1970's » 1974 COWDENBEATH

1974

SALOON STOCK CARS      95 CARS

No Driver   No Driver
23 Dougie Farrer   178  John GilchrIst / Willie Faulkner
40 Howard Jarman   182 Ronnie Dewar
46 Keith Jarman   183 John Brady
50 Ian Fraser   184 Robert McKenzie
65 David Wylie   186 Andrew McLellan
80 Jack Keeton   195 Andy Johnstone
100 George MacMillan Jnr   197 Stew Sneddon
102 John Smith   198 George Gordon
105 Bob Smith   199 Iain Morrison
106 Hamish Buchanan   200 Adrian Armit
110 Ashley Reith   202 Phil Crowther
112 Arthur Gray   203 Colin Forbes
114 Franky Tait   205 John Nash
117 James Lumsden   206 Ricky Smith
120 Harry Harris   211 Grahame Ellis
121 Pete Malone   213 Pete McVay
124 Robin Dowie   214 Jimmy McAlpine
125 Dick Owens   216 Alan Crawford
127 Alex Grant   217 Des Murphy
131 Gordon Brown   219 Derek Mackie
132 Gordon Lumsden   220 Willie Anderson
133 Derek Duncan   222 Fraser Dunlop
135 Ricky Whitehead   227 Duggy Brown
136 Duncan McKellar   230 William Paton
137 Jim Duff   231 Richard Roy
138 William Turnbull   235 Jock Robertson
139 William Shooter   239 Robert Hannah
140 Graham Wait   240 Ian Turnbull
141 Ian Denhoven   241 Charlie Milne
142 Malcolm MacIntyre   242 Bob Malone
143 Reginald Keene   244 Jimmy Low
144 Peter Muirhead   245 Bernie McConnachie
146 James Hunter   248 Eddy Stevenson
148 John Harvey   255 Edward Gilfillan
150 James Blair   256 Brian Duncan
151 Trevor Wallis   275 Ralph Sibbald
155 William Gray   281 Tim Stirling
158 Thomas Allison   301 Bunter MacKinnon
161 Dave McCulloch   306 Archie Dewar
163 Donald Keddie   314 George Spalding
164 David Fullarton   316 Ronald Berry
170 James Cochrane   322 Archie Craig
171 Tommy Davidson   325 Bill Cunningham
172 David Wilson   330 Robert Bruce
174 John Sutherland   331 Ford Ferguson
175 Robert Melrose   332 Dick Litherland
177 Brian Seago   333 Andy Anderson

SUPERSTOX     56 CARS

No Driver No Driver No Driver
7 Terry Henderson 42 Brian Elder 84 Les Brown
9 John Duncker 44 Chick Findlay 86 George Livingston
10 Ian Boyd 47 Orr Thompson 92 William Smith
11 William Wright 49 Eric Moore 94 Vic Russell
12 Bob Buchanan 53 Tam Farrer 96 Bob Keay
14 Neil Hamilton 55 Bob Morton 98 Mike Rouse
17 Mike Jack 56 Sam Ovens 104 Ronnie Nisbet
22 Barry Watson 59 Brian Russell 107 Malcolm Paterson
24 Ronnie Burns 62 Willie Craig 108 Derek Patrick
26 James Aitkin 63 Bill Brown 109 Gavin McCreadie
27 Noel Collgan 66 James Reid 115 Dave Morris
28 Peter Forsyth 72 Bill Mackie 122 Rab Gilmour
30 Brian Allen 73 Alex McKellar 145 Ronnie Anderson
31 Tenant Douglas 75 Bill Crawford 204 Lauchie Gilchrest
32 Andrew Cameron 76 Harry Gillespie 221 Tom Young
36 Billy McCourt 77 Jim Russell 224 Gordon Lyle
38 Ian Edmiston 79 Cecil Denham 322 Archie Craig
39 Les Clark 81 Bill Pullar 325 Bill Cunningham
41 Gordon McDougall 82 Kenneth Crouch    

