A ROYAL Navy sailor is turning his engineering talent from the ocean wave to the racing track as part of a new team of local motorsport enthusiasts.

Gary Taylor is one of four mechanics in O’Neill 66 Racing, who are preparing for the penultimate round of the Scottish Motor Racing Club’s Scottish Classics and Saloons Championship at the Knockhill circuit in Fife this weekend.

Team principal and driver Duncan O’Neill has made professionalism the key to the team’s set-up – and it’s a move that has paid off, with not a single non-finish against the team’s name in the championship’s Fiesta XR2 class so far this season.

“Although we are all doing this for the fun and passion of motorsport, we do take the racing very seriously,” Duncan said.

“The team makes it work. The team operates professionally. We all have our team shirts on so we can be identified easily.

“We gather a lot of our information from lap times and pass the feedback back to the guys who make the changes. We’ve completed nine races to date without any non-finishes.”

With two SMRC meetings left in the season – this Sunday, September 16, and then the finale on Sunday, October 7 – Duncan has his sights set on winning the championship’s Best Newcomer trophy.

But his thoughts are already turning to what might lie in store in 2019.

“My future aspirations are to have more cars out next year,” he said.

“I have purchased another three XR2s, which will soon be up to spec. It’s my hope that I’ll find some drivers to take the seats and enjoy this affordable sport as much as I have.”