THERE were a lot of Scottish formula II and saloon drivers down at the Skegness Stadium at the weekend where the UK Challenge was taking place in the dry and it was almost a similar story on the Sunday except that there were a few showers.

However, it was a different story for the Thursday night meeting where it rained for most of the day and meeting. However, that didn’t deter Gordon Moodie who went on to win the formula II heat and then the final.

On Saturday, at Skegness, Moodie turned out to be the only Scottish driver to win a race, one of the heats, and then brought his car home in 8th place during the Gus Woolmer Memorial Final which was won by Dave Pannett, from the North East of England.

The points tally for the main race on Sunday saw Moodie, John Broatch and Justin Fisher top the points which were to go towards the UK grid.

On Sunday one of the heats was won by Paul Reid but the UK had an exciting start although Moodie was on the receiving end and ended in a pile up. In the end the UK was won by Barry Goldin, who led home Chris Burgoyne and Christopher Kincaid with MacMillan Jnr just out with the top three.

In the saloons there was as usual a good turn out of Scottish drivers with Stuart Shevill Jnr picking up a second and two third places in his qualifying heats whilst there were also good results for Graeme Shevill, Adam Low, Ross Watters and Paul Honeyman and whilst Michael Allard and Simon Welton topped the points Shevill Jnr was third, G. Shevill seventh whilst Luke Grief was 14th.

On Sunday, in a hectic saloon race, Steve Webster came out on top from Todd Jones and Darren Goudy, but the Scots, namely the Shevill brothers who both received heavy contact had to retire. The other Scottish drivers were out of luck.

Mr Starter at the Racewall, Dean Alexander, donned his Highland Dress and piped the drivers around the track for the Raymond Gunn Tribute race with the Shevill brothers getting some of their own back, much to the delight of the fans. In the end it was David Aldous who won the race.

The formula I drivers were also in action over the weekend with Tom Harris winning the under 25 championship on Saturday night whilst Lee Fairhurst won the final. On Sunday the World and new Scottish Champion Harris went on to win the final.

Next weekend the formula II drivers head to Northampton where they will contest the European Championship. The race last year was won by Barry Goldin but he had Moodie in close order as they crossed the finish line. Hopefully this year the Scottish drivers will pick up good grid positions resulting in the title coming north of the border.

When the racing resumes at the Racewall on 19th July we have the annual pilgrimage of the GP Midgets and they are being joined in the fray by the MASCARS which are scaled down versions of the NASCARS which race on the ovals in America.

Also racing are the 2 Litre Hot Rods which include Gordon Alexander, Billy Bonnar and Kenny Purdie, whilst the MicroF2s are having another outing.

The George MacMillan Memorial, for the formula IIs, takes place on the 9th August and whilst Dennis Middler will be keen to retain the trophy there are plenty of drivers who are desperate to get their hands on it. The following week the formula II drivers will contest the Ian Chapman Memorial Trophy and then on the 23rd it’s a Caravan banger race.

If you haven’t seen a caravan banger race then it is one date you need to put in your diary – it’s out and out destruction and there are bits of caravans littered all over the track. All drivers who have been stuck behind a caravan on a long and twisty road will be able to relate to the destruction of the caravans.

At this stage there are 10 drivers booked in and that number will rise as the date draws even closer.

Then it is time for the formula II World Final weekend which will bring the biggest turn out of formula II drivers in Scotland for many a year whilst the Heritage Formula II drivers will be racing on Friday and Saturday whilst the saloon drivers race on all three days.

The stock rod Scottish Championship takes place on the 20th September whilst the following week it’s the inaugural Turner Trophy for the lightning rods. On the 4th October the saloons contest their Scottish Championship where Stuart Shevill Jnr will be out to make it four championship wins in succession. There will be plenty of drivers out to stop him and it has all the makings of a classic race. The lightning rod drivers will contest their Scottish Championship with a new name going on the trophy after Lindsay Wilson retired. To complete a trophy evening the formula II and stock rod drivers will be racing for the Turner trophy.

The following week it is the turn of the prostox drivers to contest their Scottish Championship whilst the white and yellow grade formula II and saloon drivers will be contesting the final of their championship.

The following week it’s the turn of the 2 litre banger drivers to race for their Scottish Championship whilst the saloons and the minis race for their Turner trophy.

Then believe it or not it’s the end of the season where the formula II drivers will race for their Champions of Champions title as well as the James Clarke Cochrane Memorial Trophy whilst there is another Scotland/ England saloon clash as they race for the World Ranking Points and the Superbowl Trophy.

On the Sunday the saloon drivers race for the Gordon Barclay Memorial Trophy whilst the ministox driver will race in the final of their Ministox Disco trophy.

What an end to what has already been an action packed first half of the year.

This Saturday the meeting starts at 6.00pm as usual with the GP Midgets and MASCARS taking top billing.