For young Bethany Polanski, biking is definitely in the blood! Not only is her father Mathew ( an agricultural contractor from Cardenden) racing at this weekend’s Knockhill Motor Sports Club event, but her grandfather has also taken to the famous Fife circuit on bike track days.
The 12 year old Fife school girl makes her Knockhill debut in the Formula 125 class, the starter class for aspiring Moto GP stars of the future. Bethany has been coming to Knockhill for a number of years as her mother Jill is one of the key movers and fund raisers of Breast Way Round, a female biker charity which raises much needed funds to combat breast cancer. The team from Breast Way Round will also be here, not only fund raising but also cheering on young Bethany and her dad Mathew.
In addition to Bethany, there has been a record number of entries for our Club Racing Event and leading the way is the Montrose racer and current Knockhill champion Bruce Birnie. The Carnegie Fuels backed rider had a great season last year but famously had to wrestle his bike at one of the meetings last year, liking his bike to a grizzly bear! Bruce will be up against stiffer competition as the KMSC events now have Scottish Championship status and that has attracted the top riders to the event. Taking on Bruce are Midlothian rider David Paton, Torquil Paterson from Scone and Kirkcaldy Kawasaki backed Roy Houston.
The new two day format with warm ups, qualifying and racing on Saturday 28th and racing all day on Sunday 29th. As Knockhill Motor Sports Club Chairman Stuart Gray said “With 35 races, televised coverage, power in the paddock for racers, and a slick format, we are really trying to take bike sport in Scotland to a new level. Such is the response, we are 20% ahead of the entry level of 2011 and see no reason as to why the numbers won’t increase as the season progresses”.
Other featured classes include Clubman, with circuit owner and reigning champion Derek Butcher returning on his Ducati 1098 and the Scottish sidecars making a welcome return on their 3 wheeled 150mph race machines. Action is from 9am on each day with adult admission on Sunday, the main race day at £12, concession £6 and under 12’s FREE