Just two weeks until the start of Northstone club race series

Sunday, March 30, 2014
Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – members are eagerly looking forward to the start of their 2014, Northstone sponsored, club race programme, which is due to commence in just two weeks time on Wednesday 16th April.
David Dougan, who is the club’s newest and youngest, committee member is Race Secretary and he has drawn up a calendar of twenty three mid-week club events.
All the old favourites are included but there are a few changes too.
The most notable of these changes is the introduction of a three event "scratch road race” series which replaces the Australian pursuit series.
The Tommy Smyth cup will go to the overall winner of this mini league which kicks off on the opening night of the season 16th April.
Round one will cover two laps of the Broughshane, Buckna, Sheddings, Carnlough road, Broughshane circuit. This will give a race distance of just under 22 miles. There will also be a one lap, 11 miles youth race on the same circuit that night.
Racing Committee member Bobby Currie has drawn up the marshalling rota for the season and Maurice Carruthers has been appointed "head marshall” for this opening event. Maurice will be assisted by Maria Shannon, Wilnor Worthington, James McBride, Maura Bradley and Adrian Kerr.
Round two follows two weeks later and covers one lap, 16 miles, of the Ahoghill, Tully, Largy Road, Kilnock, Whitesides corner, Glebe road, Ahoghill course.
The scratch series will be concluded on 28th May when an 18 miles race starts at Slaght corner and completes two laps of the Caddy circuit.
 
The first race in the club road racing league series is the Rex Bonar cup 25 miles handicapped road race at Broughshane on the Lisnamurrican circuit on 14th May.
The fact that two of the scratch road races will have taken place before the Bonar cup should help the handicappers when they come to place the entrants into their various starting groups.
In addition to the scratch road race series the club will also promote a total of eight road races on circuits at Broughshane, Caddy, Clough, Randalstown and Glarryford:
The time trial enthusiasts are well catered for as well with three 25 miles time trials: three 10 miles time trials: two five miles time trials: one 50 miles time trial: The GP of the Glens TT and the Sherdan Caldwell memorial Crebilly hill climb.
The third 25 miles time trial of the season will be held on 13th August.
This event, which will take place on the Woodgreen, Dunsilly Ballee course, is listed as a team time trial but David Dougan tells me that any rider, who, for example, needs a 25 miles time for the best all-rounder competition, may ride the event as an individual. Presumably it will also count towards the time trial handicap league, although I’m not sure about my assumption and this will have to be clarified before the season starts. 
The final race of the club season is the Will Henry cup road race at Glarryford on 15th August. There will also be a full programme of youth time trial and road race events.
The club has time trial best all-rounder competitions for youths, juniors, ladies, adults and veterans.
The qualifying distances are as follows:
  • Youths – 2.5 miles and 5 miles.
  • Juniors – 5 miles, 10 miles and 25 miles.
  • Ladies – 5 miles and 10 miles.
  • Adults – 10 miles, 25 miles and 50 miles.
  • Veterans (on age standard) 10, 25 and 50 miles.
Only times registered in club race events will count to the BAR, with the exception of the 50 miles distance where the 50 miles TT championship will also count.