News/ Results

NI F2s on Tour (added 26/3/03)
Over the weekend, two NI cars raced on the mainland, Ian Thompson Jnr picked up a 9th and 10th at Cowdenbeath, while Gary Beggs made the long trip to Taunton to race at the world Final venue, fairing better than Ian did at Cowdie, picking up a 6th in his heat, and a 7th in the final.
Bill Batten won the heat, Fianl and GN at the meeting, and is, and has been my tip for the 2003 WF

Venray (Holland) 23/3/03
With more than 40 cars in the pits the cars where split into three groups to go for a 2/3 heat format. The best 30 qualifying for the final. After only doing three meetings in 2002, Jos op ‘t Roodt had dropped to blue and it was obvious that he would be the man to beat.
Heat one had three rolling laps for one reason or the other but when the green dropped it was Emile Jansen who took the lead from his row 1 position. Jansen opened up a big lead Sebastiaan Vowinkel hit Geert- Jan Keyzer after which he climbed all over the Keyzer car, almost rolling himself. In the meantime op ‘t Roodt was in second and was closing in on Jansen very fast. Roy Maessen was the first of the star men that showed, closing on op ‘t Roodt and Jansen. Op ‘t Roodt took the lead but he had Maessen closing on him. Dirk Jakobs once again proved that his homebuilt car is very fast indeed and was in fifth. Maessen took second from Jansen and got up on the back bumper of op ‘t Roodt, before he slowed down because of engine trouble. Michel Van Haarlem took second. Jakobs was able to get up to third but it was op ’t Roodt who took the win.
Toon Schut was out in heat two, after rushing home from Paris, where he won the European Indoor Stock car Championship for the second year running. It was Rogier Sluyk who took the lead but op ‘t Roodt already showed in third. Op ‘t Roodt took the lead with Jansen now in second. Van Haarlem took second. Rob van Rengs spun and was hit by Schut. Schut continued but the waved yellows came out for the stranded Paul Hermkens and Marcel Basters cars. Van Haarlem took the lead after the restart and before op ‘t Roodt had the chance to take over, Schut shot through to second. Schut took the lead after which op ‘t Roodt managed to take second. Schut took the win
Roy Hendriks took the lead in heat three, before Peter Schreurs took over. Jos de Beer took second. Rene Heynen hit the fence. Jakobs and Leon de Kevie hooked up. Maessen took third. Schut retired with engine trouble. De Beer took the lead. Maessen hit engine trouble again but continued. Meanwhile Willie Peeters had taken the lead. De Beer retired from third, Schutter taking third. Peeters took the win.
Jansen took the lead  in the final. Jansen slows handing the lead to Schreurs. Cor Cuppen spun. Op ’t Roodt took the lead. Schreurs retired. Maessen took second and started to reel in op ‘t Roodt when once again mechanical gremlins denied him to take the lead. He managed to hold on to his second place until the chequered. Op ‘ Roodt took the win.

Results:
Heat 1: 67 Jos op ‘t Roodt- 61 Michel van Haarlem- 888 Dirk Jakobs.
Heat 2: 30 Toon Schut- 67 Jos op ‘t Roodt- 61 Michel van Haarlem
Heat 3: 24 Willie Peeters- 1 Peter Schreurs- 29 Cor Schutter
Final: 67 Jos op ‘t Roodt- 4 Roy Maessen- 9 Geert- Jan Keyzer
Total points: 67 Jos op ‘t Roodt- 29 Cor Schutter- 61 Michel Harris

Edwin Clout.

Many thanks to Edwin Clout for this report

March 2nd 2003 Tipperary
South 88 Points  121 Des Cooney, 967 Neville Stanley, 961 Tom Casey,  Mike Riordan 142,  Pat Canavan 939
North 72 Points   994 Keith Martin, 942 Davy McCall, 944 Ronnie McMillan, 997 Andrew Murray, 941 Wayne McClure
Stewart Doak 996 had a problem in practice and withdrew from the event
The best team won it, I think the North will have to go back to the drawing board for another plan if they are to beat the South in the rematch - thats if there ever was plan in the first place.
After the first race the North were leading by a good margin after quite a frantic first heat.  Keith Martin 994 drove a faultless race to win in a great afternoon for him.  At one stage things looked good for the North with 994, 997, 942 in the top 3p laces.  But then 942 forced 997 wide (in a clean manoeuvre) but this also let 961 Tom Casey through.  What kind of team driving is that, but luckily for the North the 961 retired shortly after. 
The North filled the top 3 places in Heat 1 after a lucky last lap, 967 got past 942, and then McCall touched him coming out of the bend which sent 967 spinning and 942 into the wall, a bit of chaos broke out and the race was stopped with positions counting from the previous lap - lucky for the North!!
In Heat 2 Tom Casey 961, Neville Stanely 967 and Mike Riordan 142 did some great team driving filling the top 3 spots, 942 finishing 4th
When the final came there were only a few points between the 2 teams.  Again the South started off with great team driving and it was 961, 967, 142 and 942 in that order - until 942 spun 142 (in the same spot as he spun 967 in the Heat 1) but this time he got himself disqualified.  It looked like it was all over with 967 and 961 way out in the lead but 994 kept going.  Then 967 slowed right down giving the North some hope and 994 got by but 967 picked it up again and it finished 961,994,967

Drivers of the day must have been 961, 967 and 994

Report by Darren Pearson

Eddie Paterson Video
Eddie Paterson Video has kindly allowed me use of some of his clips on the site, as well as putting up the prize for Fantasy FII. For more information on his videos, and to view the videos, click on the logo.

Fegans and Thompson , £1000 up front To Race
Both the Fegan and the Thompson family will have to put £1000 up front to assure that there is no continuation of the previous trouble that has occurred on the mainland at the end of last season.
To see the letter sent to Gavin, along with the new licensing terms Click Here

Fantasy FII is back
Following its success last year, Fantasy FII is back for 2003, the 2002 league was won by Scott Reid, son of scottish FII driver Paul, so come on guys, can we not manage to bring this title back to NI?

Fegan Racing online
Team Fegan are currently working on developing a website, the web address is www.feganracing.com , I would like to take the chance to wish them all the best with the new venture, and looking forward to seeing the photo galleries past and present.

NI F2's go to the NEC
Two Northern Ireland F2's made it to the Autosport International motorsport show at the Birmingham NEC, Jan 11-13th. On Display were the new A&D built cars of 278 Ted Holland, and the new car of 901 Ian Thompson. Both cars look extremely well, and pictures can be found by clicking here. Alson on Display was the new HCD car of reigning world champions Chris Burgoyne, the new Elite of fellow Scottish star 79 Gordon Moodie, as well as Randalls for 309 Bryn Forrest, 228 Simon Rickets, 35 Neil Burnett, H24 Willie Peeters, shale star 13 Andy Ford, finishing of the the F2's was 154 Steve Green Junior with a new Mtec car, and 210 Chris Lyndsey with his new car.

2002 News Page