Friday 8th October 2010

Super Torque – October 8th 2010
By Bill Mantovani (Rallycross Superprix website column)

Visiting the home of Scottish Motorsport for the first time, the Rallycross Superprix continues to look set to live up to its name as the exciting and traditional finale to the Rallycross season. The super fast circuit at Knockhill in Fife is the venue on Sunday October 24th for this year’s event - the 2010 Fuchs Lubricants, Arnold Clark Abarth Rallycross Superprix.

But who will lift the prestigious Superprix title this time? Having scored an outright win when Rallycross last visited Knockhill back in April, Dumfries driver Andy Scott looks favourite to make it a back to back victory on home soil in his familiar Tony Bardy prepared Peugeot 306. At least it says Peugeot on the entry form but rumour has it that the car is sold and Andy will be debuting another exciting Supercar – watch this space!

Scott won’t be having it all his own way though. Another driver keen to take over the Superprix title is Carmarthen’s Mike Manning in his Ford Puma Supercar. Having finished runner-up to Andy Grant in the 2009 Fuchs Lubricants Rallycross Open Championship, Manning would dearly love to join the prestigious list of winners and take over from Kevin Procter, who won last year when the event was staged at the Croft circuit.

The latest news from the Bardy stable is that another Puma could well be making an appearance at Knockhill. Kevin Procter has offered his Ford Puma for Joe Cunningham to drive provided it can be prepared in time.

It’s been all quiet on the Mad Mark Watson front since the Barnard Castle and multiple Rallycross Championship winner announced that his Citroen Xsara was up for sale. Mad Mark has been looking at a number of different cars this year but is being tight lipped about his plans. It is generally expected, however, that he will be seen in action at least one more time with the Xsara at Knockhill.

Turning to the other classes, the Procar 1600 line-up already looks good. Thirsk driver Ben Cree (Peugeot 205 Gti) has shown well this year and his confirmed entry alongside Allan Laidler and John Kennedy in similar cars could well see a Peugeot driver winning the class once again. A thorn in the Peugeot side though is the rapid Citroen Saxo of 2009 and 2010 Rallycross Open Champion Martin Peters. The Middlesbrough driver has appeared unstoppable recently and would love to add the Procar 1600 Superprix title to his list of victories.

The Revivals category once again sees a list of varied but very rapid entries. Shane Anderson Black (Kelso) is another driver hoping for a home win provided he can quickly settle in with the ex-John Wood Vauxhall Tigra which he’s recently bought. First though he has to beat his two brothers, David in the Astra and Jim in Shane’s old Corsa. This definitely looks like a family feud to watch!

A home class win certainly looks on the cards though, if it isn’t one of the Black family then look out for Ian Biagi (Dumfries) in his rapid 1400cc Mini. Meanwhile it’s been a race against time for fellow mini driver Lance Foster. His Green & White Mini Spares mini suffered a fairly major roll last time out at Lydden Hill and the team have been working flat out to prepare the car for the Superprix. Throw in Matthew Leitch (Vauxhall Astra) and Dominic Yates (Peugeot 205) and this promises to be another hot class.

Procar 2000 entries are also coming in. David Ewin will be fielding his Ford Fiesta whilst Jedburgh’s Kenny Hall, winner of procar 1600 in the 2008 Rallycross Open Championship, is giving his Renault Clio an airing. In the Rally Car category Ian Archer will be out with his Subaru Impreza whilst David Bell was an early entry in the Minicross class. Throw in a few Juniors and Autocross cars and the entry list is growing nicely.

The RX150 cars are also in action, with Andy Scott’s son Mark heading the class entry. We wait to see if Andy will be driving the other RX150 he’s entered.

A car you won’t be seeing in this year’s Rallycross Superprix though is the mighty Volvo S40 of Don Shannon. Don has unfortunately not been in the best of health during 2010 but has the following message for all his supporters:
“I would like to thank James & Eoin McMullan of McMullan Transport for their support over the last six years. Also Billy Nutt and staff of Nutt Travel, my mechanics Jonathan, James, Graham, Adrian, Aubrey, Mickey & Sean, Peter Stott & Staff of PSM Motorsport, every one who been asking after me over the last eight months, David & Janet Francis and family. Special thanks go to all the staff at the Causway Hospital, Coleraine and the Antrim Area Hospital Cancer Wing for all their care and attention and most of all to my own family for their support and strength over the last months. I am on the road to recovery now and hope to be a spectator at the Rallycross Superprix at Knockhill. Hopefully the s40 should be in action again next year.”

We all wish Don a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him in action again very soon.

Interest in the Superprix has been running high with quite a few drivers commenting that Knockhill is their favourite circuit. Spectator and driver facilities are excellent and hopefully the Gods will look favourably on us and provide good weather. The event is also being recorded so a DVD will be available shortly after.

To help spectators keep in touch with what is happening during the day remember that the 2010 Fuchs Lubricants, Arnold Clark Abarth Rallycross Superprix at Knockhill will be broadcast on Knockhill FM (87.7 MHz) throughout the duration of the event. A “Text the Tower” facility will also be in operation at the event so spectators can ask questions in relation to the event. The telephone number to use this facility at Knockhill during the 2010 Rallycross Superprix is 07941 808552 – see you all there.

Bill Mantovani
(Bill@RallycrossSuperprix.co.uk)