A DRY evening greeted drivers, teams and fans as they gathered at HRP Lochgelly Raceway this past Saturday night for the latest slice of stock car action presented by Hardie Race Promotions, writes our Raceway reporter Les Waller.

A cracking four formula line-up meant that there would be thirteen races on the night and the action kicked off with the 6-11 year olds in the Ninja Karts.

The Ninja Karts have enjoyed a fantastic year and HRP are proud to boast some of the very best drivers in the UK in the junior formula. As always, a good number of karts arrived in time for the first race at 6pm and, as has become tradition at HRP Lochgelly Raceway, this race would be for white and yellow grade drivers.

This race offers an excellent opportunity for those drivers with less points and perhaps experience to enjoy some track time without the pressure of the faster higher graded blue and red roofs buzzing around and is very popular with drivers and teams alike.

It was Jay Carruthers who came through from the yellow grade to take a very welcome win in a season that has been somewhat stop/start for the young man and hopefully he will take this momentum into 2017 and beyond.

The first heat of the evening saw the blues and reds join the fray but none of the higher graded drivers had an answer for Edinburgh’s Rachel Kidd who claimed another excellent win from yellow to add to her heat one win at the previous meeting; Lennon Grant and Scott Allardyce continued their recent good runs with podium finishes in this one.

After spinning out in the first race, Polmont’s Charlie Hardie came through from the very rear of the grid to take an excellent win ahead of his two closest challengers in the points chase in Robbie Armit and Ethan Doull.

The last heat of the night saw Scottish and British Champion Hardie double up as he took the chequered flag once again with Grant and Bailey Millar completing the top three on an excellent night of Ninja Kart action – the tiny terrors have one more meeting this season on October 22.

The 2.0 Hot Rods were back in action and it was the first opportunity for people to see the 71 Citroen Saxo of Gordon Alexander adorned with the Scottish Championship on his roof. Heat One saw a rapid Alex Wilson, from Falkirk, take the win to maintain his recent good form ahead of Lochore’s Billy Bonnar and Scottish Champion Alexander.

Heat Two saw Bonnar go one better as he took another win with Dunblane’s Gill Anderson in second and Wilson in third. Anderson has looked quick since debuting his new Citroen Saxo several weeks ago and he would go on to underline that in fine style as he took victory in a meeting final that highlighted all that is good in hot rod racing with the drivers putting on an exhibition of fast, non-contact racing. Anderson took the win ahead of Wilson who enjoyed an excellent set of results and British Champion Kenny Purdie.

The ProStocks were back in action once again and another decent number of cars arrived to do battle as the formula enjoys a slight upturn towards the end of the season.

Kirkcaldy’s Ian Christie took a fine win in heat one in his Ford Fiesta ahead of Cowdenbeath’s Paul Barron and Edinburgh’s Dougie Kidd.

Having watched daughter Rachel take a win in the Ninja Karts, father Dougie went one better than he did in heat one to claim the win in heat two ahead of recent Ministox graduate John Crawford and Scott Wilson in a race that saw Graham Watt and Paul Barron come together in no uncertain terms with Barron’s car looking decidedly second hand after the race!

The feature final was another action packed race and it was Kidd who came through once again to take a heat and final winning double for the evening. Christie claimed another second place while Wilson came home in third to complete a great night of ProStocks racing.

The final formula on show were the open-wheeled Superstox; the formula has enjoyed an excellent season in Scotland and yet another healthy number of cars arrived to do battle.

Tony Lattka has shown signs of getting back to his best in the last few meetings and he underlined this as he took an excellent win in heat one ahead of Barry Stephen and Chris Miller.

Miller has also been in good form of late and took another win in heat two as he managed to stay ahead of 2016 rookie Jordan Black and Steven Ballantine to take the victory. The feature final was yet another fantastic race and 2015 National Points Champion Barry Stephen will be hoping that his miserable 2016 season plagued by engine issues is now firmly behind him having taken the chequered flag in the final ahead of two very on-form drivers in the shape of previous final winner David Frame and heat one winner Lattka.

The next slice of stock car action at HRP Lochgelly Raceway comes this Saturday October and features one of the biggest domestic races of the season as the 2016 1300 Stock Car Scottish Championship takes place.

Can Callum Barclay defend the title he won in 2015? Barclay will have plenty of competition as the likes of Lochgelly’s Andrew and Euan Mathieson, Boab and Peter Low, from Forfar, plus the likes of Kev Baird, Craig Haxton, Jock Whyte and first time race winner James Ellis will all fancy their chances – it should be a great night of action this Saturday October from 6pm.