Northern Irish Motor Racing gets under way At Kirkistown

The 2024 Northern Irish motor racing season began in weather that varied between mild and depressingly damp, at Kirkistown Racing Circuit, on Saturday 23rd March, 2024.

It was a packed programme for this opener, headlined by the Scottish Mini Coopers, who seem to love this fast flowing circuit. In the first of three races for these visitors, previous experience told a story. The front runners were as expected. Oly Mortimer led for nine laps before being deposed by Jason Ballantyne. Two laps later, Chad Little, relieved Mortimer of second place. Local man, Jack Irvine, had been second at the end of lap 2 before getting sidelined. However, he did set a new lap record for the class!

In the second of their races, Little took the lead on lap two but was closely followed by Mortimer. Ballantyne had a terrible opening lap, dropping as low as sixth before beginning a fight back. By lap five, Mortimer had the lead and by lap six, Ballantyne was up to second and challenging. Over the final two tours the lead changed constantly between these two but it was Mortimer who crossed the line ahead. Little was third. Jack Irvine came from a starting position of eleventh, to finish fourth.

The final race for these cars was probably in the worst weather conditions. The rain master was Daniel Patterson, who led from the second lap to the finish. Second and third places were a constant battle between Irvine and Ian Monro, with Irvine taking the higher placing.

Clear lead

The first Formula Vee race was for B and C grade drivers and nineteen cars took the start. For the first half, at the front, it was all very non-Veeish, with Dubliner, Kieran Hannan, establishing a clear lead. However, by lap nine, Ger Byrne, from Tinahely, and Robert Flemming, from the Curragh, had woken up and were pressurising Hannan. Andy Keogh, from Saggart, was also in the mix. On lap eleven, Hannan had a mishap, dropping to seventh. Byrne and Flemming were at each other, hammer and tongs, swapping the lead at every corner. On the thirteenth lap, Keogh passed Byrne, who faded to seventh at the end. Going into the final tour, Keogh took the lead from Flemming and held on to the end.

A recovering Hannan took third.This field were joined by the A grade drivers for the second Vee race later in the day. Three of the top Irish Vee drivers disputed the lead throughout. Gavin Buckley, from Dublin, took the win. Second was Jack Byrne, from Tinahely, and third was Colm Blackburn, from Dublin.

The Kirkistown Mini Coopers and Kirkistown Fiestas shared the grid for two races. In the first, Darren Gilmore, from Lisnaskea, took the lead before being challenged on lap three by Peter Bennett, from Tandragee, and Belfast driver, Paul Stewart. On lap six, Bennett retired and Craig Gilmore, from Ballyhalbert took second place from Stewart.

That was how it finished. In the Fiestas, Paul Larkham, from Carrickfergus, disputed the lead with Megan Campbell, from Strangford, before she retired on lap seven, leaving Paul to take his first ever win! Henry White, from Richhill, took second place and Stephen Walker, from Helensburgh, took third after receiving a ten second penalty for exceeding track limits.

Jordan Kelly (99), Morgan Quinn (88) and David McCullough (28) at Maguire’s Hairpin.

In the second encounter for the Kirkistown Mini Coopers and Kirkistown Fiestas, Peter Bennett dominated in the wet conditions. Darren Gilmore had a very entertaining race-long battle with Paul Stewart, which he won. Newcomer, Taylor Frizzell, from Ballyclare, got great a fourth place. The Fiestas put on an excellent show at the front between Megan Campbell and Neville Anderson, from Loughbrickland.

These two swapped places constantly before a very brave move at the John Crosslé Chicane went wrong and Campbell spun down to stone last. Surrounded by red mist, she drove brilliantly back through the field and within three laps she was second again to Anderson.

There were not enough laps left for a second attempt at the lead and that was how they finished, with Stephen Walker taking another third place.

Two wins

In the first of a combined Roadsports and Globals race, Steven Larkham, from Ballycarry, made it two wins for the Larkham brothers. Mike Ward, from Youghal, took second. In the Globals, Peter Drennan, from Balrath, won from Conor May, from Celbridge.

In the second race, the results were the same in the Roadsports. Drennan won again in the Globals, with Cameron Fenton, from Greystones, second.

It was “all change” in the two Modi-5-Cup races for Mazda MX5s. The first race was “won” by Rob Kennedy, from Crossmaglen, but he was excluded for a technical infringement. That left newcomer, Craig Ewing, from Dundonald, to claim first place. Second place was hotly disputed on track between Newry’s Damian Moran and 2023 Champion, Francis Allen, from Moira, with Allen getting the advantage.

The second encounter was very entertaining to watch. James Crowe, from Holywood, took the lead and held it until the final lap. Class founder, David Cousins, held second place across the line on each of the first seven laps but he was having to fight extremely hard for it. Damian Moran was keeping him honest, with Craig Ewing, in turn, keeping him alert. On lap eight Cousins tried a well-rehearsed move on Moran, going into Maguire’s Hairpin.

It almost worked! The result was Cousins spinning down to fifth place. This also allowed Ewing to close on Moran. On the final lap, Ewing passed Moran with a robust move at Debtor’s Dip, causing Moran to go off. He then ambushed Crowe with a wonderfully late manoeuvre to take the win. The beneficiary of these antics was Francis Allen, who took third place.

After such a sparse season in 2023, it was great to have a healthy entry of eleven cars for the first of two FF1600 races. On top of that, the quality of drivers was top notch. There were six potential winners in the more modern cars. After the Martin Donnelly Trophy race in 2023, which Jordan Dempsey won, there sat an inconsolable young driver in his car. He knew he had thrown away a first great win, with an unnecessary mistake. His second place meant nothing to him.

This time Celbridge driver, Jason Smyth, made no mistakes, apart from a fluffed start. Once he got going properly, he was passing for fun. First it was Dave Parks, from Ballina. Then it was Morgan Quinn, from Kill. Next it was multiple FF1600 Champion, David McCullough from Ballymena. Finally, on lap nine, he took the lead from another young hot-shoe, Jordan Kelly, from Ballymagan. He was never headed after that. Unfortunately, on lap thirteen, Kelly’s car let him down and Quinn inherited second place. McCullough was third.

In the second race, Smyth passed Kelly on lap one, and drove away! This time Kelly’s car stood the pace and he took a good second place. McCullough took another unaccustomed third place. A mention must go to Brazilian driver, Isaac Canto, who took fourth.

The skies opened just as the Libre Saloons went to the grid for their first race and all were on slicks. Cabra driver, Gavin Stanfield, drove away from the field in his Subaru Impreza. Stephen Wright, from Monaghan, took his Seat Supercopa to second place, ahead of Kells driver, David McMinn in his diesel Seat Ibiza.

Inspired driving

The competitors expected the rain that fell for their second race and most changed to wet tyres. Interestingly, Stanfield was still on slicks! This, and some inspired driving by Wright, allowed him to close to just over a second at the finish. Belfast driver, Stephen Traub, was coming back from a massive crash at Mondello last year. He took it easy in the first race but upped the pace this time. Starting from the rear he passed McMinn at the half way point but could not trouble the first two at all.

And so ended a great day’s racing at Kirkistown.

The next meeting is on Saturday 27th April and sees the return of the amazing Superkarts. Also visiting on the bill will be Globals and Formula Sheanes.