THE stock car drivers were back in action at the Cowdenbeath Racewall on Saturday on another warm and sunny evening, writes our Racewall scribe Jim Turner.

The ORCi Stock Rod and Ministox drivers were competing for their Turner Trophies with Cole Ford on hand to defend the Ministox version he won last year.

With the Saloon World Final seeded, the drivers are beginning to confirm their booking for the occasion. One of the first to confirm was Nick Antwerpen, from Germany, closely followed by the seeded drivers from Northern Ireland, namely Matthew Stirling, Anthony McIvor, Ryan Wright and Steven Bolton.

At this stage, there are 66 drivers booked in to race. Of the seeded drivers the only one not to book is Wes Starmer, and this could let Ian McLaughlin onto the grid.

The Formula II numbers were lower than last week with a few of the drivers heading to Venray, in the Netherlands. to contest the World Cup. Amongst those racing though were John Hogg and Craig Wallace, whilst Aaron Vaight and Dan Roots were welcome visitors.

Charlie Faichney led the field away but the next time around, came under pressure from Brian Hogg Jr who then moved into the lead. Making up ground were Euan Millar and Jason McDonald. This duo swept ahead with only a couple of laps to go. Millar went on to win from McDonald with Hogg Jnr third.

Whilst Charlie Faichney led heat two at the start, he quickly lost out to Paul Reid.

However, all was not right with Hogg Jnr and he was too slow suspending the race. The field lined up behind Reid and after Hogg’s car was removed from the track Reid led for a couple of laps but then lost out to Peter Watt who edged away from the field.

As the race drew to a close, he had Millar and McDonald closing the gap but held on to pick up his first Racewall win of the season.

Faichney was the early final leader, but after a couple of laps, Reid was ahead. However, the race was suspended after Faichney was edged wide into the pit bend wall.

The field lined up behind Reid for the restart and whilst he led them away, he was to lose out to Watt.

Running in close order were Vaight, Millar and Craig Wallace and it didn't take long for these three to burst into the leading places. Watt was to drop a place when Dan Roots got ahead but at the front Vaight - although under pressure - held on to win from Millar and Wallace.

There was a decent turnout of Stock Rods with just a month to go until their World Final. Amongst those in action was James Gray, who had rolled his car at Buxton last weekend, while Leon Stewart was back after missing the last meeting. Calyn Peoples was over from Northern Ireland with a view to setting up his car for their forthcoming World Final.

Chris Chance led the field away from Bailey McKinnon but not long into the race Leon Stewart was caught up in a shunt and rolled suspending the race. Chance led on the restart but soon had Aiden McKinnon for company and a few laps later Stewart Paterson joined in.

However, there was no change in the order with Chance winning the heat from A. McKinnon and D. Dignan.

A drizzle saw some of the drivers switching tyres for heat two with the track damp. Jordan Dignan and A. McKinnon fought over the lead at the start of the race with A. McKinnon going ahead next time around.

However, when D. Dignan spun he was collected by Paul Prentice and Chance suspending the race. The field lined up behind Bailey McKinnon and what a race it developed into, with a group of cars running nose to tail and at times side by side.

Michael Bethune somehow managed to survive a three-abreast lap and emerged in second behind Stuart McKinnon.  A couple of laps later he was in the lead and went on to win from S. McKinnon and Cammy Doak.

A. McKinnon led the cars away at the final but then lost out to Chance and these two ran in close order. Paterson was in third but making progress through the field was Derek Conner.

D. Dignan and Peoples tangled suspending the race.

A. McKinnon now had the pack on his back bumper but the restart was hectic with the leaders spinning and Jamie Dawson and James Gray getting caught up.

On the restart, Conner had to be sharp to fend off the attentions of Paterson and Bethune with Paterson on the outside line. At the flag, it was Conner who won the Turner Trophy from Bethune and Paterson.

The Ministox drivers again turned up in their numbers with Champions Kerr Paterson and David Philip Jnr Jnr amongst those in action.

The opening Ministox race was led off by Nicole Allardyce but on the next lap, Cole Ford spun. Just after the restart Bailey Millar took the lead and went on to win from Page and Rhys Anderson.

(Image: Supplied)

Allardyce got heat two underway but Cole Ford moved into the lead but soon had Page closing the gap. Once he took the lead he edged away from the field.

Behind, Philp Jnr Jnr and B. Millar were squabbling over second with Millar diving inside to take the runner-up spot. By then, Page was well clear and went on to win from Millar and Philp Jnr Jnr.

When the Turner Trophy final started it was Allardyce who led but she lost ground as Anderson took the lead and once clear began to ease away from the pack. During the closing stages, Sime moved into second and Philp Jnr Jnr third as Ford dropped to fourth. Anderson, though at this stage was well clear and he went on to win from Sime and Philp Jnr Jnr

Making up the format was the return of the Micro F2 drivers, who are aged between 7 and 11 years of age. The opening heat saw Jaxson Watters go straight into the lead and he was well clear, he went on to win with Forster getting the better of the run toward the end of the race to claim second.

The second Micro race saw Evah Adsley lead but when she spun, she handed the lead to Harry Yule. A couple of laps later the race was suspended with debris on the track. The field lined up behind Yule and whilst he led for a couple of laps lost out to Corey Mathers. Once clear he went on to win.

Watters was the early final leader but as the race progressed lost out to Walker, Mathers and Grief.  Mathers got ahead but on the last lap lost out to Oakley Grief who went on to win from Mathers and Walker. The trophies were presented to the driver by Watters with Lewis McFarlane the driver of the meeting.

This Saturday the Saloon drivers race for their Turner Trophy and are joined in the action by the Heritage Formula II drivers. They are joined by the Formula IIs and the Prostock Basics.

On Sunday it is the annual charity event where the Heritage Formula II drivers are joined by Prostock Basics and Prostocks whilst the Stock Rod drivers will be whisking paid passengers in their cars to raise charity funds.

There were a few Scottish drivers racing at the Venray circuit in the Netherlands for the World Cup.

On Friday Stuart Shevill Jnr, starting from row four went through to win the Saloon World Cup crossing the finish line ahead of local driver Siem Matijsen and Joey Reynolds. Shevill Jnr later was the runner-up in the meeting final

On Saturday Gordon Moodie won the Formula II World Cup, starting from row three for the seventh time with Tom Bennett the runner-up and Sebastiaan Vowinkel third. Shevill Jnr continued his impressive form when he won the Saloon final after picking up a win, a second and a third in his heats.

On Sunday Moodie went on to win the meeting final starting from 38th place on the grid!