THE opening round of the 2014 Super Lap Scotland Championship is set to explode into action this Sunday at Knockhill Racing Circuit after Knockhill Motor Sports Club received a bumper entry.

Some of Scotland’s fastest and most powerful modified sports and saloon cars will top the bill, with Ayrshire racer Charles Shaw heading the Pro Class entry list in his 987bhp four wheel drive turbo charged Ford Focus.

The variety of cars in the new six class structure allows for the extreme machines such as Shaw’s to compete against other tuned monsters, but equally road going BMW’s and Porsches will also be competing for overall honours to see who will be crowned the overall “2014 King of Knockhill”.

Charles’s Focus is a famous car within the competition scene and has been developed over a number of years but it is Subaru Impreza’s and Mitsubishi Evo’s that will make up the majority on the entry list.

Aberdeen based Fiona Kindness will be competing in her newly built Subaru after a huge off in 2013 saw her trusted Nissan Skyline roll at the challenging Clark Corner. A winter of work saw her new car make its debut at the first SMRC but engine problems meant that she could not fully exploit the massive power potential, but after a recent track test session, all seems set for her to challenge for Class A honours.

Returning to Super Lap Scotland is South Queensferry BMW Compact Cup racer Michael Gray who competed in a 440bhp Subaru Impreza in 2013. His new car, a class E BMW Compact, is in the class for the least powerful cars and will compete against other of similar power such as XR2’s and Nova’s. Gray said, “Whilst I am competing in the British BMW Compact Cup this year, the intense SLS format where you have to perform on that single lap final definitely sharpens you as a driver. It’s a bit like Formula One qualifying where you could have the best car, the best team and the best set up, but unless you can deliver on the single lap, it’s all for nothing. I am really looking forward to the event on Sunday and hope that I can return to future rounds too.” Driver co-ordinator and coach Rory Butcher said, “Sunday’s event has proved to be a great launch for the 2014 SLS season. The interest is phenomenal and with entries nearly double that of the first round last year and I can only see the numbers grow in 2014. We have been in touch with all the Tuning Shops and Rolling Roads over the winter and the interest is huge as SLS gives keen drivers a competitive format to show off their modifying skills as well as their driving prowess." The action starts at 9am with Hot Hatch driver track sessions before the SLS competitors then take to the track for the first of their four sessions. The Single Lap Shoot Out Final is scheduled for 4.15pm when the pressure is on for all the competitors.

Admission is £10 (or £8 in advance), £5 for concessions and under 12’s go free.