Mike Faulkner and navigator Peter Foy powered their way to a superbly judged victory on Saturday's ProTune Remapping Merrick Stages Rally – their first win in the MSA Scottish Championship for more than two years.
The pair completed the six Galloway Forest stages in a total time of 42 minutes 13 seconds in their Mitsubishi Evo 6, forty-five seconds ahead of Robbie Head in an Evo 9. Wayne Sisson, also in an Evo 9, was third, a further 1 min 2 secs adrift.
Euan Thorburn - who was tied for second in the championship with Faulkner going into the "Merrick" - fought his way back up the leaderboard following turbo-pipe problems on stage one to finish with the same overall time as Sisson: the Lancastrian taking the final podium spot thanks to the faster run on the opening test.
The event was marred by an accident on the final stage involving the Inverness crew of Dougal Brown and navigator Lewis Rochford in a Mitsubishi Evo 4. Twenty-seven-year-old Brown was airlifted to hospital in Dumfries where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Rochford suffered shock, but was otherwise unharmed.
The stage was cancelled as a result of the incident, with notional times being given to competitors who were running further down the field.
More than 70 cars had set off from a wet Wigtown earlier in the day: the entry list minus three-times Scottish champion David Bogie, whose car was being prepared for the next round of the British series, which he leads, and 2009 Merrick winner Jock Armstrong, who had sustained heavy damage to his Subaru Impreza on the Speyside Stages.
Faulkner put down an immediate marker in their Mitsubishi Evo 6 by winning the first 9-mile Craignell stage - twelve seconds ahead of Northern Ireland's Jonny Greer, with Head a further five seconds back.
Thorburn, with Paul Beaton of Inverness on the notes, was a minute and a half down after problems with the turbo-pipe of his Evo 9, but the Duns man bounced back immediately with the fastest time on SS2 Jenny's Hill – just one second in front of Head. British Championship contender Greer was eight seconds shy of Thorburn’s time, and two seconds ahead of Faulkner who had recovered from a brief "off" in the slippery conditions.
Head and navigator Claire Mole were top of the timesheets on the third stage, Glentrool East, in their Evo 9 – cutting Faulkner's overall lead to three seconds. Greer was a further six seconds back at the mid-way point, twenty seconds ahead of the Evo 9 of Wayne Sisson, with Chris Collie in a Subaru Impreza just two seconds behind in fifth.
Thorburn pipped Faulkner by two seconds to take the win on the second of the Glentrool stages. Head and Greer were also pushing on – just two seconds separating the pair – with Sisson and Donnie Macdonald fifth and sixth respectively.
There was another tight finish on the penultimate test, Glentrool South, with Faulkner and Head sharing the honours – just one second ahead of a hard-charging Thorburn. Sisson was a further four seconds adrift, while fifth fastest time went to local competitor Mark McCulloch who was making steady progress at the wheel of his newly acquired Subaru Impreza N10.
Faulkner and Foy "threw everything " into the final – and longest – stage of the event, the 12.35 miles of Black Loch. They emerged thirty-one seconds ahead of Thorburn, with Head another seven seconds back.
We're both very pleased with the outcome", said Faulkner at the finish in Wigtown: "Obviously we had a problem on stage two which made it more difficult for us than it should have been, but we settled ourselves down and didn't try to win it in the middle of the rally. Robbie pushed us hard but we turned up the level on the final stage and had a really good run – we were fully committed and there was a real buzz to come out on top.”
“It's a bit late in the championship but it's a great one to have, we've never won the Merrick, and it sets us up well for the runners-up spot", added the Kirtlebridge-based driver.
Head was more than satisfied with his runner-up spot: his highest finish since returning to regular competition at the start of the year: "It was great. Stages three, four and five were a real battle and then I backed off a little bit on the last one – I was hoping to preserve my second place and I just knew that the risk that I would have to take would probably end in disaster”, explained the former works driver from Lanark, adding: “Fair play to Mike, though, he drove really well today".
Wayne Sisson, co-driven by David Macfadyen of Inverness, was also happy to have made it on to the podium on only his fourth SRC outing of the season: "It's been one of our better days. I think luck has been on our side, but if someone had told me last night that I would finish third, I'd certainly have taken it. Obviously some of the regular guys aren't here, but it's quite refreshing to see some different faces at the top end of the leaderboard".
For Thorburn it was a case of damage limitation ("we lost so much time on the first stage we knew we'd never get it back") but the result ensures that the fight for second place in the SRC is carried through to the final round, the Colin McRae Forest Stages.
