Knockhill

Knockhill is Scotland's most prominent motor racing track. It is situated just north of Edinburgh, and is the venue of the Scottish leg of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) as well as many other racing events, including trackdays.

From Humble Beginnings

Britain has long been known for its motor racing - after all, the first Grand Prix was held here in 1950 - but England was generally more fortunate than either Scotland or Wales when it came to racing circuits. Even by the early-Seventies, Scotland did not have a permanent racing circuit - disused airfields were used only on an occasional basis, and as such Scotland did not really have any dedicated motorsport championships. It was a catch-22 situation - there was no motorsport, so landowners did not create tracks; there was no motorsport due to the lack of tracks.

However, sheep farmer Tom Kinnaird, who was an avid motorcycle race fanatic, hatched a plan to modify part of his farm, situated on Knock Hill, into a short track. The plans were modest - namely to join up a few farm tracks, cover them in tarmac, and hold races. However, they created a spectacular track, with tight twists and open turns, and a unique relief in which the highest and lowest point of the track varied by 60 metres. The primary tarmac was laid upon the 1.3 mile long circuit in 1974, and a motorcycle race was held a few months later.

As well as the odd race meeting, the track was open to race teams for testing. The track was run by Tom Kinnaird for the first year of business, and was moderately successful. But Kinnaird realised that for any real progress to be made, much more investment and circuit engineering knowledge was required. This came in the form of Denis Dobbie, owner of the DART British Formula 3 racing team. Dobbie was well-known within the racing community, and has all the necessary connections with which to make Knockhill a success. Dobbie planned a number of improvements - namely the increase in track length to 2.3 miles, the installment of 40 fully-equipped pit garages, construction of a go-kart track and development of accomodation on-site. Other improvements included a complete resurfacing of the track, along with the addition of a Race Control building and a Medical Centre.

But by the end of the single-year lease of the track, Dobbie had accumulated debts of over £250,000, and could not afford to continue with the track. Kinnaird, for the next seven years of the track's life, leased it to people on a year-by-year basis. It became obvious that without proper investment and care, the overall condition of the circuit would start to deteriorate. By 1983, things were looking pretty grim, with Kinnaird left with no tennants and a run-down track. He needed rapid investment to stop Knockhill from slipping off the motorsport map.

Step in Derek Butcher, a successful businessman who had recently sold his house alarm installment business for a vast amount of money. Butcher was always a motorsport enthusiast, and was a bike racer himself. In 1983, Butcher bought Kinnard's farm and all its assets, and set about renovating the track, which had become, by now, a strip of decayed tarmac around a quagmire. In 1984, Butcher instigated the resurfacing of Knockhill, and raised the safety rating of the circuit up to conform with the requirements of the RACMSA. The only established racing circuit in Scotland was on its way back onto the scene.

Butcher's next aim was to prove that his track was just as good as any other in Britain - and to do so, he would have to secure a national championship, which was massively popular. Butcher spent years trying to bag a number of series, and his efforts were rewarded with the British Touring Car Championship visiting Knockhill in 1992. To celebrate this, Knockhill Radio was launched, Britain's first dedicated radio channel, to broadcast at every event at the track. The appearance of the BTCC culminated in the visiting of other established championships, such as the BSB (British Super Bikes) and the BGT (British GT) and Formula 3 championships. The track has been on quite a journey over the years, but has now secured itself as Scotland's National Motorsport Centre.