DESPITE a drizzle falling for most of the stock car meeting on Saturday night at the Cowdenbeath Racewall there was some close and exciting racing throughout the classes, writes our Racewall scribe Jim Turner.

However, the Micro F2 drivers found the greasy track surface difficult and there were multiple pile ups and stoppages in their races.

The Prostock Scottish Championship saw front row driver Ian Taylor lead the race from start to finish although he was under pressure from time to time.

There were a couple of firsts in the BriSCA Formula II with Stuart Moss winning his first race at the Racewall whilst Steven Burgoyne’s final win was his first from the red grade.

The BriSCA Formula II drivers welcomed travellers Moss and Martin Bentley to their ranks but were three drivers down, who were racing in the National Series. In the track points there was a gap of 25 between the leader Euan Millar and Craig Wallace but after four eventful races the gap is now down to 7!

Local drivers on the grid included Craig and Paul Reid (Cowdenbeath) and Ian Thompson (Kennoway)

The opening heat saw Moss go through to win from Wallace and P. Reid with Thompson finishing sixth and C. Reid in ninth spot. Whilst P. Reid led heat two for a considerable time it was Wallace who came through to win from Robbie Dawson and John Hogg. P. Reid recovered for fourth, C. Reid ending up in ninth again whilst Thompson was forced into retirement with damage.

C. Reid led the field away when the final started but he was soon caught and passed by his brother Paul who began to edge away from the field. Pete Davidson spun but restarted as Steven Burgoyne began to work his way through the field taking his car wide towards the walls on the bend to get grip.

Just after the half distance Burgoyne moved into the lead and soon Hogg moved into second with P. Reid relegated to fourth as Wallace made up ground. Burgoyne though had a comfortable gap over Hogg and he went through to win from Hogg who had Wallace closing. P. Reid was demoted to fifth in the closing stages whilst Thompson was eighth and C. Reid finished outside of the top ten.

There were a few 2 Litre National Saloon drivers missing but their races were close despite the conditions. Local drivers included Raymond Dick (Glenrothes), Eck Cunningham (Leven) and Euan Mathieson (Lochgelly)

There first race of the night was the white/yellow challenge series final with Ross Forrest taking an early lead and but over the closing laps was caught by Tam Rutherford Jnr. The pair were side by side coming out of the pit bend but contact was made resulting in both cars spinning, Rutherford’s car came to rest just short off the line but Forrest’s rolled across the line backwards to win from Willie Mitchell and Kevin Letford. Cunningham and Mathieson were fourth and fifth respectively whilst Dick was seventh.

The first heat ended with Tam Rutherford Jnr going through to win from James Letford and Mathieson. Cunningham was fourth again with Dick failing to finish. Heat two saw Mathieson go on to win where he was ahead of Ryan Muirhead and Rutherford Jnr at the close. Cunningham finished fourth for a third time while Dick failed to finish again.

Right at the start to the final Holly Glen was clipped into a spin before being teeboned by Dick although both restarted. Forrest was the initial leader from Muirhead with J. Letford quickly reeling him in. Mitchell was spun as did Dick although in separate incidents. J. Letford had just taken the lead when the yellows appeared after debris appeared on the track. On the restart J. Letford made a good restart and then went through to win from K. Letford and Forrest. Cunningham was fifth whilst Dick and Mathieson did not finish.

The grid for the Scottish Prostock Championship was a public one with local drivers Grady Ross (Lochore) third on the grid, Ian Christie (Kirkcaldy) sixth, Darren Rae (Lochgelly) ninth, Graham Watt (Inverkeithing) tenth, Paul Barron (Cowdenbeath) fourteenth and Graham Fleming (Kirkcaldy) last.

The grid had Shane Kennedy on pole with Ian Taylor alongside with Ross and Jack Cameron sharing row 2. There was chaos on the opening lap with Kennedy, Cameron and Finlay Davidson all spinning and suspending the race. I. Taylor led the field away with Christie and Rae in close order. Christie spun as Rae took the lead albeit briefly before Taylor snatched it back. Barron and Rae tangled with Watt moving into second place. Although Watt challenged I. Taylor over the closing stages Taylor pulled away to win with John Taylor in third. Fleming ended up sixth with no other local drivers going the distance.

