Keeping it in the family

It was a baptism of fire for the Cumnock Academy pupil who stood in as a stand-in passenger as part of the KCP-sponsored Kershaw Racing team.

Karl and Ruby’s mum Wendy are co-founders of the company, which is based at Benston Smithy in Cumnock and support the family-run sidecar team at Kershaw.

Not only did the team take four first places, including the pole position and the trophy in the Jock Taylor Side Car Memorial, but Ruby was also called into action.

This was the highlight of the event for the Pring family, as she took her place beside Yvonne Davidson, niece of the late Jock Taylor for whom the event is named.

Yvonne inaugurated the trophy after her uncle, the 1980 World Sidecar Champion, was tragically killed at the Finnish Grand Prix at Imatra in 1982.

She said: “My passenger Mary Grant had had a bereavement and couldn’t attend this race meeting so I asked Ruby if she’d like to jump on with me. We had a great weekend racing four races and throughout the weekend we managed to cut our lap times by eight seconds.

“This was Ruby’s third time as passenger and only my fourth time as driver.

“It was a very emotional event for myself and my family, Jock was killed whilst racing in the Finnish GP 35yrs ago and I have attended the event at Knockhill since then but this is the first time I’ve been on the grid.

“Ruby is a natural and will go very far in the sport.”

Steve Kershaw and Stuart Black performed well and are just nine points off second place in the British Championship with two rounds remaining.

He said: “Stuart and I hope to secure second but it is not mathematically possible for us to win the title this season. However, as we had hoped to just finish in the top six at the start of the year so we are very pleased.

“We want to thank Wendy and Karl Pring of KCP for their support throughout the 2017 season, It has been a massive help to the team. Our plan for 2018 is to win the British Formula 1 sidecar championship.”