ON a bright Saturday evening at the Cowdenbeath Racewall, the Classic Hot Rod drivers treated the stock car fans to some close and fast racing, bringing back memories from the 70s and 80s when the Anglias, Talbots and Escorts dominated the racing, writes our Racewall scribe Jim Turner.

Keith Chesher’s car was in the colours used by his father Malky, who was one of the fans' favourites during his days in the Hot Rods.

Luke Grief made it a clean sweep of wins in the 2 Litre National Saloons, whilst Fifers Ian Thompson and Keith Chesher each picked up a couple of wins.

A three car pile up in the Prostocks saw the car of Kevin Muir picking up a lot of rear end damage and it looks like it is heading to the scrap yard!

Gordon Moodie had is first outing of the season at the Racewall with his new tarmac car and ended up by winning the Grand National. There was plenty of close and fast racing from the twos with the drivers enjoying the dry track surface.

There were only 16 Formula II drivers in action including Les Smart, who had travelled north from Gateshead. Local drivers in action were Paul Reid (Cowdenbeath), Ian Thompson (Kennoway) and Gordon Moodie (Windygates).

The opening heat of the night was white/yellow challenge series race and whilst Willie Lindsay led the field away he was soon caught by Steven Burgoyne who went through to win from Lindsay and Smart.

The opening heat saw Lindsay lead the field away but after making a flying start Thompson was soon through into the lead.

Chris Burgoyne and Moodie were running in close order and were soon chasing after Thompson. Whilst they did close the gap Thompson held on to win from C. Burgoyne and Moodie.

Smart was the early leader when heat two began but he was to lose the lead to Colin Forbes. Thompson had made another good start from the back of the red grade and emerged in second place soon afterwards. However, there was to be no stopping Thompson who charged through into the lead and on to his second win of the night where he led home Moodie and C. Burgoyne.

The final turned out to be a close and fast racing with the outcome in doubt until the cars crossed the finish line for the last time. When the race started Steven Burgoyne got out of line entering the back straight and ended up spinning. Thompson was delayed and dropped to the back of the field. Smart led initially but soon lost out to Garry Sime who had Euan Millar leading the chase after him.

C. Burgoyne and Moodie were running nose to tail and working their way through the field and were closing the gap to Sime. Just after the half distance C. Burgoyne moved into the lead but Moodie was never that far adrift and when the chequer flag appeared there was only a cars length between them as the crossed the finish line with Millar in third place whilst Reid was tenth.

Moodie then went on to win the Grand National from Robbie Dawson and Millar with C. Burgoyne ending up in seventh place from his lap handicap and Reid again in tenth place.

Amongst the 2 Litre National Saloon drivers at the track was Andrew Mathieson (Lochgelly) who was having his first outing in this formula. Other local drivers in action were Raymond Dick (Glenrothes), Ross Watters (Leven) and Euan Mathieson (Lochgelly).

E. Mathieson led the cars away when the race started but Watters was sent spinning almost as soon as the race had started. Mathieson led until the closing stages when he was caught and passed by Luke Grief who won on to pick up the first of his three wins. Ian McLaughlin picked up second place on the last lap with E. Mathieson having to settle for third with Watters recovering to finish in fifth whilst A. Mathieson was ninth.

E. Mathieson was again the leader in heat two but the race was suspended after Holly Glen had ended up against the wall. Mathieson led the field away but was to be caught by Watters although he had Grief on his tail. However, when Ross Forrest ended up against the wall the race was again suspended. Watters led the cars away on the restart but had Grief literally glued to his back bumper.

Despite repeatedly fending off Grief’s challenges for many laps the latter eventually found the inside line to go through into the lead and take the chequer to score a narrow win over Watters with McLaughlin in third place whilst E. Mathieson was eighth.

E. Mathieson led the cars way when the final started from Willie Mitchell but again Watters was leading the chase through the field but had Grief in close attendance. However before Watters could take the lead Grief found the inside line and it was he who moved to the front of the pack. Once there he reeled off the laps to win from Watters and Graeme Shevill with E. Mathieson fifth and A. Mathieson tenth.

Adrian Taber brought his Anglia up from Diss to join the Scottish Classic Hot Rod drivers although Kenny Purdie was a late call off. It was good to see the “old” hot rod cars in action. Keith Chesher (Dunfermline) was the local driver on the grid.

Although Chesher led the opening heat for most of the time he eventually lost out to Brett Sneddon who went on to win from Chesher and Trevor Forrester. In heat two Chesher led the race from start to finish eventually winning from Sneddon and Jock Campbell.

Chesher made a good start to the final and almost immediately pulled away from Taber who was soon caught by Sneddon. In the end Chesher picked up an easy win over Sneddon and Campbell.

There was a good turn out of Prostock drivers who weren’t shy at making contact and in one race two cars tangled and were promptly collected by another two!

Local drivers on the grid included Scott Gordon (Glenrothes), Graham Fleming (Kirkcaldy), Graham Watt (Inverkeithing), Raymond Brown (Kelty), Aaron Cuthill (Cardenden), Ian Christie (Kirkcaldy) and Paul Barron (Cowdenbeath).

The opening heat was won by John Taylor who led home Barron, Andrew Webster, Christie and Gordon with Watt in seventh and just ahead of Fleming. In heat two it was Barron who came out on top and he led Taylor and Webster to the flag with Christie again fourth with Gordon sixth, Fleming eighth and ahead of Watt.

Fraser Duncan was the initial leader when the final started but he was caught by Webster who was hanging the tail out on the corners. Barron moved into second spot and began to close on Webster but ran out of laps leaving Webster clear at the flag. Barron was the runner up with Duncan holding onto third place with Christie again in fourth, Fleming sixth and Cuthill in ninth place.

This Saturday both the Formula IIs and 2 Litre National saloon drivers are missing and the ORCi Stock Rods take top billing along with the 1300 Saloons, the Prostock Basic drivers as well as the 1800 National Bangers. We can expect to see plenty of action from the Banger drivers and there are bound to be plenty of shunts and spins.

The meeting starts as usual at 6.00pm

* With the June speedweekend soon to be with us there has been a lot of interest shown by the Formula II drivers and at this early stage 30 drivers have booked in. Chris Burgoyne, Ian Thompson and Gordon Moodie will lead the Scottish Challenge but Luke Wrench, Steven Gilbert and Stu Moss have all booked in from south of the Border and at this stage three drivers from Northern Ireland are coming over to race.