Last closed doors meeting at Cowdenbeath Racewall

The event started off in the dry but midway through the rain began and whilst not too heavy, the track was wet and greasy at the end of the meeting.

It played havoc with some of the Micro F2 drivers resulting in numerous spins although luckily none were hurt.

The Micro F2s saw quite a few visiting drivers to the track but at the end David Philp, Rhys Anderson and Owen Marshall were having their last Racewall outings having reached retirement age.

There were double successes for Zak Gilmour in the Saloons and Robbie Armit in the Ministox whilst both Ben McLellan and Connor St. Aubyn had double successes in the Micro F2s.

In the wet Graeme Anderson ran away with the Saloon Allcomers as did Ryan Borthwick in the Minis and he even had time for a spin and still win. To round off the meeting Conner St.Aubyn went on to win the Micro F2 Allcomers race by over half a lap.

There were 14 Saloon drivers at the track including Johnny Wood whilst the local drivers were Kyle Irvine (Glenrothes) and Ross Watters (Kennoway).

Colin Savage went straight into the lead when the first heat started and went on to build up a big lead.

Stuart Lees was and early retiree and within a few laps Barry Glen was through into second spot. Irvine caught and passed Zak Gilmour to move into third.

Glen was beginning to eat into the lead that Savage had built up and as they last lap board appeared they were nose to tail. Savage was moved wide going into the turnstile bend which allowed Glen through into the lead and he went on to win from Savage and Irvine with Watters in fifth place.

Heat two saw Gilmour go straight into the lead from Holly Glen and Ross Forrest but by the end of the lap Savage was through into second and challenging for the lead. B. Glen was making inroads to appear in third just before the half distance but had Irvine and Barry Glen closing.

Gilmour eased away from Savage who soon had B. Glen in close order but it was Gilmour who took the honours with B. Glen just sneaking through to claim second from Savage with Irvine being spun across the finish line to fourth whilst Watters was sixth.

The rain was beginning to fall as the drivers set off for their final with Savage the first to show but by the end of the lap Gilmour was through into the lead.

The drivers were running close to the wall as they looked to find grip and as a result there were numerous cars bouncing off the wall. B. Glen spun but restarted whilst Watters spun on the back straight and retired. Gilmour had Willie Mitchell in close order and they were easing their way away from the field.

Irvine and Anderson were running nose to tail. As the laps began to dwindle Gilmour was easing away to make it a double success as he crossed the line ahead of Mitchell and Irvine.

Gilmour led the cars away at the start to the Allcomers race but this time it was Anderson who was the once he hit the front promptly showed the rest of the field a clean pair of heels, or should it be wheels, and romped away to score an easy win over Watters and Irvine.

The Ministox drivers were in great form and their races proved to be close and exciting and despite the change in condition they quickly adapted to the conditions. Local drivers in action were Jay Paterson (Saline), Rian Mitchell (Lochgelly) and Scott Allardyce (Anstruther).

Hannah Borthwick got the proceedings underway beating Bobby Brandon away from the line with Scott Smith in third.

Kia Gilmour had made a good start and he was quickly catching those ahead whilst further back Robbie Armit was leading the stars chase through the field.

Gilmour made short work of those ahead to hit the front and whilst H. Borthwick held second she was getting reeled in by the pack and dropped down the order.

Towards the end of the race Armit had closed the gap to Gilmour but when a car spun the race was suspended. The field lined up behind Gilmour and whilst he led the cars away on the restart he was moved over which allowed Armit to take the lead.

Once there he went on to win from Gilmour and Ryan Borthwick with Paterson sixth, Allardyce seventh and Mitchell ninth.

H. Borthwick led the cars away at the start of heat two but on lap four Smith was ahead from Sam Cavanagh whilst making rapid progress was Armit. Smith led until the closing stages when Armit moved into the lead and through for his second win of the night from Gilmour and Smith with Paterson sixth and Allardyce eighth.

The final turned out to be another fast and furious race on a track that was getting wet and greasy.

H. Borthwick led the cars away but Paterson was an early spinner although he restarted. Gilmour was ahead within a few laps whilst Mitchell and Charlie Hardie tangled and lost ground.

Smith was a spinner but he too restarted. Scott Allardyce was making light of the conditions and soon moved into the lead but no sooner had he done so than the race was suspended after Paterson spun and required assistance out of his car.

Allardyce had to retire with an oil leak and it was Gilmour who led the cars away. Lewis Clark Burgoyne was now second with Armit just behind. Armit forced his way through into the lead only to be clipped and spun and this allowed Gilmour to take a well s=deserved win from Armit and Burgoyne.

Borthwick then ran away to win the Allcomers despite being caught up and spun on the back staring and he crossed the finish line clear of Armit and Burgoyne.

There was another cracking turn out of the Micro F2 drivers with quite a few drivers up from south of the border. Unfortunately the greasy track towards the end of the meeting made life difficult for them and only a few of the brave took their cars close to the intimidating wall where all the grip was. Local driver in action was Connor St. Aubyn (Glenrothes).

Their heats were split and in the first race for the lower grade drivers St. Aubyn led for most of the race to pick up a win from Alfie Asquith and Taylor Rigby.

In heat two the race turned out to be a fast one with Owen Marshall the early leader but he was to lose out to Ben McLellan. However towards the end of the race Cole Ramsay charged through to win from McLellan and Marshall.

The first of the all cars races was led off by Mia-Louise Rogers before Asquith went through into the lead. St. Aubyn was beginning to make inroads and he soon worked his way into second spot. However when Zoe Jamieson spun the race was suspended.

The field lined up behind Asquith who made a slow restart and it was Alfie Smith who dived through into the lead and on to win from Ben McLellan and Ramsay with St. Aubyn sixth.

It was beginning to rain when the Micro F2 drivers started their fourth race with Asquith leading the away but within a couple of laps the race was suspended after a few drivers spun.

Asquith led the field away but next time allowed McLellan was the new leader and he began to ease away. Asquith held onto second place for a few laps but then Smith appeared in second. No one could live with McLellan who went on to win from Asquith and Jayden Key with St. Aubyn sixth.

McLellan then made it a double success when he went on to win heat five from Smith and St. Aubyn.

The Allcomers race was stopped after a few cars tangled but once it restarted St. Aubyn dominated going through for an easy win, over half a lap clear, of Smith and Ramsay.

Well that is the end of a disappointing season that was to be the build up to 40 year since GMP started at Newtongrange.

Let’s hope that 2021 is a much happier time for everyone and that an anti virus cure is found. Keep safe everyone and look forward to happier times.

Keep a watchful eye out on the Racewall website for further news.