THERE was a right mix of weather during the stock car meeting at the Cowdenbeath Racewall where the meeting started in wet conditions and whilst it dried up, another shower made life difficult for the drivers, writes our Racewall scribe Jim Turner.

Mind you by the end of the meeting the track was dry and there was a bright blue sky – typical!

Chris Burgoyne, who has dominated the formula II racing to date, suffered what looked like a gearbox issue during the second heat of the night and had to retire from the meeting. Craig Wallace struck problems in practice but managed to get the car ready for the second heat.

Spare a thought for saloon driver Barry Glen who damaged his race engine in practice, removed it from his car and then waited for his replacement engine to be brought to the track. That was duly fitted but after jumping into the car found that it wouldn’t start no matter what they tried!

The Prostox basic cars were good value and as a result there was one or two cars sent spinning and losing their front bumpers as they did so.

The Prostox basics certainly look like a good introduction formula for those who want to start racing but without a big outlay!

Ryan Farquhar was down from Crimond in his formula II with the drivers scrambling to change tyres as the rain started just prior to the first race of the night. Local drivers on the grid included Kieran Howie (Dunfermline), Paul and Craig Reid (Cowdenbeath).

C. Reid was the first to show when the racing started but when Adam Blacklock spun he was collected by Liam Rennie and the race was suspended.

Brian Hogg Jnr led on the re-start but he was edged wide as Dennis Middler went through to win the first heat from Robbie Dawson and Garry Sime with Howie in seventh and just ahead of P. Reid.

Heat two saw Howie lead for most of the race but there were a couple of stoppages, the first was when Burgoyne spun and his car stopped and then later after Farquhar had lost part of his aerofoil.

Howie led the field away and whilst he went through to win over the last half of the race he had the dicing Rennie and Garry Sime in close order. If anything they should have delayed each other but didn’t do so and Howie’s win was narrow with Sime snatching second from Rennie at the end whilst P. Reid ended up in ninth place.

When the final started the track was drying although slippery with C. Reid leading the field away but he then lost out to Hogg Jnr who in turn saw Adam Blacklock relegate him down the order a lap later. Blacklock led for a few laps but whilst he did Wallace was making light of the traffic and was closing the gap. With the race entering its final stages Wallace dived to the inside going down the main straight and took the lead and quickly began to ease away. Blacklock came under pressure from Robbie Dawson and whilst he initially kept him at bay lost out with a couple of laps remaining and dropped to third. Rennie slowed to retire after having shown up well in the early stages but had clipped the wall. Wallace went through to claim the win from Dawson and Blacklock with Howie in seventh and C. Reid in ninth place.

The saloon drivers were in good form with the main focus of attention on the racing between Ross Watters and Ian McLaughlin. Local drivers on the grid included Duncan Welsh (Kelty).

Welsh was leading the opening heat when Kevin Letford was bounced off the wall and came to a stop on the main straight. Although Welsh led on the re-start Watters went on to win leading home McLaughlin and Welsh with Duff in seventh place.

In heat two Welsh led the race from start to finish where he crossed the finish line clear of Watters and McLaughlin with Duff in sixth place.

Welsh led the cars away when the final started but quickly pulled off as Graeme Anderson moved into the lead only to be greeted by a yellow flag after Duff had been spun out by M. Honeyman whilst exiting the turnstile bend. The field lined up behind Anderson and whilst he made a good start hadn’t been able to shake off the attentions of McLaughlin and Watters.

A lap later he was sent wide by McLaughlin who took the lead with Watters following through the gap and dropped to third. A couple of laps later Watters managed to find the inside line on the pit bend to move ahead. McLaughlin held on to his back bumper for a few laps but Watters began to ease away. McLaughlin had Anderson closing the gap and he became under pressure for second. Watters eased away before going through to win with McLaughlin just fending off the attentions of Anderson.

There was quite a few newcomers to the prostox basics with the drivers certainly entertaining the fans. Local drivers in action were Megan Wilson (Comrie), Amanda Moyes (Cowdenbeath), Jordan Dignan (Leven) and Jillian Cartmel (Glenrothes)

Ian Sutherland went on to win the opening heat from John Rankin, Cartmel and Moyes with Wilson being spun out. Rankin led heat two for most of the time but Sutherland began to close and challenge for the lead. However, when lapping a back marker, Sutherland made contact resulting in Rankin spinning and crashing out of the race. This let Sutherland through and he won from Cartmel and Moyes.

It looked as if Sutherland was going to make it three wins on the trot when he moved into the lead but he was caught by Moyes who went on to win from Sutherland and Cartmel with Wilson in fifth. Mind you when she crossed the finish line her front bumper was being trailed under her car!

The Hot Salon drivers were in good form with some close and fast racing.

Dave Largue went through to win the opening heat from Mark Mathers and Mark Farquhar. However, on a dry track Farquhar went through to win from Mathers and Largue.

Not long after the final started Mathers’ car stopped on the entrance to the turnstile bend suspending the race. Scott Forsyth then led the field away and he pulled away from the field for an easy win over Largue and John Simpson.

The Allcomers ended with Kevin Gordon winning from Largue and Simpson.

This Saturday the formula IIs and 2 Litre saloon cars are back in action this time they are backed up by the ORCi stock rods, the ministox and microf2s. The minis are racing for the Civic Week Trophy with the micrfo2s taking to the track at 5.45pm for their first race of the night.

Gordon Moodie (Windygates) was racing his formula II car down at Birmingham on Saturday night where he ended up as runner up in both of his heats. In a fast final Moodie brought his car home in third and followed that with a fourth place in the Grand National. On Sunday Moodie moved to Bristol where he won a heat as well as the final.