Knockhill set for the new racing season

Knockhill's new Audi-powered single-seaters

Over the coming months the home of Scottish motorsport will be welcoming everything from hot hatches to BTCC touring cars and superbikes to its hallowed Tarmac.

Things kick off this weekend with the first round of the SMRC Scottish Championship Car Racing. More than 120 cars are expected to be in attendance for the 18-race event.

Competitors will be going wheel to wheel in various championship classes, including Formula Ford, Legends, Mini, Fiestas, Sports and Saloons and Classics.

Knockhill events director, Stuart Gray said: “We’re all very eager to get the motorsports season underway and what better way than to start with a bumper Scottish Championship race event. ”

The day’s action begins at 8.40am on Sunday with practice and qaulifying before the racing kicks off at 10.40am.

After this weekend’s opener almost every weekend sees some on-track action.

Alongside the Scottish car championships are Scottish Championship Bike Racing meets, hot hatch track days and the Super Lap Scotland events that see a host of heavily modified cars race against the clock.

Also returning is the ever-popular British Superbike Championship, which sees the likes of Scotland’s Stuart Easton, Leon Haslam and four-time BSBK champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne go head to head.

Running over the weekend of 24-26 June. the main event will be supported b y a programme of Superstock and Supersport races.

Another local hero will be returning to the track as reigning champion Gordon Shedden and the rest of the British Touring Car Championship circus roll into town.

On August 13 and 14, Shedden and his Civic will battle it out with the likes of Jason Plato, Rob Collard and Matt Neal around Knockhill’s tight  circuit.

For touring car fans, September will see a host of classics from the 1970s, 80s and early 90s hi the track as it hosts the final of the Super Touring Car Championship.

As well as a full season of competitive action, the circuit’s team are celebrating sealing a deal on a new fleet of driver experience cars.

In the biggest such deal for the circuit, Knockhill has just taken delivery of 14 new Honda Civic Type Rs. Available to drive on their own, or as part of one of the larger experience packages, the Civics give a little glimpse of what life must be like for Gordon Shedden.

Having driven the Type R on road and now on track, Scotsman Motors can attest that Knockhill’s decision is a good one. The 306bhp Civic is a great car on the road but it always feels like it’s straining at the leash due to the amount of power and grip it offers. On the tight, twisting track, it’s another story – with a bit of expert tuition you can fully enjoy the self-proclaimed “race car for the road”. What’s more, the sharper, harder R+ setting which doesn’t work on road makes perfect sense on track, making for a thrilling drive.

Alongside the Civics are a fleet of new single-seat racers. Powered by a 1.8-litre Audi engine, they’re astonishingly quick and show the difference between even a track-focused road car like the Civic and something built exclusively for racing.

So whether it’s taking to the track yourself or watching the professionals in action, there’s bound to be something in the Knockhill calendar to appeal.