HOT RODS       26 CARS

No Driver No Driver No Driver
15 William Cowan 54 Gerry Moore 130 Malcolm Watt
20 Thomas Slight 57 Graham McKinlay 156 Ian Ostrau
21 John Kirk 58 James MacGaughay 162 Malcolm Chesher
25 Willie Taylor 60 Jim Erskine 165 Alan Brash
34 Ronald McLaren 64 Les Kay 167 Bill McLellan
35 Andrew Porter 90 Rab Train 196 Kenny Ireland
37 Ian Simpson 95 Axe Butchart 201 Alistair Dziennick
44 Andrew Gallacher 116 Mike Reilly 299 Davy Philp
52 Alexander Nicol 118 Johnny Davidson    

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The points awarded for 1974 season as follows:-

Saloon Stocks   Superstox     Hot Rods  
  Heats Final     Heats Final     Heats Final
1st 6 12   1st 8 12   1st 6 10
2nd 5 10   2nd 7 10   2nd 5 8
3rd 4 8   3rd 6 8   3rd 4 6
4th 3 6   4th 5 6   4th 3 4
5th 2 4   5th 4 4   5th 2 2
6th 1 3   6th 3 3   6th 1 1
7th   2   7th 2 2    
8th   1   8th 1 1    

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Saloon Stock cars down a massive 16 cars for the first meeting of the season to 22, Superstox down 7 to 18, & Hot Rods down 6 to 12.              
               
The car averages for the year were also down, however records of car numbers at  present only account for less than half of the meetings. Nonetheless based on the records available The Saloon Stocks averaged 26 cars down 7 on 1973, Superstox 20 cars same as 1973 & the Hot Rods at 10 cars down from 13.              
              
The highest attendances for the Saloon Stocks were 33 cars on the 16th June. The Superstox  highest 24 cars on the 21st April for the Open Scottish, and on the 19th May. The Hot Rods highest was for the Open Scottish on the 29th September and bizarrely for the end of year meeting on the 29th December, usually the poorest attendance for all formulae.              
              
One of the persistent problems with the roof grading system, had been star drivers missing meetings, or returning to racing during a season & being downgraded at the start of the next points period. Undoubtedly a small minority engineered this situation to a greater or lesser extent, especially when coming up to major championship meetings.              
Restrictions as to how far & quickly you can be downgraded were introduced & this was an improvement. However in 1974 an average points system was introduced which very quickly turned into a farce, and devalued the national points system. The charts as we progressed through the season had lists of drivers who had missed meetings, or even worse, points awarded when not racing at all. One result of this was that drivers that turned up every week could be disadvantaged.            
              
As an example at the end of the 3rd points period 222 Fraser Dunlop was holding down 5th in the points table having raced only once in the previous points period, but having average points added.              
110 Ashley Reith was holding down 6th       }       
195 Andy Johnstone was 7th                         } None of these drivers competed in a single        
325 Bill Cunningham was 8th                         } meeting yet were awarded average points.      
330 Robert Bruce was 10th                            }       
              
More tinkering with the superstox points allocation for races was introduced for 1974. Saloon Stocks & Hot Rods remained as before.              
              
In the programme 11.08.74, Roy Cecil was congratulated on his 10th season of stock car promoting.
            
              
Creditable performances away from home this year included the following:-              
              
World Hot Rod Championship at Ipswich - 4th Les Kay              
British Hot Rod Championship at Wimbledon - 3rd Kenny Ireland              
World Superstox Championship at Wimbledon - 4th Malcolm Paterson

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No apologies for using yet another photo of the great Malcolm Paterson (photo knockhillimages.smugmug.com)

