IT was a chilly but dry evening at the Cowdenbeath Racewall last Saturday night but there was some exciting racing which helped the fans to forget the cold, writes Jim Turner.

In the minis there was a three car shunt during the final which saw Euan Millar and Charlie Folan requiring assistance out of their cars although neither seemed to be that bothered about the incident!

In the formula IIs Steven Gilbert made the long journey from Liskeard, in the south west, whilst Marc Fortune brought out an RCE chassis. Robbie Dawson and Gregor Turner shared the races between them. In the saloons Gemma Russell and Michael Lithgow were having their first runs in the 2 litre saloons whilst Graeme Smith brought his car out for the final.

Aaron Stewart and Dave Ferry were visitors from Northern Ireland in the lightning rods but although Sean Devine won the heats he was to crash out during the final.

Steven Gilbert was the only visitor in the formula IIs, his father Peter raced formula IIs a good few years ago and appeared at the Racewall on numerous occasions whilst the local drivers were Gregor Turner (Dunfermline), Paul Reid (Cowdenbeath) and Gordon Moodie (Windygates).

Turner went through to win the opening heat leading home Robbie Dawson and John Hogg with Moodie in fourth place. Dawson then won heat two although he didn’t get ahead until the closing stages before winning from Moodie, Chris Burgoyne and Turner.

Gilbert led the field away when the final started but by lap five Turner had caught him and moved into the lead. Hogg was chasing moving through the field quickly were Gordon Moodie, Burgoyne and Dawson. At the half distance Hogg was still in second but now had the superstars on his tail. Dawson moved ahead of Moodie and a couple of laps later Moodie was down a further place as Burgoyne got ahead. With two laps remaining Dawson had caught and passed Hogg and was reeling in the leader.

On the last lap they were nose to tail with Dawson finding the inside line to lead and grab the win whilst Burgoyne snatched second from Turner as they crossed the finish line with Moodie in fourth place.

Turner then led the Grand National from start to finish to win from Burgoyne and Moodie with Dawson ending up in eighth and Reid in tenth place.

In the saloons Graeme Smith was down from Crimond whilst Russell and Lithgow were having an outing in the saloons. Barry Glen’s transport broke down on the way to the stadium and he had to contact a fellow driver to borrow his trailer!

The local drivers were Kyle Irvine (Glenrothes), Ross Watters (Leven), Derek Duff (Cupar) and Michael Lithgow (Kirkcaldy).

Stuart Shevill Jnr came charging through the field to score a narrow win in heat one and was followed home by Luke Grief, Adam Low, Irvine and Watters with Duff in tenth place. Glen and Aaryn Triggs tangled right at the start to heat two but in the end it was Shevill Jnr who fought his way through the pack to win from Grief and Watters with Lithgow sixth and just ahead of Duff.

Glen led the cars away when the final started but had Marc Honeyman in close order but on lap four Honeyman took the lead only to be sent spinning and bringing out the yellows. Glen led on the restart but Grief moved into second whilst Alan Ainslie retired. Glen was caught as Shevill Jnr moved ahead with Grief following through the gap although he was soon to retire. The race was suspended during the closing stages but there was no stopping Shevill Jnr who made it three in a row leading home Watters and Graeme Shevill with Duff in eighth place.

Stewart and Ferry were welcome visitors to the lightning rods whilst Gordon Brown (Leven) debuted his new car. Local drivers were Sean Devine (Leslie), Sean Farrell (Glenrothes) and Brown Devine won the opening heat by a considerable margin leading home Dougie Kidd and Stewart with Farrell in seventh and Brown in eighth place. Heat two saw Devine chalk up his second win of the night this time leading Kidd and Gary Nicholls to the finish line with Farrell sixth and Brown in eighth place.

With Devine now starting from the yellow grade it was Farrell who led but Stewart soon led. However, Devine was to crash heavily and on the restart Stewart led but was swept aside as Kidd and Nicholls went through. Kidd just managed to hold on as Nicholls made a late challenge but Kidd just held on to win with Stewart in third whilst Brown was sixth.

There was a good turn of minis for the meeting including local driver Andrew Mathieson (Lochgelly).

Euan Millar won the opening heat from Colin Thomson and Mathieson. In heat two Thomson held on to win from a fast closing Millar with Steven Burgoyne in third whilst Mathieson was sixth.. After the shunt during the final Euan Lindsay managed to fend off challenges from Craig Murray and Thomson to win a hard fought race.

This Saturday the formula IIs and saloons are joined by the stock rods and prostox with the meeting starting at 6.00pm as usual.