STOCK car racing's biggest meeting of the year, the World Final, traditionally closes with a spectacular firework display.

But the sparks are likely to fly well before the end of the night as 32 top drivers battle it out for the sport's highest prize.

Semi-final results have ensured that this year's title fight could be one of the closest ever, with six big names in the first four rows of the grid.

Surprisingly, those six drivers can only muster six wins between them at the Coventry International Motor Speedway this year - and three have yet to record a win.

Six times World Champion John Lund starts behind pole position man Andy Smith on the second row of the grid.

The Clitheroe dairy farmer is going for a record-breaking seventh title, convinced that his short-wheelbase car is now competitive.

The number 53 machine suffered set-up problems earlier in the season, but Lund - undoubtedly the most popular driver on the stock car circuit - finished second in the Northampton semi-final before taking a heat win at the Skegness Shaleway last month.

Ahead of him are the two in-form drivers: Andy Smith and Frankie Wainman Junior.

Current champion Wainman, from Silsden, near Keighley, will be hard to beat in his familar Rapid Orange car, but recent form suggests that Rochdale-based Smith could be the man to do it.

The CPL Industries Homefire World Championship Final takes place tonight at Coventry International Motor Speedway, starting at 7pm.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.