This weekend, Knockhill Racing Circuit will play host to the final round of the Scottish Championship Car Racing season. Over 100 competitors will head to Knockhill for one final outing to see who’ll claim the right to call themselves the Champion for 2016.
Last time out, a number of drivers secured the right to call themselves Champion ahead of this weekend, such was there dominance in their respective classes throughout the season. John Paterson, claimed his 3rd Scottish Legends Championship win on the bounce, securing the title with 3 races to spare. Paterson’s season included a number of ‘perfect scores’; were he took three race wins in one weekend, and what was even more special, he did it on four separate occasions in 2016. It’s hard enough to score on ‘perfect score’ in a season, never mind taking four of them in the same year. Paterson is already eyeing a return to this class in 2017 and you’d be foolish to bet against him securing his fourth straight title win in as many seasons.
Nail MacLennan topped off a spectacular season by winning the Formula Ford Championship at our Super Touring Festival event held last month. Aside from wrapping up the title, Neil also secured the David Leslie Formula Ford Trophy and a ticket to the Road to Indy test that could catapult him onto the Mazda Road to Indy programme in 2017. We’d obviously like to wish Neil all the best when that arrives and hopefully he can overcome an international field to grab that sensational prize. In terms of Formula Ford racing this weekend, MacLennan can also secure the SMRC’s prestigious BMRC Trophy that is award to the Champion of Champions.
2016 also saw a new name added to the Scottish BMW Compact Cup Champions list with Gary Clark adding his name to a relatively short list of previous Champions. The series, now in it’s fourth year, has only ever seen two other names on the winners rostrum – Steven Dailly (2015) and Alan Kirkaldy (2014 and 2013). Clark has spent the past three years building up the this point – finishing his first BMW season in 6th; before rounding out the 2015 season as runner up. Whether he returns to defend his Championship in 2017 remains to be seen, however, he will be here this weekend hoping to round out the season with another brace of wins. Elsewhere in the BMW Compact Cup, the Newcomers Championship is still up for grabs with Lee Elrick, Neil MacInnes and Steven Goldie – who famously wed at the circuit not that long ago.
With those Championships already sewn up, that still leaves us with a number of titles to be won and champions to be crowned. In the Celtic Speed Mini Cooper Cup the main titles see’s five drivers still in contention – Ian Munro, Paul Bell, Morgan Murray, Malcolm McNab and Dylan O’Donnell. Additionally, the Mini Cooper Cup Newcomers and Ladies titles are also up for grabs this weekend. The Scottish Classic Sports and Saloons Championship will see Jimmy Crow and Raymond Boyd go head-to-head for the title, whilst in the Saloons and Sportscar class, Paul Brydon, William Robson and Thomson McIntyre will face-off to become the new Sportscar Champion for 2016.
In addition to our regular SMRC car racing content, race fans this weekend will also get their first glimpse of a new Championship – set to start in 2017 – with the series co-ordinators keen to hold a round at Knockhill. The Championship will be a single-make series for SsangYong Musso pick up trucks; with former GT star Glynn Geddie debuting the car in Scotland as part of the Saloons and Sportscar race. It’s definitely going to be an interesting weekend in Sports and Saloons that’s for sure.
Meanwhile, Wayne Macaulay and Kevin Whyte will fight it out for the Fiesta ST title, whilst predictably, Steven Gray and Jim Deans will take it to the wire in the XR2 Championship. Funnily enough, both defending champions (Macaulay and Gray) are on the back foot heading into this title decider, trailing their rivals by 20 and 18 points respectively. Will they turn it around to secure their second successive titles, or will the nearly-men get the upper hand once and for all?
The only place to find out who’ll eventually cross that finishing line in first position is right here at Knockhill this Sunday. An enthralling and dramatic event will likely ensue with a bumper 16-race programme scheduled to start at 10.45am and conclude at 17.35pm. A terrific day of action awaits and you can pre-book your tickets for the event by booking online until midnight on Saturday at the advanced discounted rate. Alternatively, tickets will be available on the gate throughout the weekend.
Make sure you are here… it will be a superb climax to the 2016 SMRC Championship season.
