MINE'S a coffee: "I was told as I entered the office at the Cowdenbeath Racewall to meet one of the Race Managers, Keith Ramsay, “Did you bring biscuits with you” was his next comment!, writes Cowdenbeath Racewall scribe Jim Turner.

After I had made the coffee and had started munching on the biscuits we started to talk about the season ahead, which starts in a fortnight.

He told me: “I am really looking forward to the season and we have managed to get some really exciting meetings. "Obviously the jewel in the crown is the 2 Litre National Saloon World Final and I am already thinking up formats. Mind you just now I am keeping them close to my chest.”

He added: “Our first major championship is the Unlimited Banger World Cup on April 13 and hopefully we will be able to attract as healthy a field as we did last year.

"Jack Overy should be back up to defend his crown but I would love to see a Scottish driver getting his hands on the title. It would be hard but you never know.”

“At the end of the month the Formula II drivers have their World Championship qualifying round and hopefully we will be able to attract quite a healthy field of cars especially with Crimond hosting their qualifying round the following day.

"Gordon Moodie, the present World Champion and Chris Burgoyne, the British Champion, will be leading the way. Could we get another all Scottish front row for the World Final three seasons in a row?

“Our first weekend meeting takes place over the weekend of the 1st and 2nd June and again it looks to be quite an exciting one and we feature the Formula II drivers both days. Hopefully we should be able to attract quite a few visiting drivers, especially with the winner of the Scottish Championship getting you seeded into the National Series. "On the Saturday night Euan Millar will be defending his Scottish Championship but last year it turned out to be last bend decider. Adam Blacklock had led for most of the race but he was under pressure from Liam Rennie but when Liam made his bid for the win on the last bend, it ended up disastrously with both drivers spinning out. That allowed Euan Millar to go through and win. "We also have the ORCI Stock Rod drivers qualifying for their European Championship and the Ministox drivers qualifying for the East of Scotland Championship".

He went on: “What a day Sunday is going to be! Ian Thompson Jnr defends the FII Challenge Trophy, which he won at Nutts Corner last year.

"There is the Stock Rod European Championship as well as the Ministox East of Scotland Championship. The Stoxkarts are with us both days and they have their Scottish Championship on the Sunday. Also racing that weekend are the 1300 Saloons and last season their numbers increased beyond our expectations. They have really been exciting and we hope this trend continues – there is no reason why it shouldn’t.

"Completing the format are the youngsters in the minis and we have a few new drivers registering with us this year. Last year Lewis Clark Burgoyne and Jamie Dawson started out and they have shown up well and a lot is expected from them this year.

“The first half of the season ends at the end of June when we stage the Micro Banger Supreme Championship and that should bring the first part of the season to a hectic close!”

I asked him about other qualifying rounds and he told me: “We have two National Hot Rod World Championship qualifying rounds and three 1300 saloon Gold Roof qualifying rounds, which will be interesting especially with the Hot Rod World Final in July at Ipswich. "The Micro F2 drivers have not been forgotten about and they have at least one, sometimes two races prior to the meeting starting at 6pm. Yes the Classic Hot Rods will be at the Racewall but their first appearance is not until the end of May".

The second practice meeting on Sunday was held on a dry and fast track with quite a few new faces appearing.

Amongst those making their debuts were Alisdair Smith in the 2 Litre National Saloons, Calvin Gemmell in the Micro F2s, whilst Gordon Alexander and John Maver had switched to the National Hot Rods and Jamie Reid was having his first run in the Formula IIs.

Les Smart had brought his Formula II all the way from Gateshead for the practice meeting. Charlie Hardie, Jake Wilson and Koddi Wright were having their first taste of the Racewall in the Minis.

There was disaster for the Formula IIs of Pete Davidson and Ryan Walker, who encountered engine problems whilst James Mooney blew his diff in his National Hot Rod.

Chris Burgoyne and Euan Millar were quick in their Formula IIs closely followed by Daniel Scrimgeour.

In the 2 Litre National saloons Barry Glen and Tam Rutherford Jnr was certainly quick but so too was Barry Russell which augers well for the forthcoming season. Chris Carey was back after only a couple of meetings last season whilst Ryan Muirhead had a promising run in his car. Smith was plagued with problems which he will hopefully cure for next week.

The ORCi Stock Rods look as if it is going to be dominated by white graders at the start to the season with Liam and Dean McGill very quick and from the front of the grid they are going to take some catching!. Michael Bethune and James Gray put in some very fast laps but if they are giving the McGills almost half a lap of a start then it is going to be a difficult task.

There were almost enough 1300 Saloons on track for a meeting with some very fast cars on the track. Fraser Clark was again very quick but so too were Lee Wilson and Scott Lindsell. Gary Paterson encountered a few problems but Callum Sturrock had a pleasing debut.

Gordon Alexander was the quickest of the National Hot Rods but Ross McWilliam wasn’t that far adrift and John Maver had a promising afternoon.

Declan Honeyman was the quickest of the Ministox drivers out practicing but Taylor Borthwick wasn’t that far behind. Lewis Clark Burgoyne and Mika Millar will be a force to be reckoned with this year whilst Charlie Hardie is going to give them a run for their money at the start to the year. Jake Wilson had a hard knock against the wall but had shown some good speed.

As usual there were plenty of Micro F2s with Mark Arthur and Ethan Jack Gemmell showing a really good turn of speed. Connor St Aubyn, Zara Hutchinson and Isla Chisholm showed a good turn of speed whilst Ben McLellan will soon be winning races.

Jake Mason and David van Deiken were in a shunt during their opening run in the Prostock basics and didn’t reappear whilst Jordan Dignan and Teri-Leigh Adams ran some consistent laps.

There is another practice meeting this Sunday starting at 1pm.