THE CC Rods took centre stage on Saturday, at Lochgelly Raceway, as they participated in their biggest race of the season – their 2024 Scottish Championship, writes our Raceway scribe Kevin McQueen.

The U Pull It 1300 Stock Cars, 2.0 Hot Rods and Micro Bangers are all also featured.

As the CC Rod drivers arrived at the venue, they all drew a number which would determine their starting positions for the opening heat of the night for the class, with the grid reversed for heat 2.

The accrued points would determine the starting positions for the Scottish Championship race.

The racing was brilliant throughout the evening, with the formula producing some of the best racing of the season – close races, evenly matched cars, drivers trying to find a way around the outside, and with that, some dramatic moments!

Heat 1 was a fairly straightforward race with little to no incidents – a race that saw Alun Gregory race to victory, only being caught up in the closing laps as he came across some back markers.

Ian Christie did close the gap but was unable to make a move on the Gregory car. Craig Mason brought his car home in third position.

Heat 2 saw the grid flipped, with reigning Scottish Champion, Alec Cunningham, starting at the front alongside former Scottish Champion, Kevin Hutchison. Hutchison got the jump on Cunningham and into the lead of the race, pressurized throughout from the 207 car, with Gregor Whyte lurking in the wings. Further back, a multi-car battle was emerging for the minor places – Ian Donaldson, Natalie Mason, Baillie Glencross, Alun Gregory, and Robert Conway amongst others were all in close contention with the lead pack closing.

Going into turn 3, Donaldson and Glencross ran wide opening up the door for Alun Gregory to move. However, into turn 4, Donaldson and Glencross would move over towards the racing line once more, with Gregory already there – contact was made between Glencross and Gregory, with Glencross spinning around and being collected by Kevin Hutchison and Alec Cunningham – the race leaders. Cunningham retained his lead with damage, however, it was the end for Glencross and Hutchison.

(Image: Supplied)

On the restart, Cunningham would lead away Whyte, Christie and Scott with Craig Mason just behind as well. Cunningham would take command of the race on the restart, with Whyte under pressure from Christie behind, slowing both cars down and enabling Cunningham to race away to victory. Whyte would hold onto 2nd ahead of Christie.

The Scottish Championship race saw Christie start in pole position with Cunningham alongside. A rolling start saw the drivers keep it tidy, and 2x2 until the green flags. As the green flag was dropped, both Chrisie and Cunningham got away well, but into turn 1, Cunningham rode it out and braked a little later to creep in ahead of Ian Christie and into the lead of the race.

A gap at the front never materialised, with Christie pressurising Cunningham the full 18 laps. As the lead pair battled, this allowed Craig Mason, Lee Scott and Gregory Whyte to keep in touch, and the race soon became a five-way battle for the lead.

Christie gave it a go on the outside, but Cunningham was just too quick to make a move stick, although, Christie was very close to making it work on a number of occasions. With the pack behind closing up, Craig Mason was on the rear bumper of Alec Cunningham with Christie hung out on the outside and it was all or nothing for Christie at this point. All eyes were on the battle for the lead, everyone was waiting for something which never materialised – the drivers all raced hard, fairly and with the utmost respect for one another. Cunningham held on to take the win for the second time, whilst Craig Mason finished 2nd and Ian Christie took 3rd.

The U Pull It 1300 Stock Cars provided some great racing with a night that the star-graded drivers would rather forget as the lower-graded guys dominated proceedings.

Callum Sturrock raced to victory in the opening heat, with Sam Cavanagh and Martin McCaffery completing the top 3. Heat 2 saw the Kai McNulty and Jamie Stewart battle re-ignite. The pair came to blows earlier in the season with McNulty suffering extensive damage as a result, and the opportunity for payback presented itself in the best possible fashion on Saturday – Stewart got a head of McNulty and a pack of cars on the exit of turn 2, and with just a couple of car lengths between them, McNulty took a lunge and made contact with the rear bumper of the 188 car.

Stewart went hard into the wall and sustained damage that would see him retire from the night. Michael Lithgow took victory in heat 2, with Cavanagh once more in 2nd, and Steven Gold in 3rd.

The meeting final once more saw some hard racing – McNulty and Gary Nicholls this time exchanging blows, with both drivers giving each other some hard hits along the way. Callum Sturrock took his 2nd win of the night which will see him move up a grade, whilst Cavanagh took yet another 2nd place finish, with Michael Stewart completing the top 3.

The Micro Bangers raced in their final World Cup Qualifying event as a number of drivers set about claiming a place in the main race in October. Scott Lindsell took the win in the opening heat, whilst new HRP points champion, Jamie Sangster took victory in the following races.

The 2.0 Hot Rods saw race wins go the way of Frankie Cunningham in the opening heat, before Keith Brown took a heat and final double in the final event ahead of their Scottish Championship event.

The Saturday at Lochgelly Raceway, the Super 2s make their Scottish debut – the formula which primarily races in England makes the trip north as they race for their Scottish Championship. The Rookie Bangers feature in their final event of the season, whilst the ORCi Ministox, Stock Rods and Junior Productions all feature, it's a 5 pm start time, pay on arrival!