Kilmarnock's Andrew Gallacher, with Phil Sandam on the notes, finished a fine fifth overall, in his Subaru Impreza. The former saloon car champion notched up a fifth equal fastest time with Irishman Liam Regan on the final stage, after earlier sharing the spoils for sixth quickest on the fourth test with Donnie Macdonald and Mark McCulloch, and again on the penultimate test with Aberdeen’s Chris Collie and David Newall from Edinburgh.
Collie and navigator Lisa Watson from Alford recorded their best result of the season, ending the day sixth overall in their Subaru Impreza – just five seconds adrift of Gallacher. It followed their tenth overall on both the RSAC Scottish in June and last month’s Speyside Stages.
Jonny Greer's challenge for overall honours ended when he was hit by a puncture a few miles from the finish, dropping him down to seventh. However, he was pleased with his pace on the gravel ahead of Rally Yorkshire, where he will revert to his Fabia S2000 for the resumption of the BRC where he sits third behind David Bogie and Elfyn Evans.
Liam Regan was just four seconds shy of his fellow countryman at the finish to secure eighth overall on his first visit to the famed Glentrool stages. His 4-wheel drive Mitsubishi-powered Peugeot 206 proved to be one of the "stars” of the event. "We made some improvements to the car today and it's just nice to get to the finish of a really well-organised and friendly rally", said Regan.
SRC regular Jim Carty, co-driven by Ian Fraser, brought his Subaru Impreza WRC home in ninth place – despite a brief excursion into a ditch on the opening stage.
The top ten was rounded off by event sponsor Mark McCulloch and co-driver Craig Wallace in their ex-Sara Williams Impreza.
"It's been an unbelievable day for us, given this is our first gravel event in the car", said McCulloch: "We were onto the pace really quickly, and to have achieved four top-eight stage times – fifth quickest on stage five – is way beyond what we'd hoped for at the start of the day.
Nineteen-year-old Cumbrian Peter Taylor, co-driven by Andrew Roughead, emerged as the leading 2-wheel drive crew in their Renault Clio R3 – the pair recording a fine eleventh overall.
Quintin Milne and Martin Forrest led home the Escort Mk 2 competitors in the main field to finish fifteen overall – pipping the Duns crew of Mike Horne and Robbie Mitchell by fifteen seconds. Both crews won their respective classes.
Meanwhile, in the historic category, Andy Kelly – returning to competition after a five year lay off – celebrated a famous victory in his pristine Escort Mk1, co-driven by Roger Herron.
The pair had trailed Steve Bannister's Mk2 for much of the day, but moved into the top spot after the Yorkshireman, with Louise Sutherland of Hawick on the notes, punctured on both the penultimate and final stages.
"First time out in the car, first time in a rally car in five years, first time rear-wheel drive, it's been a day to remember. This is where it's at!" enthused Kelly, who, as event sponsor, won what was then the Park Systems Stages in 2006 in a Mitsubishi Evo.
Overall honours in the 1600 category went to John Boyd and Chris Williamson in a Citreon C2R2, but it was second-placed Graeme Schoneville and Michael Hendry who took maximum championship points in their Honda Civic.
Iain Haining from Dumfries and Castle Douglas navigator Mairi Riddick in a Vauxhall Nova clinched their fourth Class 3 victory of the season. Ayrshire's Blair and Alex McCulloch, also in a Nova, took second spot, with Sean and Ian Robson from Melrose third in a Peugeot 205 Gti.
Alex Pirie from Keith, co-driven by Huntly's David Law, wrapped up the Class 2 championship in fine style with a fourth win of the season in a Vauxhall Corsa. Craig Smith, with Jack Morton on the notes, was second in class in a Nova.
Among the fifteen crews who failed to make it to the end were Donnie Macdonald and Keir Beaton from Inverness – their first non-finish of the season. Fifth going into the championship, their "Merrick" challenge ended when they went off the road into a ditch on the penultimate Glentrool South stage.
The final round of the MSA Scottish Rally Championship is the Colin McRae Forest Stages, based in Aberfeldy, on October 1st.
The overall Scottish title has been decided for another year, but there is still plenty at stake on Saturday's ProTune Remapping Merrick Stages – the penultimate round of the MSA Scottish Rally Championship.
The battle will resume for the runners-up spot – with top seeds Mike Faulkner and Euan Thorburn, who are both equal in the points, locking horns again after their "nail-biter" on the "Speyside" earlier this month when they set the same times on four of the stages.
They will face strong competition for overall victory from, among others, Robbie Head, who sits fourth in the points, and two non-SRC registered entries - BRC front-runner Jonny Greer and fellow Northern Ireland competitor Phillip Morrow, who was in line for a top five finish on the Speyside before a time penalty put paid to his challenge.
