AS usual, when the English and Scottish Saloon drivers get together for a stock car meeting sparks fly, and the end-of-season meeting at the Cowdenbeath Racewall at the weekend was no exception, writes our Racewall scribe, Jim Turner.

The weather dulled down at the start of the meeting on Saturday, with a rain shower making the track treacherous.

Amongst the visiting Saloon drivers were the World Champion, Archie Brown, and the defending Superbowl winner Ryan Santry. All told, there were 37 saloon drivers in action.

The opening heat was led off by Peter Low but after a few laps, Kyle Hegg was leading the chase after them. As the heat drew to a close Low was caught up in action and spun letting Hegg through to win from Pete Hollett and Jordan Cassie.

Heat two was stopped after Gemma Russell was shunted into the wall, spun and required assistance out of her car.

The restart didn't last long and was again stopped, this time due to debris on the track. The remainder of the race was a superb dice between Ian McLaughlin and Zak Gilmour in wet conditions with McLaughlin just getting to the line first from Gilmour.

Heat three was stopped early but by then Stuart Shevill Jnr had been spun, then after Cammy Deans crashed into the wall. Low then led, but closing the gap was Z. Gilmour whilst Brown and Matty Stirling spun and restarted. 

Low-headed Z. Gilmour into the pit bend only to be sent spinning as Gilmour then went on to win from Logan Bruce and Declan Honeyman.

The Superbowl grid was formed with Z. Gilmour and Hegg on the front row. The start was electric with Logan Bruce spinning whilst Stevie Honeyman, Ross Watters and McLaughlin all were caught in the action.

The grid was reformed and it was again Z. Gilmour who led whilst Santry was spun but restarted, with Stirling moving into second and he then began to reel in the leader. Although Stirling briefly led, he was sent spinning by Z. Gilmour only for the race to be suspended.

Z. Gilmour now had the pack on his back bumper but he made a good start with K. Gilmour now second, but he had Santry in close order.  Graeme Shevill was black-flagged with his spring guard loose. That though didn't stop Z. Gilmour who went on to win the Superbowl, from his brother Kai, with Santry third.

Amongst the Formula II visitors were Tom Bennett, Richard Walden, Aaron Vaight and Jimi Marshall. The opening heat was the Champion of Champions race, which is only open to winners at the Racewall.

In total, there were 27 drivers at the track but only 17 for the ‘Champions’ race. Paul Reid led Brian Hogg Jnr away from the line with Ryan McGill, Graeme Leckie and Reece McIntosh soon to close the gap. Liam Rennie and Craig Wallace got caught up on the pit bend with the former retiring. McGill took the lead and soon eased away to win from Chris Burgoyne and Gordon Moodie.

Ryan McGill after his Champion of Champions win. (Image: Supplied)Richard Walden was the early heat leader, on a wet track, but he was to be caught by McIntosh. Bennett was making light of the conditions and he went through to win from Jason McDonald and Wallace. The second heat was stopped a couple of times but Rennie won from Moodie, with John Hogg pipping Gregor Turner for third.

The James Clarke Cochrane Memorial Trophy was led off by Walden but early casualties included Turner, McGill and Kyle Taylor. Making inroads through the field was Wallace, Hogg and Rennie.

Hogg dived into the lead and just held on to win from Rennie and Wallace.
The Grand National was won by Rennie from Wallace with Peter Watt in third place.

There was a good turnout of Classic Hot Rods where their first race of the night was their Best of British Championship. Amongst those racing were Shaun Naismith and Gordon Alexander, the latter in the Purdie car.

Trevor Harris drew pole position for the ‘Best in Britain’ and had James Owen alongside. Owen beat Harris away from the start line and went on to win from Kevin Gooding and Gavin Taber.

The Turner Trophy heat went to Cameron Willacy, who won from Alexander and Adam Low. The Jim Purdie Memorial Trophy final was won by Low, who revelled in the conditions, to win from Taber and Richard Beere.

The weather on Sunday was dry for most of the time but towards the end of the meeting it dulled down and was wet for the last race of the season.

The Formula II drivers were racing for their Grand National Championship with Moodie on pole and McDonald alongside. Moodie went straight into the lead when the race started from McDonald with Bennett in third.

There was a race stoppage after Emma Mellis and Turner tangled but, on the restart, Moodie made a good restart to go through to win where he led home C. Burgoyne and Bennett.

S. Burgoyne won the heat which followed, from McIntosh and L. Burgoyne. Heat two was won by S. Burgoyne from C. Burgoyne and Moodie.

It was wet when the final was run with Wallace going on to win easily from Millar and Bennett to bring to a halt a good season’s racing.

After their efforts of the previous evening, the Saloon drivers were ready to continue their action for the Gordon Barclay Memorial Trophy. As usual, the Saloon drivers excelled with Low going straight into the lead but there was a stoppage after a few laps to remove debris from the track.

Hegg led on the restart but not long after K. Gilmour hit B. Glen whilst next time around, Glen repaid the compliment. Hegg was first home but was penalised thus handing the win to Tam Rutherford Jnr with Shevill Jnr second and Hegg third. The Barclay family were on hand to present the trophies.

Towards the end of the heat which followed Low was sent spinning and in doing so sent Ross Watters crashing heavily into a marker tyre. The race was stopped with Hegg declared the winner over Andrew Mathieson and Mitchell. Hegg had just taken the lead when a four-car shunt suspended the race and left Cassie's car on its roof.

Once the race restarted Hegg went on to win from Shevill Jnr and D. Honeyman.
The opening Classic Hot Rod heat was for the Doug Farrer Trophy. Alfie Joynson led the race from start to finish to win over Taber and Owen. Their second heat was for the Ian Bruce Memorial Trophy with Joynson winning from Owen and Taber.

Joynson crashed heavily at the start of the Cock o the North final with the cars lining up behind Taber for the restart. John Buchan made short work of getting into the lead and on to win from Taber and Gooding.

The opening Ministox heat was for the Sharpies Trophy and what a race it turned out to be. Rhys Anderson led but he lost out to Kyle Rogerson, Charlie Burgoyne then Ollie Sime. The dice for the lead grew and in the end, Ethan Jack Gemmell dived through to win from David Philp Jnr Jnr and Rogerson. Anderson then won heat two where he led E.J. Gemmell and Sime home.

The Gunner Motorsport final saw Anderson go on to win over Shay Page and Burgoyne.