BRILLIANT START FOR REID AS HE TAKES AMINI HAT-TRICK
Kyle Reid kicked off the new Scottish Motor Racing Club season at Knockhill in dominant fashion with a hat-trick of Scottish Mini Cooper Cup victories. But it was full-season driver John Duncan who left the Fife circuit happiest after a trio of podiums.
With reigning champion Mark Geraghty pursuing other ventures south of the border, Reid stamped his authority on the weekend taking pole position by 0.3s from Duncan.
A clean getaway amid the chaos behind was key to claiming victory from Duncan and Robbie Dalgleish in an opening race that was twice interrupted by the safety car. Simon Holderness and Craig Blake both found themselves in the gravel at Mcintyres early in the race. Hannah Chapman and rookie Jake Hutchison also suffered race-ending contact during a fractious encounter.
Reid and Duncan replicated their results in an entertaining second race, but Dalgleish’s hopes were dashed by a blown clutch exiting the Hairpin.
The reverse-grid final race meant Reid had to work his way through from fifth, which he achieved superbly. The Aberdeenshire-local made the most of series returnee David Sleigh’s ambitious dive up the inside of Dominic Wheatley to snatch second at Duffus. Then he went on to assume the lead from Wheatley approaching half-distance.
“It’s awesome to get three wins, but I don’t compete in the full season due to work commitments which is a great shame,” explained Reid.
Duncan leads the points courtesy of his two seconds and a third, while Wheatley also bagged three valuable points finishes.
An enhanced grid of 15 cars helped the Scottish Sports & Saloons deliver two excellent races, won by Robert Drummond and Roddie Paterson.
Paterson showed great tenacity in his two-wheel-drive Caterham C400 as he fended off Drummond’s faster fourwheel-drive Ford Escort Cosworth, and the similarly turbocharged Mitsubishi Evo of Kenneth Mckell. Title contender Ron Cumming (Nemesis Kit Car) suffered mechanical problems throughout and failed to make the finish in either race. Oliver Mortimer claimed a pair of Cooper S class wins.
Despite not having driven his Ray GR17 since November’s Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone, Ross Martin remained dominant in both Scottish Formula Ford 1600 races. The Mazda Road to Indy finalist broke the circuit lap record no fewer than five times en route to victory in race one, as Jordan Gronkowski’s Van Diemen broke down on the third lap. Martin then converted a second pole into victory in race two, beating Seb Melrose to the line, with the recovering Gronkowski third.
Defending champion John Paterson began his quest for a fifth Scottish Legends title by remarkably taking all three wins on offer. ‘Wee Pat’ made up 10 places in two laps in the opening heat, to take victory from David Newall and engine prep expert Ivor Greenwood.
Having taken race two at a canter from pole, Paterson then produced another sensational drive from 16th to beat Ryan Mcleish in the final race.
Robert Bremner cruised to a pair of Scottish Classic Sports & Saloon race wins in his striking AC Cobra V8, beating the Rover 3500 of John Kinmond in both. Kinmond fought off Raymond Boyd (Porsche 911) in the first race, with the pair joined in a stunning podium battle by Andrew Graham in his Triumph TR8 in race two.
Fiesta XR2 class honours went to Martin Ramsay.