The fight for 2-wheel drive supremacy on the Wigtown-based event will also be something to savour, with the historic Ford Escort Mk2 of Steve Bannister up against the Mk2's of Malcolm Buchanan, Mike Horne and Quintin Milne.
There are some close-fought tussles across various categories and classes in the championship, including Class 10; DMACK Group N; the Clubmans 2-Wheel Drive; the Scottish Junior Championship; and the Red Bull Junior Challenge.
With champion David Bogie sitting out this round as he prepares for the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire in his quest to add the British title to his three Scottish crowns, all eyes will be on the fight for the No 2 spot in the SRC.
Faulkner will have Peter Foy back in the co-driver's seat of his Mitsubishi Evo 6, as the pair target victory on the classic Galloway Forest stages.
"I really like the Merrick stages. In my opinion, they are some of the best in the country", said Faulkner: "They are very quick and reward the committed driver".
"I expect the battle with Euan to be tight again, after we set exactly the same times for four stages on the Speyside. We are tied in the championship, so I expect the battle to be just as close on the Merrick. Peter and I will just be concentrating on trying to win".
For his part, Thorburn, co-driven by Paul Beaton, comes off the back of a strong second-place finish in Elgin in his Mitsubishi Evo 9.
The Duns based driver got the better of Faulkner after the Evo 6 pilot overshot on the final stage.
Robbie Head, with Claire Mole on the notes, is still seeking his first podium after returning to regular competition in the Scottish championship at the start of the season.
However, in six rounds, the Lanark man has only posted one result outside the top ten and will be fancying his chances of a podium finish this time out in his Station Garage/H-Logistics-backed Evo 9.
Greer, co-driven by Dai Roberts, and Morrow with brother Simon the notes, could spoil the party for the SRC regulars in their respective Evo 9's.
Greer, currently lying third in the BRC , finished third behind Bogie and Jock Armstrong on the "Merrick" twelve months ago, following a second place to Armstrong in 2009.
Rally preparation expert Wayne Sisson from Lancashire returns to the fray in his Evo 9, alongside David Macfadyen from Inverness. Sisson has only contested three rounds this season – his best result, a sixth place on the RSAC Scottish in June.
Seventh seeds Liam and Francis Regan are another Northern Ireland crew who could be fighting for honours at the sharp end of the leaderboard. Twenty-two-year-old Liam's Peugeot 206 is powered by an engine from a Mitsubishi Evo 6, which means he will compete in the "open" class on foray to the south-west of Scotland.
Invernessian Donnie Macdonald will be hoping to continue what has been a very successful 2011 SRC campaign. He currently sits fifth in the overall drivers' points, twenty adrift of Head, and leads the Class 10 rankings by three points from John McLory. Macdonald will be looking to better his eighth place finish on last year's "Merrick".
Meanwhile, McLory, co-driven by David Hood, will be at the wheel of the Subaru Impreza N15 in which he has finished seventh and twelfth overall on the two previous rounds.
Elderslie's Jim Carty is back in action in his Subaru Impreza WRC alongside Ian Fraser from Mull – the pair aiming to make amends for a non-finish on the "Speyside" because of gear-box problems – while John Morrison and Peter Carstairs will also be looking for a strong finish in their Evo 9; the Conon Bridge man currently ninth in the drivers' points.
Stephen and Kevin Lockhart from Oban have also had a solid season and will be aiming to better their fine seventh place finish last time out in their Evo 7.
Calum and Claudia MacLeod again make the journey over from Germany to compete in the Bill Gwynne Motorsport-prepared MG ZR S2000 in which they claimed a class win and top thirty finish on last year's "Merrick" – Claudia's first forest rally outing.
While Steve Bannister, co-driven by Louise Sutherland, will run ahead of the main field in the historic class, his main Mk2 rivals – Buchanan, Horne and Milne – are seeded 19th, 25th and 26th respectively. Another to watch out for is Thornhill's Liam Harkness who leads Class 8 in his Mk 2.
Also entered in the historic class in his recently acquired Mk1 is Andy Kelly, who in 2006 won what was then the Park Systems Rally as event sponsor. He will be co-driven on Saturday by former BRC navigator Roger Herron.
There's a strong entry in the 1600 category, with Gareth White, co-driven by Mike Dickson, hoping to maintain his advantage over fellow Citreon C2 R2 competitor and erstwhile points leader James Robertson – the Thornhill man being forced to retire early on the "Speyside".
Then there is the Vauxhall Corsa of Paisley's Alasdair Graham, who has three class wins to his name this season, and the Honda Civics of Graeme Smith and Graeme Schoneville, who were first and second respectively on the "Speyside".
