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Mad Jock’s Scottish Archive - 2007.
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Cowdenbeath, 28th October
Mad Jock reports: Added to the Superbowl programme for the first time, the Rods got one of their cancelled fixtures back as they rounded off their reduced Scottish season with their 34th appearance in 2007.
The final meeting of 2007 saw nine Rods make the grid on a cold damp night. The former Paul Yule 206 a welcome visitor with its new Buxton owner on board, whilst Steve Manett appeared in the borrowed Jason Duncan Duratec powered Fiesta.
Heat 1 saw Ian Donaldson’s 205 the early leader before Graeme Callender took over on lap 4. That was a lead that was to last until JJ gradually caught the flying Pinto in the closing stages and took over for the final few laps. Donaldson hung on for third, whilst Steve Manett and Pete McVay completed the top 5.
Result – 305 (JJ) – 871-700-303-88-696-54-187-344
Heat 2 - as is often the case - saw Donaldson make the most of the empty track in front of him and this time held the lead until almost halfway when Graeme Callender came past in a big hurry. At the flag, despite the best efforts of JJ, it was the pinto-powered 206. Steve Manett, having happier times in borrowed machinery than he has often this year in his own, completed the top 3.
Result – 871 (Graeme Callender) 305-303-88-696-187-54
The Turner Trophy Final saw Graeme Callender have immediate 16v company on the grid on this occasion, but it didn’t stop the flying Pinto grabbing the early lead. Callender had both Manett and McVay in his mirrors from the first bend, but it was Callender who, with an empty track in front, nevertheless slowly edged away increasing his lead with an empty track in front.
It was a lead that lasted until the last third of the race, when JJ finally caught 871 and then for over a lap the two were side by side, with JJ on the outside inches from the Cowdie concrete eventually edging ahead. In the closest finish of the night it was JJ by a car length with Steve Manett filling Graeme Callender’s mirrors completing the top 3 and with it the Scottish season.
Result – 305 (JJ) – 871-303-88-696-187.
*
Season 2007 therefore saw a very respectable 35 cars race and the 16v become the favoured power unit, with, as the season ended, at least 19 of the 35 being 16v powered.
JJ took over the Outlaw gold roof from the previous double-holder, as rumour says Ian McGuigan hangs the helmet up after 25 years.
The silver roof - Mad Jock calculates - goes to Brian Wilson, which is just reward for Brian efforts in ‘07 as the 696 car attended virtually all 34 meetings.
Whilst the 16v found favour with the majority, Graeme Callender proved the venerable pinto was the 16v’s equal around Cowdie, lifting the Scottish Championship and Cowdie track championship at the Racewall to prove the humble pinto can still compete.
Graeme Gordon lifted the Crimond points championship in his superbly presented Tigra whilst paying the GMP tracks a healthy number of visits. Graeme, along with John Buchan, lifted the respective Open Scottish titles.
Season 2008 starts in March for what is now widely presumed to be Cowdie’s final season and this time next year the final chequered flag will have fallen at Cowdie after 44 seasons.
2007 roll of honour:
World Cup (Gold Roof) – James Jamieson – Tigra 16v
Scottish Championship – Graeme Callender - Peugeot 206 – Pinto
Scottish National Point Champ (Silver roof) – Brian Wilson 206-16v
Cowdie track championship – Graeme Callender – Graeme Callender 206 –Pinto
Knockhill track championship – Brian Wilson – Peugeot 206 –16v
Crimond Track championship – Graeme Gordon – Tigra 16v
Open Scottish Championship (GMP) –James Jamieson – Tigra 16v
Open Scottish Championship (Crim) – John Buchan – CC –16v
Mad Jock
Cowdenbeath, 20th October
Mad Jock reports: The 32nd date in the Scottish Rod calendar brought the curtain down on the Crimond season with the non-points scoring fun day. Two races for the Rods provided wins for 306 and 338, which may or may not have had their regular drivers onboard. The 33rd date of the year took the formula back to Cowdie for the charity two seater night.
A dozen rods arrived on track with most carrying a passenger. Names from the past returning were Kenny Ireland - back in a Rod for only the second time in the 27 years that have gone by since retiring in 1980, Davy Philp - borrowing one of Sibbalds machines, Barry Lee in the other, and Malky Chesher was aboard Bonnar’s 206.
Heat 1 saw Sandy Allen step off the line to lead the field away only to be passed a lap later by Ian Donaldson whose lead didn’t last much longer, as Graeme Callender then went by in his pinto 206. Disaster was only just avoided when Malky Chesher in the #844-206 spun to halt on pitbend, with the leaders descending on Malky and his passenger. On the restart 871 had the lead and that wasn’t a lead he was to lose, although Donaldson never lost sight of the silver 206 with JJ making up the major places.
Result – 871 (Graeme Callender) – 700-305-196-187-7-88-351-410
Heat 2 again saw the elderly Allen-Fiesta lead away before JJ went by in a big hurry and once in front JJ wasn’t seriously threatened. Unfortunately, a pile up on lap 4 was to claim Malky Chesher, Ron Mac, Davy Philp and Sandy Allen.
From the restart JJ was followed home by the fast moving McGuigan and Pete McVay
Result – 305 – (JJ) – 7-700-871-88-351-37
The third heat - short of the previous races casualties - saw Ian Donaldson step off the line and the rapid 205, as it often does, proved troublesome to catch. Graeme Callender Pete McVay and JJ swapped places as they tried to reel in the flying 205 but failed to do so. JJ had to settle for second, with McVay in close order behind.
Result – 700 – Ian Donaldson – 305-88-871-7-351-37-351-7
The final (officially heat 4) was one that turned the history books back for fans of a certain vintage. Both Kenny Ireland and McGuigan were running solo and inevitably it was these two that set the pace.
As the race entered its closing stages Kenny Ireland led a Hot Rod final for the first time since 1980 with Ian McGuigan making the ground up. With 1 to go, there was a car length in it, but with McGuigan trying everything on the last lap it was Kenny Ireland who exited the pitbend with the tail slightly slung out to take the chequer for the first time in 27 years. McGuigan, a car length adrift, was followed home by Pete McVay.
Result – 196 – Kenny Ireland –7 – 88- 29-871-862-305
After seeing several fixtures deleted earlier in the season the rods get a date back as they are brought in next week for the Saturday part of the Superbowl (27/10) to complete the Scottish season. Mad Jock
Crimond - 30th September
Mad Jock reports: With GMP again deleting the rods from the Saturday night fixture it was therefore Crimond the following day, which staged the thirty-first date in this year’s Scottish Rodding calendar. With both Buchan cars again missing from the grid, it was 6 Crimond and 2 GMP cars - Paul Whiteman and Brian Wilson doing the travelling.
Heat 1 saw the 8 car grid leave the line with the field quickly becoming two packs of four. Norman Leadingham won the lead battle, heading home a variety of machinery as his Fiesta led home Graeme Gordon’s Tigra, from Steve Manett’s TT and Brian Wilson’s 206.
Result – 14 (Norman Leadingham) 338 – 303- 696-387-323-3-118
Heat 2 saw Graeme Gordon take the honours from Brian Wilson with heat 1 winner Leadingham settling for third, ahead of Jason McDonald and Gordon Murray.
Result – 338 (Graeme Gordon) – 696-14-387-3
Final time and the third winner of the afternoon as, after a troubled time with the TT, Steve Manett took the Audi to victory ahead of Graeme Gordon’s Tigra; Brian Wilson again completing the top 3
Result – 303 (Steve Manett) – 338 – 696-14
The Rods thirty-second appearance of the season will again take place next week at Crimond, at the end of season “fun day” which is non-points scoring. They then return at Cowdie for the two-seater night, with rumours of appearances from Barry Lee and Kenny Ireland. Mad Jock
Venue Cowdie & Knockhill 22-23/09/07
Hot Rod World Cup
Mad Jock reports: On a dry warm evening, 21 Rods stepped off the Cowdie grid in pursuit of the gold roof in the first of the evening’s 2 qualifying heats. The race however didn’t get far, as Nigel Johnson’s 206 failed to get off the line and lay stranded just outside the inner Armco on bend 2. Thankfully as the 206 couldn’t have been very visible to the 20 rods fast descending on the 206 the flags were quickly out and disaster just avoided.
On the second attempt the start was good, and the race continued at a fast pace until 19, 97 & 387 had a coming together on turn 1. On the restart Donaldson, in his superbly presented 205, led the field away only to eventually be passed by Pete McVay. At half way JJ’s race was run after the Tigra smacked the concrete when looking threatening leaving Pete McVay to hold off the still fast moving Donaldson 205. At the line it was McVay from Donaldson. The drama wasn’t over as on the rundown lap Steve Manett’s troubled times with the TT continued as it erupted in smoke, subsequently not to be seen again.
Result – 88 - (Pete McVay) 700-136-900-303-114-338-7-54-10
Heat 2 and the only other Hot Rod race of the evening was a fast clean affair with again Donaldson using his yellow roof to advantage proving difficult to catch. After his second place in heat one, the 205 was to go one better in this heat as he led home considerably more modern machinery. Jamieson was to come closest and crossed the line eventually just a length behind. Iain Grayson - by far the most successful Englishman on track - picked up third place for the second time.
Result – 700 (Ian Donaldson) - 305-136-114-7-338-97-10-54-88.
Sunday afternoon, and over the motorway to Knockhill. The Scottish rods arrived on track for the thirtieth time during 2007, to contest the remaining qualifying heats and the Hot Rod World Cup.
The 21 rods from Saturday were added to by the arrival back from Ipswich of Billy Bonnar and Ronnie McKenzie, along with the arrival of John Buchan and Gordon Murray taking it to 25 rods for the weekend. The first race for the rods was heat 3 of the weekend and it was to see the start of a dominating afternoon from JJ.
The Tigra worked its way to the front of the 16v cars then went after the pinto machines. Once clear of the pinto machines JJ still had work to do with the 16v machines of Buchan, Gordon, Wilson and a suspiciously lighter looking 7 machine for company. However at the end of the day it was JJ at the flag ahead of Wilson, Buchan and Gordon.
Result – 305 (JJ) – 696-300-338-7-900-114-103-97-88
The fourth and final qualifier for the rods saw JJ complete a heat double with Brian Wilson staying in touch not far behind as Ivan Grayson in third again equalled England’s best result of the weekend. Karl Price then led home the #7 machine and Brian Wilson completed the top 6.
Result 305-338-136-844-114-7-696-103-306-410
The fifth and final race for the rods of the weekend saw 20 come to the grid to contest the World Cup and produce a scorchingly fast race in ideal conditions. As before, JJ negotiated the pinto pack and held off the other 16v cars and it looked like it would be a simple repeat of the previous heats. That was until coming out of the hairpin Karl Price and Ian McGuigan came across Andy Adams who was trailing most of his rear bodywork behind him. With the ancient Starlet floundering in the middle of the track Price attempted to cut inside only to make contact with McGuigan sending both onto the infield. What followed definitely could have been done without as the confrontation involved not only the drivers, but presumably one of the Adams team jumping the fence to get on track to join in.
Once that was sorted the race restarted allowing JJ to continue his way to the gold roof. Billy Bonnar made his long journey back overnight from Ipswich worthwhile as Billy provided the strongest opposition with Wilson, Gordon and Grayson not letting the Tigra get out of sight in what was a very fast race.
Result – 305- 844-338-696-136-10-87-900-88-410
The Scottish Rods are back on track again next weekend with another double stint. First they have their second Saturday at Cowdie in a row, then the following day the formula is at Crimond. Mad Jock
Photos from the weekend can be found at http://knockhillracingcircuit.fotopic.net/
Crimond – 16th September
Mad Jock reports: The Scottish Rods again gathered at Rodding’s northern outpost for the twenty-eighth fixture of the year, as the recent drought of GMP fixtures for the formula continued.
Late in the season however new cars and drivers keep on coming with at this meeting two more additions to the drivers list for 2007. This included Jason Duncan finally appearing, with Scotland’s first Duratec planted in his MK6 Fiesta, the total now standing at 34 Rods to have raced domestically in ’07.
Unusually, both Buchan cars were missing from the grid for this meeting, but their absence was more than matched by the two debuts. Brian Wilson was the solitary GMP car on the grid and Steve Manett returned with the Audi TT restored to health.
Heat 1 saw a three-way battle involving the 206 of Brian Wilson, the Audi TT of Steve Manett and the Fiesta of Norman Leadingham involved, with Graeme Gordon’s Tigra joining the fun. At the flag it was Leadingham’s Fiesta that took the flag ahead of the rejuvenated TT from Wilson’s 206.
