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Sport

Cowdenbeath Racewall 12th, 13th, 14th September

todaySeptember 4, 2014

Background

The prestigious formula II World Final is being staged at the Cowdenbeath Racewall over the weekend of the 12th, 13th and 14th and it’s a weekend that the fans and drivers are really looking forward to.

The formula IIs is one of the most exciting types of stock car racing and takes place on a 400metre tarmac oval with the cars achieving around 75 mph on the straights. The cars are of a single seater variety with bumpers front and rear and are powered by a 2 litre Pinto engine. Most of the cars sport large aerofoils on their roof and roll cages with the drivers securely strapped into their cars.

To get to the World Final the drivers had to participate in a series of qualifying rounds and out of the 500 registered drivers only the top 56 were split into two semi-finals where the top ten from each semi-final were seeded onto the World Final grid.

The unlucky drivers who failed to qualify for the World Final have a lifeline where they can race in a consolation semi final held on the night prior to the final where the top six drivers will line up at the rear of the grid. Amongst those who could be in action are past World Champions Chris Burgoyne, Mark Simpson and Mickey Brennan.

There are spaces on the grid for the International drivers and at the time of writing we know that Toon Schut and Wim Peeters will be heading over from Holland and both are formidable drivers whilst Jan Bekkers from Belgium make up the continental challenge. The Northern Ireland representatives are Christopher Kincaid, Samuel McKay, Craig McConnell and Connor Hughes whilst Gavin Fegan will be their reserve driver. Mark Hargreaves and Dougie Kincaid are the representatives from the Isle of Man and they will complete the places designated to the International drivers..Whilst there are specified grid positions for the International drivers they will participate in time trials to determine where they will line up.

Of those who have qualified for the main race there is the defending World Champion James Rygor who will start from the rear of the grid, Barry Goldin, Rob Speak and Gordon Moodie have all had the pleasure of lifting the World title, something that quite a few of the top drivers have failed to do and they too will be in action.

Also racing will be drivers who have been European, British, National Points, Scottish, Irish and English Champions making the grid a “who’s who” of stock car racing.

The front row of the grid has Josh Coleman on pole with Goldin alongside whilst on row 2 is the 8 times World Champion Rob Speak and Chris Bradbury. The highest placed Scot is George MacMillan Jnr who will start from row 5, Moodie on row 8 whilst Dennis Middler starts from row 14.

However they could be joined by other Scots from the consolation coming in the shape of ex-World Champion Chris Burgoyne, Liam Rennie, Robbie Dawson and Craig Wallace (Tranent), whose father Jimmy, is a past double World Champion. Craig was the Novice of the Year champion in 2012 and the track points champion at Crimond last season. Wallace will start the consolation semi-final from towards the back of the grid and there is a strong chance that he could qualify for the World Championship but it will be a tough ask. Other past World Champions in the consolation semi include Mark Simpson and Mickey Brennan and they will be fighting hard to get into the top six places.

The start to the World Final will be electric as will be the atmosphere with the field charging into the first bend where there it is likely that all who go in may not come out of it in one piece! Contact is allowed and there will be numerous drivers willing to use their bumpers, even at that early stage of the race to improve their chances. It will be spectacular and don’t be surprised to see one or two cars ending up on their roofs. It wouldn’t be the first time that the leading row or two of drivers have been wiped out in a World Final in one fell swoop! In a race of this magnitude the drivers will not be taking prisoners and expect plenty of contact being made resulting in shunts and cars being spun.

If the drivers survive the opening laps they may well have to go through the same procedure should there be an incident which causes the race to be suspended and as a result the field would line up in single line fashion behind the leader. It will be nail biting, the atmosphere will be tense. It could well be the case that the winner could come from the lower half of the grid and may not emerge into contention until the very last bend of the race.

There will also be a chance for the spectators to see how the cars have evolved from the 1963 season, when the first ever World Final was held down at Swindon, with the heritage cars racing on the Friday and Saturday and depending on who is racing there could well be one of the original cars on the grid and certainly some of past winners.

There is a new temporary grandstand area being erected around the pit bend in conjunction with EventScotland and Fife Council will be starting soon and will be complete prior to the World Final.

Written by: Russell Aitken

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