McGill’s Mutterings – Knockhill Racing Circuit

A HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE KNOCKHILL DRIVING EXPERIENCES TEAM – JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Events — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 11:12:27 +0000

Alpine A110, Britain’s best handling car, adds a 5-star multi-award winning experience for Knockhill driving experience customers!

The team at Knockhill are thrilled to announce a partnership with French sports car manufacturer Alpine, with a fleet of multi-award-winning A110s becoming the main track experience cars for the start of the 2024 season. Alpine have an incredible pedigree in motorsport which continues at the very pinnacle of motorsport, with their F1 cars driven by Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.

But it’s their diminutive sports car that has captured the world’s motoring press, with the A110 landing numerous awards since launch, including Top Gear’s “Performance & Sports Car of the Year”, Autocar’s “Five-Star car”, Octane magazine’s “Car of the Year” and Evo Magazine’s “Coupe of the Year”.

Gordon Shedden, 3 times British Touring Car Champion, said “We always strive to provide the best for our driving experiences and the Alpine A110 ticks every box for us, and more! With their involvement in F1, Alpine are a brand on the rise and the A110 is the perfect track training car for us. It’s rare that a car is so devoted to driver involvement: the A110 is quick, agile and provides enormous, accessible performance, handling and fun. Having driven it I can fully see why the world’s press has given it the full five stars – it will be perfect for our customers and they will take our experiences to a whole new level”.

The cars will arrive at Knockhill for the start of the 2024 season, supported by Specialist Cars Alpine Aberdeen and Arnold Clark Alpine Glasgow, and will be used as the instructor coaching car for the Formula Single Seater Experiences, Legends, Supercars and Performance Driving Courses. As a result, 1000s of customers a year will experience just why this special car has been awarded five stars, and significantly enhances the thrill of driving Knockhill, Scotland’s National Motorsport Centre.

Max McRae to compete at the BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship – Sunday 22nd October.

Events — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 14:49:43 +0000

We are delighted to announce that Max McRae will be racing an FIA Cross Car at the final round of the British Championship next Sunday.

Max said, “I’m really looking forward to coming back to compete at Knockhill in the rallycross. It’s going to be kinda cool especially as it’s the first event to use the newly named McRae’s Corner at the start of the loose section. I’ve not completed in a rallycross before but with its quick-fire short race format, there’s always some great action for the drivers and fans alike. I can’t wait- it’s gong to be a blast!”

Tickets for the event are available via www.Knockhill.com/events with practice starting at 9am followed by heats and finals, with the event due to finish around 4.30pm

Scots aiming for more BTCC success as premium tintop series returns to Knockhill

jimmcgill — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 16:23:40 +0000

THE BRITISH TOURING CAR Championship makes its annual pilgrimage to Knockhill this weekend, and four Scots will be gunning for glory in the triple-header on the tight, but blindingly quick 1.27-mile Fife circuit, writes Jim McGill.
While three-time BTCC champ Gordon Shedden heads to his home circuit fresh from winning last time out at Croft in his Halfords Racing Honda Civic Type R, fellow Scots Aiden Moffat and Dexter Patterson will be hoping for solid results in their matching Laser Tools Racing Infinitis.
CLICK HERE to read full preview

Fifer Rory Butcher to lead Toyota BTCC assault

jimmcgill — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 08:16:36 +0000

FIFER RORY BUTCHER will spearhead Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s assault on British Touring Car Championship glory in 2021, writes Jim McGill. The former Independents’ Champion will partner England’s Sam Smelt in the team’s two Toyota Corollas, prepared by Speedworks Motorsport.
“I’m super excited about this new challenge,” admitted Butcher, the 33-year-old from Kirkcaldy, who has already racked up six race wins, 14 podium finishes, three pole positions and five fastest laps in his BTCC career to date.”
CLICK HERE to read full report

British GT champ, Scot Sandy Mitchell, wins coveted Allan Simonsen Award

jimmcgill — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 10:03:11 +0000

SCOTS ENDURANCE RACER and British GT champion, Sandy Mitchell, has started 2021 by winning the coveted Allan Simonsen Award, writes Jim McGill. It is the British GT’s highest non-championship accolade.
Traditionally the award is won by a driver with the same speed and spirit as epitomised by the late Dane who tragically lost his life at the Le Mans 24-Hours in 2013.
CLICK HERE to read full report

Scot Sandy Mitchell, 2020 British GT champ, named Lamborghini Factory Driver

jimmcgill — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 12:10:19 +0000

SCOTS ENDURANCE RACER SANDY MITCHELL has joined Lamborghini’s elite group after being unveiled as a Factory Driver for the Italian carmaker’s motorsport division for 2021, writes Jim McGill. The promotion to a professional racing driver comes just weeks after the 20-year-old from Forfar powered Lamborghini to its first British GT Championship.
CLICK HERE to read full report

Rory Butcher dominates Knockhill BTCC win

jimmcgill — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 14:43:56 +0000

FIFER RORY BUTCHER repeated his Knockhill victory of 12 months ago when he won the final race in the British Touring Car Championship triple-header at his home circuit, writes Jim McGill. The win also came seven days after he took victory at Oulton Park.
The 33-year-old from Kirkcaldy, who started the day’s final race from second on the grid in his Motorbase Ford Focus, launched himself into the lead as the pack headed into the right-hander at Duffus Dip. The Scot then delivered an imperious drive to cross the line 6.442 seconds ahead of Senna Proctor’s Hyundai in second.
CLICK HERE to read full report

Sandy Mitchell storms to British GT win

jimmcgill — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 14:40:39 +0000

SCOTS ENDURANCE RACER Sandy Mitchell delivered his first win of the season in a thrilling two-hour race at Brands Hatch, writes Jim McGill. The victory catapulted the 20-year-old from Forfar, driving his Black Bull Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT3, into the lead of the British GT Championship.
“It’s fantastic to finally get our first win of the season,” Mitchell, who shares his Barwell Motorsport-prepared car with British Touring Car Championship veteran Rob Collard, said. “We’ve been so close on a couple of times this season, so to get this victory is a great reward for me, Rob and everyone in the Barwell Motorsport team.”
Click here to read full report.

Rory Butcher: Knockhill BTCC Interview

jimmcgill — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 09:53:51 +0000

Ahead of this weekend’s British Touring Car Championship triple-header at Knockhill, Jim McGill speaks exclusively to ‘local hero’ Rory Butcher and get his views on Covid, the lack of fans, his return to Motorbase, and his BTCC title hopes

“IT’S CERTAINLY NOT GOING to be the same, that’s for sure.” Twelve months ago, Fifer and local hero Rory Butcher stormed to a stunning British Touring Car Championship victory at his home circuit, Knockhill, in front of around 20,000 Saltire-waving fans roaring him home. This weekend, as the BTCC makes its annual pilgrimage to Scotland, those same bankings surrounding the circuit will be empty. Why? One word: Covid.
CLICK HERE to read full report

Rory Butcher claims first BTCC win of 2020

jimmcgill — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 17:52:18 +0000

FIFER RORY BUTCHER bagged his first British Touring Car Championship win of the season at Oulton Park. A few hours later, the Scot followed it up with a second place in the next race, writes Jim McGill.
CLICK HERE to read full report