Result – 14 (Norman Leadingham) – 303- 696-338-387-503
Heat 2 eventually brought the second victory of the afternoon for the Leadingham Fiesta. It was probably the battle involving those behind that held the interest as Graeme Gordon went two places better than he did in heat 1 to chase the Fiesta home; Brian Wilson again collecting third, Steve Manett completing the top four.
Result – 14-338-696-303-306-387
Final time, and not for the first time this season after claiming the heats, the Leadingham Fiesta couldn’t quite do the hat-trick. Graeme Gordon brought the Tigra home first, Leadingham followed, with Brian Wilson getting his third third place of the afternoon not far behind.
Result – 338 (Graeme Gordon) – 14- 696-306-303-503
This coming weekend the formula finally returns to GMP territory for the first time since early August and visits both Fife tracks. Saturday sees the qualifying for the Hot Rod world cup, and Sunday sees the Rods pay their final visit of the year to Knockhill; Ian McGuigan’s defence of the gold roof being the main event. Mad Jock
Crimond – 02/03 September
Mad Jock reports: Again it was Crimond for the 26th and 27th dates in the Scottish Rodding calendar with the Crimond version of the Open Scottish Championship up for grabs over the two days.
GMP drivers - with a recent drought of hot rod fixtures at both Cowdie and Knockhill - travelled in decent numbers to boost the grid significantly. Those making the trip included Scotland’s most southern rodder Ian McGuigan #7, along with Chas Bain #10, Stuart Walker #54, Karl Price #114, Paul Whiteman #118, Brian Wilson #696 and the new Scottish Champion Graeme Callender #871. In addition, the 32nd Scottish Rod to grid this year saw the return after about seven years away of former red roof Eddie Schrader.
Two heats were on the Saturday schedule for the rods. Heat 1 eventually saw the flag fall to regular Crimond winner Norman Leadingham after a race which certainly had a lot of contact. Neil Buchan, after gaining ten places, was taken out just as he gained the lead resulting in a bent axle, link arms and panel damage and the CC’s race was run. One description of this race later referred to it as “racing skittles”. Following Leadingham over the line were the GMP duo of Callender and Brian Wilson, with John Buchan and Graeme Gordon making up the top five.
Heat 1 – 14 (Norman Leadingham) – 696-300-338-351-7-323-387-10
The second heat on Saturday again saw the very healthy grid leave the line and it was this time the turn of Dave Wilmott who has done many miles round Crimond, to claim the honours with on this occasion Leadingham having to settle for fourth. Neil Buchan after a lot of hard work by many made it out and brought the battered CC home in second, with Graeme Callender making up the top three.
Result 351 (Dave Wilmott) – 301 – 871 – 14 – 300 – 338 – 3 – 696 –7-10
Day two of the Open Scottish gave the remaining two heats and the Open event itself.
In the first heat of the day (heat 3) Norman Leadingham took his second win of the weekend in his ageing but still effective Fiesta in a race that was hard fought although some driving perhaps on the edge of acceptability. Neil Buchan and Brian Wilson made up the top three.
Result – 14 –301-338-7-3-300-10-351-387-54
Heat four, the final qualifying heat, saw the third victory of the weekend for the flying Fiesta as Leadingham romped home with Neil Buchan collecting his third bridesmaid position of the weekend. Graeme Gordon’s Tigra made up the top three in another race with perhaps too much contact, although the grid - up in the mid-teens - was substantially above the normal Crimond grid. McGuigan and Murray completed the top five with John Buchan recovering to sixth, after a tangle with Callender saw the CC in the tyrewall and also suffer contact with Wilmott in the same incident.
Result –14-301-338-7-3-300-10-338-351-387-54
The final event for the Rods after a bruising weekend, was the Open Scottish Championship, with Norman Leadingham perhaps starting favourite given the form of the Fiesta over the two days.
A healthy grid had survived to the championship event and the16v cars had about eight pinto machines in front to first catch and pass. However at the end of another hectic race with again some contact that could perhaps be done without, but which some will say is inevitable given the tight bends at Crimond, it was the three most potent of the Crimond based machines at the sharp end when the flag fell. Some determined driving from Graeme Callender made life difficult first for John Buchan as Buchan took the outside route and that nearly resulted in what would have been heavy contact with the tyre wall. Neil Buchan was next to attempt to get past the silver 206 and after an equally difficult time the tyre-wall still stood and all cars remained facing the correct direction. Graeme Gordon taking the opportunity to slip past on the inside.
At the flag, John Buchan added this year’s Open Scottish Championship (Crimond Edition) to his very lengthy list of titles. Graeme Gordon brought the Tigra home in second and Neil Buchan brought the battered CC home in third. As per Crimond tradition, no place lower than third is recognised in a championship event.
Open Scottish (Crimond) Championship.
1: John Buchan (300) – 2: Graeme Gordon (338) – 3: Neil Buchan (301)
The Scottish Rods next appearance on track will again be at Crimond on Sept 16th. Mad Jock
Crimond – 19th August
Mad Jock reports: Crimond was the venue for the Scottish Rods twenty-fifth appearance of the year.
With unusually no GMP cars present, it was a small, but high quality field that set off for heat 1. Norman Ledingham eventually gained the victory in his Fiesta, ahead of Graeme Gordon’s Tigra and John Buchan’s CC.
Result – 14 (Norman Leadingham) – 338 – 300 – 301- 387 –3
Heat 2 saw Graeme Gordon go one better taking the Tigra to victory ahead of the chasing CC’s of John & Neil Buchan with heat 1 winner having to settle for 4th on this occasion.
Result – 338 (Graeme Gordon) – 300-301-14-387
Final time, and the third winner of the afternoon as Neil Buchan led home John, with Graeme Gordon’s Tigra making up the top 3
Result – 301 (Neil Buchan) – 300- 338-14-3
The next Scottish meeting is again at Crimond for two days of the Open Scottish Championship on Sept 1st and 2nd. GMP have deleted the formula from their original published list to allow all Rods to head for the weekend at Crimond. Mad Jock
Cowdie – 11th August
Conditions – Mixed
Mad Jock reports: The Scottish Rods gathered at Cowdie for the twenty-fourth meeting of the Scottish season to contest the Scottish Championship on a night of mixed conditions.
After fluctuating numbers over the last few meetings and the very disappointing 5 car turnout at Knockhill, the grid soared - despite only two Crimond cars on the grid - to a very impressive 19.
As it turned out, the thirtieth Scottish Rod to grid in 2007 wasn’t, as predicted, Bev Norrie, but two new faces (or in one case re-appearing after the best part of 2 decades away). 1980’s and early 90’s Scottish Superstar Paul Whiteman returned last having raced back in 1991. Whiteman made his return in a self-built Ford Ka, the first in Scotland and the first perhaps the formula has seen anywhere? The power unit proved to be the rumoured 1200cc Kawasaki engine. This meeting was very much a test for the Ka and it will be interesting to watch its progress in the coming weeks. Also debuting in the formula tonight was Jock’s son, Robbie Burgoyne, using the Alan Conroy Mini.
The first race of the night was the Scottish Championship and with both Whiteman and Burgoyne ineligible and Andy Adams’ elderly Starlet remaining in the pits it was 16 Rods that set off in pursuit of the title. The race was 5 laps old when Billy Bonnar - out in the 206 recently used by Ronnie McKenzie - spun on turn 2 which brought the yellows out. By the time the restart came about the rain was on, with the grid sitting on slicks. With no tyre change permitted Norman Ledingham on the restart maintained his lead in his Fiesta until halfway when Graeme Callender in his pinto powered 206 took over, finding the grip to power round the outside on pitbend.
The conditions certainly seemed to suit the pinto machine as whilst others recorded some faster lap times, the 871 machine’s consistently fast laps given the conditions saw Callender continuously widen the gap from those chasing.
JJ relegated Norman Ledingham to third on lap 26 of 30, but by that time the chase was a futile one with the pinto 206 at least the length of a straight clear. Graeme Callender went on to win the Scottish Championship with JJ distantly chasing him home for second; Ledingham completing the top 3 - the only cars on the lead lap.
Scottish Championship – 1st 871 (Graeme Callender) – 305 –14-54-696-114-338-7-387.
The second race of the night (titled heat 1) saw Jamieson extract revenge for the earlier race as he led the new Scottish Champion home. Unfortunately this race was marred by a big pile up on the home straight involving McVay, McKenzie, Inglis, Gordon, Donaldson, Ledingham and Callender, thankfully without serious injury.
The early leader was Sandy Allan until passed on lap 4 by Graeme Callender who held the lead until the thirteenth lap, when JJ took over to the flag. Callender followed home with McVay closing in third.
Result – 305 (JJ) –871-88-410-696-900-338-14-54-629-7-114-87-118-65
Heat 2 and the final race for the Rods saw the pendulum swing back the way of the new Scottish Champion. Again in the early stages Sandy Allan got more than usual out of his elderly Fiesta and held the opposition at bay for 8 laps - at which point 871 took over on his way to the flag. Allan then, over the second half of the race, maintained some surprising speed which kept JJ’s Tigra in third at the flag to round off a night which saw the Rods face difficult conditions.
Result – 871 – 410-303-88-700-54-696-338-900-629
The next meeting for the Rods - with some adjustment to the fixture list - is hopefully next weekend at Crimond, providing racing is allowed to resume. The Rods are now not scheduled to return to a GMP track until late September. Mad Jock
Knockhill - 1st August
Mad Jock reports: A week after the previous Knockhill meeting, the Scottish Rods were back on track for the twenty-third time this year at the final midweek Knockhill date.
The midweek 6pm start-time, looming National Championships, offshore work and holidays, were all possible reasons for the very disappointing five-car turnout. Interestingly - when asked about the turnout - Billy Bonnar stated Racewall’s uncertain future wasn’t helping the situation.
Despite the lack of quantity, with four evenly matched cars locked together on track, the racing was close and competitive. The entry included the return of Ian McGuigan as he prepares for the upcoming Scottish Championship, and then the defence of his gold roof.
However it was to be Billy Bonnar’s night as he completed a hat trick of wins, although it was hard fought despite the small grid. Unable to make the midweek meeting start time, the second heat saw Ronnie McKenzie arrive on track with a Colt instead of his usual 206.
Heat 1 – 844 – 696—7
Heat 2 – 844-696-7-87
Final –844-7-696
Three days later, with just 24 hours to go before what would have been meeting twenty-four for the Rods, following the fresh outbreak in England of Foot & Mouth disease, the Crimond meeting - given the tracks location - was cancelled as a precautionary measure. Hopefully this time it will not result in the rest of the Crimond season being lost, as it was in 2001.
The Rods next appearance is at Cowdie this coming Saturday, when the Scottish Championship will be contested - hopefully with a decent turnout. Mad Jock
Knockhill – 25th July
Mad Jock reports: Conditions – dry & warm. Almost exactly 72 hours after the final chequer fell at Crimond the green flag fell at Knockhill as the Scottish Rods set off for the 22nd time in 2007, with an encouraging turnout at the midweek meeting.
The meeting saw Jock Burgoyne become the 28th Scottish Rod driver to domestically race this year as he made his return in the spare JJ Tigra. Unfortunately both Tigras remained “fully dressed” with JJ’s name and 305 number displayed on both cars through out the meeting, which didn’t help the spectators.
Adding still further to the total number of Scottish rod drivers in 2007 was Andy Adams who appeared briefly in his ancient Starlet taking the total to 29 Scottish Rods for the year so far, with more to come.
Heat 1 saw Sandy Allan lead the field away in his elderly Fiesta, a lead he held for the opening 3 laps before Ger Wilson took over. Behind the leaders there was a raging battle for the mid-order places which swapped a few times with Karl Price, JJ, and Wilson particularly involved. Price then took over after 8 laps and held on until the closing stages, but the JJ-Tigra was looming in the mirrors and in the dying laps it was the Tigra that took over and through to the flag with Price fending off Burgoyne for second.
Result – 305 (JJ) – 114 – 900 – 696 – 629 – 888 –54 – 410
Heat 2 saw Samantha Ross the early leader showing an impressive turn of speed in her dad’s elderly Starlet (or is it hers now?) and hold the lead almost until halfway when Billy Bonnar took over. Bonnar (in his 206 on this occasion) held the lead for a further 3 laps before disappearing off track and spinning into - given the rain that’s fallen - little more than a peat bog, which he did well to emerge from. JJ crossed the line first, but possibly due to the manner in which 844 left the track JJ appeared in third when the results were confirmed, thereby giving victory to Karl from John Sibbald, and JJ in third making up the major places.
