IF the spectators who turned up at the Cowdenbeath Racewall on Saturday night expected to be watching a quieter than usual meeting after the exploits of the drivers over the previous weekend then they were in for a shock, writes our Racewall reporter Jim Turner!

There was an early shower in the afternoon but when the meeting started it was bright and sunny, the track was dry, although it did get colder towards the end of the meeting.

The formula II drivers took centre stage as they contested a World Championship qualifying round which brought Aaran Vaight, Daz Seneschall, Liam Bentham and Martin Ford north as they looked to improve their chances of getting a place on one of the semi-final grids.

Garry Sime was back in action after being on holiday last week but missing was the new Scottish Champion Dennis Middler.

In the 1300cc saloons Fraser Anderson and Ken Baird were having their first Racewall outings whilst Ormond Dearn was having his first run of the season in the lightning rods.

Samantha Ross and Steven Armit were having their first National hot rod outing at the Racewall but missing from the ranks was Billy Bonnar.

The formula II drivers were in good form although missing were Stuart Anderson and Simon Cranson although his car was being driven by Gregor Turner whose own car was sidelined with a broken gearbox. Local drivers on the grid included Gregor Turner (Dunfermline), Kieran Howie (Dunfermline), Paul and Craig Reid (Cowdenbeath) and Gordon Moodie (Windygates).

There were 13 drivers on the grid for the opening race of the night which was another in the white/yellow challenge series with Holly Glen going straight into the lead from C. Reid and Seneschall with Turner leading the chase to the leaders. Whilst Glen led Turner picked his way past the two in front to close in on Glen but just couldn’t get close enough to challenge with Glen fending off Turner to win whilst C. Reid was third and Howie in ninth place

The format was an all in one which allowed all cars to race in the final.

Heat one proved to be a hectic and when Seneschall slowed Blair Anderson had Paul Reid hooked on his back bumper and crashed heavily into the wall and as they cut across the track were collected by Robbie Dawson who spun and was then hit head on by Craig Wallace.

The race was suspended with Turner leading the field away but he was overtaken by Chris Burgoyne and Moodie and whilst it looked as if Turner would collect third he had a half shaft break which allowed Ford to take the place whilst C. Reid was tenth. Heat two was somewhat quieter with Glen the initial leader but then lost out as C. Reid led for a couple of laps.

Turner then took over but just after the half distance he lost out to Moodie who went onto win from Burgoyne and John Hogg.

The grid for the final was a drawn one and saw Glen the early leader with Daniel Scrimgeour moving into second but Brian Hogg Jnr was edged wide and dropped down the order. On lap five Scrimgeour moved into the lead but already Burgoyne was reeling him in and was ahead on lap seven.

A couple of laps later Moodie took over second spot whilst Kieran Howie went wide and ended up against the wall, Garry Sime slowed to retire with Scrimgeour having to give best to Dawson but then had Ford in close order.

Burgoyne reeled in the remainder of the laps to win from Moodie and J. Hogg.

Moodie then won the Grand National but Burgoyne benefited from a race suspension to collect second place with Dawson in third and Turner in ninth place.

The National Hot rod drivers were contesting another of their World Championship qualifying rounds and on a dry track produced some really close and exciting racing.

Graeme Callender won the first heat from Ian Donaldson and Ian McGuigan. Callender then picked up his second win of the night when he again led home Donaldson and McGuigan.

During the final there was some close and fast dicing and whilst Callender was the early leader he soon came under pressure from McGuigan and Donaldson although were to swapplaces on lap two.

Callender edged away but at the third distance Donaldson with McGuigan in tow closed up. From then on Donaldson looked for a way through into the lead and whilst he managed to get his nose alongside Callender just couldn’t force his way through leaving Callender to make it three wins on the trot with McGuigan again third.

There were two new faces in the 1300cc saloons whose numbers are slowly beginning to increase with the promise of a few others building cars. Local drivers on the grid included Lee Wilson (Comrie), Callum Farrance (Cowdenbeath), Fraser Anderson (Cowdenbeath), Darren Rae (Lochgelly), Ken Baird (Windygates) and Arron Hastie (Ceres)

Wilson won the opening heat from Farrance and Anderson with Baird in eighth place. In heat two an oil slick caused havoc with three cars having to retire and then Wilson pulled out after he was spun on the main straight. Darren Rae and Anderson were fighting over the lead and after swapping places a couple of time Rae went through to win narrowly from Anderson and Graham Swan with Baird in fourth.

There were a few hefty pushes during the final with Stu McCaig the early leader from Wilson but Anderson had made a good start and within a couple of laps had caught them up. Anderson went through into the lead but then dropped to second as McCaig fought back.

However, cars began to slide on oil with Baird hitting the wall before McCaig pulled out. Wilson had fought back into the lead but within a couple of laps Anderson was back in front. Brain Allan was closing the gap and whilst he did lead Anderson was soon back in front.

When Allan came under pressure from Graham Swan Anderson was able to ease away to win on his debut from Allan and Swan with Wilson fourth.

There was some close and fast racing in the lightning rods with local interest centred around Sean Farrell (Glenrothes), Mark Somerville (Kirkcaldy) and Gordon Brown (Leven).

Heat one saw Chrissy Dearn Jnr go through to win from Somerville and Ormond Dearn, Brown and Farrell. In heat two Andy Chisholm and brown crashed out and it was Somerville who won from O. Dearn and Farrell.

Dearn Jnr then won the final from Somerville and Farrell.

This Saturday the BriSCA formula IIs are back along with the 2 Litre National saloons and they are joined in the fray by the 1300cc saloons, microF2s and hot saloons. The meeting starts at 6.00pm as usual.

*At Crimond on Sunday the formula IIs took part in the second round of the World Championship qualifying rounds in Scotland where Gordon Moodie went on to dominate the meeting winning both the heats then the final.