Eyemouth driver gears up for Fiesta challenge

Eyemouth driver Steve Sadler with his Ford Fiesta

Lifelong driving enthusiast Steve Sadler will be lining up on the starting grid for the Fiesta ST Challenge Cup series, run by the Scottish Motor Racing Club (SMRC).

The season gets under way at Knockhill on June 6, with all races taking place at the Fife circuit bar one, which is being held in Lincolnshire. Steve, of Eyemouth is hoping for a successful tournament, having raced last year in a Covid-shortened Citroen C1 series for his novice season.

He finished almost exactly halfway among nearly 30 drivers, so decided he’d give himself a slightly more daunting challenge this year. "C1s are a good way of learning but they are reasonably soft and slow – they are not as meaty and angry as Fiestas,” he said. “So I wanted something with more bite.”

Steve, 53, added: “I have always had a passion for cars and driving, and have always enjoyed motor sport, primarily touring cars and rally. In late 2019, I was watching the British Touring Car Championship final round and decided to get involved in motorsport and research options. I took my ARDS racing test at Knockhill and decided to take part in the Scottish C1 Cup, in the 2020 season. While the season was short, I found a great group of people of friendly people and some thrilling driving – a really good way to learn about the finer points of motor racing. For 2021, I decided move into something a little more powerful with Fiesta STs and I set about building my car in December 2020, with the help of Hogarth Motors.”

According to SMRC, Fiesta racing has been a mainstay of Scottish Motor Racing for over 20 years, initially with the XR2 model and more recently the ST. It added: “The championship attracts both seasoned veterans and newcomers alike. In the past, the Fiesta class has helped to launch the careers of some of Scotland’s top racing drivers.”

As well as receiving support from Hogarth Motors in Eyemouth, Steve self-sponsors through his graphic design firm and marketing agency, Intimation. His company also supports Sir Jackie Stewart’s charity, Race Against Dementia, while this year, Steve will be an affiliate driver charity fundraising group Racing Awareness Scotland.