Knockhill May 8th 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

Former champion Oly Mortimer returned to head a 5 car Cooper S grid. He led all the way, but was fairly comfortable. Initially chased by Craig Blake, then his brother Jamie Blake took over on lap 3. Oly opened out around 4 seconds gap, which came down a little when they lapped traffic late on. Craig had retired early in the race, leaving Andrew Lamont to be a close 3^rd.

In the Cooper Cup Champion Michael Weddell led the class all race. He even got past newcomer Christopher Watt’s Cooper S on lap 1. Then dropped back, as the S powered past. Weddell was chased by Ian Munroe for a couple of laps. He headed a 7 car train, with newcomer Jack Irvine on his bootlid from lap 2. By lap 5 the chasing pack had shuffled, Munroe was 2^nd from Ryan Smith and Chad Little.  Smith moved up to 2^nd in class on lap 6, but was passed by Munroe a lap later. But back up in the train came Chad Little, and he took 2^nd on lap 9, and stayed there until the flag. But Michael Weddell ran away to win by over 4 seconds. Ian Munroe was 3^rd heading a tight bunch with Irvine and Smith close behind. Finn Mache took 6^th a few laps from home having passed Gordon Long who then dropped right back.

Race 2, 12 laps

Oly Mortimer led the field away but he had a much tougher scrap for Cooper S honours in this race. He was trying hard, and had a huge tank slapper exiting the chicane on lap 1. Craig and Jamie Blake were only a second back. By mid race they were right with him. The two brothers also swapped places a couple of times, as these 3 S cars put on a good race leading scrap. On lap 9 Jamie went past going up the hill to lead, but Oly and Craig then swapped places for a couple of laps, before Oly got 2 seconds clear on lap 11, then Craig closed up over the final lap. Jamie was also close in 3^rd. Race wnner Oly said he saw the last lap board, by then his tyres were going off quickly.

In the Cooper Cup Michael Weddell was 5^th on lap 1, as a tight train of 6 cars ran nose to tail headed by Chad Little from Ian Munroe. Weddell dropped to 6^th on lap 2 having locked up at the hairpin as lap 1 ended. But he fought back and was 3^rd in class by lap 5, then 2^nd a lap later. He took the class lead on lap 10 and held on for a fine win. Jack Irvine was a good 2^nd just over half a second back. In 3^rd came Chad Little just holding off Ian Munroe.  5^th was Neil Hose who started at the back of the grid following retirement in race 1. He worked his way through the field, and had caught the leading group of 5 cars by mid race, it was a sterling effort. Finn Mache was 6^th a couple of seconds back, after running wide at MacInytres on the last lap.

Race 3 Cooper Cup cars only – 9  + 2 SC laps

This race had a reversed grid for the top 6 Cooper Cup finishers in race 2. Neil Hose sat on pole, and was quickly a couple of seconds clear of a 6 car group. This was headed by Finn Mache then Chad little from lap 3, all running nose to tail over the opening laps. On lap 6 the safety car came out, as Ryan Smith had stopped at the hairpin. Neil had been 3 seconds clear with Chad little 2^nd and Michael Weddell now up to 3^rd. As racing resumed Hose led, but after running side by side with Jack Irvine up the hill, Michael Weddell grabbed 2^nd at Duffus. Weddell was now on Hose’s bootlid.  They had Jack Irvine a car length back. On lap 8 there was a sort out at Clark. Neil Hose went off as the other two were side by side. Hose retire on the spot. Irvine got clear in the lead and went on to win. Chad Little had been close behind and took 2^nd leaving Michael Weddell to get home 3^rd, with Ian Munroe all over him. But Ian lost a place to Gordon Long late in the race, and finished a couple of tenths back in 5^th. A few seconds back Chris Cockburn took 6^th heading a 3 car group, with Ewan Robertson who was top newcomer and Finn Mache, who was half a second down and 2^ndin newcomers.

SMTA Citroen C1 Cup

Race 1 10 laps

Drama in the holding area as pole sitter Ross Dunn, and 3^rd placed Andrew Davidson, had to leave the holding area and change a tyre, the regs being specific on minimum tread depth. They started from the pit lane. Thomas Comber led all race. He was under non-stop pressure from former champion Finlay Brunton. These two pulled clear of a 6 car train headed by Sam Corson. During the race Corson got clear of the train, which slowly spaced out. In 4^th all the way was Kyle Nisbet. He was shadowed from lap 2 by Calum Conway who eased clear of top newcomer Paul Winfield. Into 7^th on the last lap came the Ross Dunn. He’d made up 12 places. Another mover through the field was Andrew Davidson who finished 10^th. Race winner Thomas Comber said that he was comfortable for the first half of the race, then started defending and was under pressure.

