A NEW motor racing season has begun with a place on the podium – and a new personal lap record – for Arrochar racer Iain Shonny Paterson.

Lining up once again in the Scottish Motor Racing Club’s Classic Sports and Saloons series, Paterson took his trusty Triumph TR8 to fourth place in qualifying in the 23-car grid for the season’s first meeting at Knockhill in Fife.

Having begun the first of the day’s two races keeping in touch with the front three cars, on lap six Paterson found himself baulked by a backmarker, creating a gap to the front-runners that he was unable to close – despite setting his fastest ever racing lap around Knockhill in just 57 seconds.

Race two again featured a reasonable start for Paterson, but an off on the opening lap at Clark curve dropped him to seventh.

Battling through the field, Paterson’s bright orange machine – now with the name of the Helensburgh Advertiser adorning the bodywork – took fourth place from the Triumph TR8 of Andrew Graham on lap three, and after a coming together among the front-runners at the final hairpin, he was able to climb up to second, before eventually having to settle for third after being caught by the charging Morgan of guest runner Russell Paterson.

Next up for Paterson is the Doune Hill Climb in the picturesque Perthshire village on the weekend of May 21 and 22.

Paterson said: “I am very much looking forward to it, as I have never done a hill climb event before.

“If any readers are there please do not hesitate to come up and say hello to me in the paddock!”