Rory ready for GT assault

Fifer Rory Butcher will swap his single-seat Formula Ford racer for an open-top KTM sportscar when he starts his bid to win the GT4 class in the British GT Championship at Oulton Park this weekend.

The 22-year-old from Dunfermline, who dominated the Scottish Formula Ford Championship last year and was only denied the National FFord Championship in controversial circumstances, is hungry to get back to winning ways.

 

rory_gt2

 

“It’s certainly going to be a bit different this year,” Butcher, son of Knockhill owner Derek, smiled as he completed his preparations for the opening round. “ I always felt my career would switch to GTs, so so why not now?

“I’m young enough to go and make a real name for myself. I think it’s the right decision for me, and could lead to bigger and better things. Ideally I’d love to make a living from GT racing and hopefully, one day I’ll be racing for a works’ team in the Le Mans 24-Hours.”

That, of course, is the future. This weekend he heads to Cheshire where he will partner 31-year-old Englishman Ben Harvey in the Team Prestigecarleasing.co.uk KTM X-Bow for the two 60-minute endurance races.

“Ben and I get along brilliantly,” Butcher continued. “We met when he brought the KTM up to Knockhill last year for the GT Cup and he asked me to give him some coaching. We got on really well and at the start of this year, out of the blue, I got a call from him.

“He asked if I wanted to partner him in the GT4 Championship? We tested the car for a couple of days at Oulton Park and I loved what I saw, so I jumped at the chance.”

 

Rory Butcher in the KTM sportscar

 

Butcher, whose open-topped racer looks like a demented bug on steroids, will drive the only KTM in the championship which is dominated by Ginettas.

“They’re going to be tough to beat, but we were quickest in the final pre-season test at Silverstone last week,” he highlighted. “We know we have the pace and reliability and if we can get amongst the podiums early in the season, then bag a couple of wins, we’ll be happy.”

JM

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