Noughties semi-final classic at Cowdenbeath Racewall

Action from the 2008 Formula II semi-final

The weather was to play a part in the proceedings with the first semi starting in overcast conditions and catching out some of the drivers.

It saw Chris Burgoyne and Tim Farrell share the front row but other Scottish drivers on the grid were John Fortune, Stuart and Graham Kelly, Gavin Millar and Trevor Harris (Kinglassie).

As anticipated the first semi didn’t run uninterrupted and there were four stoppages but eventually Barry Goldin went through to win from Stuart Kelly and Farrell but you could hear Harris shouting for joy when he finished in eighth place to qualify for his first ever World Final.

Semi-final two gridded home drivers Gordon Moodie (Windygates), Paul Ford, Robbie Dawson and Dennis Middler but the start turned out to be an absolute disaster after a couple of drivers tried to anticipate the start, accelerated then slowed which resulted with cars crashing into each other and bringing out the red flag.

Surprisingly all the drivers managed to get their cars repaired and made it back onto the grid for their rescheduled race which had Moodie on pole with Chris Bradbury alongside.

Moodie made the better of the starts and eased away from the chasing pack but when Neil Smith gave Bradbury and hefty wallop going into the pit bend his car clambered up the wall and ripped off a wheel.

A few laps later Jeremy Moss had a wild ride around the pit bend and ended up rolling his car. There was yet another stoppage after Ian Chalkley crashed on the pit band.

Moodie this time only had one car between him and Smith but he used that to his advantage when the race restarted and he managed to maintain his advantage over Smith to win with Polley in third just ahead of Ford in fourth, Dawson in eighth and Middler in tenth.

The Moodie fans were in loud voice as he crossed the finish line and all three received a warm welcome on the victory lap.

It had certainly been an interesting evening’s racing to say the least, what with a race that never started, two complete restarts and seven race suspensions!