Local lads enjoy racing success
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Ballyclare’s Andrew Elliott SE3612
HOT ON the heels of the recent Ulster Karting Club promoted Irish Kart Grand Prix at Nutts Corner Motorsports Centre, this Saturday sees the venue alive with kart racing action again when the provinces top drivers take on the penultimate round of the seven round Ulster Cup series.
The series is once again heating up for a nail biter with very few of the classes having any clear winner. Kart racing is a close competitive sport and the MCR Watercoolers by Apuro supported Grand Prix meeting was a classic in that respect and if that close competition continues this Saturday then race fans are in for another great day out.
In the Honda Cadet class, young Thomas Fegan from Newtownabbey will no doubt continue his strong form. In the GP , Thomas took a strong ninth place in what is becoming an increasingly competitive class.
Newtownabbey's Scott McGarrity had a tough Grand Prix but in the end still took a strong fourth place to show his potential for the rest of the year.
Newtownabbey's Sean Doherty and Tommy Fegan should also be strong contenders on Saturday. At the GP Sean was one of the top six challenging for the class lead but on this occasion he had to settle for fourth, only six hundredths of a second off the podium places and in the process he set the fastest lap of both finals and pre-finals. Tommy had a tougher final but in the end managed to secure ninth.
The Rotax Max 177kg class was also tough and Ballyclare's Gary Ross and Templepatrick's Jonathan Adams were both in the thick of the action. In the end the pair were fairly well matched in the battle for fifth which on this occasion went the way of Ross. Both are still in strong form for the Ulster Cup meeting this Saturday.
The 125 Rotax Max class will hopefully see another strong turnout this Saturday. At the GP it was sure to be frantic with the largest entry of the year and defending champion Keith Biggerstaff from Newtownabbey as well as a past top contender Ray Lusty from Larne were sure to be up there in the leading battles. Both have raced little at the circuit this year so when both were well inside the top ten in the pre-finals the scene was shaping up for a great finale.
Biggerstaff immediately got stuck into the podium battle but was up against tough opposition in the form of Josh Mulholland and Englands David Bellchambers. In the end though Biggerstaff drove superbly and came home with a well deserved second just behind Mulholland. Lusty held firm thoughout the finals and in the end took a strong sixth place.
That left a three way battle between Newtownabbey's Gary Agnew and Ballyclare's Ian Gilpin and Andrew Elliott. All three looked strong in heats but in the finals all three were soon in a closing battle for runners up spot. In the end Agnew came out the better to snatch the runners up place, a great result given that he has been out of the sport for some time. Gilpin and Elliott also drove superbly to take third and fourth.
Racing gets underway at 10am on Saturday with the first of three heats in each class. Finals are just after lunch.
The certainty of some of the meetings at the two other circuits is not so certain though and at the weekend the North of Ireland Karting association reminded drivers in flyers that they have until 13th September to send any comments on the championship and the classes for 2009.
