THE Prostock Basics formula was introduced at the Cowdenbeath Racewall to attract new drivers into stock car racing, utilising road cars with very little alterations to them to get drivers onto the track.

This week’s interview by our Racewall reporter, Jim Turner, features one the drivers who has made great progress in the formula.

All that is needed to be carried out to get a driver onto the track is the removal of all glass, add an H Frame behind the passenger seat, and doorplate to protect the driver.

One driver who showed up well in 2023 was Colin Ogilvie, who is a self-employed landscape fencer, and he ended up winning both the GMP National and Racewall Track Points titles, but it was only at the last meeting of the season that he clinched the titles.

Colin recalled: “What an end to the season! I certainly experienced the good as well as the bad. I was on a high after having won the points championships, only to be brought back down to earth with a bang when Storm Babet hit us with a vengeance, and boy did it hit us hard!

“We keep my car, my son Kielan’s Saloon, and all our spares in two sheds and the first one had about nine feet of water in it, and the other about six feet, after it blew itself out. Luckily, we managed to get the cars and most of our spares out of the sheds before they got damaged, but it certainly was a trying time!”

Central Fife Times: Colin Ogilvie going well in his Prostocks Basic car.Colin Ogilvie going well in his Prostocks Basic car. (Image: Contributed)

But it did not stop Colin enjoying himself: “Overall, I have had a really good season, although I didn’t win too many races, but picked up a lot of top five results and felt that I was consistent which in the end was a benefit.

“I hadn’t done very much to my car for the start of the 2023 season, basically painted it and put the sponsors’ names on it, and that was that. The car proved to be fast and ran without any problems throughout the season.

“When the season started, I was really pleased with how competitive the car was and this saw me picking up good places. It became apparent early on that both myself, and Callum Rennie, appeared to be the front runners, and it basically stayed like that all season. We both had spells as the red grade superstar, meaning we had to start at the back of the grid.

“We had five meetings up at Crimond, and there are a few of their drivers who have moved to the Basics. I did well at Crimond, although the track is very hard on tyres. There were a couple of championship races there, the first being the Highland Championship.

“In the heats I had two good results and I started third on the grid. In the final there was a lot of close racing with some “rubbing” along the way. I was caught up with another couple of cars for a good part of the race and ended up finishing in fourth.

“Over the July break at the Racewall, they have what is called the Munster weekend. It didn’t go to plan! In the heats I managed two good results, but in the final I ended up being disqualified after making contact with another car.”

He went on: “At the Racewall I continued to pick up a lot of good results and at that stage I was sitting in second spot in the track points race.

“In the Turner Trophy meeting the car was running good, and I had a second, then a fifth in my heats and a third in the final. We then had the Malcolm Lumsden DVD Trophy and on the way to the track I told my crew that I was going to win it. They laughed at me and told me that I was havering.

“As usual the car was going well and after two good results in my heats, I worked my way through to pack and moved into the lead during the closing stages. It felt ​good to take the win, I was able to tell my crew, ‘I told you so’ on the journey up the road.”

Colin looked at an exciting challenge: “The one well we all want to win is the Scottish Championship and when it came along I was ready.

“The car had been given a major check-over in the garage during the week and I was quietly confident. Your grid position is drawn out of a hat and trust me, I picked out number thirteen, out of nineteen, resulting a start towards the rear of the field.

“When the race started, I was soon picking up places and when the first stoppage came along I was running in ninth place. A few laps later there was another stoppage after Joanne Hilditch had been sent bouncing into the tyres and then collected my car.

“Luckily, I was able to carry on and was now sitting in sixth place. Over the remainder of the race I was able to overtake the cars ahead of me and moved into second place. Martin Loggie was the leader and slowly but surely, I was reeling him in, but I was sitting on his back bumper when the checkered flag appeared. If there had been another couple of laps I may well have managed to overtake him but there wasn’t.

“Despite being the runner-up I was more than pleased with the results considering my starting position.

“From there on it was a case of picking up points. The last meeting at Crimond was on Saturday, October 14. In their track points championship, Leona Anderson was leading and couldn’t be caught so Callum and I were more focussed on the National Points which he started off with a slight advantage.

“It was nip and tuck between us throughout the meeting, although I was to gain the upper hand and managed to cut the deficit but only by a couple of points or so. At the end I was third in the Crimond Track Points list.

“It was down to the Racewall for the decider, we don’t often race on a Sunday mainly a Saturday night. I managed to get through the traffic fairly quickly and managed to win the opening heat whilst Callum was third, and I had closed the points gap.

“In heat two I had to settle for the runner-up spot, whilst Callum was fourth, so it was all down to the last race – the final showdown! In the end it was an anti-climax. Callum got himself involved with another car and ended spinning himself out and whilst I was going well, I just couldn’t catch Joanne Hilditch and ended up as the runner-up. However, with Callum not finishing I had won both the Racewall track points and the National points titles.”

Looking ahead Colin observed: “We are still looking for space to keep our cars – they are outdoors just now – but I am going to refresh the one that I used, and have bought another car and am hoping to convert that to a Basic in time for the start to the 2024 season.

“I will be defending all my titles but my main target is to win the Scottish Championship. I get a lot of help from my sons, Kielan and Kayden, whilst Craig and Robbie are usually there to keep the cars up to scratch.

“They joke that I just turn up to race – I wish! I wish to thank them and my sponsors for all they help that they give me – its greatly appreciated.”