randalstown Rocket”, Alan Davidson, biting at his exhaust pipe. Both of these latter two get the absolute maximum out of their aging cars. Mike Todd, from Parkgate, makes a welcome return, also in an M89 as does Antrim’s Drew Stewart, in a Van Diemen RF00. Robert Johnston, from Crumlin, is getting more familiar with his new Ray GR22 and he should be rising up the order. Ballymena’s Henry Campbell will be back in his Reynard RF89 and 500MRCI Chairman, Paul McMorran, from Holywood, will be driving the oldest car in the field, a Crosslé 25F.
Brandon McCaughan leading Alan Davidson in FF1600.
The fields in the various classes may not be big but the racing will be as fierce as ever. Qualifying starts at 9:00am, with the first race around 10:30am.
Would you like to get really close to the racing? The marshals at Kirkistown are highly trained experts at dealing with with crashes, fires and flag communications. But they did not start out that way. Every single one began their marshalling journey knowing little or nothing about the vocation. Most of them just wanted to get closer to the racing!
If you are passionate about racing and would like to become one of the valued Kirkistown marshals, ring 028 42771325 and ask for Donal or email donal@kirkistown.com. You will be invited along, introduced to Fel, our chief marshal, and she will tell you what is involved.
There will be a special display in the paddock this Saturday, on behalf of Motorsport UK, aimed at anyone who would like to get involved in the sport, from marshalling to driving. Make sure you call in!
Saturday 25th June sees the mid-season car race meeting take place at Kirkistown Racing Circuit in County Down. As usual, all the domestic championships will be contested.
The featured class will be the Kirkistown Fiestas. As well as their two championship races, they will have a special “Fiestaval” as a stand-alone third race. The starting order on the grid will be decided by a draw and the winner will be crowned the “Fiestival Ace of 2022”. All of the main contenders have entered. That means that the intense, friendly, family rivalry between the Stewart brothers, Mark and Paul, from Belfast and the father and son team of Derek and Michael Graham, from Portadown will be renewed. To add to the fun, Neville Anderson, from Banbridge, lies third in the Fiesta Championship and will also be mixing it at the front. Strangford driver, Megan Campbell, has not been on her usual form this season, although she still lies sixth in the championship. If she gets her mojo going this time, she will be right at the front as well. Stephen Walker makes the trip from Helensburgh in Scotland every meeting and he has been getting closer to the top six this year. Corey Alleyne, from Letterkenny, is back this time. He performed well in May, driving one of Ricky Hull’s Creative Motorsport cars.
Neville Anderson (97) leading the pack in Fiestas.
In the Saloons and GTs race, all of the main contenders have entered. Once again, Lurgan’s Peter Baxter should have the best chance in his Seat Supercopa. Ralph Jess, from Ballinahinch, will be hoping for some reliability from his BMW M3. Gareth Blaine, from Downpatrick, has been going exceptionally well in a BMW330i and Keith Wray, from Dundonald, seemed to have got a new lease of life, at the last meeting, in his re-fettled 330i. His brother, Greer, from Lisburn had to fight hard to better him, in a similar machine. Donal O’Neill, from Nutt’s Corner, will be back out in his trusty but aging Seat Leon.
The GT class will be made up of Paul McAlinden, from Warrenpoint, in his SHP Wildcat and Jonathan Mills, from Newcastle, in his twin-engined Clio.
Paul McAlinden.
The Modi-5-Cup for Mazda MX5s has six entrants. Gregory Radcliffe, from Banbridge, is the newcomer. He is joined by father of the class, David Cousins, from Ballywalter, Derry driver, Gavin Kilkey, Moira man, Francis Allen, Newry driver, Damian Moran and Culloville driver, Jim Kennedy. This is a very tight class that will only grow with time, as the racing is so good. Picking a winner in advance is a fool’s errand.
Modi-5-Cup Mazdas are never far apart!
The Roadsports class has a small but incredibly fast and close number of entrants. Once again, the main focus will be on new lap record holder, Steven Larkham, from Carrickfergus. Can he beat his uncle Jim, in a similar Radical Pro6? Jim is from Newtownabbey. Ivor “The Driver” Greenwood, from Crumlin, will be out to beat both of them in another Radical as will Banbridge man, Brian Elliott. The Crosslé marque will be represented by Holywood driver, John Benson, in a 37S and Blackrock driver, Bernard Foley, in a 42S. Arnie Black, from Banbridge, may well be factored in with his unique Mermik 1. The potential of this car has not yet been fully released, as Arnie has methodically been working on set-up since he acquired it.
Roadsports and Spritscar lap record holder, Steven Larkham.
Another small but very competitive entry has been received for FF1600s. Top of the list is Ballymena driver, David McCullough, who is the current N.I. FF1600 Champion. He will have the Mondial M89 Duo of Ballycastle’s Brandon McCaughan and “The Randalstown Rocket”, Alan Davidson, biting at his exhaust pipe. Both of these latter two get the absolute maximum out of their aging cars. Mike Todd, from Parkgate, makes a welcome return, also in an M89 as does Antrim’s Drew Stewart, in a Van Diemen RF00. Robert Johnston, from Crumlin, is getting more familiar with his new Ray GR22 and he should be rising up the order. Ballymena’s Henry Campbell will be back in his Reynard RF89 and 500MRCI Chairman, Paul McMorran, from Holywood, will be driving the oldest car in the field, a Crosslé 25F.
Brandon McCaughan leading Alan Davidson in FF1600.
The fields in the various classes may not be big but the racing will be as fierce as ever. Qualifying starts at 9:00am, with the first race around 10:30am.
Would you like to get really close to the racing? The marshals at Kirkistown are highly trained experts at dealing with with crashes, fires and flag communications. But they did not start out that way. Every single one began their marshalling journey knowing little or nothing about the vocation. Most of them just wanted to get closer to the racing!
If you are passionate about racing and would like to become one of the valued Kirkistown marshals, ring 028 42771325 and ask for Donal or email donal@kirkistown.com. You will be invited along, introduced to Fel, our chief marshal, and she will tell you what is involved.
There will be a special display in the paddock this Saturday, on behalf of Motorsport UK, aimed at anyone who would like to get involved in the sport, from marshalling to driving. Make sure you call in!