 1974 SUPERSTOX POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP 

    REDS         BLUES  
Pos No Name Pts   Pos No Name Pts
1st 107 Malcolm Paterson 633   10th 12 Bob Buchanan 110
2nd 9 John Duncker 378   11th  221 Tom Young 102
3rd 94 Vic Russell 359   12th= 31 Tennant Douglas 91
4th 39 Les Clark 337   12th= 38 Ian Edmiston 91
5th 81 Bill Pullar 334   14th 49 Eric Moore 86
6th 55 Bob Morton 279   15th 109 Gavin McCreadie 85
7th 75 Bill Crawford 211   16th 79 Cecil Denham 73
8th 84 Les Brown 194   17th 36 Billy McCourt 66
9th 104 Ronnie Nisbet             *** 172   18th 115 Dave Morris 61
    retired May ***                                         

 

    YELLOWS         WHITES  
Pos No Name Pts   Pos No Name Pts
19th 17 Mike Jack 37   26th 76 Harry Gillespie 10
20th  73 Alex McKellar 36   27th  96 Bob Keay 7
21st  325 Bill Cunningham 32   28th= 14 Neil Hamilton 6
22nd= 47 Orr Thompson 27   28th= 22 Barry Watson 6
22nd= 77 Jim Russell 27   30th= 24 Ronnie Burns 3
24th 59 Brian Russell 25   30th= 92 William Smith 3
25th 322 Archie Craig 24   32nd= 26 James Aitkin 2
          32nd= 204 Lauchie Gilchrest 2
           34th= 30 Brian Allen 1
          34th= 86 George Livingston 1
          34th= 224 Gordon Lyle 1


Vic Russell just pips Malcolm Paterson for this win (photo knockhillimages.smugmug.com)

SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP - 16th JUNE                   OPEN SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP - 29th APRIL

1st 94 Vic Russell   1st 107 Malcolm Paterson
2nd 9 John Duncker   2nd 9 John Duncker
3rd 39 Les Clark   3rd E221 Derek Warwick
4th 81 Bill Pullar   4th 75 Bill Crawford
5th 84 Les Brown   5th 39 Les Clark
6th 322 Archie Craig   6th E354 Keith Goodings
7th 115 Davey Morris   7th   NOI
8th 26 James Aitkin   8th   NOI


Malcolm Paterson a great year in 1974 (photo knockhillimages.smugmug.com)

EAST of SCOTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP - 7th JULY 

1st 107 Malcolm Paterson
2nd 9 John Duncker
3rd 84 Les Brown
4th 39 Les Clark
5th 81 Bill Pullar
6th 109 Gavin McCreadie
7th 55 Bob Morton
8th 38 Ian Edmiston

    

 BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP - 12th AUGUST

1st 107 Malcolm Paterson
2nd 39 Les Clark
3rd E235 Stu Blythe
4th 55 Bob Morton
5th   NOI
6th   NOI
7th   NOI
8th   NOI

 

"COCK of the NORTH" - 27th OCTOBER

1st 107 Malcolm Paterson
2nd 75 Bill Crawford
3rd 9 John Duncker
4th 81 Bill Pullar
5th 84 Les Brown
6th 94 Vic Russell
7th 55 Bob Morton
8th   NOI

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Abruptly on 26.05.74 after coming third & second in his two heats the previous week & currently 2nd in the points chart to Malcolm Paterson, Ronnie Nisbet announced his retirement due to medical grounds, though not sure of the exact circumstances relating to his retirement, Ronnie was a very tall man and used a neck & back brace. One of Scotland's great stock car drivers, even though 6 years could be considered as a relatively short career.

Ronnie had commenced his stock car career in 1968, being one of the pioneering Saloon Stock drivers who took part in Scotland's first ever race for the formula in 1968, in which he finished 2nd. He went on to win 4 other races in the class before moving to Superstox 1969 where he won 2 heats that year.              
              
His career in Superstox saw him win a total of 14 finals & 36 heats.            

His major honours being:-                
East of Scotland Champion in 1970 & 1971.              
West of Scotland 1971              
Open Scottish 1971              
Scottish 1972              
He also finished runner up in the points in 1971 & 1973, together with runner up in the British & Scottish in 1971, & the European in Holland in 1973.              
               
