Lance Gauld is a well known member of the SMRC Club Racing paddock these days but not many know that he has been in and around the Scottish Racing world for 25 years.

After a few years of karting, Gauld switched to the world of Formula Ford 1600 in 1980 and spent 10 years in the realms of single seater racing. He never quite managed a race win in this time and called it a day after entering the 1991 Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. Fast forward another 10 years and Gauld was offered a run in Barry Wood's Legend in the new and already very popular Scottish Legends Championship, getting him hooked on racing again. He did a few more Historic races in Wood's Triumph to the end of the year and then once again raced the red machine in 2002, winning the Historic Ecosse Championship.

During 2002, Wood had placed several drivers in the number 23 Turnkey Computers Legend but it had rarely seen the top ten. Wanting better things for the car in 2003, Wood offered the drive to Gauld who was happy to take it - learning the art of no-grip racing through the season to the point of winning his first races towards the end of the year. 2004 saw him enter the fray as one of the favourites for race victories and he went for it big-time establishing himself as one of the braver characters in the field, producing some breath-taking outside braking manouveres and through-the-middle three wide passes which soon became his trademark. A heavy accident towards the end of the season saw the car damaged and Gauld having to be taken to hospital for checks and missing a couple of rounds. The final standings saw him take joint seventh place with Colin Noble.

For 2005 Gauld has the use of the Legend again but he isn't sure how many races he will be taking part in as he is taking a hand in getting his son into karting.

Lance was kind enough to answer a few queries for ScottishClubRacing.co.uk.

SCR: What is your racing background and how long have you been racing?

LG: Started Karting at 13 , did 3 years around Scotland with a good result at the Scottish championships in 1980 then swapped kart kit for a 15 year old Lotus 51 FF1600 and started racing at Knockhill and Ingliston off and on for the next 10 years with a number of 2nd places but no wins to my credit (at a time when FF1600 attracted up to 33 entries and required qualification races). All my racing was done on an utter shoestring and to be honest never had the aggression to do well.

Did a little FF2000 and even a race in a Caterham during this time, ended the racing at the 1991 Formula Ford festival at Brands Hatch.

In 2001 I was chatting to Barry Wood at a do we organise in Italy every year for Ecurie Ecosse and he suggested I try his funny little legend car, which I duly did at the June race meeting, I was allowed to race straight on the main grid and drew 3rd place, I remember talking to Gerard (McCosh) and others and been told just to relax at the first corner and drop back behind the pack which I was resigned to doing. As soon as the lights went to green I had the car up the inside of Gerard and was fighting for the lead (everything goes out your head when you see the green light) and that got me hooked back in racing, I did 3 legend races and also raced the rest of the season in Barry Wood's Triumph TR2, the red one, and would have won the class but for a rule they found at the end of the season,

Took the Triumph TR3 out for 2002 and won the main historic championship which was great. Had some good dices and that car was really quick.

In 2003 Barry wanted the legend to be up nearer the front as it rarely if ever got in the top 10 so that got me the full season that year and this in pretty well one of the original legends, I think from 99 or 2000 with its 1200cc motor and no trick brakes. It took a little bit of getting used to being so forceful without going over the top but got the hang of it and by the end of 2003 took my first wins in Scotland and the national winter championship at Donnington.

SCR: When did you first race at Knockhill?

LG: My first race at Knockhill was in September 1981 in the Lotus 51, it was wet and I was a complete novice but somebody passed me early on in practice and I hung on in there and qualified 2nd (never had a Formula Ford as high as that afterwards) It was dry for the race and dropped to 9th from a capacity grid which was ok.

SCR: What was the high point of your 2004 season?

LG: High point of 2004 was some really good drives at Croft where I had the car rocketting but it kept being spoiled by red flags (a story of my season this year) and then the race at the Nürburgring which was awesome. But it has to be coming into the Hairpin (where else) at Knockhill in 7th and exiting in 1st (only slightly popped Simeon (Maurer) out of the way, though I think he had stopped for directions!) For some reason that car can be awesome at changing directions in a pack under heavy braking, its strange all my cars I've had have had the same trait at the hairpin!

SCR: What are your plans for 2005?

LG: At the moment unsure, I have use of the Legend again and intend to do some races though not sure yet how many, with my son racing karts that will take up time, I'd like to do some other classes of racing and some interesting ideas have floated past, it will be great if any of them stick, watch this space!!

SCR: What is your ultimate goal in motorsport?

LG: I've been lucky enough to drive so many different vehicles in my life, I have achieved a lot of my goals already but I'd really like to drive a DFV engined F1 car sometime before I need a wheelchair and get fed soup through a straw. Would also like to win another championship, was disappointed I couldn't finish in top 3 of legends this year as 4th was realistic until the crash.

SCR: Which racing machine you've driven would you consider to be your favourite?

LG: Difficult to tell as far as pure racing cars , I spent a day at Donington testing a Radical 3 years ago which was awesome, my back hurt for weeks afterwards with the stresses of the Craner curves, but in the past I've also driven on the road a D type replica, an original Ecosse C type, a full race XK 150 Jag and the ultimate 10 million dollar Ferrari 250 GTO which was just incredible.

SCR: Any type of racing car you haven't driven but would like to?

LG: I'd love to drive an F1 car though at the moment I am not fit enough, also a real Gt40 Le Mans car would be good and a group C sports car would also be on the list. I will just have to see what happens.

SCR: You drove the infamous Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 2004. Tell us about it.

LG: I have attached the article I've done for Wheelspin which tells the whole lot, the good the bad and the ugly!