Race 2  – 10 laps  New for 2022 is a reversed grid in race 2,  following a ball draw like Mini Cooper Cup cars.

The top 5 were reversed on the grid. Calum Conway lost the lead at MacIntyres on lap 1 as Kyle Nesbit drove past him. Nesbit led until lap 8, heading a 4 then 5 car train, with Conway 2^nd until lap 5 when Sam Corson went past at Duffus to run 2^nd followed by Finlay Brunton, who nipped into 3^rd. By lap 8 Corson was leading, after the lead two cars had run side by side through MacIntyres and Butchers. Sam Corson held on for the win just over a second ahead of Finlay Brunton. Close behind were Paul Winfield who was in 7^th mid race, and 5^th on lap 9 before grabbing 3^rd late on. In 4^th was Kyle Nesbit as after he dropped a place on the last lap. Half a second back was Calum Conway in 5^th. Ross Dunn finished 6^th having run 7^th until mid race, he started to move up, and got into 3^rd by lap 9 right on Brunton’s bootlid, then lost places over the final lap dropping back to 6^th. Sam Corson said that it wasn’t easy inside the car, and he was just pushing lap after lap, but it was good fun. Paul Winfield said he thought he was 6^th with a lap to go, but went into 3^rd at the hairpin on the last lap.

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

Race 1 12 laps

There was a race long battle at the front. Steven Gray led from pole and was never headed.  He had Dave Colville glued to his bumper for the entire race, after he’d passed Brody Orr on lap 1 to run 2^nd.The front two opened out around 2 seconds gap by lap 4. While 3^rd was fought over by 3 cars. Liam McGill, was just ahead of Broddy Orr and Mark Dickson. Orr moved to 3^rd on lap 6, but Dickson passed him 2 laps later at Clark. Dickson got away from Orr by lap 10 and quickly closed on the leaders. He was on Colville’s tail over the final lap, as only 6 tenths of a second covered the top 3 at the flag. Broddy Orr took 4^th around 1.5 seconds ahead of Liam McGill. The next group were 5 seconds down the road with Russell Morgan in 6^th, holding off top Challenger class car of Ben Creanor.

Race 2 – 12 laps

Steven Gray again led the field with Dave Colville close behind, followed by a fast starting Broddy Orr who had Mark Dickson for company. On lap 5 the 2 leaders were nose to tail, and lap 6 saw Colville take the lead at MacIntyres. He stayed there until lap 8, then Gray drove past him going up the hill, following a mistake at the hairpin. Orr and Dickson had closed right up so the top 4 ran nose to tail. But by lap 10 Gray had a second gap over Colville, who in turn had 2 seconds gap on Orr who was defending from Dickson. Lap 11 saw Dickson take 3^rd, but Orr’s car was sounding a little rough and  he dropped to 5^th on the final lap, as Liam McGill went past.  Into 6^th had come Peter Cruickshank, he’d started 9^th got body damage on his n/s front wing on lap 1, but raced well. He was up to 7^th on lap 4 passing Kieren Preedy at Clark. He caught Russell Morgan on lap 9, and out braked him 2 laps later at Duffus to grab 6^th which was where he finished. At the front Gray took the victory from Colville, and extended his lead in the championship. There had been plenty of racing throughout the field in both races.

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

Race 1  12 laps

John Kinmond was on pole in the big River SD1 saloon, and he led all the way from lights to the chequered flag. He was chased by Andrew Graham in the TR8, but was 1.5 seconds clear by lap 2. He doubled his lead by lap 5 and finished just over 3 seconds ahead at the end. The TR8 got away from the battle over 3^rd a fast starting Jimmy Crow held it part of the first lap in his MGB GT V8 then a few cars went past him. Eliot Paterson quickly got 3^rd in his Morgan and was there until lap 7 when Kenneth Brown took over in the TVR Griffith roadster. Brown was 6^th on lap 1, passed Jimmy Crow on lap 2 for 5^th then demoted Charlie Cope’s VW Golf on lap 5 to be 4^th. Brown in his TVR stayed 3^rd and was less than half a second ahead of a recovering Alistair Baptie in a wide arched MGB GT V8. Baptie had started from the pit lane, and zipped through the 16 car field. He was 6^th by mid race, but it took him until lap 10 to catch 4^th placed Paterson. He was past a lap later and closed on the TVR, but ran out of laps. Paterson and Cope were 5^th and 6^th winning their classes, while Crow was 7^th a couple of seconds ahead of Craig Houston in the Lotus Excel. Class A was won by Ian Mitchell in his Nova saloon in 11^th while Duncan O’Neill took the XR2 class. Race winner John Kinmond said his car likes to be driven like that, which includes power slides out of slower corners.

