Knockhill Racing Circuit

27 Jan

Wishaw’s Ryan Dalziel bags pole at Daytona

THREE SCOTS WILL tomorrow start from the front three positions on the grid for America’s Blue Riband race, the Daytona 24 Hours in Florida, writes Jim McGill.

While four-time IndyCar champ, Bathgate’s Dario Franchitti, will start from third in his Chip Ganassi Racing Riley-BMW, Wishaw’s Ryan Dalziel qualified on pole position.

CLICK HERE to read full report

Posted in McGill's Mutterings by: jimmcgill No Comments

27 Jan

Plato leads MG return to BTCC

MG WILL MAKE A return to the British Touring Car Championship this season, with double champ Jason Plato leading the marque’s new assault, writes Jim McGill.

The three-year programme, which also sees Andy Neate drive the second car, will run under the MG KX Momentum Racing banner.

CLICK HERE to read full report

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27 Jan

New Defender to be built in India

LAND ROVER HAS confirmed it will build its all-new Defender in India, writes Jim McGill. The work will take place at the manufacturing HQ of parent company Tata Motors in Pune.

CLICK HERE to read full report and see our video of Land Rover Defender Concept driven in Scotland

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27 Jan

Audi confirms A1 quattro for UK

IT WAS NEVER SERIOUSLY in doubt, but Audi has confirmed its explosive new four-wheel-drive Audi A1 quattro will come to the UK, writes Jim McGill. The downside? It’ll openly be available in strictly limited numbers: and it will only be available in left-hand drive.

First revealed late last year, the 252bhp A1 quattro from Ingolstadt is poised to take the supermini class by storm. Audi will only build 333 A1 quattros, and — deep breath — only 20 will come to the UK.

CLICK HERE to read full report and see more images

Posted in McGill's Mutterings by: jimmcgill No Comments

26 Jan

Mackenzies gearing up for their 2012 assault

Taylor and Tarran Mackenzie are well on track to make 2012 another step forward in their racing careers. Dad Niall released this statement as to what the two Knockhill backed riders are aiming to achieve this year.

“Hello everyone!

Our racing plans for 2012 are pretty much finalised now so I’d like to give everyone an update. With Taylor growing taller by the weekend throughout 2011, by the Autumn, we realised no matter what options were available in the 2012 Moto 3 World Championship, his height was going to give him a serious disadvantage. With this in mind we decided a move to the 600cc class in the UK would be the best arena to hone new skills on a bigger four stroke machine.

Just before Christmas we finalised a deal to ride in the British Supersport Championship with Mar Train Yamaha. I believe the Mar Train staff and machinery will match the best in the paddock so we are all looking forward to the March test at Almeria in Spain. His team mate Jack Kennedy is a front runner in this class so we feel everything is in place to give Taylor the best chance in his debut season in Supersport. Taylor is making good use of the winter doing the usual fitness training but he has also passed his bike test, launched his ‘mysquares’ website campaign and is working for Moto Direct and Superbike Mag.

This year Tarran will ride for the Redline KTM Team in the 125cc British Championship. This is also a new team but will be managed by RS Racing, the championship winners over the past two seasons. He is also one of 11 new riders chosen from around the world to race in the 2012 Red Bull Rookies Cup. This is an 8 round series run at the European rounds of Moto GP starting at Jerez in May.

(www.redbullrookiescup.com) Taz arrived at a landmark in his life last week as he now weighs a portly 40.3 kilos! He has also grown a few centimetres so should be in good shape when he starts testing next month. I’ll keep you posted on our testing dates for both boys.

Everyone at Knockhill wishes them the best of luck in their racing plans.

Posted in Motorsport Mutterings, Taylor's Tales by: Events No Comments

25 Jan

MG return “FANTASTIC NEWS” for Knockhill BTCC

MG’s return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has been warmly welcomed by Series Director Alan Gow.

MG Motor UK has committed to building its new BTCC car – the MG6 GT model – to the Next Generation Touring Car regulations. These are leading to a greater number of bigger, faster, turbocharged machines on the BTCC grid for fans and media to savour.

Double Champion Jason Plato from Oxford and emerging talent Andy Neate from Aylesbury will drive for MG’s team which, with primary sponsorship from Tesco Fuels’ Momentum 99 brand and energy drink KX, will be called MG KX Momentum Racing. Triple Eight Race Engineering, one of the most successful constructors in BTCC history, will build and prepare the cars for what will be MG’s first foray as an official entry in the championship since 2003.

Gow, who made the BTCC a household name in the Nineties and who has led it through another boom period recently – it currently enjoys some 120 hours of coverage per season on ITV – commented: “This is fantastic news for all the fans who follow the BTCC, either in their hundreds of thousands trackside or in their vast millions watching on TV in both the UK and many other regions around the globe.

“MG is one of motoring’s truly evocative names so its BTCC campaign will, I’m sure, really capture the public’s imagination. This high-profile return to the forefront of competition in the BTCC is also certain to prove highly effective in terms of marketing for MG and all of its partners, as well as delivering some great results for them on the track.”

The Championship comes to Knockhill on August 25th / 26th and tickets are available now.

Posted in Events Blog, Knockhill News by: Events No Comments

24 Jan

Kimi Raikkonen returns to F1 action

KIMI RAIKKONEN RETURNED to a Formula One cockpit today, but the former world champion admitted it will be some time before he’s back to his best, writes Jim McGill.

CLICK HERE to read full report and watch video

Posted in McGill's Mutterings by: jimmcgill No Comments

19 Jan

US F1 circuit to be finished ‘on time’

WORK AT THE new Formula One track at Austin, Texas, is expected to be finished in August, writes Jim McGill. The news follows fears at the end of last year that the circuit would not be finished in time to host its inaugural F1 grand prix in November (watch David Coulthard drive the dusty circuit in his Red Bull).

CLICK HERE to read full report

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18 Jan

Hot Hatch Track Day – Sunday 29th January

The first Hot Hatch Track Day of the year is all set for Sunday 29th January and we are really looking forward to welcoming everyone for some excellent track time. Normally we only run 3 or so sessions, which means that track time is maxed and it offers even greater value for money. Track time is only £65 on the day or £55 in advance, so book early to save on both track time and £2 off the normal £8 admission fee too. Phone 01383 723337 or book on line.

For those into drag and drifting, there will be the fun during the lunchbreak too, all free to enter, and it really adds to the fun and entertainment on the day.

Posted in Events Blog, Trackday Blog by: Events No Comments

18 Jan