WITH the Formula 2 World Championship set to be contested at the Cowdenbeath Racewall in September of 2025, Dunfermline's Kieran Howie made it his main target, writes our Racewall reporter Jim Turner, in his latest interview.
Kieran, who is a motor mechanic at Ian Brown's Garage, in Dunfermline, who incidentally is his main sponsor, began his preparations early.
Amongst his plans was to replace his chassis with the one that Jamie Avery had raced.
To that end they bought the chassis at the end of 2024 and once they had it in their workshop began to refurbish the car.
Kieran pointed out: "I had the car at the practice sessions at the Racewall and we set about setting it up.
"Our aim was the World Final at the Racewall and to do so I would have to race at quite a few of the World Championship qualifying rounds.
“One problem was that I hadn't raced at a lot of tracks. In the end I raced as far north as Crimond, St Day in Cornwall, and at Aldershot in Hampshire.
“All told I raced at six new tracks and even raced on shale a couple of times and that proved to be an experience!
"At the end of the qualifying rounds, only your best five points scoring rounds count, the top 56 points scorers are seeded into two semi-finals with the top ten in each semi automatically starting the World Final."
Kieran pointed out: "We were slowly getting to grips with the car at the Racewall and our first trip south was to Hednesford in April.
“It’s a big track and it proved to be a big learning curve.
"The car wasn't too bad but I struggled in big fields of cars. I didn't get amongst the results in my heat nor the consolation, so had to sit out the final.
"However, it was an interesting outing and gave us more time in the car.
“Next up was a trip to Bristol and I really enjoyed racing there.
"It is not a long track but there is quite a drop at the bottom bend and once you get around the bend you have to climb back up the hill.
“I finished seventh in my heat but missed out on a top ten place when the final was run - but only just."
Went on the drive, who has plenty of mechanical experience: “My next qualifying round was at my home track, the Racewall.
"Unfortunately, it turned out to be a disaster on a track where I had hoped to do well.
“I just couldn't get into the swing of things and couldn't force myself into the results in either my heat nor the consolation.
"Disappointing to say the least. "
Kieran then said: "At the beginning of May we headed down to Bradford where I had my first taste of shale racing.
"Bradford is a big track built around a rugby league pitch and overall, it was an enjoyable experience.
“Again, there was a big field of cars but I just missed out on a heat result by half a car but qualified for the final with a seventh place in the consolation.
"I was going alright in the final only to get caught up in a shunt and had to retire.
"A fortnight later I was on my travels, this time to Aldershot and again it was a new track to me. I think it took around 10 hours to get there!
“My car was going alright but I was too gentle in my heat where a bit of bumper work could have got me a top ten finish.
"When the consolation started, I got caught up with a couple of cars and by the time we got going we were well adrift of the field so a result was out of the question."
Kieran then recalled his trip to the south west – it was a disaster!
“I didn’t like St Day and to make it worse the car developed a misfire and I didn’t finish a race,” he recalled.
“The next day we were at Taunton where we cured the misfire.
"Taunton is a tight track, hard breaking and fast acceleration.
"There were a lot of cars so big numbers in the heats, but I struggled to get a clear run so missed out in both heat and consolation.
"I was on holiday in July so missed out on the Buxton qualifying round and the UK Championship at Skegness."
Kieran recalled: "But I was back for the Northampton meeting in mid July. It was another new track for me and a shale one and was another disaster!
“I had hired a shale car from Craig Driscoll for the meeting.
"It misfired from the start and we could find the problem so our time on the shale proved to be limited."
With a smile he recalled: "My next two meetings were in Scotland.
"The first was up at Crimond and it was a two day affair.
“On the Saturday the qualifying round doubled up with the Scottish Championship.
"My car was on-song in practice and whilst I didn't have the best of runs in my heat, I finished ninth but qualified for the final.
“Not long after the final started, I was in the lead but lost it to Liam Rennie with six laps to run.
"In the end I finished as the runner-up and repeated the result in the Grand National.
“The following day we were racing for the Ben Fund Trophy and that was a disaster to say the least.
"On the home straight the car ahead of me lost control and bounced off the tyre wall.
"I clipped his car and ended up rolling mine - about four times!
“I luckily stepped out of the car a bit battered and bruised, but the machine was bad.
“After totalling up my points I reckoned that I had secured one of the semi final places.
"Before Crimond I was hovering above the cut off point and when I added in my Crimond points it looked as if I was safely on the grid.
"Some long hours in the garage and we had my car ready for the Knockhill Trioval meeting which was a Wednesday night event.
"The car wasn't all that good but whilst I was out of luck in the heat just sneaked into the results in the consolation.
"No such luck in the final nor the Grand National though."
"We decided to make sure that the car was alright for the semi final which was late in August at Taunton.
"I was to start the semi two from the inside of row five.
“By the time that the semis came around we had the car sorted.
"I was absolutely delighted with how well it was running and seemed to have rectified all the problems and we were on the pace.
“When the race started, I got away alright and began dicing with another two cars.
"The three of us were running side by side, then I got squeezed which sent me spinning, hitting the wall and out of the race.
“It was a disappointing end to my race although I still had one last chance to get there.
"We had a fortnight to get the car ready for the World Final events, which was the first weekend in September and it thoroughly checked to make sure it was.
“What I had set out to do basically hinged around the consolation race on the Friday night at the Racewall.
“We had a practice session before the meeting. The car felt really good and my lap times were amongst the fastest, which boosted my morale.
“I felt that I had a decent chance to qualify for the 'World' although only the first six cars qualified.
"I was to start from the inside of row three and when the race started, I got away well.
"Then I made a couple of mistakes when trying to get ahead of those ahead and dropped back.
“There were a couple of race stoppages but I then began to make up ground.
"However, when the race finished, I was seventh and missed my target by a solitary place!
“I was really deflated that after all the travelling and effort I had failed to make my target.
"I did race on the day of the World Final - it was a great occasion.
“I ended on a high though finishing second in my heat and then third in a much incident packed final."
He felt pleased with parts of the season: "I decided that was my season over and we set about stripping my car.
"It has gone back down south to be refreshed and once it returns will start to rebuild it for next season.
“I do a lot of work on the car myself along with Keith Brown.
"To Keith and my sponsors, I want to thank them for their time and help it is greatly appreciated.”
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