All this in an era competing against a contender for Scotland's greatest ever stock car driver Malcolm Paterson.  

Top Superstox driver Alan Neilson also retired but said he would back later, he had just taken over a new hotel.              
              
Malcolm Paterson won the Open Scottish Championship for the 1st time in 1974. John Duncker achieved a great 2nd place passing future Grand Prix star & the current World Champion Derek Warwick in the process. Derek finished 3rd.              
At the same meeting in the Saloon Stocks newcomer young Keith Jarman achieved 3rd in the final behind Hamish Buchanan 1st & Dougie Farrer 2nd, & ahead of Fraser Dunlop in 4th & dad Howie Jarman in 5th.              
              
NOTE that the UK Challenge Cup is not listed in the results, it was scheduled to take place at Ipswich on the 28th September. It never took place.              
              
The stats for the most wins in 1974 were as follows:-              
For these purposes the  British, Open Scottish, & "Cock of The North" (Final & Championship winners race) are counted as finals.              
Malcolm Paterson totally dominated 1974 with 19 final wins & 20 heat wins, next best was John Duncker with 3 finals & 5 heat wins. You may think that this was just a continuation from the previous season, with Malcolm's total of 18 finals & 23 heats, but at least in 1973, 26 finals were won by other drivers. In 1974 Malcolm beat the total combined by other drivers of 14 by 4.              
Naturally he was the Scottish Points Champion but also won the British, Open Scottish, East of Scotland & Cock O The North.              
Awesome.


 

No Name Finals Heats   Pos No Name Finals Heats
107 Malcolm Paterson 19 20   10th 104 Ronnie Nisbet 0 2
9 John Duncker 3 5   11th=  31 Tennant Douglas 0 1
55 Bob Morton 3 5   11th=  38 Ian Edmiston 0 1
75 Bill Crawford 2 5   11th=  115 Davey Morris 0 1
81 Bill Pullar 1 5   11th=  325 Bill Cunningham 0 1
221 Tom Young 2 2   11th=  E354 Keith Goodings 0 1
94 Vic Russell 1 12            
84 Les Brown 1 1            
39 Les Clark 0 3            

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1974 SALOON STOCK POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP   

    REDS         BLUES  
Pos No Name Pts   Pos No Name Pts
1st 106 Hamish Buchanan 354   12th 248 Eddy Stevenson 112
2nd 40 Howie Jarman 332   13th 244 Jimmy Low 108
3rd 171 Tommy Davidson 253   14th 241 Charlie Milne 89
4th 131 Gordon Brown 246   15th 121 Pete Malone 72
5th 222 Fraser Dunlop 234   16th 140 Graham Wait 65
6th 330 Robert Bruce 195   17th 219 Derek Mackie 64
7th 23 Dougie Farrer 192   18th= 158 Tom Allison 57
8th 316 Ronald Berry 174   18th= 255 Edward Gilfillan 57
9th 110 Ashley Reith 169   20th  183 John Brady 55
10th 100 George MacMillan Jnr 152   21st 144 Peter Muirhead 47
11th 195 Andy Johnstone 141   22nd 105 Bob Smith 44
12th 46 Keith Jarman 138   23rd 306 Archie Dewar 42
13th 124 Robin Dowie 113   24th 117 James Lumsden 35


1974 Saloon Stock Points Champion Hamish Buchanan (photo knockhillimages.smugmug.com)

 

    YELLOWS         WHITES  
Pos No Name Pts   Pos No Name Pts
26th 139 William Shooter 37   35th= 125 Dick Owens 2
27th  50 Ian Fraser 31   35th= 127 Alex Grant 2
28th= 214 Jimmy McAlpine 27   35th= 146 James Hunter 2
28th= 114 Franky Tait 27   35th= 170 James Cochrane 2
30th= 155 Bill Gray 22   35th= 177 Brian Seago 2
30th= 227 Duggy Brown 22   40th= 245 Bernie McConnachie 2
32nd= 242 Bob Malone 18   40th= 251 Jack Robertson 2
32nd= 182 Ronnie Dewar 18   42nd= 142 Malcolm MacIntyre 1
34th 200 Adrian Armit 16   42nd= 331 Ford Ferguson 1


