The 2011 season got of to a bad start when a huge collision at Kirkistown early in race 1, between Andy Parkinson and Brian McGoldrick, resulted in the hospitalisation of both drivers – Andy with a dislocated shoulder, Brian with head injuries.
Andy recovered relatively quickly, Brian’s was a slower road to full health. Currently he’s back on his feet and working hard to regain full mobility. Everyone at NI Sevens Racing wishes him all the best. Likewise, we’d like to extend our sincerest thanks to the marshals, emergency response team and everyone involved in the swift medical attention Brian and Andy received. The race itself was overshadowed by the crash, but was won by Ryan Magennis from a commanding pole position set earlier in the day. 
This was to set the pattern for much of the season, Magennis looking strong from winning 2010 Rookie Of The Year, continuing his good form into 2011. The race also saw a 2011 Rookie, Jack Boal, take an impressive second place in his first Sevens race, and another Rookie, Trevor Allen, take an excellent third. The 2011 NI Sevens Challenge was run over 11 races, 2 hillclimbs and a sprint, and the second event of the season was the NUCC sprint at Nutts Corner. Again Magennis was on blistering form setting the winning time with his first official run. He won by over a second from Iain Leinster and Jack Boal, Boal now looking firm favourite for Rookie Of The Year. Back at Kirkistown for a double-header race meeting at the end of April. Qualifying was notable for a couple of performances, Ryan Magennis taking pole with a lap of 1:03.708, well inside the official lap record (which must be set in a race), and Rookie Alan Davidson qualifying second, and announcing arrival in race for Rookie Of The Year. 
Magennis was in dominant form in both races, taking maximum points, making it 4 wins out of 4, ahead of Davidson and Jimmy Dougan in the first race and ahead of Dougan and Johnny Armstrong in the second. In May the Sevens took to the road for their annual trip down to Mondello for two races in tricky conditions. Magennis, again, took a dominant pole, from Davidson, then Boal, but a false neutral off the line saw him relegated to last, whilst Davidson and Boal battled for the lead.
It was a battle Davidson was to win, but Magennis clawed his way back up the field to finish a close second, ahead of Boal, third. Davidson was delighted with his maiden win in the NI Seven’s class. 
In race 2 Magennis made sure he didn’t repeat his mistake, despite starting from the back, on a reversed grid, he was battling with Robin McGrath and Richard Morgan for the lead by lap 3. Mechanical issues saw Morgan retire, while Magennis won, from Boal second and McGrath third. The next event was the historic Cultra Hillclimb on the grounds of the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum. A large crowd was able to enjoy a great day out in the sunshine at the TSCCNI run event. An oil leak from Alan Davidson in the first practice run which looked far more dramatic than it actually was, and led to a cautious first run for all, but when the timed runs began, again it was Magennis who set the pace. He claimed the points with ex-hillclimb champion Jimmy Dougan taking second ahead of Rookie contender Trevor Allen. 
June also saw a double header race meeting held at Kirkistown, an exciting race one had Magennis battling for the lead with Davidson and Leinster before taking the win, with Larry Mahwinney eventually taking second with Jimmy Dougan third. Race 2 saw an epic battle between Ryan Magennis and Alan Davidson. The two Have you heard of the Master Cleanse? That it is an excellent body approach to cleanse your body and to lose weight? If so, you may want to give this approach a try. Graham Moore built & prepared cars, closely matched for speed, shadowed each other for most of the race until a brilliant overtaking maneuver on the last corner of the last lap saw Davidson take the win. Ryan Magennis’s lead in the overall challenge was up to a commanding 91 pts ahead of Jimmy Dougan and the rapidly improving Davidson. One result of sixth place or better would see Magennis crowned Challenge winner. 
With neither Boal nor Allen scoring Rookie points in either race, it was Davidson who moved into the lead in the Rookie challenge with 132pts ahead of Jack Boal’s 87pts, and Trevor Allen’s 77pts. The next event was another double header in July at Kirkistown and saw another dominant display from Magennis. Pole was closely followed by a win (after another titanic struggle with an unlucky Davidson, who failed to finish, unable to get his car going after a spin) and made Ryan NI Sevens Challenge winner for 2011. With Boal collecting points for second, he took the Rookie honours, while the battling Jimmy Dougan was third. Race 2 and again Magennis fought his way up to the lead while Dougan, Boal and Trevor Allen battled it out for the podium spots, with Allen and Boal coming out on top. It was a fitting way to wrap up his Challenge win with another Vettel-like display of dominance. It was Ryan’s father, ex-stockcar racer Gerry, who took the seat of the Challenge winning car for the picturesque Splega Dam Hillclimb, but with the Rookie of the year still to be decided it was a determined Trevor Allen that set the fastest time, on the final run, in dramatic fashion. He pipped Jimmy Dougan to the points ahead of Barry McBride, Jack Boal and Alan Davidson. The final event was a double header race meeting at Kirkistown with the Rookie title still up for grabs. Alan Davidson on 157pts, Jack Boal on 138pts and Trevor Allen on 132pts were all capable of winning it. Newly crowned champion Magennis qualified on pole, again dipping under 64 seconds for the lap, with rookie contenders Davidson and Boal close behind. 
At the start these three pulled away, only for Davidson’s prop shaft to shear, ending his race meeting, and his hopes of the rookie title. This left a gripping battle between Boal and Magennis as the lead swapped hands several times. Boal was left with the lead, however, once Magennis developed engine problems with only a couple of laps left to go. This gave Boal a well deserved win and 22 points in the Rookie championship. With him now ahead of Alan Davidson, and Davidson unable to take the grid for race 2, this effectively meant he was Rookie Of The Year. In the final race a close fought battle between Boal and Jimmy Dougan saw Dougan nick the win on the last corner of the last lap as the NI Sevens signed of for 2011 in the most exciting way possible. For further information on the N.I. Sevens Racing Challenge visit www.nisevensracing.co.uk
2011 Saville Machinery and Motorhomes N.I. Sevens Racing Challenge Final Points Table 1st Ryan Magennis 238pts 2nd Jimmy Dougan 162pts 3rd Jack Boal 135pts 4th Trevor Allen 103pts 5th Alan Davidson 100pts 6th Larry Mawhinney 76pts 7th Iain Leinster 51pts 8th Barry McBride 43pts 9th Johnny Armstrong 41pts 10th Davis Buick 33pts 11th Robin McGrath 28pts 12th Gary Jones 18pts 13th Richard Morgan 10pts
2011 Rookie Of The Year 1st Jack Boal 180pts 2nd Alan Davidson 157pts 3rd Trevor Allen 147pts
