ONE of the year's most eagerly-awaited events for Scottish motorsport fans will arrive at Knockhill this weekend in the shape of the Super Touring Car Championship.

Supported by Fife Council, the event comes to the circuit for only the second time after it made its return last September, with Italian racing legend Gabriele Tarquini clinching an historic double win.

An increased entry list has been received for this year and will see some of the most iconic cars ever to have raced in the UK doing battle on the track, including Super Tourers, thunderous Group A Sierras and new-era two-litre British Touring Car Championship cars from 1992 onwards.

Double BTCC champion John Cleland, from Galashiels, will be hoping for better luck than last year, where he qualified third only for an engine issue with his Super Touring Vectra meaning he was unable to race on either day, while Auchterarder's Stewart Whyte was involved in two incidents that prevented him finishing either race in his Honda Accord.

Stewart Gray, Knockhill director of events, said: "With a record entry of 15 Super Tourers, including cars from BMW, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Volvo and Audi, we are over the moon that the championship is coming north with more numbers than last year. In addition to a quality grid on track, the pit lane garages will feature a whole host of special exhibits that will be on display and being paraded too. The complement of racers and show cars will attract race fans from all over."

Formula One cars in the shape of an ex-Nelson Piquet Benetton and Fernando Alonso Renault, as well as a F3000 of Laurent Aiello, will also be gracing the circuit and entertaining the fans and, given ideal conditions, one may well set a new lap record.

The teams will be arriving in Scotland from tomorrow (Friday) onwards for testing and unusually, the Super Tourers will have one race on Saturday and one race on Sunday, making it a full weekend of action.

Tickets are on sale now and up to date event information can be found on www.knockhill.com.