Today’s Jim Clark Memorial Race Meeting at
Knockhill heralded the start of the 2018 Scottish Motor Racing Club national
Scottish championship season. The slickly run 14 race programme got underway at
just shortly after 11am and was all over by 5.30pm with little in the way of
delays during the day, despite a number of ‘racing incidents’ which kept the
rescue and recovery crews busy. In fact, the Safety Car driver got more laps than
anyone else – well nearly. But no serious injuries, thankfully.
During the lunch break there was a short service on the Grid,
which was relayed over the tannoy during the public grid-walk. Words were spoken
and memories recalled followed by subdued applause.
Amongst the cars on the grid was Bruce Mitchell’s Lotus
Europa. And yet there was something distinctly unusual about the car. The green
Lotus emblem had been replaced by a black one, reminiscent of those which Colin
Chapman put on his cars following that tragedy back in 1968. A nice touch, and all
the more evocative and respectful because of its simplicity.
