A BLUSTERY afternoon gave way to a pleasant evening at HRP Lochgelly Raceway on Saturday as drivers, teams and fans gathered in good numbers for the latest slice of stock car action presented by Hardie Race Promotions.

A four formula, twelve race programme had been scheduled with four of HRP’s best on display this past weekend in the shape of the CC Rods, Ministox, Stock Rods and the amazing 1300 Stock Cars.

The CC Rods were on track first and a good grid of fourteen cars assembled to do battle on a surface that had dried following an afternoon of rain and even hail!

It was Raploch’s Stewart Aitken who came through to take a fine win from the rear of the grid with Ian Donaldson coming home second and Scottish Champion Ian Taylor in third.

Donaldson was clearly on the pace in his new for 2015 Corsa and made no mistakes in the second heat as he took his first win of the year with heat one winner Aitken and Taylor claiming the other podium spots.

The feature final was the ninth race of the day and the heavens opened prior to the start of the main event which resulted in the drivers struggling for grip in their high-powered machines.

It was track champion Johnny Bell, from Lochgelly, who mastered the conditions to take a dominant final win with Methil’s Ian Walle in second and Lanarkshire’s Ian Donaldson rounding off a great night for himself with third place in the main race. Kenneth Baird and Emma Kirk debuted their new cars this evening and the future looks great for HRP’s own budget class.

The 11-16 year olds were back on track in their Ministox and a fantastic entry in the high-teens arrived at HRP Lochgelly Raceway, which seems to be the favoured circuit amongst the youngsters at the moment.

One of the 2015 Rookie Class fulfilled his early season potential as Lewis Gilchrist took a fantastic win in heat one having overhauled long-time leader Keir Millar with Arran Chidwick coming home in third.

Chidwick returned to victory lane in heat two for the first time at his home track since returning from a suspension as he beat Keir Millar into second with Cardenden’s Danny Whyte posting his best result in some time, with a fine third place finish.

Having been denied in the heats, Keir Millar was clearly in no mood to give up the feature final quite as lightly and set off at a ferocious pace in the pouring rain.

In fact, Keir drove such a faultless race that he almost lapped his older brother Euan who is one of the top drivers in the sport at the moment! Keir crossed the line comfortably ahead of a delighted Danny Whyte with Bryan Lindsay a distant third behind the two white top drivers on a great night of racing from the Ministox. The Stock Rods were back on track after their exploits over the Easter weekend on their travels and a good grid of cars arrived including young English star Jack Grandon, who was using the evening as a test session with a view to the World Championship at HRP Lochgelly Raceway on June 6th.

The first race was punctuated by an incident that saw British Champion Andy Grant’s car in a very sorry state following a clash with Jim Halkett – the race was won by Chris Lattka who had scooped both the Irish Open and Irish Masters titles last weekend. Cowdenbeath’s Paul Barron took full advantage of his yellow grade start to take the win in heat two with Grandon well on the pace in second place.

The final was run in very wet conditions and it was National Points Champion Siobhan Martin who seemed to adapt best to the conditions as she sliced her way through the field from the back of the grid.

Unfortunately for Siobhan, she was unable to catch what may well have been the happiest man at HRP Lochgelly Raceway in the form of Hill of Beath’s Craig Mason, who took his first ever Stock Rod final win. Jack Grandon underlined his credentials with an excellent third place on an action-packed night of Stock Rod Racing.

The incredible 1300 Stock Cars were the final formula on show and a fantastic 32 cars arrived to do battle in the first round of the Bill Auld Fabrications Trophy Series with £100 up for grabs in the feature final.

Having been elevated to superstar for April, Zak Gilmour made light of starting from the back of the grid as he stormed to the win in heat one with Kai McNulty and Lochgelly’s Andrew Mathieson claiming the podium places in a race that was stopped due to Ryan McGill’s awkward position on the back straight at the same time as Martin McCaffery’s barrel roll down the home straight before calmly driving to the infield!

Kevin Morrison took the trophy for heat two back west to Johnstone as he beat Cowdenbeath’s Dylan Izatt and Symington’s Eddie Corr to the line.

The rain had eased off by the time that the 1300 Stock cars took to the track for the last race of the evening but the drivers did not hesitate to get the bumpers stuck in once more as the extra prize money gave them all the incentive they needed to get to victory lane!

Peter Low became the second rollover victim of the evening as his car came to rest on its side against the fence before Eddie Corr made light of his upgrading to blue with an excellent final win from Kirkintilloch’s Zak Gilmour and Dylan Izatt who enjoyed his best set of results so far in his debut season. A cracking night of racing from Scotland’s top formula!!!

This coming weekend at HRP Lochgelly Raceway promises to be absolutely fantastic.

It is the first of four Speed Weekends this year that will see racing on Saturday from 5:30pm and Sunday from 1pm, sponsored by Dechmont Forklift Trucks. The National Hot Rod European Championship headlines the event and features a fantastic field from all corners of the National Hot Rod world.

Defending champion John Christie will be heading over from Northern Ireland in a strong contingent that also includes Glenn Bell, Andrew Murray and Adam Hylands. The Republic of Ireland is represented by David Casey while England’s hopes will lie with the likes of Jason Kew, Kym Weaver and Billy Wood. Scotland’s Robert McDonald came so close to taking the win last year and heads a Scottish line-up that includes John Sibbald, Jim Cowie, David Philp Jr and Ian Donaldson. The Superstox co-headline the event as they compete for their British Championship–over forty cars are currently booked-in including World Champion Steven Jackson (right), English points Champion Jason Cooper and former World Champions Ben Marjoram and Colin Aylward. Northern Ireland are also well represented and seven drivers will be heading across the Irish Sea including Scottish Open Champion Kyle Beattie.

The support formulas for the weekend look equally intriguing as the 2.0 Hot Rods will see an influx of drivers including World Champion Shane Murray, European Champion Adam Hylands, and Best in Britain Champion Chris Crane amongst an entry in the mid-twenties. The amazing 1300 Stock Cars are on duty once again and a field of almost forty cars is expected with visiting interest from Northern Ireland as well!!!

A cracking weekend of racing in prospect at Scotland’s most-modern short oval motorsports facility HRP Lochgelly Raceway. The action gets underway on Saturday April 18th at the slightly earlier time of 5:30pm.