Story:www.scottishrally.co.uk
It’s the end of June, the sun is shining and it’s midway through the Scottish rally season. That means it’s time for the rally circus to head to Dumfries for the RSAC Scottish Rally, which is taking place on Saturday 26 June. Apparently there’s another sporting event taking place at the moment, but you can be certain there will be no vuvuzelas anywhere near the forests of Dumfries and Galloway!
Three local drivers head the entry list for the Scottish, which is the fifth round of the Hankook MSA Scottish Rally Championship. Defending champion David Bogie of Dumfries will lead the field away in his Mitsubishi Lancer, partnered as usual by Hawick’s Kevin Rae. Right behind are the Castle Douglas crew of Jock Armstrong and Kirsty Riddick in a Subaru Impreza, with last year’s winners Mike Faulkner of Lockerbie and Peter Foy of Bingley third away in another Mitsubishi Lancer.
As last year’s Scottish proved, however, any one of a number of crews could take the win in one of Scotland’s oldest motor sport events. Junior driver Alick Kerr of Lanarkshire and Elgin co-driver Neil Shanks have been challenging for wins all season long in a Subaru Impreza, whereas Lancashire’s Wayne Sisson will be hoping to top last year’s second place in the Mitsubishi Lancer with Invernesian David MacFadyen on the notes. Argyll Mitsubishi crew Shaun Sinclair and Chris Hamill are another who won’t be far away from an outright win, and what’s to say current Scottish championship leader Andy Horne and co-driver Jim Howie won’t spring a surprise in the DAM 4100 GTi?
Yorkshireman Steve Bannister and Hawick navigator Louise Sutherland are leading two-wheel drive entrants in the historic-specification Mark 2 Ford Escort, but they could have company in the form of Escort specialists Calum MacKenzie and Alan Clark. Mackenzie and Clark have acquired a new Mitsubishi to complement their Ford Escort, but have still to confirm whether they’ll take to the forests in the Ford or the four-wheel drive Mitsubishi.
In the Brick and Steel Ecosse Challenge, Euan Duncan and Peter MacInnes lead the Honda Civic section from Graeme Schoneville and Phil Coulby, with Grant Inglis and Robert Gray hot on their heels. Garry Pearson is out in front in the Peugeot 205 category, but is coming under pressure from Sean Robson/Iain Robson, Steven Smith/Russell Fair and Jamie Watson/Stephen Williamson to name but a few. 2008 Scottish junior champion Mark McCulloch of Newton Stewart is also set to return to the 205 fold for one of his home rallies with regular navigator Craig Wallace.
Meanwhile, it is with great disappointment that rally announces the Armed Forces Rally Team will not be participating in the 2010 RSAC Scottish Rally. The team have been an integral part of the rally since its earliest years, establishing themselves as fearsome competitors in their own right in the Land Rovers as well as being a welcome sight for crews of smaller cars stuck in ditches! The highly professional yet friendly approach of the Armed Forces team symbolises everything the RSAC Scottish Rally strives to stand for, and the loss is met with great sorrow by rally organisers. The rally is, however, keen to keep the association with the armed forces alive and will once again be donating half of the proceeds from the event tombola and silent auction to the Help for Heroes charity. All those involved with the RSAC Scottish Rally wish the Armed Forces Rally Team every success in their future endeavours and hope they will return to the forests of Scotland soon.
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