CONGRATULATIONS go to the British Formula II Champion Craig Wallace on his win in the Grand National Championship at the Cowdenbeath Racewall, on Saturday night, in a race that had to be suspended on the first lap after Stevie Forster rolled his car for the second week in succession, writes Racewall scribe Jim Turner.

Trevor Calvin became the ORCi stock rod Scottish Champion in an exciting race but only moved into the lead after the leaders Leon Stewart and James Gray tangled.

The 1300saloon Scottish Championship had some close dicing with Jason Secker getting the break to go through to win. However, the first of the Allcomers races was the best race of the night with any one of four drivers fighting for the lead with Grant McGowan just sneaking the win.

With the 2 Litre National Saloon Scottish but a week away the drivers were keen to get the best out of their cars with Luke Grief winning the final but it was Barry Glen who won both of the heats.

The formula II drivers were having a night off from their National Series which allowed Gordon Moodie, the Grand National Champion to get his car set up when the series moves to the Racewall. With this meeting being a solus one it was hoped that it would attract a few visitors from south of the border but it was not to be!

Local drivers on the grid included Kieran Howie (Dunfermline), Paul and Craig Reid (Cowdenbeath), Ian Thompson (Kennoway) and Gordon Moodie (Windygates).

The cars lined up in their points order for the Championship race, which was to be their first race of the evening. Craig Wallace shared the front row with Euan Millar whilst on row 2 Moodie was paired alongside Robbie Dawson. Howie started the race from row 3, P. Reid row 4 with Thompson on row 5. The start proved to be explosive with Wallace leading the field away but next time around Moodie was ahead but Howie got out of shape on the pit bend with Forster’s car clambering all over his and rolling, coming to rest on all four wheels.

The race was stopped and the field lined up minus Howie and Forster. Millar made the better of the starts to lead but on the turnstile bend both Wallace and Moodie swept by. This time Wallace withstood the Moodie challenge and when the latter bounced off the pit bend wall next time around Wallace was able to open up a gap.

Dawson moved into third and soon the leading trio were spaced out. Dennis Middler, Liam Rennie and Millar were running in close order with Rennie soon moving into fourth place. However Wallace reeled off the remaining laps to become the Grand National Champion from Moodie and Dawson.

There was a false start to the final but when they did restart it was lower grade drivers Colin Forbes and Craig Reid who fought over the lead for a couple of laps until they were caught by Thompson with Rennie following him ahead through. Dennis Middler slowed to retire but up front Thompson had his hands full trying to keep Rennie at bay although the latter had Moodie closing the gap. However, there were no further changes until they pulled into the winners bay where Thompson and Rennie were penalised a couple of places therefore handing the win to Moodie.

The stock rod public draw paired Rob Conway and James Matson (Glenrothes) on the front row with James Gray and Leon Stewart behind. Conway led the field away only to see Matson ahead on the back straight with Stewart running just ahead of Gray but by the start line Stewart was leading. Gray closed right up and this duo diced with the lead changing a couple of times. Trevor Calvin, who started from row 4, was making progress and he appeared in fourth place on lap seven whilst further back Cameron Doak was having bother keeping Pitcaithly at bay. As the laps began to dwindle Stewart was still leading but under pressure as Gray looked to get ahead.

Then, with the three lap board being shown, Stewart was clipped from behind, hit the wall and spun, bringing out the yellow flags right away. Once Stewart was out of his car the field re-started behind Gray but all was not well with his car and Calvin and Webster relegated him down the order. Calvin eased away from the field to become the new Scottish Champion leading home Webster and Matson.

Kev Forrester went on to win the first of the Allcomers races from Gray and Wedderburn, Gray then won Allcomers race 2 from Wedderburn, Paul Prentice and Pitcaithly.

Another public draw for the 1300saloons saw Peter Henderson and Lee Wilson (Comrie) share the front row with Fraser Clark on row 2. Other Fifers on the grid included Robert Gold (Cowdenbeath) on row six.

Wilson beat Henderson away from the line to lead but Dougie Kidd, from row 3, made a bold move down the inside of the field only to suffer a puncture and retire. The following lap Clark was leading but a couple of laps later Jason Secker moved into second spot and then closed in on Clark. Cameron Milne blew an engine, depositing a fair amount of oil onto the track and then a brief fire appeared under the bonnet of his car suspending the race.

Clark led on the restart and held Secker off for a few laps before the latter managed to get him wide and dive through into the lead. Once there Secker eased away to win the Scottish Championship from Clark with Grant McGowan in third spot with Gold fifth, Wilson sixth and Hastie in eighth place.

The first of the Allcomers races had a blanket finish with McGowan just getting to the line ahead of Henderson. Dale Burt (Lochgelly) won Allcomers 2 on his return to the 1300s where he led home Secker and McGowan with Hastie in fifth and just ahead of Wilson.

The 2 litre National saloon drivers were in good form and despite hoping to get the best out of their cars there was no shortage of action.

Barry Glen won the opening heat from Luke Grief and James Letford with Cunningham fifth. Heat two saw Glen pick up his second win of the night when he was ahead of Grief and Paul Honeyman at the end of the race with Cunningham in sixth place.

The final saw Kevin Letford lead but within a few laps Glen had forced his way through into the lead. However, a few laps later he was sidelined with gearbox problems allowing Grief to take the lead. Once there he pulled away to win from Ian McLaughlin and Graeme Anderson with Cunningham in seventh place.

Next Saturday it’s the big one in the saloon calendar, the Scottish Championship for the 2 Litre National saloons with Paul Honeyman the defending champion and hoping to retain his crown in what could well turn out to be a race not for the feint hearted. The saloons tend not to hold back at this meeting and as a result there are usually plenty of shunts ad spins throughout the race. The ministox drivers will be racing for their East of Scotland Championship whilst the microf2 drivers will be back in action, it will be a 6pm start.