1974 Scottish Champion Howie Jarman (photo knockhillimages.smugmug.com)

SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP - 1st SEPTEMBER          

1st 40 Howie Jarman
2nd 124 Robin Dowie
3rd 316 Ronald Berry 
4th   NOI
5th   NOI
6th   NOI

 EAST of SCOTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP - 28 th JULY    "COCK of the NORTH" - 27th SEPTEMBER

1st 330 Robert Bruce   1st 106 Hamish Buchanan
2nd 222 Fraser Dunlop   2nd 171 Tommy Davidson
3rd 46 Keith Jarman   3rd 23 Dougie Farrer
4th 255 Edward Gilfillan   4th 140 Graham Wait
5th 231 Richard Roy   5th 219 Derek Mackie
6th 140 Graham Wait   6th 316 Ronald Berry 

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The stats for the most wins in 1974 were as follows:-

Pos No Name Finals Heats   Pos No Name Finals Heats
1st 106 Hamish Buchanan 8 17   11th 46 Keith Jarman 1 1
2nd 171 Tommy Davidson 6 13   12th 110 Ashley Reith 1 0
3rd= 40 Howie Jarman 3 7   13th 131 Gordon Brown 0 4
3rd= 330 Robert Bruce 3 7   14th  124 Robin Dowie 0 3
5th 222 Fraser Dunlop 2 8   15th= 244 Jimmy Low 0 2
6th= 23 Dougie Farrer 2 3   15th= 325 Bill Cunningham 0 2
6th= 248 Eddy Stevenson 2 3   17th= 100 George MacMillan J 0 1
8th= 140 Graham Wait 1 2   17th= 195 Andy Johnstone 0 1
8th= 219 Derek Mackie 1 2   17th= 316 Ronald Berry 0 1
8th= 241 Charlie Milne 1 2            

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Top Saloon Stock driver Jack Keeton retired in 1974, getting married , but said he would be back.

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1974 HOT ROD POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP

    REDS         BLUES  
Pos No Name Pts   Pos No Name Pts
1st 64 Les Kay 324   8th 25 Willie Taylor 123
2nd 196 Kenny Ireland 315   9th 95 Axe Butchart 109
3rd 21 "Captain John Kirk" 256   10th 118 Johnny Davidson 103
4th 130 Malcolm Watt 228   11th 165 Alan Brash 93
5th 156 Ian Ostrau 187   12th 37 Ian Simpson 84
6th 299 Davey Philp 182   13th 116 Mick Reilly 51
7th 58 James MacGaughay 159   14th 44 Andrew Gallacher 37

 

    YELLOWS  
Pos No Name Pts
15th 162 Malcolm Chesher 17
16th 54 Gerry Moore 16
17th 90 Rab Train 13
18th 201 Al Dziennik 8
19th 34 Ronald McLaren 3
20th 35 Andrew Porter 1

SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP - 8th SEPTEMBER          EAST of SCOTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP - 23rd SEPTEMBER

1st 299 Davey Philp   1st 58 James McGaughay
2nd 196 Kenny Ireland   2nd 21 John Kirk
3rd 64 Les Kay   3rd 52 Alex Nicol
4th 116 Mick Reilly   4th 162 Malcolm Chesher
5th 58 James McGaughay   5th 64 Les Kay
6th   NOI   6th 95 Alex Butchart

OPEN SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP - 29th SEPTEMBER           "COCK of the NORTH - 27th SEPTEMBER

