Ross is revved-up for his car racing debut in the opening round of the Celtic Speed Mini Cooper Cup and has already attracted support from a local business.
Ross has impressed in pre-season testing and is confident that he can make an impression at Knockhill this weekend (7/8 April), despite being a rookie.
“Graduating from karts to cars is obviously a big step for me but I feel ready for the challenge. The Celtic Speed series has a lot of very fast and experienced drivers but I didn’t enter simply to make up the numbers. Karting teaches you a lot about racecraft and the Mini is very compact and chuckable, just like a kart!”
The seven-round championship is ostensibly based at Knockhill in Fife but will travel to two of Britain’s premier circuits, Oulton Park in Cheshire and Croft in North Yorkshire.
“As this is a learning year for me, it is great to be competing on three of the UK’s most iconic and challenging tracks. Knockhill has been compared to an over-sized kart circuit, whilst Oulton Park has been described as the ‘Nurburgring of England’ and Croft is just outrageously fast.”
He added, “I’d like to do well and use 2012 as a platform to build a career as a professional racing driver. I’d really like to move up to the Porsche Carrera Cup and from there race in sports cars, ultimately with the aim of competing against a good friend of my family, Allan McNish.”
Ross’ ability on the track, allied with his personality off it, has attracted a great deal of interest from the local business community. Peter Gronberg, owner of the Thornhill Inn and Gillbank House boutique guesthouse, was quick to forge a partnership with the 2010 British Open kart champion.
“As a former karter myself, Ross’ own track record really impressed me, along with the way he conducts himself – he is very mature and professional for such a young man. It is very exciting to be able to support a rising local talent at the beginning of his career and go on that journey with him. Ross is passionate about success for himself and his partners. He is a great ambassador for his home town and for Dumfriesshire. Ross also has some very good marketing ideas, which I hope will give my businesses increased awareness.”
Ross will make his Celtic Speed Mini Cooper Cup bow on 8th April at the famous Knockhill circuit in Fife.