Knockhill

10th April 2011 - Scottish Championship
Round 1
Knockhill

Such a busy weekend and what a start to the championship with 22 cars on the grid. It's not so easy to put a race report together today but I will start and then come back later and add some more. It was a fantastic sunny day and the entry was a mix of old and new friends, locals and many travelling a long way!

Carol Brown is now a Burnett driver and she has also twisted some arms to get additional backing for the championship. I am sure others will see the further potential of supporting Scotland's number one lady racer. The travelling drivers included Niki Meredith and Paul O'Brien from Ireland - great to see them and hopefully when the other Irish drivers see the racing on TV there will be some people queuing up to take part in an Irish Legends Cars Championship. Glenn Burtenshaw and Robin Webb were back with us again as well and seemed to be enjoying it again. I was happy to offer Paul O'Brien some help and encouragement - I am sure he will do well in the championship. It was nice to see Caroline McMurdo back in Legends after a break of five years or so. Caroline's husband, Ian, is an ex Legends racer too and he might have felt left out at the weekend as his wife was racing in Legends and his daughter was competing in the Scottish Mini Cooper Cup. It's clearly a family sport as Errico Palazzo still has his son Pino competing too.

Ex Oval racer Jeff Pritchard is now getting to grips with the circuits and seems to be enjoying it. Kevin Kettlewell is ex Oval as well. So to is Robbie Burgoyne - from a well known and successful short circuit family. I think Robbie had the biggest buzz ever from his racing on Sunday. Me and Jock Burgoyne (Robbie's dad) go back a long way so it was great to chat with him over the weekend and have a few laughs. Aly Hunter had some new guys out as well - Paul McKay (one of Gordon Shedden's sponsors) and Gareth Davies. With Aly's help they will continue to trim their lap times - they have no previous motor racing experience at all. I sometimes think you have to be mad to race a Legends Car but with the help and camaraderie out there it's probably irresistable.

Niki Meredith's long journey was very worthwhile with the overall win. After chatting to him he said that he thought he had his work cut out but he did some great driving. He was 6th in the practice and then 3rd in the first race. What a race too, Ross Marshall taking an early lead and Carol Brown (ex Champion) pushing him really hard. It was a great fight!

So here we are at knockhill - a great turn out and the sun shining and my team hear for a busy weekend - all 23 cars turned out looking great for their 1st round of the Beatsons Building Supplies Scottish Championship.

Ross Marshall banged in the fastest practice lap from Carol Brown with Glenn Burtenshaw third from John M and Scott Hynds - very close between all of them! Then its' Niki Meredith followed by the Scottish Champion Colin Atkinson with a fabulously well turned out car that he was working on right until the last minute. Next it was our top rookie Robbie Burgoyne who proved to be quick straight away - these ex Stock Car boys can certainly pedal. Great start too for David Hunter who was next then Errico Palazzo and Chris Hynds, Ali Thom, Billy Wait and another ex oval man, Jeff Pritchard.

1st race

For me it's tricky to do this as I live on the pit wall but the first race saw Ross getting to the front but with Carol close on his tail pushing him all the way 'til the end. Then there was such a scrap with JM, David, Scott H and the fast and working hard at it Niki Meredith. Niki getting 3rd close on the last lap and JM right on his back with the now settled in David Hunter who just made a mistake loseing out on his 3rd place and Robbie Burgoyne getting great start to his first time in legend car and championship his pacing traffic in stock cars working well for him. Ross took the fastest lap and there were no dnfs. Great start - what a start to a season and the 1st race of the championship

2nd race rev grid

Great start from Ross and pushing hard to the front with his engine going bang on lap 3 so a dnf for him. Carol having a bit of a moment as she was working hard with a vibration and her brakes seemed to be too sharp for her but after having a bit of a moment as she toched Ross's oil she got a great 6th place. Billy Wait seemend to be getting on the pace making it so hard for David and JM but having to worjk so hard and they were pushing to catch the unstoppable Niki but another great race with Niki 1st JM 2nd - great drive and David close on his tail . And David got the fastest lap - that just made his day

The final

Saw Paul O'Brien and Alasdair Thom at the front with Ross near the front and JM and Niki at the back along with David Hunter, Carol and Robbie at the very back. Right away we saw Ross pushing hard for the lead and getting it but Niki was getting to grips with the fast and furious racing at Knockhill - he was doing well chasing Ross but sure he got the biggest shock of his life as did I when I thought it must have been John Jon in Gerard's car as he gave Niki the race of his life - he must have looked in his mirror and thought it's only Gerard but he pushed him so hard till the flag! Gerard sure wanted that place and he was showing great pace. Carol was trying to get to the front and the moves she was making - I could not look but she did get the better of David with some brave moves and David got a great 5th place. JM finished 13th place but sure getting in and out of his newly prepper fast escort from Bryon Classic Engineering was telling on him as he is still trying to recover but what a drive getting 13th - he was fighting hard with the young drivers and the very fast Scott Hynds and I do think the driver of the day should have been Robbie Burgoyne what a drive all day from the back to 11th place what a cracking final. And another fastest lap for David Hunter - what a weekend for the burnettmotorsport team the hard work from the end of the year paying off

All the drivers were loving their new brakes I had to go to the soft brakes for Carol but as she gets into the car and takes faith in the car and the brakes it will not be long she will be back on the hard brakes Frixa brakes seem to be working for my drivers and more of them out there.

It turns out some great results with Niki driver of the day and great 2nd place on the day for Carol - now feels like she is part of a team, and David, so glad to be in 3rd overall what a day for him on the podium twice and 2 fastest laps .

Driver of the day Niki but my drivers of the day had to be Robbie and Gerard for that race in the final. But every driver making it to the 1st round and the caliber of driving was 2nd to none from every driver so good they all deserve a pat on the back for their driving standards.

Bring on the double header

Big Tom and the boys have been busy at Baryon Classic Engineering getting the mk1 Escort of JM out along with the mk2 of his brother Robert and Robert's daughter Elaine Marshall in her Mini Cooper - they all had great weekend with JM taking first in his class. I'll get the report shortly as I had been busy all day I could not get any time to keep my eye on the classics

Provisional Points Table