Result – 114 (Karl Price) – 629 – 305 –301 –900 – 696 – 54 – 648 – 844 –410
Final time, and this time JJ was to make no mistake as the Tigra scorched round the 500m tri-oval setting a new lap record as he blasting round even the very slow hairpin in 14.093 seconds. Fruitlessly chasing JJ was Brian Wilson who did a decent job of keeping the flying Tigra in sight and Jock Burgoyne completed the top three. Mention must again be made of Samantha Ross who led the field for the opening 6 laps before vastly more modern machinery took over.
Result – 305 (JJ) – 696 – 900 –844 – 114 – 629 – 648
The Scottish rods are now rested for a week with their next meeting being the final mid week meeting at Knockhill next Wednesday, which - with the shortening evenings - has a 6pm start time. Photos from Knockhill’s Wednesday night meeting can be found at – http://knockhillracingcircuit.fotopic.net/
Crimond - 22nd & 23rd July
Mad Jock reports: The twentieth and twenty-first dates in the Scottish Rodding calendar came a week after the curtailed Cowdie meeting, as Crimond had its major date of the year. With Cowdie making way for the Rods to head for Crimond, the fixture saw a healthy turn out from the formula with several GMP cars making the trip.
Heat one saw a very healthy grid of rods leave the line and the race eventually go the way of the returning Dave Wilmott who has reclaimed his very effective Clio, in doing so Wilmott became the 26th Scottish rod to grid in 2007. Wilmott on this occasion was followed home by Norman Ledingham, and in close order John and Neil Buchan, with Graeme Gordon making up the top five. Also seen out for the first time this year was Gordon Murray, taking it to 27 rods to have raced in Scotland in 2007.
Result – 351 (Dave Wilmott) 14-300-301-338-696-3-888-114-410
Heat 2 on Saturday night saw the second win for Dave Wilmott, showing that his racing sabbatical had seen him lose none of his effectiveness as the Clio was chased home by three much more modern 16v machines. However at the end of the day it was the Clio where it counted, ahead of the two CC’s and the Tigra.
Result – 351 (Dave Wilmott) – 301-338-300-14-696-387-410-3-888
Day two at Crimond saw the final two heats of the weekend for the rods along with the meeting final. Heat 3 saw Karl Price take his first Crimond win in his now very smartly presented ex-Bonnar 206. Norman Ledingham had a hard fought battle for second place, just getting to the flag ahead of Dave Wilmott who had to on this occasion settle for third; Brian Wilson and Graeme Gordon completing the top five.
Result – 114 (Karl Price) – 14 – 351 – 696 – 3 – 387 – 410
The fourth and final heat of the weekend finally brought some success for Norman Ledingham who previously had specialised at grabbing final wins. On this occasion it was a heat win that the #14 driver had to settle for, as he led home Graeme Gordon and Karl Price.
The final of the weekend was for the annual Munster Trophy, and was to produce the fourth winner over the two days as Graeme Gordon’s Tigra got the better of Norman Ledinghams Fiesta, and Brian Wilson completed the top three with his best result of the weekend in the 206. In accordance with Crimond tradition - as in all domestic championship races - no place lower than third is recognised.
Result – 338 (Graeme Gordon) – 14 - 696
Cowdie – 14th July
Mad Jock reports: The nineteenth appearance of the Scottish rods in 2007 came a week earlier than planned, as the Cowdie date - very late in the day - was brought forward a week to allow Crimond a clear run with the formula at the following Speed weekend (yes Scotland nearly had clashing Hot Rod fixtures!). The change in date clearly caught many out as racing resumed after the two week Ippy/Skeg racing holiday; as a result Cowdie saw its lowest turnout in over 20 years as just 5 cars arrived and only 4 raced.
Heat 1, the only heat as it transpired, saw Pete McVay takes his 206 to victory followed home by John Sibbald.
Result – 88 – 629- 54- 87
Heat 2, along with the F2 G/National, was cancelled after an incident in another formula saw the emergency services called, resulting in more than an hour of the meeting being lost. By the time the final arrived on track just 2 cars remained in the pits and was little more than a demo run, with Stuart Walker leading home Ronnie McKenzie.
Result 1: 54 Stu Walker – 2: 87. Mad Jock
Meeting 18 - Crimond – 8th July
Mad Jock reports: Meeting eighteen of the Scottish season was at Rodding’s Northern outpost. Perhaps partially because of the clashing world final, a single figure grid of 7 cars took to the track, with Karl Price the only GMP car present.
Heat 1 saw John Buchan return to form with his first victory since his Knockhill win more than two months before. The Crimond “Old Firm” were back in front with Neil Buchan chasing John home. Third was the Tigra of Graeme Gordon, and Karl Price on his first Crimond appearance in some years got fourth for his efforts.
Result – 300 (John Buchan) – 301 – 338 – 114- 14 – 387 –344
Heat 2 saw John collect his second win of the afternoon, this time chased home by Graeme Gordon. Karl Price got his 206 onto the podium in third, as Neil Buchan had to settle for fourth.
Result – 300 – 338-114-301-344-387
Final time, and after his fifth place in heat 1 and a non-finish in heat 2, the final was the cue for Norman Leadingham to continue his run of Crimond final victories. His ageing Fiesta led home the two CC’s and Tigra to claim his third consecutive Crimond final victory.
Result – 14 Norman Ledingham – 301-338-300-387-344. Mad Jock
Meeting 17 - Crimond - 24th June
Mad Jock reports: A single figure grid of just seven cars gathered at Crimond for the seventeenth fixture of the Scottish Rod season, Brian Wilson being the sole GMP car on the grid.
This meeting provided almost a rerun of the previous meeting with both heats seeing Norman Ledingham taking victory, chased home by much more modern machinery. Ledingham headed both heats in his ageing Fiesta, leading home the CC of John Buchan, followed by the Tigra of Graham Gordon and Steve Manett’s TT.
Heats 1 & 2 (both heats) – 14 Norman Leadingham – 300-338-303-696-387
In the final Norman was to complete a career-first hat trick, as he again led home John Buchan from Graeme Gordon with Jason Mackintosh and Brian Wilson being the only other cars left running.
Result – 14 Norman Leadingham – 300-338-387-696- nof.
After seventeen meetings, Brian Wilson’s efforts to do as many of the Scottish fixtures as possible are being rewarded, as his 251 points give Brian a near-hundred point lead in the national points championship. Graeme Gordon is currently placed second with 160 points, and in third is Norman Ledingham with 157. John Buchan, Stuart Walker and Graeme Callender are the only others past the 100 point mark.
The Scottish Rods are next on track on July 8th, again at Crimond. Mad Jock
Meeting 16 - Knockhill - 20th June
Mad Jock reports: Conditions were wet, then dry and crawling with too many midgies! Three days after Crimond, the Scottish Rods went from the country’s smallest track to the largest, as they made their sixteenth appearance in 2007.
Wednesday night brought the Rods to the tri-oval for the third time this year, on an evening that had seen incessant rain in many parts for much of the day, leaving the track wet with standing water at both ends of the bottom straight.
On this occasion there were no Crimond visitors, but the grid did include two seasonal debuts, those of Samantha Ross in her dad’s venerable Starlet, and the return after a number of years away of Karl Price who has acquired the former 844 – 206. The total now stands at 25 Scottish drivers to have raced domestically this year in 16 meetings.
Heat 1 saw the quality - but small - 8 car grid led away by 410, although that lead didn’t last long before Ger Wilson took over on the third lap. Ger held onto the lead for the next 9 laps with John Sibbald getting ever closer and with just two to go Sibbald took over. However it was a lead that wasn’t destined to last long, as delayed by a slower car, Wilson grabbed the lead back on the last lap, to head Sibbald over the line for a very close finish
Result – 888 (Ger Wilson) – 629-844-87-648-54
Heat 2 again saw Ronnie McKenzie as the early leader and the return of Karl Price. After his earlier success Wilson had his foot down hard from the off and it took the blue roof just 3 laps to snatch the lead, a lead he wasn’t to relinquish. Most eyes were probably on the battle for second and third between Brian Wilson & Walker, which was eventually settled in Wilson’s favour. In the meantime Bonnar provided the entertainment by spectacularly spinning several times at the bottom of the link section, ending in the gravel.
Result – 888 (Ger Wilson) – 696-54-629-87-114-648
Final time, and the race was delayed as Ronnie McKenzie dumped the Peugeot in the gravel on the warm-up lap. With the 206 retrieved, the race got going and this time McKenzie managed to keep it on the black stuff and lead the first two laps. Again it was to be the flying Ger Wilson Fiesta that took over as Bonnar once again dumped the CC in the gravel coming off the link - a section of track which gave the rods trouble all night. Ger Wilson might have been expected to complete the job, but this time it wasn’t to be, as Ger hadn’t shrugged off Brian Wilson and it was the 206 that took over with 4 to go. Stu Walker took over in second in the dying laps in the ex-Price Clio, Karl himself getting his best result on the night with third, not far behind.
Result – 696 (Brian Wilson) – 54-114-888-87-629-648
Photos from tonight’s racing can be found at http://knockhillracingcircuit.fotopic.net/ The hard worked Scottish Rods are next due back on track again in 3 days time. Mad Jock
Meeting 15 - Crimond - 17th June
Mad Jock reports: A reasonable grid of Rods assembled at Rodding’s northern outpost for the fifteenth fixture of the Scottish season. Adding to the locals were Chas Bain, along with Brian and Ger Wilson who made the trip up from GMP territory, whilst John Buchan also appeared for the first time in a few weeks giving an eight car grid.
Heat 1 saw the home-based duo of Graeme Gordon and John Buchan fight out the victory, with the Tigra eventually first to the flag followed by the cc. Third was Brian Wilson, followed by Steve Manett, and making a very rare visit from south of Edinburgh was Chas Bain in fifth.
Result – 338 (Graeme Gordon) – 300 – 696- 303- 10- 387 – 888
Heat 2 provided a three-way fight with the leading duo from heat 1 being joined by Norman Ledingham in his Fiesta. At the chequers it proved to be the much-used Fiesta that showed its much more modern counterparts the way home. John Buchan went one place better than heat 1 moving up to second, with heat 1 winner Graeme Gordon having to settle for third.
Result – 14 (Norman Ledingham) – 300 – 338- 696 – 303 – 10 – 888 – 387
The final again saw Buchan, Gordon, Ledingham and Wilson dispute the front running placings, and again it wasn’t to be the modern machinery that picked up the silverware. Aided by a lower roof colour (blue), it was for the second time Norman Ledingham who took the flag with those behind him swapping order from heat 2. The finishing order provided a fair variety of machinery as this time Ledingham’s Fiesta was followed home by Graeme Gordon’s Tigra, third came John Buchan’s CC and Brian Wilson brought his 206 home fourth.
Result – 14 (Norman Ledingham) – 338-300-696-10-387-888
The Rods are now back on track in just 48 hours as they make their second midweek visit to the Tri-oval on Wednesday night. Mad Jock
Meeting 14 - Knockhill - 11th June
Conditions Dry and Mild
Mad Jock reports: Meeting 14 of the Scottish season was day two of the F1 weekend and gave the Rods their second visit of the year to the tri-oval. With a near 50 car F1 entry and a massive invasion of English and Irish Saloons and F2’s, the Hot Rods had to dig deep to provide competition of a similar level to the other formulas, they did so - with a healthy 15-car entry.
With the terracings full beyond the boundaries of the tri-oval 15 rods set off in front of a very impressive crowd. Paul Yule led the field off the line before Graeme Callender took over on lap 2. Callender’s ultra-quick pinto is always capable of giving the 16v’s a run for their money and it wasn’t until half distance that Neil Buchan caught the silver 206, before out-powering the 8-valve machine along the top straight. That was a lead Neil wasn’t to surrender, although he had to work for the victory with his mirrors being filled in the latter stages by Brian Wilson’s 206 and Steven Manett’s TT. Billy Bonnar was also looking a threat until he retired his CC with wishbone damage.
However Neil held on by about 4 car-lengths to take the first heat just over a second ahead of Wilson with Manett in third.
Result – 301-696-303-338-54-14-700
Heat 2 saw Ian Donaldson’s very smartly presented 205 lead the grid off the line and the yellow roofed 205 proved it went as well as it looks, holding off much more modern machinery until well past half distance.
Eventually on lap 10, Billy Bonnar (giving the 844 cc its competitive Scottish debut) slipped past, and from that point there was no stopping the ultra quick CC. Billy recorded a best time of 15.15 round the 500m tri-oval, as he went on to claim the chequers. Disaster however was only just avoided in the final stages when Manett - entering the bottom straight - spun the TT out through a pack of passing cars, amazingly not getting collected by anyone. Heat 1 winner Neil Buchan moved into second with 2 to go and Ian Donaldson was rewarded with third for his efforts.
