SCOTS racers are looking to get their British GT Championship campaigns off to a winning start this Easter.
The season opener will see two hour-long sprint races take place at Oulton Park in Cheshire on Monday.
And among the favourites will be 2020 champion Sandy Mitchell. The Forfar driver will again partner Adam Balon in a Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT3 prepared by Barwell Motorsport.
The duo are determined to better their top-three series finish last season. Mitchell said: “We’ve tested well in pre-season, so we know the car’s quick.
“Adam and I know each other’s strengths and we’re in a position to start the season stronger in 2022. I can’t wait to get back on-track on Saturday.”
Reigning two-time Pro-Am winner Ian Loggie, from Motherwell, will also want to be on the podium in his RAM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Aberdeen father-and-son duo Stewart and Lewis Proctor won last year’s Silver-Am crown but have switched from Balfe Motorsport to Greystone GT.
They’re hoping to defend the title, as well as challenge for overall success, in their McLaren 720S GT3.
Dumfriesshire’s Ross Wylie has his sights set on becoming British GT’s first two-time overall GT4 champion as he returns to the class for the first time since his 2014 title run.
He’s signed for series debutants Valluga Racing, driving Porsche’s new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
The new single-seater GB4 Championship will be holding its second round at the same event, with Perth’s Chloe Grant and Logan Hannah, from East Kilbride, competing for Knockhill-based Graham Brunton Racing and Laser Tools Racing.
They will take part in three races and Hannah, who has Formula Ford experience at the circuit, said: “The last time I was at Oulton I left with some silverware, so it’s an aim – it could happen, I think.”
Unfortunately, though, Stirlingshire’s Tarran Mackenzie won’t be riding to defend his title in the opening round of the British Superbike Championship at Silverstone.
The McAMS Yamaha ace has successfully undergone surgery to plate his left ankle that he fractured during pre-season testing.
However, Perth’s Rory Skinner will be looking to build on his debut in the series last year on board an FS-3 Racing Kawasaki.
The only way is up at the Doune Hillclimb this weekend as competitors from all corners of the UK kick off the season.
Points are up for grabs in the Scottish, Highland, and Lowland Speed Championships, as well as the Scottish Hillclimb Championship at the renowned venue.
There’s plenty of variety to keep everyone entertained at the King of the Hills, from Hillman Imps to a BMW M5-powered Pilbeam and everything in between. The action starts from 9am on Saturday and Sunday.
And Knockhill is hosting an Easter Hot Hatch and Family Fun Day on Sunday, with trackday sessions, plenty of prized cars on show and great entertainment for kids of all ages.
Highlights include magic shows by Cameron Young, of Britain’s Got Talent fame, a truck pull by double Britain’s Strongest Man winner Andy Black, spectacular drifting demos on track, live music, Easter egg rolling and more.
Last weekend, the famous Fife venue hosted the opening Scottish Motor Racing Club 2022 meet.
Colin Queen earned his first BRSCC National Formula Ford 1600 victory with a last-lap pass on Jordan Dempsey in race one to lift the prestigious David Leslie Trophy.
Meanwhile, Matt Chisholm took the maximum points in the Scottish championship. In race two, Lucas Romanek was the National winner, with Michael Gray winning the Scottish championship battle.
Ross Dunn took the honours in the first Citroen C1 Cup showdown, with Sam Corson winning race two. Steven Gray took the Fiesta ST win in both races, while Russell Paterson was first over the line in the first Classic race, with John Kinmond winning race two.
Michael Weddell was straight in the groove in the Scottish MINIs as he won the opening two races. Chad Little took victory the final outing. Craig Blake won both R53 class races.
Further afield, the GT Cup kicked off at Donington Park in the Midlands, giving both Loggie and Wylie cause for optimism in their British GT campaigns.
Loggie scored a lights-to-flag win in the first encounter, followed up with second, fourth and fifth finishes with RAM Racing in the four contests.
Wylie and team-mate Paul Bailey were in the latter’s McLaren MP4-12C Can Am and enjoyed consistent second-place finishes in the GTO class.
Inverness driver Neil MacLennan made his GT debut with Cameron Fenton in the Valluga Racing Porsche Cayman GT4. They came fourth twice in the GTH class, as well as bagging fifth and 11th-place finishes.
