Circuit Guide : Knockhill
Over the next few months i am going to be putting together a citcuit guide to race circuits round the country, The UK has some of the most exciting circuits in Europe with MSV (Motor Sport Vision) owning the majority of the main locations around the southern parts of england.
Image CMC-Images 2017
Today we start with Knockhill in Fifie Scotland, Opened in the 80s Knockhill racing circuit is the only circuit in Scotland that can run UK race championships, From the British Touring Cars to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship the UKs premier racing series.
Knockhill was opened in the mid 70s as a motorcycle racing circuit on a farm and disused railway line to bring action to the scottish people creating a challenging and unique road racing circuit which still stand on the side of Knock Hill to this day.
Image CMC-Images 2019
The early 90s saw the first visit of the British Touring Car Championship which to this day has been the biggest 4 wheel race series to visit the circuit and over the years has experienced some of the biggest incidents and races in the series history.
Over parts early 2000s saw the visit of some of the other UK 4 wheeled national championship which was the British GT Championship with some of the most exotic cars in the world competing on the tight twists and turns. One event that comes to mind is the 2009 event in the pouring rain to see the spectacular Dodge Vipers and Ferrari 360s trying to put there power down on the circuit was just incredible to see.
The Scottish Circuit is home of the Scottish Motor Racing Championship and there main event over the years has been the action packed Mini Cooper Cup Series which has lead to a feeder series to the BTCC and even some of the competitors racing in the USA.
Having visited most circuits in the UK over the years Knockhill is one of the best spectator circuits in the UK, From the top of turn one Names Duffus Dip you can see 90% of the circuit all the way round to the tight Clarks corner. If you take a walk down the hill you can stand at Macintyres corner a 90* right hand corner which is always a bottle neck for action after the challenge of turn 1, Moveing round you have the butchers dip which is a 1 line part of the circuit and only the bravest of the brave will try going door to door round there upto the blind chicane, The back straight leads into Clarks corner another uphill blind righ hand corner again very challenging corner where over the years there has been many gravel visits from anyone who try to overtake into that corner, Iconic part of the circuit is the Railway bend now known as Hislops into the Taylors Hairpin where the major challenge comes and a race winning/losing move is almost inevitable in every race.
One of the special things about Knockhill is that its the only circuit in the UK where you can have a race meeting in Clockwise and Anti-Clockwise direction which presents its own challenges on a race weekend.
Next Circuit Guide will be Croft Circuit in the North East of England an ex Airfield circuit very flat and presents some amazing challenges on its own.
Images Provided by CMC-Images