Result – 844-301-700-338-696-14-629
The final again saw Ian Donaldson’s 205 set the pace and take a lot of catching, at one point it looked like the 205 might just hold on for a flag-to-flag victory. However, after two decent runs in the heats Graeme Gordon had the Tigra flying which included the fastest lap of the day - only fractionally away from breaking the 15 second barrier with a best time of 15.07. Neil Buchan chased the Tigra home with the ever improving Brian Wilson making up the top 3, and Ian Donaldson again not too far away in the 205 to round off a high quality meeting from the Rods.
Result – 338-301-696-700-629-54-10
The Scottish Rods now have a week off, before returning next Sunday at Crimond, and three days later they return to Knockhill. Mad Jock
Meeting 13 – Cowdie 2nd June
Mad Jock reports: Six days after Crimond, the Rods returned to Cowdie for meeting number thirteen of the year. A dry warm evening welcomed a dozen Rods to the Cowdie grid, which saw a few regulars missing. Making his Cowdie debut was Crimond regular Jason McDonald, who was joined on the grid by JJ and Neil Buchan, the latter making one of his rare Cowdie appearances.
Ronnie McKenzie was the early leader in heat one, before being passed on the third lap by Pete McVay in his 16v machine. McVay then built up at one stage an impressive lead which not even JJ - setting the fastest time of the race (13.87) - could do anything about, and at the end of the day third was the best the Tigra could manage. McVay claimed the chequered flag with his mirrors filled by Graeme Callender’s pinto 206, less than a second adrift.
Result – 88 (Pete McVay) – 871- 305 – 54 –696 – 7 –10 – 301 – 87
Heat two saw Sandy Allen lead the field away, before Lawrence Inglis took over on lap 2. Lawrence’s lead was to last 7 laps, when he appeared to be deliberately fenced by Brian Wilson and the yellow flags were out. On the restart the black flag was shown to Wilson who ignored the flag and continued to race, as a result he was excluded from the results. Jamieson took over the lead around halfway, and put in a meeting best of 13.72 on his way to the flag. Ian McGuigan followed JJ over the line just half a second adrift.
Result – 305 (JJ) – 7-871-301-10-87-629-387
Final time and the first four laps saw three different leaders, as Inglis, McKenzie and Callender all had a shot in front. Graeme Callender then held the lead for five laps as Ian McGuigan, uncharacteristically unaided, spun himself out on pitbend before rejoining. Callender however would have seen the approaching Tigra and on lap 10 power told as JJ took over and went on to the flag, followed by Callender. However, when the results were declared JJ was dropped two places for excessive contact, promoting Graeme Callender to the victory and Stu Walker to second with JJ completing the top 3.
Result – 871- (Graeme Callender) – 54-305-696-301-629-7-10
The Rods are next back on track in eight days time at Knockhill on day 2 of the annual Brisca F1 visit, with perhaps the first appearance of the season of Jason Duncan and/or Gary Black as their machines approach completion. Mad Jock
Meeting 12 – Crimond 27th May
Mad Jock reports: A week after the Open event, the Scottish Rods were back on track at Crimond for the twelfth date in the Scottish Rodding calendar. Due to a number of factors - mainly drivers working offshore and a lack of GMP travellers - it was a very small grid of just 4 cars that lined up. Both heats went the way of Graeme Gordon who in both heats was followed over the line by Jason McDonald, Paul Yule and Sandy Allen.
Heat Results – 338 (Graeme Gordon) – 387-344-410
In the final, Graeme completed his hat trick, this time chased home by Sandy Allen with Paul Yule the only other car running.
Result – 338- 410-344 Mad Jock
Open Scottish Hot Rod Championship 2007, Cowdie,May 19/20
Conditions: Saturday damp/wet, Sunday largely dry
Mad Jock reports: The tenth and eleventh dates in the Scottish Rodding calendar brought one of those rare occasions when in excess of twenty Rods are seen on a Scottish track. Despite several notable and unavoidable Scottish absentees, twenty-one Rods were to make the Saturday night, which saw the qualifying heats for the Open event on Sunday.
A healthy English contingent consisting of Ross Harrison, Steve Nabb, Shaun Cussack, Paul Bennet, Ian Whittiker, Ivan Grayson and Adrian Hall joined fourteen Scottish Rods. JJ made his 2007 domestic debut, whilst Ronnie McKenzie returned - last having raced in the 1980’s - taking the total to twenty-three Scottish Rods to have raced so far in 2007.
Heat one with the two-thirds format in use saw Ger Wilson head the field away and hold the lead for the first 3 laps, before being passed by Graeme Callender who looked like he might at one point hang on and take the victory. However, JJ giving the Tigra its Scottish debut, was flying through the field. With 3 laps left he caught the flying pinto 206 and with 2 to go, power told and the Tigra took over. Callender held on for second, with Ger Wilson completing the top 3 of a Scottish top 7.
Result – 305-871-88-844-696-7-303-19-120-171-96
Heat 2 saw groups B&C on track as conditions deteriorated. Graeme Callender who had come so close in heat 1 was to make no mistake this time and stepped off the line for a flag to flag victory. Shaun Cussaack moved into second in lap 5 before losing the place a lap or two later to 410, then regaining second, none of which helped his chase of 871 - and that’s how it stayed to the flag.
Result – 871 (Graeme Callender) – 97 – 410-303-171-7-848-114-88-24
Heat 3 brought groups A&C on track; Allan Ross in his vintage Starlet was the early leader before on lap 5 being passed by Shaun Cussack who then held the lead until the closing laps. The Englishman might have held on, but for the flying 305 Tigra and with 2 to go it was JJ who found the space to edge the Tigra through and onto the chequered flag. All told, a superb night of Rod racing with plenty of outside overtaking which showed that whilst the Fife venue is tight for any Rod formula, it can produce some superb Rodding.
Result – 305 (J.Jamieson) –97-14-844-848-136-88-410-120
Day two arrived with much better conditions, the rain of the previous night replaced with largely blue skies and a dry track. The Open Scottish Championship was the first Rod race with 19 cars on the grid and the 16v machines faced with a massive deficit to make up starting directly in front of their pinto cousins virtually a complete lap adrift.
The race was 7 laps old when a pile-up on the town bend brought the red flags out; Graeme Callender retiring with front-end damage. As a result of this stoppage Ian McGuigan and Pete McVay were prevented from restarting, both drivers showing their disapproval with McVay leaving his Rod across the home straight and McGuigan - after remonstrating - loading up.
On the restart it was Norman Ledingham who got away first to hold the lead for a single lap, however there was nothing the pinto powered Fiesta could do a lap later to stop Jamieson bursting through as the huge deficit the 16v cars previously faced, was effectively wiped out with the yellow flag stoppage. JJ then had a fairly easy run to the title with the main interest on the battle of second place. For 19 laps the pinto powered Fiesta of Ledingham kept the more powerful 206 of Bonnar behind, however when it looked like Norman may hang on Bonnar slipped by with 2 to go leaving the Fiesta driver to settle for third, ahead of the closing Steve Manett.
Open Scottish Hot Rod Championship – 305(JJ)-844-14-303-696-136-410-114-171-19
The other two races following the Open were titled heats, the first of which gave Norman Leadingham due rewards for his weekend efforts as he brought the pinto Fiesta home in front of three chasing 16v cars – Bonnar, McVay & JJ
Result – 14 (Norman Ledingham) – 844-88-305-888-696-303-848
Heat 2 of the afternoon as it was titled, and the final Rod race of the weekend, saw JJ where he had been most of the weekend – at the front. However, he had to work for it as there were no fewer than four race leaders in this one. Lawrence Inglis, Ger Wilson and Pete McVay all had the lead in the first half of the race before JJ took over on lap 11 and then held on to the flag for his fourth victory of a weekend dominated by Scottish drivers.
Result – 305 (JJ) – 88-14-696-303-888-19-171-87-4. Mad Jock
Crimond 13/05/07
Mad Jock reports: Crimond was the venue for the Scottish rods ninth date of the season and brought 7 rods to the grid on a day of mixed weather.
Heat 1 saw 6 home-based cars along with lone GMP visitor Brian Wilson set off in the rain. Neil Buchan was to splash through the puddles quickest in this one to bring his 206cc home first; Neil was followed over the line by Brian Wilson with John Buchan in third. With all starters still running at the chequers, the finishing order was:
Result: 1st – 301 (Neil Buchan) -696-300-338-303-14-387
Heat 2 - now in the dry - would presumably would see at least one of Crimond’s “old firm” again take the honours, however it wasn’t to be with the best either Buchan could manage being John’s third place. Instead, Norman Ledingham took his career first win in the Hot Rods using his many-times-owned Mk4 Fiesta to lead home the consistent Brian Wilson from John Buchan, as again all runners did the distance. Result – 1st –14 (Norman Ledingham) – 696-300-338-301-303-387
Final time, and after waiting 9 meetings for his first win in the formula Norman Ledingham did it all over again to claim a double for the afternoon. Going one better in second place was the very consistent Brian Wilson – his third second of the afternoon. Neil Buchan made up the top 3, as for the third time the small, but quality field saw all starters make the chequers.
Result – 14 (Norman Ledingham) – 696- 301—300-338-303-387
The Scottish Rods are next on track this coming weekend for a double-header. Both dates are at Cowdie for the Open Scottish Championship, with hopefully a good English contingent joining in. Mad Jock
Knockhill 02/05/07
Mad Jock reports: Meeting eight of the season brought the Scottish Rods to the Knockhill tri-oval for the first time in 2007 on an unusually sweltering evening high in the hills.
Despite the midweek 6pm start time, Mad Jocks prophesy of a low turnout expecting many regulars to be missing turned out to be as right as it was wrong! As forecast, many regulars were missing from the grid, but were in turn replaced by a Crimond quartet to give the largest grid of the season - which included two seasonal debuts.
The Crimond quartet consisted of regular visitor Graeme Gordon, along with John Buchan, Jason Mackintosh and Paul Yule who were making their first trips of 2007 to GMP territory and swelling the grid to 14. In addition making seasonal debuts were Billy Bonnar and Ger Wilson taking the total Scottish rods to have raced so far this season after 8 meetings to 21, with more cars to come.
Heat 1 saw 344 Paul Yule the early leader to about quarter distance until seasoned campaigner Graeme Callender took over and may have held on if it were the normal pursuers, however making a rare trip to GMP territory John Buchan was flying through the field in his 206cc and relieved Callender of the lead with 4 to go. Callender held on for second place ahead of Ger Wilson who was having his first run of the year in the much-used one-time Chesher Fiesta.
Result 300 (John Buchan) – 871-888-338-696-54-344
Heat 2 saw Ger Wilson the early leader until Graeme Callender again took over at the front before a few laps later being demoted to second by a very rapidly moving Billy Bonnar. However in the closing stages the Crimond duo of Buchan and Gordon closed the 206 down, and coming out the hairpin for the last time the dash for the line saw Graeme Gordon make a lunge up the inside which proved unsuccessful and it was 844 across the line first by the smallest of margins. Graeme Gordon was second, half a car length down, with John Buchan in third - shoving the Tigra over the line! However post race Bonnar was disqualified from the results for being minus a transponder moving the two Crimond drivers into the first two places.
Result 338 (Graeme Gordon) – 300- 888-54-696-54-344
Final time, and again Paul Yule took the early lead in his very smartly presented 206 before Ger Wilson briefly took over and then surrendered the lead to Graeme Callender. Callender’s lead this time was to last 6 laps to the half way point when Billy Bonnar again took over, now evidently with a transponder fitted!
In the latter stages Callender was to lose second place to the flying CC of John Buchan, who in the dying laps was fast closing on Billy Bonnar. However it was Bonnar at the flag a few lengths in front of John Buchan with Callender completing the top 3 to end a superb night of Hot Rod racing which gave 3 faultless flag-to-flag races.
Result – 844 (Billy Bonner) 300-871-338-54-696-888
Photos from tonights meeting can be found at http://knockhillracingcircuit.fotopic.net/ and the Rods now have a 10-day break before being back on track at Crimond. Mad Jock
Crimond 29/04/07
Mad Jock reports: With a host of regulars - both local and GMP – missing, the grid for the sixth meeting of the Scottish season was one of the lowest in a long time. With John and Neil Buchan, Steve Manett, the holidaying John Sibbald and regular GMP traveller Brian Wilson all absent, along with some local drivers, it was a five car grid.
Heat one saw Graeme Gordon take his new Tigra to its debut win followed home by Paul Yule, with Jason McDonald making up the top three. In fourth, making his Crimond debut (at least in a rod), was Sandy Allen; Chick Laing completing the field.
