Motorsport: Formula II drivers on a slippery slope

Sep 30 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A SHOWER of rain before the start of the stock car meeting at the Cowdenbeath Racewall on Saturday kept the speed down, with the drivers struggling to find grip on a greasy track surface.

When a stock rod blew its engine and coated the track liberally with oil, it made life even more difficult for the drivers.

Robbie Dawson and John Fortune clashed at the end of the first heat which saw the Dawson car end up hitting the wall, with Dawson repaying Fortune later on with the latter’s car bouncing off the wall.

There were only 19 Formula II cars in action, including local drivers Garry Sime (Newtyle), Steve Donavan (Perth), Gavin Scott (Newburgh) and Robert Henderson (Perth).

The opening heat saw Robbie Dawson just hold off John Fortune to win the opening heat whilst Lee McGill ended up in third place, Scott fifth with Sime in seventh place.

Heat two saw McGill go through to win from Ryan Walker.

When the final started, Scott led initially but by the end of the lap Robin Little was through into the lead, closely followed by Iain McLean, but Walker was catching both of them.

On lap five, Walker was ahead. The race was suspended after Dawson spun on the top bend with the car coming to rest on the racing line.

Walker got away well and reeled off the remaining laps to win from Fortune and McGill, with Donavan sixth and Henderson in 10th place.

MacMillan went on to win the Grand National from Bryan Forrest and Scott, with Walker in fourth just ahead of Henderson and Donavan.

In the stock rods there were 29 cars and amongst them were local driver Andy Russell (Glenfarg).

The opening heat went to David Philp who headed home Paul Hughes and Stewart Armit.

Heat two ended with Brett Sneddon taking the honours from Tony Lattka and Martin McLean.

The third heat gave Darren McAlpine a narrow win from Russell and Philp.

James Jack led the field away when the final started but soon had Russell and McAlpine in close order although within three laps McAlpine had worked his way through to the front.

There was a race suspension on lap seven after Peter Henderson crashed heavily.

McAlpine led the field away, Sneddon dived through into the lead and through to win.

There was a good turn-out of Prostox, with heat one going to newcomer Martin Heriot who led from start to finish to win from Alex Imrie and Tam Linden.

Linden then went through to win heat two narrowly from Ian Taylor and Gordon Brown.

Tam Taylor then won the third heat easily from Paul McNulty and Brown.

This Saturday the Formula II and saloon drivers have the final of the white/yellow series to contest whilst the stock rods have their Turner Trophy up for grabs.

As usual, the meeting starts at 6pm.