Race 2 – reduced to 11 laps after race delayed due to fluid on the grid

The TVR of Kenneth Brown was a dns after it started leaking fluid on the grid. John Kinmond again led the race in the SD1, but this time it was much closer. He had Alistair Baptie on his tail with the MGB GT V8 from the start. Andrew Graham had his TR8 in 3^rd but he dropped back 1.5 seconds then closed the gap mid race. By lap 9 he was right with the leaders, who were nearly nose to tail. By the flag Kinmond was just over a second ahead, as Baptie had tyre smoke occasionally coming from his rear tyres. Graham was just over half a second back in 3^rd. These three were well clear of the field. In 4^th was Eliot Paterson, having a lonely run from the start as he pulled well clear of Charlie Cope’s VW Golf. Cope was chased by Jimmy Crow for a few laps, then Crow came under pressure from Craig Houston’s Lotus, which got past the MG on lap 9. But Crow retook the place late on and finished 6^th. Andrew Kinmond took 8^th in another Rover SD1. Ian Mitchell won class a again and Duncan O’Neill took the XR2 class. John Kinmond said that it wasn’t easy that time as Alistair was there, but it was good and hard work. Edinburgh watch Co. driver of the day was awarded to Jimmy Crow in the MGB GT V8.

Modified Fast Fords

Race 1  15 mins + 1 lap

There were 20 cars, all modified Fords. It was a busy and quick race. Dave Cockell led all the way in an Escort Cosworth, and slowly got clear of an early scrap over 2nd. Jack Gadd’s MK1 Space frame Escort held off then pulled clear by lap 6, of Piers Grange Escort MK2. These two got well clear of the battle over 4^th. Scottish racer Graham Waite’s Sierra Sapphire Cosworth held 4^th until lap 8.  Waite held off Ashley Shelwell’s Sierra XR4 for 5 laps then Malcolm Harding’s Escort MK2 Zakspeed version took over before Waite’s car started to smoke and he retired. Harding and Shelswell ran nose to tail for several laps then Shelswell took 4^th on lap 13 were he stayed. Harding kept a few seconds clear of David Matthias in an Escort Cosworth. Paul Nevill took 7^th in his MK2 Escort having moved up from 9^th.

Race 2 race stopped at 12 laps

Dave Cockell again led all the way in the Escort Cosworth, but Jack Gadd in the space frame Escort Mk1 stayed in touch all race, usually 2 or 3 seconds back. There was over 20 seconds gap back to 3^rd placed Malcolm Harding who had grabbed 3^rd on lap 1 from Piers Grange. Then Grange retired a lap later. In 4^th from lap 2 was David Mattias in an Escort Cosworth. He was around 5 seconds clear of Paul Nevill by lap 7 then his car started smoking, and he retired. Nevill took over 4^th and stayed there until the end of the race. In 5^th came David Gadd who was 8^th for much of the race before moving up to 6^th by lap 11, and 5^th late on. In 6^th was local racer Gary Wait in his Sierra. The race was red flagged on lap 13, as Paul Daly’s Focus that had been 5^th was off the road, and stuck in the hairpin gravel trap.

Super Tourers 15 mins +1 lap

Race 1 David Leslie Trophy remembering the fine Scottish racing driver David Leslie, who was a Touring Car star in the 90s and also raced sportscars internationally,  and had an earlier successful career in single seaters. He and his father also mentored drivers and ran them in junior single seater championships, helping future stars such as David Coulthard and Allan McNish.

The grid of 5 Super Touring Cars was augmented by 6 Fast Fords, which were modified Escort Mk1 & 2 cars, plus a Sierra and a Focus. The Touring cars are from the 90s, but there were a few withdrawls after mechanical problems following a recent race at Silverstone. Heading the Touring cars was veteran Scottish star John Cleland, who is a two times British Touring car champion.  Cleland was on pole and led the race until lap 5 in his Vauxhall Vectra. He was then passed by the highly modified space frame MK1 Escort of Jack Gadd. The Escort won on the road, but the David Leslie trophy was only for the Touring Cars and went to John Cleland, who was well clear of the rest of the field, and the next touring car was in 6^th Tony Absolum’s Cavalier. The modified Fords took 3^rd Malcolm Harding with a Zakspeeed Escort MK2 which took the place on lap 3 and slowly pulled clear of 4^th placed Ashley Shelwell’s Sierra. But on the move was Paul Nevill’s Escort after a slow start from 9th he was 8^th on lap 5, then he began to move up. He was 6^th by lap 6, and 5th on lap 13 having reduced a 10 second gap, then he took 4^th on lap 15 demoting Conrad Murray’s Focus which got home 5^th.

Demonstration Race

With two of the 5 Super Tourers retiring to the pits post race 1, the three remaining cars did a demonstration run, staying close and swapping places regularly. These were John Cleland, Tony Absolom and Steffan Irmler in an Astra he’d brought over from Germany.

Kevin Pick

Director SMRC