“ I HAVE been very encouraged so far with the car numbers at the Cowdenbeath Racewall as well as the spectator levels over the first part of the season," Dave Borthwick told me when we met up at the track, writes our Racewall scribe Jim Turner.

“There are so many events on a Saturday night that people have the choice of but I feel that we are certainly holding our own.

"When we have staged a “bigger” meeting the crowds have been better than expected, so long may this continue but we can’t sit back. We need to attract more fans and drivers but with all the other attractions it is hard going!”

He added: “The car numbers in the 1300 saloons have certainly grown and the last time they raced we had 19 cars on the track.

"They also have a hire car should someone want to try this formula without going to the expense of buying one and then find that it is not for them. Just recently we have had Lisa Freebairn appear in one and she is straight out of the ministox!

"The 1300’s were up at Crimond over our holiday break and have been down to Barford in the North of England. Hopefully there will be sufficient interest shown at both of these tracks to either attract new drivers or even to start running this formula there on a regular basis.

“The other formula that is proving to be popular is the prostox basic which have been introduced to try to get new drivers into the sport at a very low budget cost.

"There has been a lot of interest shown in these cars at both the track and at the Vintage Motor Show at Lathalmond where we had one of these cars on the stand.

"A Prostox basic is a 1300cc road saloon car with the glass removed. There is an “H” frame fitted to incorporate a battery and fuel tank and a metal side plate bolted to and across the passenger door and rear panel. The tyres are standard road tyres and the car should start on the key and that is that! Obviously you need a racing harness, helmet, overalls and gloves. There is little expense in getting one of these cars onto the track.

"So far we have had a couple of outings and there will be quite a few more over the second part of the season. The numbers on the track are good and hopefully this will attract newcomers into the sport.

“The micro f2 numbers have increased beyond all expectations and there are now so many cars wanting to race that the numbers on the track may well have to be limited.

"Watching the drivers race it is sometimes very hard to believe that they are aged between 7 and 11. It is amazing just how quickly they take to racing their cars and you seldom see a driver getting out of their cars without a smile on their faces. Really that is what it is all about. Recently David Philp Jnr rolled his car but with a bit of work in the pits he was back out for the next race and quite unfazed about what had happened earlier.

“Euan Millar has been a breath of fresh air since he left the minis and joined the formula II ranks. Euan has raced at quite a few different tracks and he has picked up a few wins along the way. He started the season as a white grader but is now racing as a superstar.

"Even from the superstar grade has been competitive and must be favourite to win the Novice of the Year trophy. We also have Liam Rennie back and once he gets his Bradbury chassis sorted out to his liking he is going to be winning quite a few races.”

David did say though: “I have reservations about the National Series in as much as we could lose quite a few drivers from late September through to end of October. It was up and until this year the driver who scored most points over the season that raced with the silver roof on his car.

"To date we have three drivers who have qualified for this series, namely Gordon Moodie, Chris Burgoyne and Craig Wallace and who is to say that there won’t be more of our drivers eligible for this event. We might have to look at putting on our own series to combat the downturn in numbers to try to get drivers from Crimond and Barford to fill the gaps.”

He added “Whilst it is hoped that the National Series rounds will attract more drivers and bigger crowds to these tracks we could see our driver numbers on the decrease, which is against the principle of the series. However the number of cars in action after the World Final usually dropped off and to try and overcome this, the National Series was devised. "Drivers need to be seeded into the last eleven races over the season, four on shale, six on tarmac with the final again on shale. The winner then races with the silver roof in 2018.”

The banger World Cup attracted a fair amount of cars and seemed to be well received by the fans.

David added: “The banger drivers had requested a “booking in” system and that is working well. They get extra points if they book in and race but if the book in and don’t race and not let us know then they are penalised points. There numbers are on the increase and hopefully that will continue.

