THEREwas plenty of action during the Cowdenbeath Racewall stock car meeting on Saturday night to keep the fans happy although maybe some of the drivers wouldn’t feel the same way. writes our Racewall reporter Jim Turner.

Teri Linden got caught up in the ministox action on the turnstile bend and rolled her car stepping out unhurt.

She was back out for heat two and then the final only to be sent spinning out in that!

The Graeme Shevill and Danny Colliver saloon battle continued with Shevill being sent crashing into the pit bend wall then the pit gate resulting in both cars crashing out.

Formula II driver Colin Thomson arrived for his first outing of the year only to blow his engine and in doing so was collected by Dale Burt and few others who got caught out on the oil slick!

There was good turn out of cars in the stock rods where Adam Daniels and Levi Robinson were the visitors.

Even although the Racewall was a solus formula II meeting there were no visitors from south of the border but local drivers were Gregor Turner (Dunfermline), Kieran Howie (Dunfermline), Paul and Craig Reid (Cowdenbeath), Simon Cranson (Cowdenbeath), Dale Burt (Lochgelly) and Gordon Moodie (Windygates).

Their opening race was another of the white/yellow challenge races with Turner winning from Cranson, Jason Blacklock and Howie.

The opening heat was stopped after a couple of laps when Thomson, who had started at the back of the grid, blew his engine and the resultant oil slick saw Burt and Turner, who was leading the race crash out.

On the restart Chris Burgoyne came through the field to win from Craig Wallace and Moodie with P. Reid fifth and Howie in eighth. In heat two Moodie went through to win but he had to be at his best to keep Burgoyne behind him whilst Wallace collected third place just clear of Cranson with P. Reid in eighth and Howie in tenth place.When the final started Cranson made the better of the starts to lead with Blacklock moving into second when Brian Hogg Jnr spun.

Moodie made a lightning start from the back of the grid although he had to take avoiding action to get ahead of a couple of slower cars before getting a good run down the inside of the track on the back straight, Moodie hit the front just before the half distance and started to pull away from the pack.

Burgoyne then John Hogg demoted Cranson down the order but the top three positions were now static with Moodie going on for another win with P. Reid again in eighth and Howie in tenth.

Burgoyne then won the Grand National where he led home Wallace and Dennis Middler with Moodie finishing in sixth place despite his lap handicap whilst Cranson was ninth.

Amongst the saloon drivers in action was the National Points Champion Danny Colliver from Mordun whilst the local drivers were Ross Watters (Leven), Dave Sturrock (Saline) and Alex Cunningham (Leven).

Their first race was another of the white/yellow challenge races with Cunningham coming through to win from Greg Honeyman and Willie Mitchell with Sturrock in fifth place.

The opening heat saw Colliver send Shevill crashing into the pit bend wall and then into the gate before both cars ended up on the centre green. Whilst all this was going on Cunningham moved into the lead before going on to win from G. Honeyman and Luke Grief with Watters in seventh and Sturrock in ninth place. In heat two Grief got the better of the exchanges to win from Cunningham, David Hughes and Watters.

G. Honeyman led the field away when the final started and soon built up a useful lead. Barry Glen took up the chase but farther back Grief managed to get ahead of Colliver before setting off after those ahead. Glen retired during the closing stages of the race with grief taking over the chase to the leader.

However, when the chequer appeared, G. Honeyman was still clear and he went on to pick up his first win leading Grief and Colliver to the flag with both Watters and Sturrock having to retire.

There was another good turn out of stock rods with Sandy Allen (Methil) back in action whilst the local drivers were James Matson (Glenrothes), David Dignan (Leven), Stuart McKinnon (Kincardine), Jim Pitcaithly (Kirkcaldy), Dougie McLean (Glenrothes), Simon Laing (St. Andrews) and Michael Bethune (Kirkcaldy).

Heat one saw white grader Laing take the lead right at the start to the race and when the chequer appeared he was just ahead of Bethune by the smallest of margins to collect his first win with Pitcaithly third just ahead of McLean. In heat two Bethune came through to win crossing the line just ahead of Cameron Doak and Pitcaithly with McKinnon fifth, Laing seventh and Allen tenth.

Martin Rankine and Doak failed to start the final with Robinson leading the final from Laing with Dougie McLean leading the chase after them. Around the half distance McLean moved into the lead and whilst Robinson held on he was being caught, Pitcaithly and Matson caught his and dropped him to fourth but McLean was by now clear and he went through to win from Pitcaithly and Matson with Bethune fifth just clear of McKinnon and Laing whilst Allen was again in tenth place.

There was a good turn out of ministox drivers with Dan Santry and Tony and Danny Elbourn up from down south whilst Charlie Boast was down from Crimond. The local drivers were John Crawford (Cowdenbeath), Gary Paterson (Lochgelly). Danny Whyte (Lochgelly), Mitch Gold (Leven) and Michael Mitchell (Lochgelly)

The first race was the “Let the Sparks Fly” trophy Mika Millar going into the lead from the McCallum brothers Luke and Jack. However a shunt on the back straight suspended the race. On the restart M. Millar led but Linden dived down the inside, made contact with Santry and ended up rolling her car. T. Elbourn was the new leader and he made a good start to the race only to find Euan Millar and Steven Burgoyne closing in. E. Millar moved ahead but next time around Burgoyne was ahead. Elbourn moved back into second as E. Millar dropped back but Burgoyne was able to ease away slightly to win.

T. Elbourn held onto second with E. Millar in third with Paterson sixth and Crawford seventh

Burgoyne then went through to win heat one from T. Elbourn and Santry with Crawford sixth and Mitchel tenth. The second heat ended with Santry picking up a win when he led home Burgoyne and E. Millar with Whyte seventh and just ahead of Mitchell.

Amongst the visitors in the microf2s were Joelan Maynard and Tyler McClurken whilst Ryder Irvine and Lennon French were out in the hire cars. Local drivers were Rebecca Reid 9Cowdenbeath), Ryder Irvine (Lochgelly) and Leon Muir (Thornton)

Jamie Dawson went on to win the opening heat from Irvine and Lewis Burgoyne. Dawson then won heat two where he led home Burgoyne and Reid. Dawson made it three in a row when he won heat three leading home Burgoyne and Irvine.

This Saturday brings the first of the Championship events with the BBA Unlimited Banger drivers heading to the Racewall for their World Cup. At the time of writing there are over 60 drivers booked in although that could depend on this weekend’s racing. Amongst those booked in are Jason Jackson, Jack Forster Jnr, Gary Madgwick, Joey Palmer, and Timmy Aldridge whilst Rodney Herron is heading over from Northern Ireland. There are a whole host of Scottish drivers hoping for success and amongst them are James Dillon, the Riddell family with Jimbo Riddell in his 49th year of banger racing.

There will be over 40 cars racing in the World Cup and there are sure to be some pretty big shunts. There is a prize for the best presented car and if it is anything like last year there will be plenty of outstanding paint schemes. Expect to see one or two “older” cars on show along with a limo or two.

The 2 litre saloons are having to play second fiddle to the bangers and that will bring out the best in them so expect to see some close and exciting racing.

Please note that the meeting starts at 5.00pm so come along early to see what is going to be pretty busy pits.