Result – 338 (Graeme Gordon) – 344- 387- 410 – 311
Heat two saw Graeme Gordon take his second win of the afternoon, this time chased home by Jason Mackintosh, going one place better than in heat one as Paul Yule dropped to third, and Sandy Allen the only other car left running in fourth.
The final was then to see the same finishing order with Graeme Gordon completing his hat trick.
Second heat and Final both finished – 338 (Graeme Gordon) -387-344- 410
Meeting seven of the Scottish season is just over 48 hours away with the Rods back out 6pm this Wednesday night, when the Knockhill tri-oval is used for the first time this year. Unfortunately, with some drivers offshore combined with the 6pm start time, the size of the grid is questionable! Mad Jock
Cowdenbeath 21/04/07.
Mad Jock reports: The fifth meeting of the Scottish season gave the formula its third visit to Cowdie in 2007. Graeme Gordon brought the Tigra to the Fife venue for the first time, and Chas Bain appeared briefly for the his seasonal debut in his updated 206 - taking it to 19 rods for the season so far. John Sibbald, enjoying the sunshine elsewhere, was an obvious absentee.
Twelve rods it was then for the first heat, with Norman Leadingham heading the field away and maintaining the early lead. However, it wasn’t long before the Crimond driver in his rookie year was passed on the fourth lap by seasoned campaigner Graeme Callender with Pete McVay following through into second shortly after. The McVay machine though was in obvious trouble over the latter stages allowing Ian McGuigan into the top 3 in the dying laps, with McVay eventually limping home seventh. The race climax provided a fight to the flag with the 871–206 in front by a car length when it mattered, with Jim Wardrope waiting for the slightest chance.
Result –871-(Graeme Callender) – 4-7-696-54-338-88-410-700
Heat 2 saw a re-run of the early stages of heat 1 with Leadingham heading the early stages of the race in the much used Mk4 Fiesta, before Graeme Callender took over in the fourth lap on his way to his second victory of the evening. Jim Wardrope moved into second with 3 to go, and closed in the final stages to be only a few lengths adrift at the flag. McVay looked like he would hold on for third this time, only to lose out to Ian McGuigan on the last lap.
Result – 871-4-7-696-54-338-88-410-700
Final time, and Graeme Callender completed his hat-trick in by far his most comfortable victory of the evening, as he again led home Wardrope from McGuigan, who this time were about half a straight down
Result – 871-4-7-696-54-338-88-410-700
The Scottish Rods are next on track at Crimond next weekend.
Final word on the Scottish world final debacle saw the Promoter - in the programme - lay the blame firmly at the NHR door, with one person in particular coming in for serious criticism. Mad Jock.
Crimond 15/04/07.
Mad Jock reports: Crimond was the venue for the fourth outing for the Scottish rods on a dry warm afternoon, with the home based drivers being joined by Fifer Brian Wilson, and from south of the Forth making another lengthy journey, John Sibbald.
Heat 1 was to prove eventful with Steve Manett ripping the front suspension off, Neil Buchan on the receiving end of a rear end shunt and John Sibbald losing oil pressure ending his meeting in the early laps.
Result – 300 ( John Buchan) – 14 – 338-696 – N.O.F.
Heat 2 - after the shenanigans in race 1 - proved to be more successful in getting the cars to the finish. All were back out, with the exception of John Sibbald who was already on his lengthy journey home. Steve Manett, with the TT back in one piece, took his first victory in the Audi, leading home Norman Leadingham and Neil Buchan with the rest of the grid not far behind.
Result – 303 (Steve Manett) – 14 – 301-338-300-696-387
Final time, and after a disappointing heat 2, John Buchan resumed almost normal service with his second win of the afternoon. He led home Norman Leadingham, who for the third time collected the bridesmaids spot, with Graeme Gordon completing the top three.
Result – 300 (John Buchan) – 14- 338-696-303-387-301
The Rods next outing is this Saturday 21/04, when they return to Cowdie. Mad Jock
Cowdenbeath 07/04/07
Mad Jock reports: The Scottish Rods returned to the Racewall for the second time this year on a night of dry and mild conditions - far more favourable weather than their last visit three weeks previously.
Despite fewer cars than hoped for, Ian Donaldson made his seasonal debut in his immaculate 205, and Sandy Allan debuted in the formula using the former Sibbald Fiesta (which possibly started life as one of the Grimer machines). The appearance of these two took the 2007 total to 19 Rods to have raced in the first three meets.
The disappointing grid of 10 cars (with several cars still awaiting completion) and the total lack of Crimond visitors was reduced further before the green flag as Pete McVay’s 206 refused to start, despite the best efforts of Graeme Callender and then a Ministox.
It was therefore 9 Rods that got away, and with the relative lack of traffic the pace was fast and the racing clean on a night the Rods did three flag-to-flag races.
Jim Wardrope was to claim his first victory since returning with Brian Wilson crawling all over his back panel, waiting for the chance that never came. In the latter stages Ian McGuigan closed on the lead pair to leave little between first to third as they crossed the line.
Result – 4 (Jim Wardrope) – 696-7-54-629-848-19
Heat 2 saw Pete McVay back on track with this time without a battery with a hole in it. Early on McVay made his intentions clear and soon built a comfortable lead. However Jim Wardrope soon had his superbly presented 206 flying after McVay and it was the former silver roof who narrowed the gap to put the pressure on McVay in the closing stages. McVay - despite the close attentions of Wardrope over the latter stages - hung on, with Stu Walker a few seconds adrift in third.
Result – 88 (Pete McVay) – 4-54-7-696-629-848
Final time, and the second victory of the night for McVay in a race that saw the starting grid reduced to just 7 cars. Again it was a case of McVay building a lead and Wardrope to play catch up, which as in heat 2, he did, and the result was in doubt to the line with Stu Walker again not far away in third.
Result – 88- 4 –54-696-7-629-19
The Rods next outing is Crimond next week, where hopefully offshore shifts don’t prevent a decent grid. Mad Jock
Crimond 01/04/07
Mad Jock reports: Meeting two of the Scottish season saw Crimond open their 2007 racing with a healthy grid of Rods. New cars on show included Graeme Gordon’s Tigra, the first to domestically race in Scotland. Steve Manett debuted the ex-Haird TT, whilst Paul Yule returned to the Rods after a few years going the wrong way round in an F2.
Race 1 saw the new 206cc’s of Neil and John Buchan and Graeme Gordon’s Tigra make up the top 3. GMP travellers to boost the grid were John Sibbald who blew his diff in heat 1 and Brian Wilson. Steve Manett debuted the ex-Haird TT and had a eventful afternoon struggling for back-end grip and then found the steering wheel come off at the wrong moment to add to his problems!
Results – 301 (Neil Buchan) –300 – 338- 14- 696-387-344-311-303
Race 2 - after Neil Buchan’s win in heat 1 - saw the other half of the Buchan duo take the spoils as Graeme Gordon got his best result of the afternoon, splitting the flying cc duo and taking his Tigra to second place; Neil Buchan making up the top 3. In midfield, John Sibbald got the better of the battle with Wilson and Jason McDonald who was debuting the ex-Brian Walker Clio
Result – 300 (John Buchan) – 338-301-14-629-696-387-344-311-303
Final time, and Neil Buchan took his second victory of the afternoon as the 301-cc led home the identical John Buchan machine and Graeme Gordon’s Tigra, and for the third time, 14 claiming fourth place.
Result – 301-300-338-14-696-303-629-387-344
After one meeting apiece from each promotion the rods have got off to a healthy start with sixteen having raced over the two meetings. The Scottish Rods are next on track this Saturday when they return to Cowdie. Perhaps one question that might be answered soon is “when will the 1980’s Scottish Superstar graded driver return with the Ka he has sitting in his garage?” Mad Jock
Cowdenbeath 17/03/07
Conditions: driving rain and gales
Mad Jock reports: The Scottish 2007 season started with the promoter’s page in the programme confirming Scotland will have two cars on the World Final grid this year, but how these positions will be qualified has evidently yet to be decided.
The season opener was in conditions far from ideal, with many drivers before arriving having a battle to even reach the track after finding the Forth road-bridge closed to all trailers and transporters, such were the conditions. With several cars still to complete and other drivers offshore, ten Rods gathered to start the season. Included in this total was the welcome return of the former silver-roof Jim Wardrope, in the ex-Graeme Gordon SHP 206.
Race 1 - after Graeme Callender withdrew on the second warm up lap - saw Lawrence Inglis set the early pace and build up a comfortable lead, Pete McVay distantly second. However, when it looked like Lawrence was on course for the first victory of the season and attention more on the chasing pack, the yellow flags were suddenly out with the clear leader in the inner armco on turn 2. On the restart it was Brian Wilson that took over before the first lap was complete, and built a useful lead doing the fastest lap of the race with a relatively lowly 16.38 given the conditions. Ian McGuigan got clear of the chasing pack to close the gap down over the last few laps to follow Wilson over the line sitting on the Peugeot’s bumper as the flag fell.
Result – 696 (Brian Wilson) – 7-629-4-54-848-88-14
Heat 2 saw Graeme Callender build up a decent lead until around halfway when the former Stimson 206 started to sound far from happy, allowing Wilson to close right up in the third quarter of the race. With Callender driving defensively due to his ailing motor, it still looked like he might hang on despite the attentions of Wilson. Then, going into pit-bend for the second-last time, Callender left the smallest of gaps and Wilson instantly took his chance before comfortably pulling away over the last lap.
Result – 696 (Brian Wilson) – 871-54-629-7-4-848-14-88
Final time and after a problematic evening with a car that had earlier refused to run properly the 871 machine was healthy enough in perhaps the worst conditions of the evening to take a flag-to-flag victory, thereby denying Brian Wilson a hat-trick by a couple of car lengths. The battle for the places saw John Sibbald fending off Ian McGuigan, who in turn was comfortably clear of Jim Wardrope.
Result – 871 (Graeme Callender) – 696-629-7-4-54-848-88-14
The Scottish rods are next on track during the first weekend of April, in what has to be better conditions - and hopefully a few extra cars. Mad Jock
25th February 2007
Venue: Cowdie
Pre-Season Practice Session. Photos by GM Photos
Mad Jock reports: The Scottish Rods had their first gathering of 2007 at Cowdie on a damp afternoon with a disappointing six Rods present.
New cars present included Graeme Callendar returning in the former Stimson-206; Ger Wilson - after a year in the F2’s - returned in the Fiesta he had previously used; whilst Brian Wilson swapped his Clio for a 206. The former Gary Black-Fiesta appeared in new hands, which will see Gary miss the start of the season as he readies his new racer. John Sibbald also appeared in his ex-Boardley 206, whilst Stuart Walker used last year’s Clio.
The Rods (sharing the afternoon with the F2’s) were given three runs, during which Brian Wilson had the misfortune to be the first of the season to clout the concrete, when he slid wide coming out of pit-bend.
New cars more closely connected to Crimond and therefore not present, include the former 206 of GMP driver Willie Peters, which is now in the hands of former Crimond Rod driver Stuart Yule who returns to the formula after many years in F2’s. Steve Manett has the former Haird TT, whilst John Buchan has a new CC and threatens to do a few more GMP meets. Graeme Gordon has a new Tigra.
All this will ensure plenty of quality if not quantity on the Crimond grids. The former National Points champion Jason Duncan reportedly is preparing a Duratec for his Fiesta, which may delay his start to the season.
In GMP territory, former silver roof Jim Wardrope returns after many years away, having acquired the ex-Graeme Gordon SHP 206. Wardrope had last been seen with the former Slim Simpson Starlets.
As usual there seems to be plenty of cars about, but also as usual, the question is “how many can we get in the one place at the same time?”
The Scottish Rod season kicks off at Cowdenbeath on Mar 17th, which is the first of 17 GMP fixtures for the rods on the provisional fixture list and Crimond provide a further 14 dates. Mad Jock
Archive 2006, 2005 HERE
Photos by GM Photos
Mad Jock’s Scottish Archive - 2006.
Scroll down for 2005
Updated 23rd October 2006
21-10-06 Venue - Cowdie
Conditions: damp became wet
Mad Jock reports: The Scottish Rods saw 2006 out with their thirty-fourth fixture of the season. With everything decided, a 9-car grid comprising two 16v 206’s (Sibbald and McGuigan) and seven pinto machines saw the rods have a fairly tame meeting on a very greasy track.
Conditions after afternoon rain saw the heats run on a damp track, with a hint of a dry line only appearing in the latter stages of the second heat.
Brian Wilson took his now for-sale Clio to two comfortable victories in the heats after taking over from Lawrence Inglis who led both until around halfway. Brian was followed home in both heats by Jason Duncan and Ian McGuigan. With the track greasy for both heats speeds were well down; simply keeping the cars pointing in the right direction being a problem.
