Only one cure for the ‘stock car virus’

Unfortunately there is no real cure for the stock car virus - and the only way to treat it is to keep going to race meetings.

As is the norm the rain began to fall not long before the start of the meeting and the hardy souls who were there to spectate had to put up with a meeting punctuated with showers.

The Formula IIs saw Steven Burgoyne start his defence of the track points championship but he had to take a back seat as his elder brother Chris dominated the proceedings.

The only local driver racing was Paul Reid (Cowdenbeath).

Although Nigel Davies led the cars away in heat one Bentley was soon through into the lead but a few laps later Stevie Forster was ahead. The Burgoyne’s were making inroads through the field with Chris leading and just after the half distance he went though into the lead. Once there he eased away to win from S. Burgoyne and Forster, with Reid in fifth. The second heat followed much the same pattern only that Forster spun out when leading and again C. Burgoyne was the winner from S. Burgoyne and Euan Millar, with Reid in seventh spot.

When the final started Davies was the first to show but then Peter Watt spun on the pit bend and then C. Burgoyne did likewise on the top bend. Davies then lost the lead to Bentley who led for a few laps although Forster was closing the gap quickly. By the time that Forster hit the front he had S. Burgoyne in close order.

A couple of laps later S. Burgoyne moved ahead and despite Forster keeping him under pressure went through to win with Millar in third ahead of Daniel Scrimgeour and a recovering C. Burgoyne, Reid a little further back in eighth.

Burgoyne then went on to win the Grand National from Scrimgeour and S Burgoyne. Reid finished in sixth.

The saloon drivers were in good form with Holly Glen and Jordan Cassie bringing out very smart looking cars.

In fact Glen’s wasn’t finished until just after lunch time and whilst she did make it to the track she struggled with a misfire.

Callum Smith was making his debut whilst Andy Ainslie had his own car for the season.

Local drivers racing included Ross Watters (Kennoway).

Colin Savage led the field away when heat one started but ended up spinning allowing Kevin Letford through into the lead.

He held the lead for a few laps before Jason Secker forced his way through into the lead,

Once ahead Secker eased away from the field to win from Watters and Letford with Irvine was back in fifth.

Heat two turned out to be quite an exciting one with the winner only being decided at the finish line.

Savage led the field away but was then bounced off the wall as Letford moved ahead but only for a short spell as Savage got back ahead.

Secker didn’t take long to close in on the cars ahead and forced his way through into the lead.

Watters was in second and ahead of Callum Smith and Savage was now down in fourth.

B Smith was then spun as he tried to lap C Smith.

A couple of laps later the Smiths were nose to tail and as Billy made his move to overtake they tangled and it was the leader Secker came off worse and was spun out.

This left Watters in the lead with Barry Russell and Irvine dicing for second.

On the last lap B Smith decided that he didn’t want to finish a lap down and spun Watters on the last corner.

Watters rejoined just as Russell and Irvine approached and in a mad scramble to the line Russell won from Irvine and Watters – B Smith finishing in seventh on the lead lap.

The final was somewhat quieter with Secker going through to win from B Smith, Irvine and Watters.

B Smith quickly loaded up and headed away to Taunton.

There were a few smart cars in the prostock basics with those of Cameron Archibald, Jake Mason, Jordan Dignan and Nicole Russell’s standing out.

Local drivers Graeme and Jordan Dignan (Leven) were racing.

John Galloway was soon well clear of the field but slowly and surely Lauren Ford closed the gap before she went through to win from Joanne Hilditch and Mason.

Rennie and G. Dignan were next in that order.

There was a race suspension after Jack Robertson was edged into the tyres.

At the start to heat two J Dignan got caught out on the greasy surface and spun with Galloway taking the lead.

Galloway led the field away but lost out to Ford who went on to win her second race of the night where she led home Mason and Hilditch. Rennie pipped G Dignan to eighth.

Robertson was an early casualty when the final started and whilst Galloway was the initial leader he soon lost out to Megan Wilson who promptly drove away from the pack.

Hilditch moved into second ahead of Russell and Ford with Mason in fifth.

Mason made good headway through the field getting ahead of Ford then Russell.

As the laps dwindled Mason closed in on Hilditch but when Wilson grabbed the win, Hilditch just fended off Mason to hold onto second spot.

G Dignan finished seventh whilst Rennie was tenth.

At this stage next week’s meeting is still on but check the Racewall website for confirmation.

It’s likely the meeting will be called off when an anticipated government ban on gatherings of over 500 people in introduced.

That measure is expected to be announ ced during the early part of this week.

Should it go ahead, Saturday will see the formula II and saloons back in action and they will be joined by the ORCi stock rods and the ministox who are racing for their Let the Sparks Fly trophy.

The meeting will start at 6.00pm.