AT the Cowdenbeath Racewall on Saturday evening it was wet, driving rain at one time, but that didn't deter the drivers from serving up some action packed racing, writes our Racewall reporter, Jim Turner.
There was a minute's silence at the start of meeting in tribute to Ian "Plod" Deas, a former long time official who sadly passed away earlier this week. Amongst those racing in the Formula 2s were Jason McDonald and Graeme Leckie, who raced at Skegness on Friday night, and were busy replacing the 'diff' prior to the start of the meeting.
Kieran Howie was having his first run of the season from the blue grade after his hat trick of wins last week. Rebecca Reid was the initial leader but on lap three Reece McIntosh took the lead. However, within a couple of laps wet weather specialists Craig Wallace and John Hogg had caught him.
Wallace then took the lead before going on to win from Hogg and McIntosh.
It was R. Reid who led when heat two commenced, but this time it was Charlie Folan who was ahead by lap three. Folan was caught by McIntosh, but when the latter took the lead, he soon had Wallace and Hogg for company.
For the remainder of the race Wallace tried to find the line, to take the lead, but to no avail and in the end, McIntosh held on for a narrow win from Wallace and Hogg. Within a lap of the final starting Folan had taken the lead and quickly opened up a useful gap.
McIntosh moved into second and whilst he began to eat into Folan's lead he soon had Wallace and Hogg for company. Folan spun out of the lead with the first three cars now running nose to tail. However, it was Hogg who got in the telling challenge sending the Wallace car into McIntosh’s and as they went wide, he moved from third to first on the turnstile bend. Once there he went on to win from Wallace and McIntosh.
The Grand National was won by McIntosh who led home Wallace and Hogg after Leckie had been spun out. Making his return in the ORCi Stock Rods was Cammy Doak, who was having his first outing of the season. Heading up from the South West was Callum Faulconbridge for his first visit to the Racewall this year. Lauren Gray and Jordan Dignan tangled on the opening lap suspending the race with both failing to restart.
George White was the leader when the race restarted but he was to lose out to Lewis Dickson who had Lee Smart in close order. However, it was Cammy Doak who moved into the lead just after the half distance and then held on to win from the dicing Jamie Dawson and Michael Bethune.
It was Smart who led the second heat but was being chased by Doak, the latter briefly led but pulled out as Bethune took over.
He had Dawson on his back bumper but the latter just couldn't close the gap to find the line to get ahead with Bethune winning with Paul Prentice in third. White made the better of the starts to lead cars away at the stat to the Final with Smart running ahead of Prentice and Dickson. After a few laps they were joined by Bethune and Dawson. By half distance White had been reeled in but Prentice drifted wide on the pit bend, clipped the wall and had to retire with broken steering.
Bethune then dived onto the inside line to take the lead and once there went on to win his second race of the night from Dawson and Smart. There were over 30 Prostock Basic drivers at the track which again saw the field split into three groups with each driver racing twice. Greg Fraser was the only new face, whilst Harry Wotherspoon was keen to make it two final wins in succession. The start to heat one was short lived with Stephen Gray spinning and whilst initially hit by Jake Paton, a few others slid into them. Barry Jackman was the new leader when the race got underway but quickly lost out to Kevin Nicol who soon eased away from the field.
Cole McDonald appeared in second and set about closing the gap. With three to run he did so before driving around the outside to win. K. Nicol held on to second but had Joanne Hilditch on his back bumper as they crossed the finish line.
Heat two was a few laps old when Kevin Nicol and Billy Fleming tangled suspending the race. Harry Wotherspoon was the new leader but had McDonald in close order. They stayed in that order for a few laps till McDonald got ahead but whilst he went on to win he had Hilditch breathing down his neck as they crossed the finish line with Lee Logan third.
Heat three was an eye catching race with C. Nicol and Wotherspoon dicing throughout. The lead changed hands on a few occasions but when Wotherspoon was delayed in traffic C. Nicol was able to ease away to win with Graeme Dignan third. Wotherspoon led the Final but slowed to retire at the end of the opening lap with the race being stopped a lap later when Phil Payne slid into the wall.
C. Nicol led the field away from McDonald but after a few laps Hilditch was in third. However, the race was suspended after Laura Graham spun and was collected by the oncoming pack.
On the restart C. Nicol made the better of the starts to open up a lead with Hilditch getting ahead of McDonald with only a few laps remaining. In the end C. Nicol took the chequer leading Hilditch and McDonald to the finish line. The youngsters in their Micro F2s turned up in their numbers and despite the wet conditions coped admirably on the wet and greasy track. Jack McGuire was making his debut in the hire car. A spinning car brought heat one into suspension but on the restart, it was Ryan Johnstone Jnr who took the lead and went on to win from Harris Honeyman and Jake Ramage.
Heat two saw Johnstone Jnr lead for a few laps but this time lost out to Harry Yule who went through to win from Johnstone Jnr and Honeyman. Whilst it was Archie Grieve who led for most of the race it was Yule who ran away with the third race to win going around the outside of the leading group and into the lead. Once there he romped away to win from Johnstone Jnr and Grieve.
This Saturday the Formula 2s are joined in the action by the Saloons, Ministox and Prostock with the usual 6pm start
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