WSR head to Knockhill this weekend ready to mark a milestone weekend in the British Touring Car Championship for home hero Aiden Moffat.
Sunday’s second race is set to be the LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR driver’s 350th BTCC start and will fittingly come at the same circuit where he made his series debut in 2013.
Not only that, but the 28-year-old is a local favourite, hailing from nearby Dalkeith, Edinburgh, and so can expect a rapturous local support cheering him on to what he hopes will be a repeat of his maiden BTCC podium finish there 10 years ago.
His team-mate Charles Rainford is anything but a local, being based in Sussex near England’s south coast.
This will be the Brands Hatch winner’s first time racing in the BTCC north of the border, but the Croft Jack Sears Trophy top-scorer has fond memories of Knockhill after taking victory in the Carrera Cup GB last year.
WSR stablemate Daryl DeLeon heads the Jack Sears Trophy standings from Charles after an overall podium finish last time out at Croft, and made it to the Q2 section of qualifying last year at Knockhill.
The Cambridgeshire racer, who is also now chasing a top-10 spot in the outright championship, is keen to continue his new-found momentum since the summer break.
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill unfortunately missed the previous round at Croft after being ruled out through illness after Saturday’s opening practice session.
Now fully recovered, the reigning champion is back and is eager to use the BMW 330i M Sport’s upturn in form to propel him to the head of the field.
Jake has won in each of the past three seasons at the 1.4-mile Fife circuit and has taken five of his 21 career wins at the venue; the BMW’s superb traction out of the uphill hairpin being of particular benefit in recent years.
“Firstly, it was fantastic to get the news that Jake (Hill) is back to full health and will be in the #1 BMW this weekend,” commented Dick Bennetts, Team Principal. “He’s been the stand-out driver at Knockhill since he came to WSR with four wins and six podiums in nine races so we’re definitely a stronger force with him back.
“He’ll be pushed hard by Daryl, Charles and Aiden, who all showed what they were capable of at Croft and have a great chance to go even better this weekend thanks to some of the refinements we’ve made to the BMW’s set-up. Aiden should have huge home support ahead of his 350th BTCC race and I think all four drivers are capable of finishing on the podium.”
WSR have the best record of any current BTCC team at Knockhill with 17 race wins including a pole position and double success last year for Colin Turkington and Jake Hill.
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