THE Cowdenbeath Civic Week Cup for the Ministox was abandoned after Hannah Borthwick crashed heavily into the wall and as a result she was cut out of her car and taken to hospital, although she was talking to the medics at the time.

Hannah was later released suffering from severe bruising to her back and ankle.

Unfortunately as the race was being suspended a marshal was injured and he too was taken to the hospital for a check up to a leg injury.

The marshal, Gordon McAllister, has broken his leg in two places and will undergo surgery to aid his recovery.

With only one week to go before the first of the Racewall speedweekends the drivers were taking the opportunity to check out their cars although Euan Millar’s preparations went for nothing after he collected an out of shape car and ended up rolling.

Making their debuts in the Ministox were Robbie Hamilton and Jamie Dawson whilst English visitors included Craig Driscoll, Stu Moss and Paul Moss although the latter blew two diffs at the meeting. Simon Venni brought up his saloon whilst other visitors were Edward Selby in the Minis, and Alfie Key, Joelan Maynard and Christina Sillifant in the Micro F2s.

Barry Russell warmed up for next week’s Championship with a double win in the saloons whilst Gordon Moodie came out on top in the Formula II final. Spare a thought for Cowdenbeath racer Paul Reid who broke a half shaft right at the start to the opening heat then blew his engine in the second!

There were 22 Formula II drivers at the track with Craig Reid back with a Zetec engine whilst Daniel Scrimgeour and Trevor Harris were having their first outings of the season.

Local drivers on the grid were Gregor Turner (Dunfermline), Trevor Harris (Kinglassie), Paul and Craig Reid (Cowdenbeath), Ian Thompson (Kennoway) and Gordon Moodie (Windygates).

The first Formula II race was a white/yellow challenge heat and whilst Willie Lindsay led over the opening laps Gregor Turner then took over before going through to win from Steven Burgoyne and Craig Driscoll with C. Reid in fifth place.

The opening heat saw Lindsay lead the pack away but it was Garry Sime who was leading the chase and he went through into the lead just before the half distance. Sime had Driscoll in close order although the latter was to drop back with Chris Burgoyne moving into second place. However, by now Sime was clear of the pack and he went through to win from C. Burgoyne and Liam Rennie with Moodie fifth and Turner in eighth place.

Heat two was led off by Lindsay but soon it was Craig Reid who led although he had Driscoll and Turner closing. Driscoll led until the closing stages when Ian Thompson slipped through into the lead and on to win from C. Burgoyne and Adam Blacklock with Moodie in fifth and ahead of Turner.

Lindsay got an exciting final underway with the result only resolved during the closing stages. Early on Thompson and C. Burgoyne hooked bumpers resulting in both having to retire. Blacklock was running ahead of Turner and were soon through into the lead positions.

As the race progressed Rennie and Gordon Moodie moved into second and third and reduced the gap to Blacklock. However, when Rennie made his challenge he sent Blacklock wide and in a flash Moodie seized his opportunity to pass both. Moodie soon had Rennie in close order but held on to pick up his first win of the season with Euan Millar in third place and Turner in sixth place.

Thompson went on to win the Grand National from Rennie and Blacklock but half way through the race Millar rolled his car after tangling with Robbie Dawson.

In the 2 Litre National Saloons Robin Copland and Kevin Letford brought out their cars for their first outing of the year whilst Venni was up for extra practice. Local drivers in action included Ross Watters (Leven), Euan Mathieson (Lochgelly) and Eck Cunningham (Leven).

Their opening race of the night was a white/yellow challenge heat which was led off by Mathieson but he was spun and it was Willie Mitchell who took over the lead. Mitchell couldn’t relax but he went on to win from Letford and Holly Glen with Cunningham in fifth and Mathieson in seventh place.

Mathieson was the first to show when heat one started but he was to lose out to Barry Russell and he went on for an easy win over Ian McLaughlin and Watters with Cunningham in seventh place. Heat two was to follow a similar pattern with Russell again winning from McLaughlin and Watters with Cunningham in ninth spot.

Mathieson led the cars away when the final started and he soon had built up a useful lead only to have to retire when his car shed a wheel. Russell then inherited the lead but he was caught and passed by McLaughlin then Watters. Although Watters closed the gap McLaughlin held on to win from Watters with Russell in third spot.

The Ministox drivers were as usual in good form and there was plenty of exciting racing with Gary Paterson being presented with the Keir Millar Memorial Trophy at the start to the mini races. Gary Paterson (Saline), Scott Allardyce (Anstruther), Mitch Gold (Leven), Jamie Stewart (Glenrothes) and Michael Mitchell (Lochgelly) were the local drivers in action.

Lewis Clark Burgoyne got the proceedings underway in heat one but soon had Declan Honeyman, Paterson and Gold chasing. As the laps began to dwindle the gap to Clark Burgoyne decreased but he was still a clear winner from Honeyman, Paterson and Gold with Mitchell sixth and Stewart in ninth place. Heat two followed a similar pattern with Clark Burgoyne soon through into the lead and again he was chased but Honeyman, Gold and Paterson.

Mitchell was pushed wide and lost ground as he tried to close the gap. Jamie Dawson was spun and collected by Taylor Borthwick suspending the race. Clark Burgoyne was declared the winner from Paterson and Gold with Mitchell in seventh and just ahead of Stewart. .

Unfortunately the final was abandoned after Hannah Borthwick’s shunt and the injury to the marshal.

The Micro F2 drivers turned up in their numbers again and again produced some close and exciting racing. Amongst those in action were Connor St Aubyn (Glenrothes), Lennon Cuthill (Glenrothes) and Nicole Allardyce (Anstruther).

Heat one went to Freya Lovett who won from Maynard and Simone Davidson with St. Aubyn seventh. In heat two Maynard just got the better of the exchanges to win from Tom Lewney during the closing stages of the race. Maynard managed to get the better of Lovett after a three cars shunt to pick up his second win of the night with Lewney again in third place.

The first of the Racewall Championship weekend meetings gets underway with the Formula II Scottish Championship and 2 Litre National Saloon National Championship taking pride of place. The Stock Rods and Ministox drivers are talking part in qualifying heats for their ORCi Championship whilst the MASCARs and JASCARs have Scottish Championship qualifying rounds to contest with the meeting starting at 4.00pm

On Sunday the Formula II drivers have a World Championship qualifying round whilst the 2 Litre National Saloons will be racing for the Raymond Gunn Tribute race. The Stock Rods and Ministox drivers have their ORCi Championships to decide whilst the MASCARs and JASCARs will race for their Scottish Championships with a 1.00pm start