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Knockhill 25th April 2010

Andy Scott

Great Scott !

Andy Scott bounced back from a disappointing first round result to win the second round of the Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship at Knockhill on Sunday (April 25).

The Scotsman won the Supercar A final in which pole starter and British championship points leader David Binks (Newcastle upon Tyne) finished last after losing over 40 seconds when his car stopped in an incident that started when Pat Doran (Winkleigh), who also started from the front row of the grid, spun in the first corner. While Doran recovered and chased Scott (Dumfries) home in second place, Binks could do no more than complete the race in eighth place after getting his car restarted.

Andy Grant (Barnstaple) was third in the A final and completed the front starters in the Superfinal.

The drag race to the first corner in the Superfinal was close, Scott and Grant running side-by-side to the turn but with Scott fractionally later on the brakes and easing into the lead. Completing the first lap with a brave run across the tricky gravel section of the lap, Scott was almost two seconds up on his rivals entering the second lap and maintained his pace to take a clear win. Scott was overjoyed with his first event victory after less than a year in the Supercar class, "It's great to win because the team has put a lot of work into the car over the winter and everyone was a but down after round one. It's specially good to win at Knockhill and in Scotland because I've a lot of extra supporters and guests here today, it couldn't have been better," said Scott.

Grant took a personal best finish in second place and in only the second start with his new Ford Focus while Gareth Wood (Newcastle upon Tyne) also claimed his best yet British championship result, making the most of the slippery conditions to urge his Subaru Impreza home in third place, ahead of current title holder Doran.

Fifth place in the Superfinal for SuperModified class winner Julian Godfrey (Heathfield) moved the Sussex-based engineer into the lead of the championship after two events.

Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship, round two, Knockhill April 25

Superfinal (5 laps): 1 Andy Scott (Peugeot 306) 4m07.390s; 2 Andy Grant (Ford Focus) +5.634s; 3 Gareth Wood (Subaru Impreza); 4 Pat Doran (Ford Fiesta ST); 5 Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta ST S1600); 6 Mike Howlin (Ford Fiesta ST RWD); 7 Simon Horton (Subaru Impreza); 8 Lawrence Gibson (MG Metro 6R4).

Championship: 1 Godfrey 48; 2 Scott 45; 3 Grant 45; 4 Binks 44; 5 Howlin 42; 6 Doran 40

Next event: Blyton 'Night Race' June 12

Scott looking for victory in Scotland

Rally champ Bogie to race at Knockhill

Following a frustrating run in the first round of the Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship at Lydden two weeks ago, Scotsman Andy Scott is heading into next weekend's second event at Knockhill (Sunday April 25) determined to land a good result and begin the chase of championship leader David Binks.

Scott (Dumfries) was quick at Lydden in the season opener but ended his day in the B final for the Supercar class and out of the British championship points. The result was frustrating, but Scott drew some solace from the fact that he was on the pace when his Peugeot 306 was running correctly, "The car has been rebuilt and updated during the winter but some of things we wanted to change in the car were not done because of delays with the supply of parts, and that led to a few problems at Lydden," he explained. "There was no time to test the car before Lydden and it was four months since I'd last driven it, so I am pleased with the pace that's there and I hope that the changes we will make before Knockhill will make a bit more difference to the car.

"I've never raced at Knockhill and I think we may be at a little bit of a power disadvantage, but I'm not going there to make up the numbers; I've made a big effort to have a competitive car and to do be fit myself – I lost 14kgs over the winter – and my aim is to be inside the top three of the championship at the end of the year. I've got some ground to make up and I'm going to Knockhill keener than ever to get a result," said Scott.