“There was good and bad news over the recent 'British Championship' weekend. Chris Burgoyne, who was defending the formula II version was injured in a shunt down at Bristol and has suffered a fractured vertebrae. He now has a brace fitted but has been discharged and is now recuperating at home.”

“The good news was that Craig Wallace won the title – his first major title – so this could be the start of him winning championships. Kyle Irvine was our other British Champion in action at King’s Lynn but he wasn’t successful and it is Shane Davies who now races with the black and white chequered roof.

“We have recently had Jason Blacklock and Alex Gault out practicing with their formula IIs and whilst Willie Mitchell sold his saloon earlier in the year he is building one at present and might just have it ready for the start of the second part of the year.”

“The second half of the season is going to be a very busy one starting off with the formula II semi-finals. It’s been a while since we have staged this event but we will welcome the 56 qualifiers and hope that they have a good race and enjoy their visit to the Racewall.

"From the look of the World Championship points chart Gordon Moodie should be on the front row for one of the semis. David Polley is another who will be well placed whilst Millar, Wallace, Dennis Middler and Robbie Dawson look to have secured their places. Liam Rennie and Stevie Forster are just outside a semi place so may need to race at Buxton or Skegness if they want to get onto the grids.

“There was controversy the last time we had a semi which turned into a race that never took place! The drivers got a bit anxious started to race then stopped causing a pile up and the green flag hadn’t even dropped. Hopefully that won’t happen this year!

"A lot of our drivers haven’t shown too much interest in this year’s World Final as it is again on shale but Moodie, Burgoyne, Middler and Dawson are always amongst those who appear in most finals. We are also running the Joan Purdie Memorial for the saloons so that should give the saloons drivers a final chance to set up their cars before their big day!”

Concluded David: “Following on closely after this is the saloon World Final and whilst it is at the Racewall it is being staged by the Autospeed Promotion who have taken over the stadium for the weekend. Whilst we will be there and assisting it is the Autospeed staff who are in charge.

“It should be an action packed weekend and who knows the title might end up in the hands of one of the Scottish drivers.

"Simon Welton is going for a hat trick of wins but the last time he was here he was rolled on the pit bend. Davies and Deane Mayes are in the lead positions just now with Welton in the top five but there are quite a few Scottish drivers who have already secured their places. The likes of Kyle Irvine, Ross Watters, Ian McLaughlin, Luke Grief and Graeme Shevill all look to have their grid places secured but there are a few just outside and may well have to wait for the last chance qualifying race.”

“Autospeed are also running the formula II Geo Mac 100 and the Nationals over the weekend plus the saloon Raymond Gunn tribute race on the Sunday afternoon. It certainly has all the makings of a weekend full of promise, surprises and plenty of action.

"The heritage cars will be up here at the end of August for their Gold Cup which is the equivalent of their World Final and they are already staging qualifying rounds down south to determine their grid places. The heritage drivers enjoy their trips north of the border so hopefully their Gold Cup will attract a healthy field of cars and be a good race.

“After that it is basically Scottish Championships that need to be decided along with the white/yellow challenge finals and track points title. The saloon track points looks to be a straight fight between Ian McLaughlin and Ross Watters whilst perhaps in the formula IIs Craig Wallace and Robbie Dawson could be the main players. The 1300 saloon points could see Fraser Anderson have to fight off Fraser Clark and Grant McGowan. Stevie Allan leads the banger chart, Steven Burgoyne the minis and James Gray the stock rod versions by a fair margin but will need to maintain their form if they want to be successful.

“As usual our season ends with the saloon Superbowl and the formula II Champion of champions on the Saturday followed by the saloon Champion of Champions and the Gordon Barclay memorial trophy, and the 1300saloon Open Scottish on the Sunday. Again, a fitting way to end the season!

“We are back racing this Saturday with the formula IIs, 1300 saloons, prostox basics, 2 litre bangers and the hot saloons, who are back down from Crimond. The meeting starts as usual at 6pm.”