Following the first heat there was a presentation of a £1,000 cheque to Scottish hospices representing the monies the Rods had raised at the previous two-seater meeting.
The final proved to be the closest race. With the rain now on fulltime, Jason Duncan was the early leader until Brian Wilson again took over. However, this time Wilson was unable to lose Duncan, who in the remainder of the race, had several looks up the inside, but it was Brian Wilson who at the flag - by the length of the Clio - completed a hat-trick for the night.
Heat 1- 696-306-7*-19-54-88-629*-192
Heat 2- 696-306-7*-629*-88-54-19-191
Final – 696-306-7*-629*-88-54-19 *-16v
Mad Jock
Venue(s): Cowdenbeath 07/10 & Crimond 08/10
Mad Jock reports: Meeting thirty-two was the two-seater night at Cowdie, with all monies raised going to local good causes. Nine of the eleven booked cars appeared incl. long distance traveller Graham Jones - over from the Isle of Man. The Rods, on a night which started in good conditions before the weather drastically changed, got four races. Notable was that after many years away from the formula, Davy Philp (Sr) was again on track using both the pinto and 16v 206's of John Sibbald during the evening; each driver having two outings in each car.
R1 - 7-306-88-299-19-37-23
R2 7-306-299-88-37-19-23
R3 299-306-88-7-629-19-37-23
R4 306-88-629-7-19-N.O.F.
Crimond’s meeting thirty-three of the year came along a little over 12 hours after Cowdie had finished, and attracted a decent grid for the end of season fun day. This meet sees nothing at stake - no points - but often a lot of car swapping…
This end of season Crimond meeting was in the same vein as the night afore, with decent money being raised for charity. The Rods were given five races during the afternoon with each rod again carrying a passenger.
Brian Walker took his now-sold Clio to the first two victories, before John Buchan took the third, Neil Buchan the fourth, and John again with the final, to bring down the curtain on the Crimond Rod season.
Race 1 – 379-336-301-300-306-629-029
Race 2 – 379-301-300-629-306-029-336-3
Race 3 - 300- 336-629-309-029-3
Race 4 – 301-300-629-029-336-306-3-379
Final – 300-379-306-629-029-336-3
The 2006 Championships are now all decided. John Sibbald saw rich reward for the effort he put into attending each of the three Scottish tracks (along with the benefit of two quality cars) and picked up the majority of the 2006 silverware. Gary Black picked up two championships, and veteran Ian McGuigan returned in time to successfully defend his gold roof.
World Cup (Gold Roof) – Ian McGuigan
Scottish Champion – John Sibbald
National Points Champion – John Sibbald
Cowdie Track Championship – John Sibbald
Crimond Track Championship – John Sibbald
Knockhill Track Championship – Gary Black
Open Scottish Championship (Cowdie) – Gary Black
Open Scottish Championship (Crimond) - Dave Blackhall
Mad Jock.
Venue – Crimond – 1st October
Mad Jock reports: Meeting thirty-one of the year saw the last points scoring meeting of the 2006 season at Crimond. A decent grid appeared with additional cars still coming to the grid at this late stage in the season, as Jim Jamieson made his return after three years away in the ex-Graeme Gordon 206, thereby becoming the thirty-sixth driver to domestically race a Rod in Scotland during 2006.
Heat 1 saw JJ (Jr) lead home Dave Blackhall and Brian Wilson, with the middle order seeing a titanic battle involving Sibbald, both Buchan’s and Brian Walker - eventually finishing in that order.
Result – 305 –336-696-629-301-300-379-338-304
Heat 2 saw Brian Walker get a comparatively rare victory, but most eyes were probably on the battle behind involving JJ (Jr) and John Buchan. These two eventually went for the line side by side, and at the flag proved to be inseparable. Another good race from the Rod,s and again a race that saw the field get to the chequer flag intact.
Result – 379- 2nd= 305 & 300 3rd 301-338-336-696-304-629
Final time saw Brian Walker make it a double with this time Dave Blackhall chasing him home with JJ for company. Again it was a race that saw the field get to the end without major incident and the finishing order shows the 16v is now making a deep impression at Crimond. There’s just the occasional pinto being campaigned, and those at Cowdie are slowly following this trend.
Result – 379-336-305-629-300-301-304-338-696
The last meeting for the Rods at Crimond will be no. thirty-three of the Scottish season at the fun meeting. Like other formulae, this is a non-points scoring event, however before that, the Rods are out this Saturday at Cowdie. Mad Jock
Venue - Cowdenbeath & Knockhill – 23-24/09/06
Hot Rod World Cup weekend
Mad Jock reports: The 29th meeting for Scottish Rods this year was the 2006 Hot Rod World Cup, which saw in excess of twenty Hot Rods gather at Cowdie. The English representation was numerically one of the strongest to be seen on a Scottish grid with eleven cars.
The action started in practice with Nigel Wolstencroft clouting the Cowdie concrete and doing a fair bit of damage, giving his team a lot of work to get the car on the grid for heat 1. Matt Painter not being so lucky – his car failing to make the grid all weekend. A notable addition to the grid was Neil Buchans 16v –206cc, the first to race domestically in Scotland.
Heat 1 was held in perfect conditions as blue skies and a warm evening greeted twenty-one Rods onto the grid. Gary Black stepped off the front row in this one and simply was never going to be caught. However, behind Gary there was a full grid arguing over every bit of tarmac in a race that saw three-wide on more than one occasion on the tight Cowdie bends, and only a single yellow flag when Colin Atkinson spun backwards into the concrete on turn 1. John Sibbald was Gary’s closest challenger, choosing again to run his pinto 206 in favour of his 16v version. In third was the reigning national points champion Jason Duncan. The race was dominated by Scottish drivers; John Douglas being the first English driver home in tenth place.
Result – 6-629-7-54-88-306-301-19-696- E14 (E = England)
Heat 2 sadly - in contrast to race one - saw conditions totally change from the clear blue skies to dense fog, which never lifted for the rest of the night. At times it was impossible to see the full length of the stadium and for those on track it must have made life very difficult.
Again a race with just a single stoppage, but such was the lack of visibility only what happened at the nearest end of the track was clearly visible! Neil Buchan retired after clouting the concrete in his new machine, although thankfully without too much obvious damage. Brian Wilson then came through the fog best with Pete McVay for company in the latter stages as he led home a Scottish top four.
Result – 696-88-306-629-E14-E171-E191-19-E24-E202
Conditions for the World Cup sadly were atrocious as the weather really clamped down leaving not a lot visible with perhaps those watching halfway down a straight seeing the most. Jason Duncan led the grid away for the 30 lap race, but it was a lead that was short lived as a lap later John Sibbald took over with Brian Wilson for close company. A couple of yellow flags resulted in some damaged Rods being towed or slowly driven out of the fog before racing recommenced. It looked like it was going to be a straight fight between the two youngsters, but in the gloom the defending gold roof was powering through the field - although much of it was unseen. On lap 17 Brian Wilson took over from John Sibbald with McGuigan on his tail and two laps later Scotland’s longest serving driver and the defending gold roof took over.
Ian had to cope with a further yellow flag as another car was retrieved out the fog, but then with a clear track in front of him on the restart the 20-plus season veteran wasn’t going to be denied another gold roof. Pete McVay eventually followed Ian over the line followed by Duncan and Sibbald with Ian Whittaker and Adrian Hall flying the English flag completing the top 6.
World Cup Result = 7-88-306-629-E14-E171-E191-19-E24-E202
Day 2 saw meeting thirty of the year, as everyone moved to Knockhill and the 500m tri-oval. Sadly the dire dreich weather came as well with the fog of the previous night replaced with torrential rain in the morning, only slightly easing in the afternoon. Five additional Scottish drivers arrived, four having been unable to make the Saturday date. In these additions were the 16v machines of John Buchan and Graeme Gordon, along with the pinto machines of Andrew Blackhall and Gordon Murray. Martin Yorkston also perhaps unusually handing over his 206 to Mrs Yorkston for the day(!) taking it to thirty-five Scottish drivers to have raced domestically this year. John Sibbald in the second meeting of the weekend used his 16v 206 in preference to the pinto version he favoured the night before.
Heat 1 set off on a track featuring mini-lochs particularly on the entry to the hairpin with water halfway across the track, this and other watercourses leaving some Rods struggling to keep pointing in the right direction. Jason Duncan kept pointing in the right direction more than others in his pinto Mk6 Fiesta as he led home the 16v machines of Neil Buchan and Graham Gordon.
Result – 306-301-300-338- E191-E14-E171-7-629-88
The second Rod race saw probably the worst conditions of the day as the drivers had to deal with a lot of flowing water. Several found themselves arriving on the bottom straight not pointing in the intended direction, with one or two arriving backwards! Jason Duncan however obviously liked the conditions as he took his second win of the afternoon, again followed over the line by Neil Buchan with Graeme Gordon making up the top 3.
Result – 306-301-338-E191-46—6-300-E202-E24-30
Final time and for this one the weather finally relented – just a bit! The top three got shifted around as Neil Buchan took his new 206cc to its maiden victory followed home by Jason Duncan, and Graeme Gordon again in third to round off what - apart from the weather - was a very good weekend of rod racing.
Result – 301 – 306-338-E191-6-171-19-3-E24-E202
The Scottish Rods next appear at Crimond, for the final points scoring meeting there. Mad Jock
Venue - Crimond – 02/03-09
Open Scottish Championship
Mad Jock reports: The 2006 Open Scottish Championship attracted a decent number of GMP travellers and a good grid for the two-day event, which were the 27th and 28th dates in the Scottish Hot Rod calendar.
GMP travellers included Gary Black (6), Ian McGuigan (7), Chas Bain (10), Lawrence Inglis (19), Colin Atkinson (46) and Brian Wilson (696).
Heat one went the way of Brian Wilson, who led home the two home-based 16v machines of John Buchan and Graeme Gordon. The finishing order proved to be a real mix of pinto and 16v machines interspersed.
Result – 696-300*-338*-336-6-7*-46*-19-10*
Heat two saw a rare victory for long time Crimond campaigner Brian Walker, who won his battle with Dave Blackhall and John Buchan who completed the top three. Behind these two there was a major battle for the mid-order places, which eventually finished in the order of McGuigan, Atkinson and Black.
Result – 379-336-300*-7*-46*-6-19-696
Heat three saw Dave Blackhall get his first win of the weekend in the Clio as he headed a top three finish of pinto machines over the line - Gary Black and Brian Wilson for company. John Buchan and Ian McGuigan then disputed fourth place, finishing in that order.
Result – 336-300*-6-338*-7*-19-46*-379
The fourth and final heat for the Open Scottish Championship saw Dave Blackhall gain his second victory of the weekend, John Buchan again in second, ahead of the leading pinto machine of Gary Black. Once again most got to the line, with few casualties along the way.
Result – 336-300*-6-338*-7*-19-46*-379
After the heats, the Open Scottish Championship didn’t throw any surprises. Dave Blackhall gained his third victory out of the five races over the weekend, as he led home the two 16v machines of John Buchan and Graeme Gordon to lift the Open Scottish Hot Rod Championship. In doing so, he gained his first major title. In accordance with Crimond custom, with no championship points to be gained in a title race, the cars were only scored down as far as third place.
Open Scottish Championship- 336- Dave Blackhall – 300*-John Buchan 338* Graeme Gordon.
With the Hot Rods now deleted from the next Crimond fixture - to allow the long haul to the open meetings at Birmingham and Buxton - the Rods are now next due on track at the World Cup, where later this month Ian McGuigan will defend his gold roof over the weekend at Cowdie and Knockhill. Mad Jock
August 20 - Venue Crimond
Mad Jock reports: A day of mixed weather greeted the Rods on their latest outing at Crimond, which saw a small field of just seven cars, but close racing, for the Rods’ twenty-sixth outing of the season.
Heat 1 in the wet saw Andrew Blackhall make a successful return to the track after his problems at Knockhill. He led home Brian Wilson and Brian Walker with the two 16v cars failing to make much inroad.
Result – 336-696-379-629-300*-338*-3
Heat 2: with the rain a thing of the past and the track fast drying, the two 16v-cars of John Buchan and Graeme Gordon came through from the back of the field to claim the top two places in a race that saw only five cars get to the finish.
Result – 300*-338*-696-629-379
The meeting final - again in the dry - saw the two 16v-cars come together in an early tangle. This left them with more ground than usual to make up, and that proved too much to do. As a result, the two GMP visitors John Sibbald and Brian Wilson took the opportunity to grab the top places, with Brian Wilson bringing his Clio home ahead of John Sibbald’s 206. Graeme Gordon was the first 16v home, recovering to take third.
