Knockhill April 10th 2022 Race Reports

Knockhill April 10^th 2022 race reports

Scottish Mini Cooper Cup and Cooper S R53 Cup in association with Project 21 Detailing, supported by Yokohama tyres & Wheels Around.

Race 1, 12 laps restarted over 11 laps.

The first start saw the three Cooper S cars headed by Jamie Blake lead from a good field of 16 Cooper Cup cars, led by Neil Hose. But on lap 2 the race was stopped, after two cars collided at the hairpin and Ross McColm was stuck there. So the race was restarted now over 11 laps. Jamie Blake led all the way, as three Cooper S cars fought it out. Craig Blake ran 2^nd until lap 5 then Andrew Lamont got past and chased Jamie who was a couple of seconds clear, a gap he held to the flag. The Cooper Cup cars dices frantically in the early laps as Neil Hose led, with reigning champion Michael Weddell on his bootlid as 4 cars ran nose to tail. Chad Little and Ian Munro completed this group. Weddell took the lead of the cup class on lap 3 and held it until the flag. By lap 6 he was a couple of seconds clear of Little who took 2^nd on lap 4. By lap 9 Little had closed the gap to 5 car lengths and  there it stayed. Hose jut held off Munro was they ran nose to tail from mid race. Into 5^th in the Cooper Cup came Gordon Long. He’d demoted Daniel Patterson on lap 1 then eased away as cars scrapped behind him. Jack Irvine in his first car race had qualified 5^th in the Cooper Cup but was 7^th on lap 1.  He scrapped with Daniel Patterson and held 6^th for much of the race until Ryan Smith took the place with two laps to go, passing Patterson then Irvine in consecutive laps. Weddell said he was delighted to get the season off were he finished last year, by winning.

Race 2

Only two Cooper S cars started, and they stayed close all race at the front. Jamie Blake led all the way, but Andrew Lamont was tied to his bumper. In the Cooper Cup which started behind the S cars, Michael Weddell also led all the way. He was under pressure in the first half of the race as Chad Little stayed close, and Ian Munro was right with them. Then Little dropped back a few places and Munro took up the chase, but was now over a second back. Weddell kept this gap to the finish. Munro was 2^nd with Neil Hose taking 3^rd after he diced with Chad Little passing him at Clark, then had Gordon Long chasing him. Little regained the place from Long on lap 10 also at Clark. Little was a second back at the line in 4^th place. Long was a few car lengths back in 5^th, and Jack Irvine was right with him in 6^th after running in 10^th on lap 1. Irvine was 6th by lap 8 after Ryan Smith lost 2 places exiting MacIntyes, going onto the dirt. Daniel Patterson took 7^th after dropping a place to top newcomer Irvine on lap 5, but these two stayed close all race.

Race 3 Cooper Cup cars only – 9 laps

This race had a reversed grid for the top 6 Cooper Cup finishers in race2. Teenager Jack Irvine in his first car race meeting was on pole, and did he make the most of it. On lap 1 he was over a second clear and doubled his advantage on lap 2 as the rest scrapped. Gordon Long who started on the front row headed a 6 car train on lap 1, then Chad Little took over. By lap 3 Michael Weddell was 3^rd having started 6^th but was nearly 2 seconds down on Little, who was slowly reeling in the leader Irvine. But by lap 7 Irvine was still over a second clear driving really well. Little caught him on the final lap and they ran nose to tail, with Weddell now only 2 car lengths back. But Irvine held on to win in only his 3^rd car race. The young former karter knows his race craft and will be one to watch, as he also took the Newcomers class in all 3 races today. Weddell‘s 3^rd sees him lead the championship, as he defends his title. The top 3 were close at the line as only half a second covered them. Munro took a solid 4^th a few lengths back. He was well clear of Gordon Long in 5^th who was also a few seconds ahead of 6^th placed Ryan Smith. He’d been in a 3 car dice with Daniel Patterson and Finn Mache, and Finn is only 16 years old. He flew in from Berlin to take part in the races. He took 8^th just ahead of Neil Hose, who had been 4^th on lap 1, then slowly dropped down the field.

SMTA Citroen C1 Cup

Race 1 12 laps

Champion Ross Dunn took the lead by Duffus from poleman Andrew Davidson on lap 1. Dunn headed a 5 car train over the opening 2 laps. This became a 3 car battle on lap 3, as 2nd placed Davidson lost places going up the hill dropping to 5^th behind Sam Corson. The top 3 were Dunn, Kyle Nesbit and former champion Finlay Brunton, who didn’t race last year. Brunton moved up to 2^nd on lap 6 and took the lead late on lap 11. He and Ross Dunn ran nose to tail, and over the final lap. Dunn bided his time and went for it on the drag race to the line, after they came out of the final corner, the hairpin. They ran side by side to the finishing line, as Dunn took the win by millimetres or 16 thousands of a second. Nesbit was 3^rd right with these two as just over half a second covered the top 3. A couple of seconds back in 4^th came Sam Corson, well clear of Andrew Davidson. In 6^th was Marc Nesbit who took the newcomers class, and was 8^th mid race but got up into 6^th by lap 6. He held off a challenge from Thomas Comber, who then slipped back on lap 11 allowing Callum Conway into 7^th. Finlay Brunton also set a new lap record for C1s, and said it was a good race, with a close finish.