The trawler operator has enjoyed a quick rise to prominence in Rallycross. First racing in the RX150 category that is on the British championship's supporting programme, Scott switched to the Supercar class last August when he bought the Peugeot from Irishman Ollie O'Donovan who won the 2007 British championship in the car. The only Scotsman racing in the championship's leading class, Scott has had his car updated over the winter. The Peugeot 306 is the most successful Rallycross car ever built; originally constructed by Will Gollop for the 1994 season, it has won championships with Gollop (1996 and ’97), Helmut Holfeld (’98) and O'Donovan (’07) and was also used to take event wins in Britain and Ireland by John McCluskey and George Tracey.

The championship leader after round one is David Binks (Newcastle upon Tyne) who has switched from a Mitsubishi Lancer to a Ford Fiesta ST Supercar for the 2010 season. "I had only done a few laps in the car before the first round so I'm absolutely delighted to be leading the championship. It worked out very well for me at Lydden and my plan for Knockhill is to carry on getting used to the Fiesta and to push a little bit harder each time I'm in the car at the same time as being careful to try and make sure we get through the event. I've got a useful lead in the championship but I know that the others will have sorted any problems they had at Lydden so it won't be easy," said Binks.

Bogie set for Knockhill debut

Scottish Rally Champion David Bogie (Dumfries) will take part in his first Rallycross event at Knockhill on April 25 when he drives a Suzuki Swift in the British championship's new Swift Sport Challenge (see below). Bogie (22) won the 2009 Scottish Rally Championship driving a Mitsubishi Lancer E9 and is one of Britain's fastest rising young rally drivers. He has never before driven in Rallycross but is looking forward racing on home ground at Knockhill, "I've always had a bit of interest in Rallycross and thought it was something that I'd like to try so I'm very pleased to be racing in the Swift Sport Challenge, specially as the event is at Knockhill, competing in Scotland is always a bit special," said Bogie who will have a busy weekend as the Rallycross follows on directly from Saturday's second round of the MSA Gravel Rally Championship, the Pirelli Tour of Cumbria. "I've not driven in Rallycross before and won't have the chance to test the car before hand so it will be straight in the deep end on Sunday morning. I don't really have high hopes of a great result and I'm hoping that I can go to Knockhill and have a low stress, enjoyable day of motor sport because there will be plenty of pressure in the Pirelli on Saturday."

Bogie has ground to make up in the rally series after suffering technical problems and a penalty for changing a punctured tyre in round one of the championship. Although the Swift class is just one event old, Bogie will not be the first rally star to feature; BTRDA champion Graham Middleton and Canadian rally champion Andrew Comrie-Picard drove Swifts in round one of the Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship at Lydden, finishing third and sixth respectively.

Swift by name…

New in the British championship package this year is a one-make class for 1600cc Suzuki Swifts. Nine cars started in round one at Lydden over Easter weekend where the new class provided some of the best racing action of the event. The new Swift Sport Challenge has been created both to provide and easy and affordable way into top class Rallycross events for new competitors and to offer a step into the premier series from the clubmans classes. There is a wide range of ways in which drivers can enter the class, the traditional route of building your own car (the kit of parts to convert a base car costs £5000) all the way through to an 'arrive and drive' service. The first round of the championship was won by former SuperModified champion Dave Bellerby (Northallerton) with newcomer Darren Scott (Sittingbourne) finishing second in his first Rallycross event.

Full supporting programme

Events in the Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship feature a full programme of supporting classes. the British championship section of the event contains the Supercar and SuperModified classes as well as the Swift Sport Challenge and RX150 championship for 'off-road buggies'. Also on the programme is the BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship which includes Stock Hatch, Minicross and Junior classes. With up to 50 races in a day, the events provide a feast of motor sport action.

Event details

Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship, round two, Knockhill, Sunday April 25

On track from 0930

Admission:

Advanced Tickets - Adult £13, Concession £6, Family £32 – book now on 01383 723337

Gate Price - Adult £15, Concession £8, Family £38

Knockhill Racing Circuit, KY12 9TF

Tel: 01383 723337

knockhill.com

Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship

Spectator and general information website:

www.RallycrossUK.com