AT last, the winning run of the visitors in the Unlimited Banger Racing for the Ramsay Cup at the Cowdenbeath Racewall was brought to a halt when Sean Riddell finally broke their stranglehold on Saturday, writes our Racewall reporter Jim Turner.

It was one of the best banger races seen for a while, with the track blocked twice. Evie Smith rolled her Junior Banger not once but twice, Alfie Nottingham once and there were a few "nearly" rolls with cars on two wheels at times.

Amongst the Unlimited Banger drivers at the track was the defending champion, Mick Maskell Jnr, who was keen to retain his title and he was joined on the grid by past champions Stevo McGrath and Jack Overy, who had won the title four years in succession and World Champion Jack Toughen.

There was a good turn-out of home drivers hoping to halt the visitor’s domination of World Cup successes – the last time a Scottish driver had won the title was back in 1997 when Hoagy Wallace came out on top.

For once there were no stretch limos or hearses. James Slater was presented with the best presented car trophy and Taylor Pratchett the entertainer of the meeting trophy.

McGrath went straight into the lead, but almost immediately the action started with a shunt on the back straight. Jon Hodgson spun and the all mayhem broke out on the pit bend, with Wilf Speak spinning a car then retiring.

The cars began to pile-up on the pit bend until it was blocked. The cars began to entangle, with Jack Overy now leading, but he was hit head on by Taylor Pratchett and the remainder of the field piled in suspending the race. Once the track was cleared Dan Wigman led them off but by the time they reached the turnstile bend the crowd erupted as Sean Riddell grabbed the lead.

Pratchett was trying to eliminate them each time they came to the pit bend, but somehow, they managed to squeeze through.

With two laps remaining there was another stoppage, when Hodgson's car shed a wheel. On the restart Riddell led and with the roof about to come off the stand Riddell went through to become the 2024 World Cup winner from Wigman and Jack Reynolds. The hoodoo has finally been laid to rest!

Somehow 17 cars made it on to the track for heat one, with Ben Wyatt taking the win from Blake Platt and McGrath. Once again Pratchett was determined to take out as many cars as he could with Riddell one to be caught out.

The third heat saw the Gladiator team of Pratchett and Lewis Price finally get destroyed after they had wrecked Overy. It the end Jack Tuffen went on to win from Joe Morgan and Lennon Phillips. The meeting final was won by Matthew Nicholl.

The Saloon drivers were racing for the Ian Gray Memorial Trophy which carried enhanced prize money. There were 25 cars at the track including Matty Stirling,

Steven Bolton and Glenn Watt, from Northern Ireland, whilst Joey Reynolds was having his first trip north. Holly Glen was back whilst Eck Cunningham was having his first outing if the season.

Jay Carruthers won the white/yellow heat from Cunningham and Bolton, both tangling at the end of the race and hitting the stationary car of Stevie Honeyman.

The opening heat was suspended after a four-car shunt and the grid reformed. Carruthers led the field away but then lost out to Bolton. Just after Declan Honeyman took the lead there was a race suspension. Honeyman led until the last lap when he lost out to Stuart Shevill Jnr with Jordan Cassie in third.

Adsley was the initial heat two leader, but lost out to Bolton. Shevill Jnr was spun and restarted, whilst Joey Reynolds was on two wheels on the turnstile bend.

Towards the end of the race D. Honeyman caught and passed Bolton to win, with Barry Glen in third.

The Saloon final, for the Ian Gray Memorial Trophy, was a cracker with Carruthers the initial leader but he lost out to Cunningham. Soon he was joined by Bolton and Barry Glen, with Barry Russell the leading red grader and making up ground.

B. Glen took the lead but lost out to B. Glen just as the yellow flags appeared. B. Russell led on the restart and went on to win from D. Honeyman and B. Glen.

There were 27 Junior Banger drivers at the track and they were racing for the Racing for Ramsay Shield.

Amongst those in action were World Champion Adelle Walmsley and home drivers Cole and Scott Ramsay Jnr, Dougie Kidd Jnr, Cole Ford, Owen Marshall and Marley Montgomery.

Luke Thompson made the early heat one break to win from Josh Hanser and Archie Speirs. Evie Smith rolled her car but carried on.

Dougie Kidd Jnr led the cars away when heat two started, but when Lexi Finney spun the race was suspended. Josh Parfitt was the new leader, but it was Alfie Nottingham who went on to win from Levi Murkin and Callum Gould.

Heat three had an early stoppage when Jade Ellis spun and her car stopped broadside across the track. There was another stoppage a few laps later, when a group of drivers came together on the back straight. Murkin went on to dominate the race going on to win from Rylee Taylor and J. Parfitt

The final didn't last long with Smith rolling her car for the second time in the meeting, while Nottingham rolled simultaneously but was able to continue.

Kidd Jnr led on the restart only to be spun then collected with the race stopped once again. The race restarted with Cole Ramsay leading but there a couple of stoppages in quick succession with the cars lining up behind Gould, who went on to win from Morgan Bailey and Alex McBain.

This Saturday its back to a normal meeting with the Formula IIs, Saloons, Stock Rods and Prostock drivers in action with the usual 6pm start.