Ian Riordan Roars To Tullyroan Victory

The elite National Hot Rods formula rounded out their 2025/26 season when Round 14 of World Series NI was staged at Tullyroan Oval on Saturday, May 30th. It was Cork driver Ian Riordan who took an impressive final win, whilst another very creditable victory went to Drogheda’s Fionn Donnelly as he won the DMC Gold Cup for 1400 Stock Cars after an exciting battle.
Antrim teenager Leyton Hughes continued his great form with victory in the Tullyroan Challenge Cup for Junior Productions, with the other feature race wins falling to Larne’s Sam Wilson in the Stock Rods and Garvagh’s Dean Catherwood in the Superstox.

An excellent field were on hand for the opening National Hot Rod heat, and it was yellow grader Daby Clarke who showed them all the way home with a popular victory over Carl Sloan and Derek Martin. Heat two was on a very slippery surface with the cars on slick tyres, and it was John Christie who used all his experience to land the win after Clarke was penalised for a wrong starting position. Mark Heatrick inherited second ahead of the demoted Clarke.
The wet final was lined up in series points order, with Christie the first to show before Derek McMillan squeezed down his inside to take up the running. Derek stretched ahead but in the second half of the race Ian Riordan was closing with every lap. There followed an enthralling side-by-side battle, with Riordan just getting edge to race home to a very impressive win. McMillan, Drew McKeown (who spun over the line) and Jeff Riordan completed the places.

As always the 1400 Stock Cars provided top notch entertainment across the night. The first heat fell to Matthew McKinstry after he got past long time leader Lexi Crooks late on, before Matthew Weir was another last gasp winner of heat two after relegating pacesetter Chrissy Dempsey.
The final was a simply sensational race, with Weir clear ahead only for a mid-race caution to bring the field together. From then on it was drama all the way home! Fionn Donnelly went ahead only for Graham Meek to go in with the bumper and take it up. But Donnelly wasn’t done, coming back hard on Meek to snatch back the lead and take an excellent victory. Meek, Weir and Curtis Greer filled out the top four.

The Junior Productions were contesting the Tullyroan Challenge Cup, with Rowdy Grattan leading the opening heat before recently crowned double National Champion Leyton Hughes powered through to win, smashing the lap record in the process. Jack Morrison and Noah Teggart completed the top three. Austin Grattan led the early stages of heat two, before Jake Barnett stormed through for the win over Casey Cherry and Hughes.
It had turned very wet for the final, and Hughes dominated from pole position to take the silverware in some style. Morrison impressed too on his way to second, with Teggart and Cherry next home.

The Stock Rods were their usual competitive selves, with nothing between a whole host of drivers throughout the night. Teenagers Ryan Carroll and Ryan Jackson disputed the heat one lead, before Harry Minish powered through to win ahead of Stevie McNeice and Sam McNeice. Stevie went one better in heat two, taking the win over Siobhan Martin, after first over the line Jonny Cardwell was penalised for contact.
In the final Sam Wilson worked his way past early pacesetters Carroll and Lacey Bevan, stretching ahead to take a splendid victory despite the closing attentions of Minish and Sam McNeice.

The Superstox heats were all about British and Irish Champion Jordan Robinson, the Portadown driver relegating Conor Murphy to take the opener over Steven Haugh, before repeating the feat in heat two over Dean Catherwood.
Jordan McFetridge set the pace in the final, but this time it was Catherwood who was showing excellent pace. He got the better of the star men to take a very pleasing victory ahead of Robinson, Haugh and Sean Mark.