The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Fife stock car racer roars into record books
MOTORSPORT: Gordon Moodie has just notched up his 465th win and is the most successful formula two driver in history
A Fife stock car racer has smashed a world record to become the most successful formula two driver in history.
Windygates-based Gordon Moodie won his 462nd final at Nutts Corner Raceway in Northern Ireland, eclipsing the previous record achieved by legendary English driver Bill Batten.
The six-times World Cup winner and nine-times Scottish champion shows no sign of slowing down since the September victory and notched up his 465th victory at Cowdenbeath on Saturday.
His ambition, he says, is to emulate the achievement of Brisca formula one driver Stuart Smith, who triumphed in 502 finals, something he hopes to attain within two seasons.
“In my best ever season in 2016 I won 43 finals. That’s probably a final every second race,” he said.
“I’ve never been one for saying I’m the best, and I still wouldn’t say that, but when the statistics say it, it’s a nice feeling.”
A full-time mechanic in the family motor engineering business in Buckhaven, Gordon began racing at the age of 17, following in the footsteps of his father, Jimmy, who was twice runner-up in the world finals.
The 38-year-old is the only British driver to win the World Cup, a title he first held in 2007, and he also has three World Championships under his belt.
He retained the World Championship at Buxton in September, despite breaking his hand less than three weeks earlier.
“I won the Scottish Championship on the Saturday and on the Sunday I broke my hand,” he said.
“I had 18 days to recover to defend my World Championship and the bone was dislocated and fractured.”
He credits the excellent treatment given by orthopaedic surgeon Andy Ballantyne and his staff at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for his success at Buxton.
“They took the cast off two days before I won the World Championship,” he said.
Gordon’s success has continued off the track and he has twice won Kirkcaldy and Central Fife Sports Personality of the Year, achievements he acknowledges with modesty.
“It was a wee bit embarrassing,” he said.
“There were all these people who had achieved great things but because stock car racing has a massive following I got thousands of votes.
“That’s how big stock car racing is. It’s a great sport.”