Alexander Hamilton then went on to win heat one from Ross and John Mason. Christie and Barron were fourth and fifth respectively whilst Fleming came home for seventh. Watt failed to finish after an earlier skirmish. Heat two ended with Hamilton picking up his second win of the night when he led home I. Taylor and J. Taylor. Christie was fourth again, whilst Ross and Barron came home for sixth and seventh. Fleming was tenth with Watt not finishing again after another tangle.

The ORCi Ministox Dash for a Tyre was their opening race where the drivers were fund raising for the Ministox Disco Fund. A healthy amount was raised with Mitch Gold (Leven) topping the £400 mark. Along with Gold on the grid, local drivers were Jay Paterson (Saline), Scott Allardyce (Anstruther), Jamie Stewart (Glenrothes) and Michael Mitchell (Lochgelly).

Kyle Roberts went straight into the lead and was never seen again until the chequer flag dropped at the end of the race. Allardyce held second but lost out to Sean Naismith but he ran into trouble and retired. Allardyce went back to second but was caught by Logan Bruce and Taylor Borthwick. Bruce forced his way through into second but Allardyce managed to fend off Borthwick to the line. Gold retired with meeting-ending damage but received a tyre for his fundraising efforts whilst Stewart and Paterson finished fifth and sixth. Mitchell was disqualified with a few laps to run with a broken exhaust on the car.

The first heat saw Roberts dice with Ryan Borthwick for most of the time with Borthwick just getting ahead during the last few laps to win from Mitchell and Allardyce. Paterson came home for sixth whilst Stewart was forced into retirement. R. Borthwick then proceeded to win heat two from Naismith and Mitchell. Allardyce finished fourth, whilst Stewart and Paterson were sixth and seventh.

In very tricky conditions the youngsters in the Micro F2s found it difficult to find grip and it was only the most experienced that went close to the wall to find it. There were many stoppages in their races as cars spun and were then collected by those in close order. Local drivers on the grid included Connor St Aubyn (Glenrothes), Nicole Allardyce (Anstruther) and Lennon Cuthill (Glenrothes).

Joelan Maynard went on to win the opening heat from Alfie Joynson and Oliver Heron. Maynard then went on win the second heat where he led home James Owen and Charlie Burgoyne. Neither of the first two heats saw the local drivers finish in the top ten as they struggled to get to grips with the track conditions.

The third heat had an exciting finish when Burgoyne drove around the outside of Maynard on the last bend to win from Maynard and Heron. St Aubyn finished a good tenth place whilst the other two didn’t quite make the top ten.

This weekend is a two day event with the Saloon drivers taking the headlines when they race for their Superbowl trophy on Saturday night. They will be backed by the Formula IIs who have their pre-67 Ford Owners Club sponsored Grand National Series and the James Clarke Cochrane trophy up for grabs. The 1300 Saloons are also in action for their Superbowl with the meeting starting at 5.00pm

On Sunday the Saloons have their Scottish round of their National Series and also the Gordon Barclay Memorial Trophy to contest. Also racing are the ORCi Stock Rods, the 1300 Saloons for the Cock O’ the North title and the Classic Hot Rods for the Cock O’ the North and Dougie Farrer Trophies. Sunday’s meeting starts at 1.00pm

* The BriSCA Formula II drivers were in action at King’s Lynn on Saturday night amongst a big field of cars. World Champion Gordon Moodie (Windygates) was in action but it proved to be a disastrous night for those in the National Series with only four of the drivers scoring points. Moodie was eighth in his heat but failed to score in either the final or the Grand National. His nearest, Kelvyn Marshall (Macclesfield) fared just a little better scoring five points and as a result Moodie’s lead in the Series is down to 53 points.

The Series moved to the shale at Mildenhall on Sunday where Moodie finished eighth in his heat despite suffering a puncture with a few laps to go. He then went on to finish third in the final, the first of the Series entrants across the line.