Action aplenty at the Racewall after respects paid to Bob Jones

The Jones family were in attendance as the drivers and spectators paid an emotional tribute to the legendary driver who died recently.

Prior to the start to the meeting blue skies appeared and the Saloon drivers were in exciting form and even when the rain started it didn’t detract from the action. Amongst the Saloon drivers were Taylor Borthwick, David Hughes, Kyle Cotterell and Mandy Kennedy.

A brief shower greeted the saloons for their opening heat. There was no shortage of early action with a few cars getting caught out on the wet conditions. Ian McLaughlin dived inside of the leading group to lead from Ross Watters with Declan Honeyman third. There was a stoppage after debris was spotted but, on the restart, McLaughlin eased away to win.

How there wasn't a stoppage in heat two goodness knows as the drivers set about each other. Jordan Cassie closed the gap to the leader then after a nudge moved into the lead.  Once there he reeled off the remaining laps to win.

The final was another exciting race and just as it started so too did the rain! Adsley was the first to show just ahead of Derek Taylor but the race was suspended after Marc Honeyman crashed into the pit bend wall. On the restart Adsley again led but within three laps Declan Honeyman was ahead and whilst Adsley held on to second for a few laps eventually dropped down the order. The Shevill brothers, Graeme and Stuart Jnr, were beginning to close the gap to the leader and just after the half distance Graeme was ahead. However, in the action a wheel guard had come adrift and the race suspended. The field was now lining up in single file behind G. Shevill and whilst he initially opened up a slight gap over D. Honeyman, the latter was pushed wide as Shevill Jnr moved into second. The gap began to close and on the last bend Shevill Jnr sent G. Shevill bouncing off the wall, Graeme’s car rode around the wall as Stuart dived into the lead and on to win.

Michael Bethune won two Stock rod races. (Image: Contributed)

The ORCi Stock Rods were in good form with British and Scottish Champion Leon Stewart and Stewart (Pie) Paterson back in action.

The opening heat saw Aiden McKinnon lead the field away as the drivers searched for the best line on the wet track. Making moves was Dylan Smart but no sooner had he hit the front than the race was suspended after A. McKinnon had slid into the turnstile bend wall.

On the restart it was Jamie Dawson who led but he had Michael Bethune in close order, although he was able to hold on to win from Bethune, who was on his back bumper as they charged to the finish line.

Jordan Dignan was the early heat two leader from the McKinnon’s, A, then Keiran, but they were soon to be joined by Bailey McKinnon. Towards mid distance B. McKinnon moved ahead only to see the yellow flags being waved after J. Dignan spun.

The field lined up behind B. McKinnon for the restart and whilst he led initially, he lost out to Bethune who went on to win. A. McKinnon was the first to show when the final started running ahead of Dawson and B. McKinnon but on lap three Prentice hit the wall and spun, suspending the race.

On the restart Dawson moved into the lead from B. McKinnon and whilst they ran in close order they were being reeled in by Bethune. Just as Bethune took the lead D. Dignan and B. McKinnon spun on the pit bend suspending the race.

Bethune led on the restart drifting his car around the bends and on to win from James Gray and Derek Conner. After his double success last week at Crimond, Colin Ogilvie was hoping to build on his winning streak as he challenges Liam Boyle for the track points.

Not long after the first heat started Taylor Osborne and Martin Duncan slid into the wall on the main straight, with Osborne able to restart. James Paton led from his daughter Gail, who was reducing his advantage but Liam Boyle was catching both. The last few laps were hectic with Gail getting into the lead and she held on to win.

J. Paton led the field away at the start to heat two but had to give best as G. Paton took over the lead. The red graders were dicing, but it was Alan Burden who dived inside to lead. Boyle was making up ground, and towards the closing stages moved into second. Despite a back marker spinning in front of him Burden held on to win from Boyle.

J. Paton was again the initial leader from G. Paton and Kai Chisholm in the final and they stayed in that order until the half distance when Burden closed the gap.  Boyle had been making up ground quickly and caught the leader. His overtaking manouevre was special and when a gap appeared he dived in between them to lead. Once there he eased away to win from G. Paton and Aidan Galloway.

Newcomers Evah Adsley, Lewis McFarlane and Jaxson Watters, were back in action in their Micro F2s whilst Sam Forster, Georgia Polley, Evan Walker and Elliott Royal were the visitors from south of the Border.

The first heat was stopped on the opening lap when Watters hit the wall on the back straight, and then a couple of laps after the restart, the leaders Walker and Forster tangled leaving the Forster car perched on the wall.

On the restart Corey Mathers charged into the lead and whilst chased by Oakley Grief, held on to win in the slippery conditions.

In heat two Walker took the lead and went on to win from Mathers with Royal third.
Iona Sibbald got the final underway despite the tricky conditions, but there was no stopping Walker who went through to win.

This Saturday the Formula II drivers are back in action, racing for the Alan Hastie Cuthill Memorial Trophy whilst the Saloons are back with us.

• Formula II World Champion, Gordon Moodie, was down at Hednesford racing in a World Championship qualifying round at the weekend. There were thirty cars in the heats with Moodie finishing as the runner-up in his heat thus qualifying for the final. In a fast and exciting final Moodie had to settle for fourth place.