John Sibbald from Bathgate hoping to get back into his Hot Rod stock car soon

John Sibbald from Bathgate has been racing for over 20 years and is hoping for a spot on the Hot Rod World Final grid

A West Lothian stock car legend is hoping to earn a spot on the Hot Rod World Final grid once lockdown ends.

John Sibbald has had an illustrious career but is looking for some more glory before he bows out.

The Bathgate man started racing a Mini at Cowdenbeath in 1998 alongside the likes of Stuart Borthwick.

Shortly afterwards he bought a Fiesta Hot Rod and says he found the transition to a Hot Rod challenging and daunting.

John quickly adapted, though, won his first race and began to move up the ranks.

He said: “Over the next few seasons I had raced another Fiesta and then bought a Peugeot 206 from Ricky Hunn. I won the Scottish Championship and National Points in 2006, was eighth in the English National Series the following season, and qualified for the World Championship in 2008 at Ipswich.”

John took a break from 2009 to 2011 but returned to the racing scene in a Lightning Rod and won the Scottish Championship and track points in 2012.

He was soon back in a Hot Rod and qualified for the World Final again, came second in the NHRPA Championship in 2015 before dipping out for a couple of years.

John returned last year and is now enjoying his swansong.

He said: “It was good to be back. At present I am sitting third in the Scottish Points which would get me a spot on the World Final grid. Now it is a case of waiting to see happens.”