Race 2  – New for 2022 is a reversed grid in race 2,  following a ball draw like Mini Cooper Cup cars.

The top 6 finishers from race 1 were reversed on the grid. Marc Nisbet was on pole but it all went pear shaped for 3 of the top 6 at the first corner Duffus. They all spun down the hill allowing the field to stream past, but no one sustained race stopping damage. This left Sam Corson leading by a second.  From lap 7 the top 3 ran nose to tail with Dunn 2^nd and Brunton 3^rd. On the final lap, the top 3 were still nose to tail as Corson led. While the 3 spinners including Nisbet restarted last over half a lap behind. They had an entertaining  race long battle at the back, and Nisbet would get up to 12^th out of the 15 starters. Meanwhile back at the front, Corson led the race. He stayed there despite lots of pressure to take a good win from Dunn and Brunton. In 4th few car lengths back was Thomas Comber, he slowly caught the leaders, but wasn’t quite with them. In 5^th also a few seconds back was Calum Conway having started 7^th. He was well clear of Rich Fleet in 6th, who was also several seconds ahead of Ayden Wilson who was top newcomer in 7^th. He was 3 seconds ahead of another newcomer Paul Winfield.

Scottish Fiesta ST Cup supported by Reis Motorsport Insurance, Yokohama tyres and Wheels Around

Race 1 restart over 11 laps

Steven Gray grabbed the lead early on lap 1 and was never headed. But it wasn’t easy, as 2020 champion Dave Colville sat on the reigning champion’s bootlid all race. They slowly eased away from a 3 car scrap over 3^rd. Mark Dickson led it for a couple of laps then Broddy Orr from lap 3, as he dived past Dickson at Clark. These two had Liam McGill in the top challenge spec car in a close 5^th. They stayed in these positions until a last lap sort out at the hairpin. There both Dickson and McGill got past as Orr finished 5^th.  They were around 4 seconds ahead of another dice. Ian Blackley had passed and diced with Russell Morgan early on, then spent over half the race with him sitting on his tail, before these two swapped places on the last lap on the drag up to the finishing line. So Morgan finished 6^th. There was a 4 car scrap behind these two, Peter Cruickshank was in this group and on lap 8 at the back of it. But he slipped past the three ahead to take 8^th.The veteran is celebrating 25 years racing and mainly in Fiestas. He was 2012 XR2 Champion when they had full grids. Peter was also runner up in STs in 2019.

Race 2 – 12 laps

Steven Gray led from pole but Dave Colville was slow away and had dropped to 5^th by MacIntyres. He was now in a 6 car train chasing Steven. In 2^nd was Mark Dickson, but he lost the place on lap 2 to Liam McGill. Dave moved up to 4^th on lap 3 at Duffus passing Broddy Orr. The top 4 eased clear of Orr by lap 5, opening out 5 or 6 car lengths gap. A lap later Colville took 3^rd at MacIntyres going up the inside of Dickson.  But a lap later and it was game over for Colville, as his car was smoking badly and he wisely pulled off exiting Clark. It looked like a serious oil leak or engine blow up. Gray continued to lead, and by the flag was 2 seconds clear. McGill ran wide at the hairpin on the penultimate lap, allowing Dickson to get close and they finished running nose to tail on the last lap. Into 4^th a few seconds back was Broddy Orr, he kept 5 or 6 car lengths ahead of Russell Morgan from lap 8, after Morgan had halved the gap in the previous 4 laps.  In 6^th was Iain Blackley again just a few seconds back. He was joined by Stephen Ward on lap 6, and these two then ran close for the second half of the race, finishing a few car lengths apart. Peter Cruickshank had been 8^th but lost the place to Gerald Hendry on the drag to the line. Hendry’s car was still in factory metallic paint, looking like it was out for a Sunday drive, but it went well and he had got up from 11^th on the grid.

Scottish Classic Sports and Saloon Car Championship in association with Edinburgh Watch Company

Race 1  12 laps

There were three Morgans in the field adding to the variety which was terrific, varying from an Austin A40 and Mk1 Lotus Cortina cars from the 60s, to Escort Mk1, Golf Mk1, Rover SD1s,  Alfa Sud Sprint and two TR8s. We had 21 cars on the grid and good racing.

