A PLEASANT late summer’s evening greeted drivers, teams and fans as they gathered at HRP Lochgelly Raceway this past Saturday for the latest slice of stock car action hosted by Hardie Race Promotions.

Championship Fever continued apace at Scotland’s most-modern short oval motorsports facility as the 6-10 year olds took centre stage in the Ninja Karts’ biggest race of the year north of the border – the Scottish Championship.

Twenty-nine Ninja Karts arrived to do battle and twelve karts took to the track for the traditional whites and yellows race which would also be the last chance for drivers to qualify for the big race.

Polmont driver Lennon Grant, in only his second outing in his new machine, took an excellent win ahead of Kelty’s Mirran Adams and Midlothian’s Evie Black. With only three numbers left in the draw, including pole position, it was Adams who would head the line-up for the Scottish Championship race.

While Mirran Adams took pole-position; Lewis Clark-Burgoyne would line up alongside her with top points scorer of 2015, Mitchell Gold, from Glenrothes sitting ominously in third position. The race came to a halt in the early stages as Adams, Scott Allardyce and Declan Honeyman (in his new kart) came to a halt on the exit of turn two with all drivers being ok after a quick check by the medical staff.

West Lothian’s Robbie Armit was also in a new machine and he had made his way to the front with some aplomb and he took a commanding lead as the race restarted. As the laps wound down; Armit was scything his way through the traffic before a delay enabled his challengers to make up the ground and Mitchell Gold took full advantage to edge ahead with Lennon Grant and a fast-moving Charlie Hardie, who had started twentieth and last, also overhauling Armit in the later stages with Bailey Millar claiming fourth ahead of Armit at the chequered flag.

A new champion was crowned in the shape of Mitchell Gold with Lennon Grant and fellow Polmont resident Charlie Hardie rounding out the podium positions.

All Ninja Kart drivers racing on the day were invited on to the track to receive commemorative medals before the top three were given a rapturous reception by the large crowd in attendance on their well-deserved lap of honour.

The Superstox were back on track this past Saturday at HRP Lochgelly Raceway and it was great to see recent Ministox graduate, Lewis Willacy, making his competitive debut in the formula after some good displays in practice.

The battle for track and national points supremacy between David Frame and Barry Stephen raged on with the top two at the sharp end of the results once more. It was Frame who claimed first blood in heat one as he stormed to yet another victory with arch-nemesis Stephen coming home in second, with Bryan Forrest taking a fine third in his recently-acquired car.

Peebleshire’s Kenny McKenzie returned to action and returned to victory lane in heat two as he held off Stephen and Frame to take a well-deserved win. The feature final was a fast-paced race with the top drivers slicing their way through the field but it was Coaltown of Balgonie’s Paul Mackie that they all had to catch as he headed off into a huge lead in his Zetec-powered machine.

Mackie held his lead until the closing stages of the race when he was eventually headed by Bryan Forrest but Forrest was the only driver to get ahead of Mackie as he claimed the win from Mackie with Barry Stephen in third to round off a superb evening of Superstox racing.

The HRP 1300 Stock Cars were back in action and Scotland’s top stock car formula once again did not disappoint as they put on a display worthy of any major event.

Heat One was certainly action-packed and Fife’s own Lee McGill looked to have claimed victory after spinning out Callum Barclay just before the line but a video review saw McGill subsequently disqualified for spinning Barclay fence-wards handing victory to Barclay.

McGill made up for his disqualification in heat two as he stormed to victory well ahead of the chasing Zak Gilmour and Barclay. The feature final saw more tremendous action with the bumpers going in on every corner but McGill took full advantage of his blue grade start to maintain his lead over Barclay and Gilmour all the way to the finish and guarantee an immediate return to a red roof.

The 2.0 National bangers were also on the bill and credit must go to the drivers who made the effort to show up as they put on what was a good show for the fans on the terraces. Steve Allan claimed the win in a fast-paced heat one ahead of Marc Dalgarno and Daz Linton.

Allan doubled up in heat two as he stayed ahead of Pete McVay and Paul McNulty Jr in a race with only three finishers. With large bangers becoming rarer and more expensive; the drivers elected not to contest a Destruction Derby but the final was punctuated by some huge hits as Neil Naismith took in McNulty and Josh Tracey before McVay couldn’t resist the opportunity as he drove into the heap at full speed in spectacular fashion – McVay managed to reverse away from the incident and then repeated the feat two laps later as he blitzed his fellow drivers before pulling off the track with a huge grin on his face as smiles and handshakes all round finished off a highly entertaining session of Banger racing.

Thirteen races (plus the Junior Micra Stock Cars on Demonstration duties) and all finished in good time. A great night was had by all and sets things up nicely for next weekend’s HRP Speed Weekend.

Racing will take place at HRP Lochgelly Raceway on Saturday August 15th AND Sunday August 16th as the track hosts the David Philp Commercials 2.0 Hot Rod World Championship plus the UK Oval Track Legends European Championship.

The Ninja Karts (Saturday and Sunday), HRP 1300 Stock Cars (Saturday), ProStocks (Sunday) and Superstox (Sunday) provide the support to what promises to be a cracking weekend of racing with drivers from all corners of the stock car world arriving to battle for major honours at HRP Lochgelly Raceway. The action gets underway at 6pm next Saturday August 15th and 1pm on Sunday August 16th – two meetings not to be missed!!!