1st E19 Mick Collard   1st 196 Kenny Ireland
2nd 156 Ian Ostrau   2nd 64 Les Kay
3rd 196 Kenny Ireland   3rd 116 Mike Reilly
4th E121 Tom Laffey   4th 44 Drew Gallacher
5th 58 James McGaughay   5th   NOI
6th E394 Roy Sheridon   6th   NOI
7th 64 Les Kay            

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The stats for the most wins in 1974 were as follows:-

Pos No Name Finals Heats
1st 196 Kenny Ireland 6 10
2nd 64 Les Kay 4 10
3rd 58 Jim McGaughay 4 2
4th= 156 Ian Ostrau 3 7
4th= 299 Davey Philp 3 7
6th 21 John Kirk 3 3
7th 130 Malcolm Watt 1 10
8th= 52 Alex Nicol 1 2
8th= E108 Bob Howe 1 2
10th 44 Drew Gallacher 1 1
11th E19 Mick Collard 1 0
12th 118 Johnny Davidson 0 4
13th 116 Mick Reilly 0 2
14th  37 Ian Simpson 0 1

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Kenny Ireland demonstrated to the rest of the country, what Scotland's Hot Rod supporters already new, in the 1974 World Hot Rod Championship at Ipswich, when starting behind Barry Lee around 6 rows back on the grid, in attrocious weather conditions, he followed Barry through to 2nd place, and then with around a third of the race completed, passed him and pulled out around a 50 metre lead.              
Unfortunately Kenny got held up by a group of back markers all having their own race and were spread across the track, Kenny gradually picked them off until he got behind fellow Scotsman John Kirk, Kenny spent a couple of valuable laps trying get past and then as he went by on the outside John seemed to drift wide and Kenny brushed the fence, sadly enough to force him out of the race. Barry Lee swept through to win the race. 

             
It has been said that there was a "physical" excahnge of views in the pits after the race, between the two Scottish protaginists. Kenny assures me this is not the case. Some of Kenny's fans may have got a bit excited afterwards & the incineration of a caravan may have been suggested! However nothing came of it all.              
This race is available to view on You Tube - it is well worth a watch by clicking on this link.

 


Kenny Ireland sweeps past Barry Lee in the 1974 World Hot Rod Championship

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With all this hoopla with regard to Kenny it should be pointed out that Les Kay came home for a brilliant 4th place in the race.

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 It was proving difficult to discipline the antics of the Hot Rodders so in a bid to rectify this it was announced in the 28.04.74 programme that the Clerk  Of The Course duties for (The Hot Rods only) would be taken over by promoter Roy Cecil & son Nigel Cecil, with the intention of being far more strict with black crosses & disqualification.               
               
A staggered start was introduced for the Hot Rods incorporating standing start for the final.                
That is 2 cars, 1 car, 2 cars, 1 car.               
               

Scottish rally champion Drew Gallacher started racing hot rods in 1974 after watching colleague Barry Lee at Ipswich. (Drew the 1973 Scottish Rally Champion went on to win the 1978, 1979 & 1980 Scottish Rally Championships), sadly his Hot Rod career was short and sweet with 1 heat & 1 Final win.               
               
We also lost Hot Rod star Alex Nicol no 52 who emigrated to Australia, Alex had already won a final in 1974 & had finished 3rd in the points in 1973 having won 6 Finals & 7 heats.               
               
Lap record for Cowdenbeath lowered to 15.1 seconds at the Open Scottish Hot Rod Championship. New record holder Mick Collard E19. 

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The British Hot Rod Championship was held on the 3rd August at Wimbledon. Scotland's representatives were Kenny Ireland & Malcolm Watt. Kenny managed to draw pole position on the grid & Malcolm Watt drew 7th. The big threats in the race were of course George Polley who was in 2nd last position on the grid, Barry Lee in 11th. & Duffy Collard in 10th.

Kenny drove brilliantly over the 50 lap race but he just couldn't hold off the battling duo of Duffy Collard & Barry Lee. However 3rd was indeed a great result.

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