Russell Paterson had returned and was of course in a Morgan V8. He was on pole, but Tommy Gilmartin took the lead from the start in his Morgan V8. Tommy led a tight bunch at the front, from with John Kinmond in the big Rover SD1 in 2^nd for nearly 2 laps, then Russell Paterson  got past him as lap 2 ended, diving through at the hairpin.  These three had opened up a second gap on another V8 powered car the Triumph TR8 of Shonny Paterson by lap 3. In 5^th a couple of seconds back was another TR8 of Andrew Graham. He had Charles Cope’s VW Golf for close company. Paterson took the lead from Gilmartin on lap 4 and was never headed. He opened out around 20 car lengths lead, but Tommy reduced this to a couple of seconds over the final lap. John Kinmond stayed a safe 3^rd squealing his tyres in the later laps. He was nearly 10 seconds clear of Shonny Paterson who in turn had a good gap over Andrew Graham. Charlie Cope dropped back a little, but held 6^th a fine effort in the Golf. He was well ahead of Elliot Paterson in another Morgan, then Craig Houston’s glorious sounding Lotus Eclat was next up. Class A was won by Mario Ferrari finishing 11^th in his Alfa Coupe. The XR2 Championship class had 2 starters, and was won by Duncan O’Neill.

Three new class lap records were set by Tommy Gilmartin (E), Elliot Patterson (D), Charlie Cope (B).

Race 2 – 12 laps

Tommy Gilmartin again made a good start and led from John Kinmond and Russell Paterson. John made a bold move in the big Rover at MacIntyres passing Gilmartin’s Morgan to lead locking up his tyres in the move. But it worked and he was over a second clear by lap 3. Tommy held off Russell but it ended with their Morgans stopping at the hairpin, they had clashed. Tommy was stuck and the field streamed past before he drove into the pits and retired. Russell got going and was 6^th on lap 4. He moved back up the order and made it to 2^nd and was under 3 seconds behind John Kinmond at the end, though John slowed on the final lap. They were over 10 seconds ahead of Shonny Paterson’s TR8 which had dropped to 5^th on lap 1, then he repassed Andrew Graham’s TR8 on lap 5 to be 2^nd. But Russell Paterson demoted him on lap 8. He still took the final podium spot. Behind Andrew Graham it was Charlie Cope in class B winning Golf, a fine 5^th and just over a second clear of his race long shadow Elliot Paterson in his Morgan +8. Next up in 7th was guest Donald Dewar’s Golf, but he was 20 seconds back, though going well. He was a second ahead of Craig Houston’s Lotus Eclat at the flag. He had dropped over 10 seconds back on Craig in the early laps, then caught Craig who was dicing with Jimmy Crow’s MGB GT V8. He shadowed them for a lap, before passing both of them on laps 10 & 11, after Craig had passed Jimmy on lap 9 at the chicane.

New lap records Elliot Paterson (D) and Russell Paterson (C).

Scottish Formula Ford and BRSCC Formula Ford championships

Race 1 20 minutes David Leslie trophy race (held in memory of a very good Scottish racing driver David Leslie, who won Touring Car races and raced many times at Le Mans, but was also a successful single seater racer early in his long career, including winning in Formula Ford and Formula Atlantic single seaters).

The BRSCC national racers dominated the race and entry. But it was good to see a big field of single seaters at Knockhill. Jordan Dempsey lad for 18 of the 19 laps, including a safety car restart after a car was stuck in the gravel early on. Jordan had Colin Queen on his exhaust pipe every lap, At most he dropped 3 or 4 car lengths back for a lap or two, then they ran nose to tail again. They were tied together from lap 12. Colin made his move on the final lap at MacIntyres. He then led until the flag to win and take the prestigious David Leslie trophy as well. Jamie Sharp and Lucas Romanek diced over 3^rd and 4^th staying with the leaders until lap 12. They dropped back a few seconds as they continued to fight. On the final lap, Romanek grabbed 3^rd to be just over a tenth of a second ahead at the flag. They had scrapped all race changing place a few times. In 5^th was Morgan Quinn, and only half a second back after closing on the scrap in front of him late on.  The top 6 was completed by Benjamin Cochrane. Top Scottish racer was Michael Gray who had been a good 8^th but he retired exiting the chicane on lap 18. This handed Matthew Chisholm the Scottish championship win as he came in 12^th. There had been 20 starters, and 3 were dnfs after a quick race.

Race 2  20 minutes

Colin Queen led until lap 5 then he and second placed Jordan Dempsey clashed at the hairpin with Dempsey going up in the air. They lost lots of time as cars raced past. On lap 5 we had a 5 car train at the front led by Jamie Sharp. But he was demoted on lap 8 by Lucas Romanek. He opened out a second gap by lap 15 chased by Morgan Quinn who took 2^nd on lap 8 as Jamie went missing and resurfaced down near the back. Lucas then doubled his lead quite quickly, before powering away over the last few laps to win by 4.5 seconds. Quinn was 2^nd with Cochrane 3^rd another 3 seconds back in 3^rd. Andre Lafond was a tenth of a second ahead of Colin Queen at the flag after they spent half the race running close. Top Scottish racer was Michael Gray in 10^th having started 18^th so he drove well. Other Scots were Neil Broome over 10 seconds behind him in 11^th with Matthew Chisholm 12^th.

Kevin Pick

Director SMRC