Result – 696- 338*-379-300*
The Rods are next back on track in a fortnight for a double date at Crimond’s last Speed Weekend of the year, before returning to Cowdie for another double-date three weeks later. Mad Jock.
August 12 & 13 - Venue Cowdie
Mad Jock reports: For the twenty-fifth time this year the Scottish Rods arrived on track as the formula returned to Cowdie for the first time in nearly two months for the first day of the August Speed weekend, which included the Hot Rod Scottish Championship.
Saturday saw fifteen Rods arrive, including Lawrence Inglis returning to the sport for the first time since hanging up his helmet back in the late 80’s in the Nitten and Armadale days.
Saturday night saw the Rods have two qualifying heats for the main event on Sunday.
Heat 1 saw the recently returned Stu Walker fairly comfortably lead home Jason Duncan and Gary Black, as the pinto machines dominated with the four 16v machines back in sixth-tenth places.
Result – 54 –306 – 6 – 629 – 696 – 7* - 338* - 88* - 10* - 46*
Heat two - the only other Rod race of the night - was a different story as with the pintos out in front on the back straight there was a sudden gathering of pinto powered Hot Rods! The 16v’s making the ground up needed no second asking to take the outside line that remained before the pinto machines gathered themselves together. Needless to say, from this point (with the exception of John Sibbald) the pintos didn’t seriously trouble the 16v machines as Pete McVay came through for the win ahead of John Sibbald, Ian McGuigan and Graeme Gordon.
Result – 88*-629-7*-338*-306-6-696-96-54-46*-192-10*
Date twenty-six in the Hot Rod year came along with part 2 on Sunday which should have seen just the other two scheduled Rod races of the weekend, the first being the Scottish Championship.
With three non-appearances from the night afore - inc 844 with a blown motor - it was twelve Rods that gridded for the Championship race.
John Sibbald (back in his pinto machine having forsaken the ex-Boardley 16v) stepped off pole, with Jason Duncan in pursuit and Gary Black making up the top trio. Ian McGuigan was the first of the 16v’s to get through the pack and charge after the leading trio, who by this time were a full straight clear. Ian, with a clear track in front of him, quickly made inroads into the gap whilst dropping his pursuers, and it was soon a leading group of four. At this stage the only yellow flag of the 30 lap race was seen as 338 pulled off with a suspected fire under the lid.
On the restart it was Sibbald from Duncan, Black and McGuigan. This is how it stayed with McGuigan unable to find a way past the flying pinto trio despite giving Gary Black a few reminders he was there. John Sibbald, whilst never losing his pursuers, did enough to gain his first Scottish title by a few car lengths with Jason Duncan, Gary Black and Ian McGuigan following him over the line.
Result – Scottish Championship – 629 (John Sibbald) -306-7*-88*-46*-696-10*-19
The second, and supposed final, race of the day for the Rods, saw the appearance of JJ and Adams. This race proved a fairly easy victory for JJ, taking the lead about half distance before dropping any pursuers until the closing laps. At this point McGuigan, having broken clear of the pack, came after JJ, whilst JJ may have had it measured and eased off, the #7 machine was nevertheless closing very rapidly over the final laps, and was less than a car-length away at the flag.
Result – 305*-7*-696-6-10*-46*-629-96-19 (*= 16v)
With Cowdie unusually devoid of stoppages in the other formulas and the meeting heading for an early end the Rods were then pulled back off the trailers, as what had been their final became instead race 2, and the Rods got two races and a final!
This race in its climax was a rerun of the NHR World Final 96 as Gary Black’s pinto-powered Fiesta led into the last lap; JJ closing with every turn of the wheel. Gary led into the last turn as JJ attempted to power round the outside, on the exit of turn 4 the cars were side by side and it was a drag to the line. From the pitbend it was impossible to visually separate the two and that’s a the way it proved to be with the result being declared a dead heat - both cars recording 4.mins 27.666 secs for the 16 lapper.
Result: first equal – 6 & 305* – 7*-696- 629- 46*-19 -96
Seventeen cars raced over the weekend and Lawrence Inglis takes the total to thirty-two drivers to have raced domestically in the formula this year. The Rods are back on track at Crimond next Sunday. Mad Jock
Meeting 24, Venue - Crimond 06/08/06 -
Mad Jock reports: The Scottish Rods, after the midweek outing at Knockhill, returned to the scene of most of their recent meetings, as Crimond held its fortnightly meet – number twenty-four of the year. GMP travellers to this one were John Sibbald and Brian Wilson.
Heat 1 saw long distance traveller John Sibbald make his trip worthwhile as he held off the challenge of the two local SHP 206’s, leading Graeme Gordon and John Buchan over the line as most of the field finished the race.
Result – 629-338-300-306-3-303-311-696
Heat 2 saw the victory go to local driver and multi-time Crimond Points Champion John Buchan in his 206-16v. In second, making his journey from Fife worthwhile, came Brian Wilson; and in doing so splitting the two local 206-16v’s as Graeme Gordon made up the top 3 in another race that saw all cars running at the finish.
Result – 300-696-338-629-379-303-3-306-311
Final time, and Graeme Gordon became the third winner of the day as he led heat 1 winner John Sibbald over the line, with this time John Buchan in third in a race that saw just three other finishers.
Result – 338-629-300-306-303-3
The next outing for the Scottish Rods is this weekend, as the formula pays its first visit to Cowdie since June for a two-day stint at the August Speed-Weekend. Mad Jock
Meeting 23, Venue – Knockhill. 02/08/06
Mad Jock reports: For the twenty-third time this year, the Scottish Rods arrived on track for the final midweek Knockhill fixture of 2006. Conditions high in the hills were better than many might have imagined after a day of heavy rain, with the evening skies clearing to leave at first a damp, but drying, track.
Returning at this meet was Davy Philp Sr, back in a Rod for the first time since the early 1990’s using the borrowed pinto machine of John Sibbald. Alan Ross also returned to the fray in possibly the most venerable Starlet Hot Rod ever seen - with the old beast looking her best after her latest rebuild. The reserve 205 of Martin Yorkston was given a run out by its prospective new owner.
The total number of Scottish drivers who have now raced a Hot Rod in Scotland this year now standing at an incredible 31, having used around 25/26 different cars.
Paul Whiteman is confirmed as now owning a Rod for his return, and another long-time retiree has acquired the ex-Alex Sharp 206 for his return - and like Whiteman - it will have been 16 or so years away.
Ten Rods was the reduced grid for this midweek meeting, perhaps the early 6pm start time having an effect. Tam Taylor in the 132 Fiesta led the field away and led over the early laps before Gary Black took over in heat one. The main talking point was the conclusion, as Gary Black headed John Sibbald out of the final corner, only to apparently be blasted around and sent flying over the centre green by Sibbald; an opinion Gary confirmed in an interview later in the meet. Regardless, John was allowed to keep the race.
Result – 629*-7*-29-6-10*-132 – N.O.F.
Heat 2 saw Gary take up the lead on lap 4 and build up a decent gap. At two-thirds distance with the track emptier than normal, Sibbald and McGuigan broke through into second and third. With no traffic between the two 16v’s and the pinto machine, the question was: with a clear track between them and the lead car, would they close the gap? Perhaps to rectify what looked an unjustified end to race 1, it was at the end of the day fairly comfortable at the flag, with Gary’s pinto powered Fiesta followed over the line by McGuigan and Sibbald.
Result – 6-7*-629*-696-54-10*-29-132
Final time, and with the evening taking a heavy mechanical toll it was just six cars that lined up. Stuart Walker - back in the former Clio of Karl Price - made the early break and built up a decent early lead. Around halfway, Chas Bain 206 expired in a large smokescreen. However, in the second half of the race, the two remaining 16v’s of Sibbald and McGuigan had broken through to take up the chase, and on this occasion the Clio was caught with 3 laps to spare. John Sibbald went on to complete his second victory of the night, with McGuigan for close company.
Result – 629* - 7*-54- 6 – 696-29
The Rods next appearance is this Sunday at Crimond, before the following weekend reappearing at Cowdie for a two-day stint; their first Cowdie fixture in over a month. Mad Jock
July Speed weekend at Crimond
Meeting 22, 26-07-06, Venue - Knockhill
Mad Jock reports: Three days after the Crimond weekend the Scottish Rods were back on track for their twenty-third appearance of the 2006 season, with an encouraging turnout at the midweek outing.
Despite a 6.30pm start, fourteen Rods were to make it, including John Sibbald debuting his ex-Carl Boardley 206 (16v), along with Ian McGuigan returning in new machinery just three weeks after retiring and selling everything. Joining these two on the grid was another new 206-16v, as Colin Atkinson made his comeback after a few years away.
Heat 1 saw two of the 16v machines (303 and 338) start with their graded pinto cousins on account of them being Hoosier-shod, with the rest of the 16v’s starting some distance behind the main grid.
In perfect conditions the Rods got away after a false start when 92 failed on the line. A fast race saw two of the 16v machines come to the fore, with John Sibbald giving his new acquisition a debut win at the first time of asking. This included him catching and passing Graeme Gordon, who had started the race with the main grid on account of the tyres on 338. Steve Manett, the other Hoosier shod 16v, failed to finish after going grass cutting! Gary Black came along third in the first pinto over the line.
Result – 629*-338 - 6- 46* - 7* - 336 – 96 – 696-3
Heat 2 saw both 303 and 338 back on Avons and therefore back to the rear of the grid with the rest of the 16v’s. Gary Black led the field away and made good use of the early laps. Although eventually having Gordon Murray for company, the no.6 Fiesta was never really troubled on his way to the flag. Graeme Gordon was the leading 16v machine in third, with the remaining 16v machines seemingly very much struggling to come through the pack
Result – 6-3-338*-336-629-303*-696-7-46*-88*-96
The final proved to be a messy race with Pete McVay disappearing into the bottom straight gravel trap, and on the top straight a three-car clash saw Brian Wilson excluded. With all this going on, Andrew Blackhall’s Clio expired in a large smoke screen. The survivors made it to the flag with Graeme Gordon getting there first, not far in front of Steve Manett - in doing so, proving his car “wasn’t a slug!” - with Ian McGuigan completing the top three of only five finishers.
Result – 338*-303* -7*- 46* -6 – nof
With both Dave Wilmott and now Colin Atkinson’s appearing at the last two meetings, it takes the total to twenty-seven Scottish drivers to have raced domestically.
The Rods next appearance is again at Knockhill next Wednesday, with a 6pm start time as the evenings shorten. Mad Jock.
Venue Crimond, 22/23 July
The July Speed weekend at Crimond provided the rods with dates 20 and 21 of the Scottish season.
The field with GMP travellers was larger than normally found at Crimond with John Sibbald, Brian Wilson and Ian McGuigan making the trip north. McGuigan was debuting his newly acquired 206-16v formerly the property of Neil Buchan, who in turn has a new car almost ready. Dave Wilmott appeared as 383 using the new Steve Manett machine whilst Steve was offshore.
Day 1 of the weekend saw the rods have two races on the Saturday evening given the shortening evening light.
Both the Saturday heats were uniquely to provide an identical top 5 result with Andrew Blackhall leading home John Sibbald and Graeme Gordon for the top 3 places on each occasion.
Heat 1 – 336-629-338*-300*-306 -696-383-379-3
Heat 2 – 336-629-338*-300*- 306 -383 –306- 7*
Day 2 saw the grid increased with the arrival of JJ who made the 600+ mile journey back from Ringwood overnight in time for the 2nd heat of the day.
Heat 3 of the weekend saw the previous night’s domination by Andrew Blackhall ended, if only just, as John Sibbald led Andrew over the line to claim the 3rd heat with Jason Duncan making up the top 3. The two 16v machines of Buchan and Gordon then made up the mid order finishers.
Result – 629-336-306-300*-338*-379-383-3-696
The second heat of the afternoon and the final heat of the weekend saw JJ claim the chequered flag making his hurried trip back up the road worthwhile.
This race was a rare success for the 16v machines as they did what they rarely do by making the ground up to claim the top 3 places as JJ led Graeme Gordon and John Buchan over the line.
Result – 305*-338*-300*-306-629-379-383-3-696
The weekend final saw John Sibbald claim his second victory of the weekend as the pinto powered machines again turned it round with Jason Duncan following John over the line ahead of the trio of 16v machines.
