Gray hopes to follow in dad’s racing tracks

The driver, from Bo’ness, will enter the classification which came about after the Legends Day in 2016 when it was noticed how easy it was to get cars on the track without a huge financial outlay. Although there was a slow start the formula has grown quickly and there are now over 30 registered drivers.

The idea is to get as many people into stock car racing for as little money as possible. The cars are standard, they don’t handle like a racing car and to get onto the track all that is needed is to take out the seats and glass. Obviously the driver requires a helmet, gloves and harness and that is it.

Lauren, a manager at Farmfoods in Musselburgh, is one of several females who have appeared in the Basics. She made her debut at the holiday meeting in January.

“My dad James drives a stock rod and he helped me get the car ready for the meeting,” she said. “I have always wanted to race and did have a run in his stock rod but I think the Basics are a good learner formula. Unfortunately there was no practice before racing so I was in at the deep end.

“It felt great to be out there racing although I found the track conditions very slippery and there was a lot of oil on the track from the Bangers. Whilst I was tentative about the track conditions I got quicker each race and didn’t spin the car. My dad gave me a few tips which helped me. I managed to miss a few cars that had spun, a couple just in front of me but was able to finish all the races. I was ninth in the final.”

Practice sessions were due to begin this month before the big shutdown of sport across Scotland due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The news on the Formula I World Championship qualifying round at Knockhill in Friday, June 26 is still provisional. The Fife track has also exceeded its fundraising attempts for Scottish Air Ambulance.