Tom and Sue Hynd have stamped their mark on Class 3 this season – apart from the last round, when they rolled on the last stage in their Peugeot 205. Behind them, a single point separates Blair McCulloch and Iain Haining who will be going head to head in their Vauxhall Novas. Borders crew Sean and Iain Robson will also be back in action in their Peugeot 205 – fresh from their class victory in Elgin.
The Class 2 entry is led by north-east of Scotland duo Alex Pirie and David Law, who have notched up three wins and two second-place finishes in their Vauxhall Nova in 2011.
There is still plenty to play for In the Scottish Junior Championship, where Gareth White has a two point advantage over Liam Harkness, while the positions are reversed in the coveted Red Bull Junior Challenge.
Competitors will tackle eight stages totalling 44 miles in the Black Loch and Glentrool forests with two stops at the central service area at Glencaird. The Rally HQ will again be based at the Town Hall in Wigtown.
The first historic car will set off from outside the Town Hall at 0830 on Saturday, with the first of the 4-wheel drives at 0910.
COMPACT "MERRICK" OFFERS CLASSIC STAGES / Regulations available
Posted: July 25, 2011 11:49 PM
Entries have now opened for the ProTune Remapping Merrick Stages Rally - the penultimate round of the MSA Scottish Rally Championship.
The Dumfries and Galloway event on Saturday, September 3rd will again be based in Wigtown, following a highly successful relocation to the town in 2010.
Competitors will tackle one of the most compact routes on the SRC calendar.
It takes in 44 miles of classic stages in the Black Loch and Glentrool forests to the east and north of Newton Stewart, with an overall route of 76 road miles.
Historic cars will again run ahead of the main field after a healthy turnout of classic vehicles last year.
In addition, the event will incorporate a Mini Rally with over 30 stage miles and 41 road miles, and a Trophy Rally over the final stage for crews who have been forced to retire earlier in the day.
Competitors will make two visits to the purpose-built central service area at Glencaird, close to the Glentrool stages.
Scrutineering on the eve of the event will take place under canvas opposite Rally HQ at the former County Buildings.
As in previous years, the rally organisers are offering a discounted entry to ALL overseas competitors.
Meanwhile, there has been an appeal for marshals to help out on the "Merrick".
“We are urgently looking for volunteers, because without marshals there won’t be a rally ” said Joint Clerk of the Course, Allan Marshall.
“We would welcome all comers - from absolute beginners to the more experienced. Don't worry if you've never done it before because you will be put alongside experienced marshals on the day".
"If you can help out, then I'd urge you to call our Chief Marshall (Staffing) on 07767 726075 / +44 7767 726075 or you can email him at colin.rodger@virgin.net
Full details of the event, including supplementary regulations and an online entry form, can be found at the event website.
ProTune Remapping are leading vehicle tuning specialists based in Dundalk, Co Louth.
The Merrick Stages Rally has secured a sponsorship deal with leading
vehicle tuning specialists, ProTune Remapping.
The agreement has been brokered through Newton Stewart rally ace, Mark
McCulloch, who acts as the Irish company's representative in Scotland.
It is a major boost for the Wigtown-based event, which had been seeking a
main sponsor after tyre giant Hankook pulled out of Scottish rallying at
the end of last year to concentrate on the DTM touring car series.
"I'm absolutely delighted that, thanks to Mark, we have been able to pull
this deal together after promises of sponsorship from other sources had
fallen through", said rally manager Allan Marshall: "The generous support
from ProTune Remapping will give the event both an international and local
connection, and will help secure its future in Galloway".
The renamed ProTune Remapping Merrick Stages - the penultimate round of
the MSA Scottish Rally Championship - will take place on Saturday 3rd
September.
ProTune, who have their headquarters at Dundalk in Co Louth, have built up
a reputation as leaders in the field of ECU remapping - a process which
improves vehicle performance and enhances engine life, while drastically
cutting down on fuel consumption.
Through Mark, the company is now looking to expand its operation in
Scotland and the north of England - offering a service which covers all
types of vehicle, from cars and trucks to tractors and motorcycles.
"Being able to support my home event through ProTune is fantastic", said
Mark: "Having competed on the Merrick for the last 4 years and now using
it as a platform to launch my new business is very exciting".
He went on: "With the rising price of fuel hitting hard, I thought it
would be beneficial to offer a service whereby anyone - from individuals
to company fleet managers - can have their vehicles remapped to reduce
running costs. Savings of between 8 and 15 percent are possible on most
vehicles".
Details of the rally, jointly organised by Machars and Scottish Sporting
car clubs, can be found at
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