Result – 629-306-338*-305*-300*-379-336-383-3 (*=16v)
The Rods, after a hard weekend which saw perhaps a bit too much contact, now have until Wednesday night to regroup when they are due on track at Knockhill at 6.30pm for their 22nd appearance of the season. Mad Jock
Meeting 19, 09/07/06. Venue - Crimond
Mad Jock reports: The second part of the Scottish season commenced at Crimond with meeting nineteen of the year. With John and Neil Buchan, and others who would have been expected to appear missing - possibly due to Scottish schools being in the second week of summer holidays - it might have seemed that Crimond (never the home of the largest grids) was heading for a low turnout.
However with the return of Steve Mannet, after more than a year away, in his former Clio having reacquired it after it disappeared over the border, and JJ’s appearance, the grid reached an adequate size for decent racing on the Crimond track.
Heat 1 saw Andrew Blackhall take the ex-Dave Wilmott Clio to the flag in front of long distance traveller John Sibbald, who held off National points champion Jason Duncan. Graeme Gordon won the battle of the 16v’s, leading JJ home for middle order places.
Result Heat 1 – 336-629-306-338*-305*-696-303*-311
Heat 2 saw John Sibbald go one better than in the previous race as he held off JJ who had made up the gap from the back of the grid. In doing so he brought Graeme Gordon - in the second 16v machine - with him. But it was still the pinto machine when it counted at the flag, in a race that saw all starters make the chequers.
Result Heat 2 – 629-305*-338*-336-379-696-303*-306-311
Final time, and with the rain coming down, it saw one of the GMP travellers make his trip worthwhile. Brian Wilson took his Clio to the flag, fending off the challenges of Graeme Gordon with Jason Duncan not far behind in another clean race. Afterwards, JJ was evidently blaming his running of Hoosiers instead of Avons as his excuse for not being able to finish in front of Graeme Gordon in two of the races.
Result – 696-338*-306-305*-629-379-336-303* (*=16v)
Steve Manett’s reappearance makes it twenty-six drivers to have now raced domestically this year, and he is hopefully another who will do all three tracks. Could Scottish Rods put out an unprecedented 30 cars in a year? Part two of the season will answer that one…
The Scottish Rods next appear on track in two weeks for the Crimond double-header; a midweek date at Knockhill the following Wednesday, and the next Cowdie date still over a month away. Mad Jock
Meeting 18, 26/06/06 Venue Crimond
Mad Jock reports: For the eighteenth time since March, the Scottish Rods appeared on track for the final time before the mid-season break. Perhaps the heavy schedule is starting to tell its own story, as over the weekend at the two meetings just fifteen Rods raced.
Included in the nine that made Crimond on Sunday were Jason Duncan (306), John Sibbald (629) and Brian Wilson (696) who had already done Cowdie the night before; Sibbald particularly having a long trip on Sunday morning from South of the Forth after Saturday night’s exertions.
Heat 1 saw the pattern set for the meeting which would reward two of the GMP travellers as Brian Wilson brought his pinto powered Clio home in front of John Buchan’s SHP 206-16v machine. John Sibbald - as he often does – completed the top 3 not far behind.
Result – 696-300*-629-338*-306-379-3
Heat 2 saw John Sibbald make his long journey from South of the Forth worthwhile as the ex-639 machine led home Graeme Gordon’s SHP 16v 206. The other identical 206 of John Buchan completed the top 3 as all cars did the distance.
Result – 629- 338* - 300* - 306 – 696 – 379 – 3
Final time, and it was win number two of the afternoon for John Sibbald, who again led home the two 16v-206’s This time the order behind John reversed, with John Buchan getting in front of Graeme Gordon to chase John over the line.
Result – 629- 300* -338* -306 – 379 – 3 – 696 (*=16v)
The Rods now have a rare two-free-weeks to prepare for the next Scottish Rod fixture, which is again at Rodding’s northern outpost on July 9th. Madjock.
Meeting 17, 24/06/06 Venue Cowdie
Mad Jock reports: The seventeenth session of the Scottish 2006 season came along at the last meeting before the traditional two-week GMP summer break. Unfortunately it saw another grid lower than seen in recent times, with just ten cars. Chas Bain however made his first appearance at Cowdie with his recent acquisition - the former Ian McGuigan 206-16v.
Heat 1 saw Brian Wilson get the first of two victories tonight as he got to the line just ahead of Gary Black; the two separated by less than a second. Crimond visitor Jason Duncan brought the silver roof home in third, completing the top 3.
Result – 696 – 6- 306 –30 –10* - 96 – N.O.F.
Heat 2 saw Gary Black back to winning ways as he headed heat 1 winner Brian Wilson home in another close finish. Shaz Law completed the top 3
Result – 6-696-614-629-88*-10*-96 – N.O.F.
Final time, and Brian Wilson took his second win of the evening, fending off Shaz Law in her attempt to gain that first female Hot Rod victory in Scotland. At the flag the two were separated by little more than a second.
Result – 696-614-6-629-88*-96 – N.O.F. (*-16v)
Hopefully the GMP mid-season break will allow time for more cars to return to the grid. However the Rods next Scottish appearance is little over 12 hours away with the fortnightly Crimond fixture, then they reappear with GMP at Knockhill in a bit over 3 weeks. Mad Jock
Meeting 16 18/06 Venue – Crimond
Mad Jock reports: The sixteenth Scottish Hot Rod fixture of 2006 saw an increased field at Crimond; the grid back in double figures at a respectable eleven cars.
The meeting was given the title of the ‘Jim Clark Memorial’ in memory of Scotland’s 1960’s double F1 Grand Prix World Champion. On June 16 1956 he had his first ever race at the long defunct Crimond circuit, which lies just a quarter of a mile south of the present oval.
Jason Duncan returned at this meeting after his big shunt at Cowdie in the Open Scottish event and there were three GMP travellers.
Heat 1 saw two of the GMP drivers claim two of the top three places, as Gary Black headed home Gary Blackhall from John Sibbald in a race dominated by the pinto machines. Neil Buchan was the first 16v machine home back in sixth.
Result – 6-336-629-306-696-301*-338*-300*-379-311
Heat 2 saw Gary Black continue his liking of the Crimond venue with his second victory of the afternoon. Behind Gary, Jason Duncan got the better of John Sibbald, who led home the 16v cars that filled the mid-placings.
Result – 6-306-629-338*-300*-336-696-311
Final - the hat-trick proved to be beyond Gary, as another GMP traveller - Brian Wilson - claimed the final honours. Gary was relegated to second, with John Sibbald continuing his consistent run of the afternoon with his third third-place of the day. The 16v’s again struggled to close the gap, with the two 16v’s to complete the distance back in sixth and seventh.
Result – 696-6-629-336-306-300*-338*-10*
The Rods next outing is at Cowdie this Saturday.
Mad Jock.
Meeting 15 11/06 Venue – Knockhill
Conditions – dry & mostly warm
Mad Jock reports: Meeting 15 brought the Rods to the tri-oval for the third time this year on a day Knockhill produced - for a change - the right climatic conditions for good Hot Rod racing.
Eleven cars was the perhaps disappointing total, with some that might have been expected not showing. Of those eleven cars on grid, Crimond provided two. Billy Bonnar forsook his usual pinto powered 206 for the 206 normally kept for the English tracks. Chas Bain failed to appear as hoped in the ex-McGuigan 206, whilst Gordon Murray returned in the ex-Paul Martin Red 5 206, and Kinzie Law returned favouring the pinto powered Mini over the 16v version.
Heat 1 was probably the best race of the afternoon with Shaz Law again threatening that first female victory in Scottish Hot Rods leading beyond half distance. Eventually she was caught by Gary Black who went on to take the race from a closing 844.
Result – 6-844*-629-27*-614-192-96-3-696
Heat 2 saw the Rods come out with the track in a very different condition to that of heat 1. With a five-formula, twenty-race afternoon to get through, GMP sadly made no effort to clear the considerable quantity of gravel dragged from the large gravel traps by both the BriSCA F1’s and F2’s. The F1’s in particular bringing considerable quantities of the gravel onto the track as they ploughed through the large hairpin gravel trap, which extends round the hairpin and now halfway along the bottom straight. As a result there were many spins in this heat that can be directly laid at the gravel lying on track, Brian Wilson in particular suffering a succession of spins.
Again Shaz Law threatened the win, but her race ended on the exit of the hairpin leaving another L&P member to pick up the flag, which Wullie Peters comfortably did. Martin Yorkston, having by far his best ever race in his recently acquired ex-Chas Bain 206, followed Peters distantly to the line. Gary Black was dropped out of the top three for contact, leaving the ever improving Derek Nimmo to make up the top three with possibly his best ever result.
Result – 27*-192-96 -6 – 3 – 696- 61
The Final got off to an explosive start with the two front row cars perhaps having slight contact into turn 1 resulting in Gordon Murray tearing off the front corner against the inner marker tyre. Not for the first time, Shaz Law was out in front - only to be denied this time by a dying engine when comfortably clear. This was another race that the track conditions played a part with by now a layer of gravel on many parts of the track. Bonnar was making good progress towards the front until his car expired with what looked like a possible blown engine. Gary Black then hit the front, but in the closing stages Andrew Blackhall was making big inroads into Gary’s lead. However it was to be Gary’s race in the closest finish of the afternoon.
Result – 6- 336 – 629 – 27 – 696 – 96
Therefore not perhaps the meeting wished for, with car numbers lower than hoped; although Gordon Murray’s appearance takes the total number of drivers to have raced domestically in Scotland this year to twenty-six.
Criticism of a promotion is sometimes easy, but despite a large meeting content to get through - 5 formulas and 20 races – GMP’s decision not to make any effort to clear the large amounts of shale hauled on to the majority of the track would have been worth (for all formulas) the extra ten minutes it would have added to the meeting.
The Rods next meeting is next weekend @ Crimond and they reappear the following week @ Cowdie for the banger caravan meeting! Mad Jock.
Meeting 14 03/06 Venue Cowdie
Conditions: dry track
Mad Jock reports: The fourteenth round of the 2006 Scottish series provided more downs than ups. First amongst the many missing was Ian McGuigan with the car all but sold to Chas Bain. Thus probably comes to an end a successful career that stretches back to the earlier days of Newtongrange in the early ‘80s. McGuigan is Scotland’s longest serving driver, racing in two World Finals in the ‘90s and subsequently gaining the outlaw gold roof twice including being the current gold roof. Joining Ian in the departures apparently is Kinzie Law with everything for sale, and Shaz Law’s Mini likewise up for sale.
Coming in the other direction was the reappearance of Alex Sharp on track in Scotland for the first time in almost a year. Martin Yorkston also appeared tonight for the first time in substantially better machinery having pensioned off his venerable 205 for the 206 which took Chas Bain to last year’s Scottish Championship.
With McGuigan and Kinzie Law not showing and no Crimond visitors and others failing to appear - perhaps with damage still not sorted after the Open Scottish event - it was a small field of nine that set off in heat 1.
The main talking point in heat 1 involved Billy Bonnar and the new Open Champion Gary Black with Billy making heavy contact with the back end of the Fiesta. Both initially continued, but first Gary with a heavy smoke trail with the rear panels buried in the rear tyres was black flagged. Then, despite continuing at a decent pace, Billy with his vision obscured by his bonnet in anything other than a horizontal position was also black-flagged. Whilst all this was going on, John Sibbald had made his way to the front and was there when it counted.
Result – 629 (John Sibbald) – 27-696-614-30-96
Heat 2 saw everyone back on track, and it proved to be a cleaner race. For a while it looked like Shaz Law might hang on and create a bit of history, but it wasn’t to be, with Brian Wilson eventually getting the victory from Gary Black and Billy Bonnar. In contrast to heat 1, all 9 cars were still running at the end of this race.
Result – 696 (Brian Wilson) – 6-844-629-27-614-96-192-30
Final time, and the early leader was again Shaz Law. Her eventual challenger was Billy Bonnar who successfully found away past the determined teenager after sitting on the outside line for more than a lap.
As the final moved into the closing stages looming ever closer in Billy’s mirror was Gary Black, but the laps ran down before Gary could get close enough to put in a serious challenge; Billy getting to the flag by about 5 or 6 car lengths.
Result – 844 (Billy Bonnar) -6-27-629-30-614-96-192
Alex Sharp’s appearance takes the total number of Scottish Rods to have domestically raced this year to 26. Rumour has it that Paul Wightman will reappear before the mid season break after an absence of about 17 years having last raced in the late 1980’s. The rumoured power unit for Wightman’s return is said to be more normally found propelling 2 wheels not 4! Also not too far way from reappearing is one of Crimonds foremost Rodders - who should be out shortly…
The Rods next appearance is at Knockhill next Sunday.
Mad Jock
Meeting 13 28/05 Venue Crimond
Mad Jock reports: Crimond was the venue for the thirteenth Scottish Hot R |
