Weather offers stiff test for Fife stock car drivers

Scott Allardyce suffers a Ministox rollover (picture by Jim Turner)

The weather was to play a part as well, with a heavy rain shower during the opening first Saloon heat which caused headaches as they searched for grip.

Ministox driver Scott Allardyce, from Leven, had an interesting finish to the opening heat when, sitting in second spot going into the pit bend, he was nudged wide and ended up rolling his car.

Kennoway’s Ross Watters was in the midst of the action in the Saloons going on to win the opening heat but then had to settle for the runner-up spot in the second.

Not long after the final had started, he was spun but fought back to bring his car home in sixth place.

Kyle Irvine, from Glenrothes, finished well down the order in the heats but, during the final, ended up in third spot and was closing in on those ahead.

Lochgelly’s Andrew Mathieson was right behind Watters in the final after having two mid-order finishes in his heats.

While the Fife drivers failed to record a win in any of the Prostock Basic races, Graeme Dignan, from Methilhill, picked up a third in heat one and then the runner-up slotin the final.

Glenrothes’ Callum Rennie was the runner-up in heat two but retired from the final, while Liam Boyle from Hillend picked up a fourth in heat one and a third in the final.

The Ministox final was for the Race for Ramsay Shield, where Kerr Paterson, from Saline, led the race for a good part but ended up in third, with Jake Wilson (Lochgelly) fifth and Allardyce back out where he ended up in seventh place.

The stock car fraternity was saddened to hear of the death of one of the legends in stock car racing, Billy Batten, who graced the Formula II scene for numerous years picking up many success over the years.

At Nutts Corner in Northern Ireland, Windygates’ Gordon Moodie enjoyed two days of Formula II racing and left the oval with two final wins.

On Saturday night, he won the Challenge Trophy final, starting the race from pole position, while on Sunday, he went through to win the Irish Open Championship, where he had to start the race from the second row.