SATURDAY saw stock car racing full of action at Lochgelly Raceway with almost 90 drivers participating in the 17 races across the evening, writes our Raceway scribe Kevin McQueen.

The Ministox kicked-off proceedings with their Whites and Yellows Young Guns race sponsored by Jus Bounce. There was a fair bit of action in this race alone which saw visiting driver Alfie Sime see his night come to an end early on after a coming together which also included Charlie Henry.

Charlie’s car sustained quite a bit of damage which meant she couldn’t come out for any of the other races during the evening. The race was eventually won by Robbie Armit, who was starting off the front of the grid for the first time since coming into the formula after progressing from our Ninja Kart class. Kai Gilmour and Rian Mitchell completed the top three.

As the main event got underway, visiting driver Aaron Richards was back with us – Aaron has competed in all three meetings so far in 2019 from his base in the Stoke area. The race soon kicked into action with Lewis Burgoyne ensuring that Barry Scott completed his spin around on turn 2, taking Jay Paterson out towards the wall with him before being collected by the passing Aaron Richards and Ciaran Adams, with the Barry Scott car going up onto two wheels before rolling back over the infield kerb and bouncing up right off the ground!

As the race got underway, Rian Mitchell and Robbie Armit battled it out for the lead whilst the chasing back closed, although there was to be another race stoppage as the Rian Mitchell car lost its wheel! Robbie Armit led the way prior to the yellow flag caution but got away a little slower than he had hoped enabling the field to take advantage.

Taylor Borthwick continued her fine start to the season with a race win with Richards coming home in 2nd, before Robbie Armit rounded up the top three. Heat 2 for the Ministox saw Jake Wilson and Robbie Armit get away well from the white graded drivers, however, Robbie had a near spin in the opening laps which he managed to correct. This allowed Jake to get a small gap which Robbie was able to close down again before putting the bumper onto the Wilson car to make a pass for the lead.

Further back there was a great battle going on between Ciaran Adams, Mitchell Gold and Jamie Stewart, as the three of them diced and duelled for position with Adams coming out on top; Robbie Armit held on to win the race from Taylor Borthwick and Lewis Burgoyne.

The final race of the evening was another scintillating event with no shortage of on track action – Kai Gilmour and Robbie Armit had a great battle over a number of laps, exchanging hits between each other, with Rian Mitchell later having a similar type of battle with Armit. Further back the field, the star graded drivers such as Ciaran Adams, Taylor Borthwick and Aaron Richards battled their way through, with Richards being held up somewhat with an early spin but fought back well to claim a fourth place finish in the race. As things drew to a close, Armit, Mitchell and Gilmour raced closely together with a few bumps along the way, Armit bouncing over the infield kerbs, looked to have destroyed his race, but those behind him all did similar with cars bouncing off of each other, it allowed Armit to rejoin the track in 2nd place, just behind Ciaran Adams who manoeuvered his way through the traffic well. Adams held on to win the race ahead of Armit and Taylor Borthwick.

The 1300 Stock Cars were back in action with a few new cars joining the fun, notably Stewart Aitken making a return to the formula for the first time in a number of years. Craig Haxton made his first outing of the season and was straight in the thick of the action. A few laps of exchanging hits with Eddie Corr saw a hit from Danny Whyte onto Corr, onto Haxton which then saw the Craig Haxton car go into a spin, before being pushed around the corner by the pack, with Whyte gaining the most as he came up the inside of the action.

Haxton quickly recovered and had the bit between his teeth as he sought to regain the places he had lost, quickly latching onto the back of the Eddie Corr car and pushing him wide into the fencing to take the position back.

Next up was Bobby Gold, with Haxton placing a well timed push to sneak up the inside of the Gold car, but it wasn’t quite enough as Gold returned the compliment the next lap before Haxton eventually got the place. Whilst all the action was going on, Stuart Farrell raced away from the yellow grade to a huge lead. With only a few laps remaining, Craig Haxton managed to catch and pass the Danny Whyte car. Farrell took the win ahead of Craig Haxton and Danny Whyte. The 2nd heat of the night for the formula seen Stuart Farrell quickly get into the front, whilst Craig Haxton and Eddie Corr again exchanged blows, with Martin McCafferty joining in with the action too.

Newcomer Sean Naismith was fighting with his car and ran it up the wall midway through the race bringing the car to a slow stop. Farrell won the race by a clear margin ahead of Eddie Corr and Craig Haxton.

The final saw a closed grid form with a clutch start taking place. Regan Watson got away quick from pole position in the white roofs whilst the bumpers flew in behind him, with Whyte pushing Haxton and McCafferty wide in the opening lap, whilst Farrell was also forced out wide too. This saw 4 abreast as the exited the corner with Farrell squeezed against the fence, McCafferty, Haxton and Whyte across the track, with Stewart Aitken just behind. The 4 cars ran out of track and came together seeing the two middle cars, McCafferty and Haxton, spin towards the wall, with Whyte managing to escape the battle. Eddie Corr won the race ahead of Regan Watson and Stewart Aitken.

The Ninja Karts were out in force yet again for the final time before they do battle for the National Championship on Saturday April 6 at Lochgelly Raceway. Lewis Linton won his first race in for formula from the whites and yellows race, and was unlucky not to add to that throughout the night, having led both his other races until the closing stages before spinning out on the last lap in one and being caught in the closing stages in the other. Keiron Hay finished runner-up in the whites and yellows race, with Archie Spiers completing the top three. Charlie Hardie won the opening heat ahead of Rachel Kidd and Lewis Duffy with the Duffy kart only being caught by the two superstars in the closing laps.

Heat 2 saw a few incidents with karts tangling together, including the leading pack. Archie Speirs got caught up and spun, collecting the oncoming Lewis Duffy kart, with Duffy’s machine coming off the ground. Rachel Kidd went onto win the race ahead of Kenzie Bell and Bailey Millar. The final race of the evening for the youngsters saw Rachel Kidd again take the chequered flag, with Charlie Hardie coming home in 2nd, and Lewis Linton third.

The CC Rods were in action with Darren MacDonald taking another set of race wins, with Paul Muir taking a final win. There was no end to the issues that Brandon Gourlay has experienced this year, with a serious misfire hampering his progress throughout the night. Lee Wotherspoon had a good few races but like Gourlay, developed a misfire come the meeting final.

The Stock Rods were the final formula in action and provided no shortage of on track action. Gary Dean had a great battle with Chris Lattka, Siobhan Martin and David Crichton before being caught on the back straight whilst on the inside, which sent his car spinning to the outside of the track. Gary Nicholls raced home ahead of Stewart Paterson with Chris Lattka completing the top three.

Heat 2 saw more on track action with Gary Nicholls having some good close battles with Jamie Bell and David Crichton, with Gary ultimately tangling with Crichton which caused Crichton to spin.

This allowed the pack behind Nicholls to get through. A great battle for the lead then followed, with Jock McEwan leading, including Jamie Bell, Chris Lattka, Stewart Paterson and the incoming Gary Nicholls.

As the front four diced for the lead, it allowed Nicholls to close up the gap and get involved in the battle over the last few laps. McEwan held on for the race win, with Jamie Bell 2nd and Stewart Paterson third, although Paterson crossed the line first only to be docked a couple of places for contact.

The meeting final was a closed grid start and was won by Chris Lattka – Chris got away quickest and led almost from the outset. Chris faced a late challenge in the race from female superstar Siobhan Martin, although held on to take the race win, with Gary Nicholls completing the top three.

We’re back in action this coming Saturday at Lochgelly Raceway before we are faced with the first speedweekend of the season, featuring the National Hot Rod European Championship!!