A police car being driven at 135mph made little gain on two cars speeding on the A92, a court heard.
The BMW 530 patrol car was pushed to its limit to catch up with Calum Turpie, 24, and Michael Gallacher, 23, who hit speeds of up to 120mph.
The Vauxhall Corsa Turpie was driving and the Volkswagen Golf, with Gallacher at the wheel, were just four or five car lengths apart as they careered along the dual carriageway overtaking several vehicles.
Before the pair were convicted of dangerous driving, PC Craig Moffat told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court that he made “no significant gain” on the pair over the three miles between the Kirkcaldy West and Redhouse roundabouts.
He was only able to close in on them as they braked at the Redhouse roundabout before speeding up again towards Bankhead at around 11pm on May 14, last year.
Mr Moffat told the court: “I estimated shortly thereafter that the vehicles would have been in excess of 100mph, somewhere between 100mph and 130mph.”
He added: “It was clear with the speed and close proximity that it may well have been a trial of speed between the two cars along the A92, although one behind the other not side by side.
“There was potential danger involved, not only to themselves but to any passenger and to other road users who may well not have anticipated the speed they were approaching from behind.”
Colleague PC Craig Hall estimated their speed at 120mph.
By the time the officers found suitable marker points to take a reading as they accelerated away from the Redhouse roundabout, their speed was just over 87mph.
Turpie, of Normand Road, Dysart, and Gallacher, of Cowal Crescent, Glenrothes, pleaded not guilty but were convicted by Sheriff Grant McCulloch of driving dangerously and at speeds of up to 120mph.
They were, however, cleared of the allegation that they were racing.
Both were banned from driving for a year and fined £900 each.
The Police Scotland officers began following self-employed roofer Turpie and Gallacher, who runs an alloy wheel spraying business, after spotting them travelling quickly and in close proximity on the A910 exiting Kirkcaldy near the John Smith Business Park.
Defence agents Michele Renton and Alastair Gray argued their driving was careless but not dangerous and pointed out that road conditions were good, there were few other cars and no pedestrians around.
Passing sentence, Sheriff McCulloch said: “The reasonable, careful and competent driver does not drive close to another car at speeds of up to 120mph.”