Scottish Rally - (Sat) 25 Jun 16

Elfyn Evans / Craig Parry are Kings of Scotland

Posted: October 20, 2016 9:49 AM

Elfyn Evans and co-driver Craig Parry are the winners of the RSAC Scottish Rally today (25 June) taking a comprehensive victory on round four of the MSA British Rally Championship. The DMACK British Rally Team driver returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since the opening round in mid Wales. The second win for Evans has elevated him back to the top of the championship table by 20 points, heading sparing partner Fredrik Ahlin who retired on the event.

Rising-star Tom Cave made a heroic last stage push to put his Michelin-backed Fiesta R5 in second with Irishman Desi Henry taking his first BRC podium, making it three tyre manufacturers on the rostrum in his Pirelli-shod Skoda Fabia R5 with a fine third. Local-hero David Bogie held a solid second overall until damage to his Skoda Fabia’s radiator but paid to his weekend on the final stage, denying his home fans the chance to see him on the podium.

The exciting one-day Scottish Rally was to provide a thrilling backdrop for the fourth round of Britain’s premier rallying championship. To the sound of a traditional bagpipe player, crews set off from the Ceremonial Start in the centre of Dumfries – heading into 62 miles of fast and furious forestry action. Classic gravel tests including Castle O’er, Gubhill Rig and Burnfoot provided an exciting day of rallying action with dust being a particular challenge in the morning loop while heavy rain showers made the competitive stages slippery in the afternoon.

Evans in his Ford Fiesta R5 showed his world championship credentials right from the off, taking an 8.8 second lead on Stage One. The World Rally Championship star was on fine form as it was a lead he wasn’t going to relinquish, as he went on to set the fastest time on all seven stages, taking a commanding 52.4 second victory over fellow countryman Tom Cave.

Ever-consistent Welshman Cave continues his 100 per cent finishing record by returning to the podium, a position he has longed for since the Mid Wales Stages. The Spencer Sport driver suffered a lack of power on a number of stages early on and was never able to challenge Evans for victory on the flat-out Scottish stages as a result. Although holding a comfortable third place going into the final stage, the rising star went on a late charge, digging deep to wrestle runner-up spot off home-grown hero David Bogie. As Cave had played his double-points ‘Joker’ he has moved back into championship contention.

Bogie’s demise meant Irishman Desi Henry (Skoda Fabia R5) recorded his best finish on a British Championship event by chalking up a fine third overall. Henry has shown glimpses of pace on previous events, but on round four it all came together for the while Jonathan Greer mades it three manufacturers in the top four in his Citroen DS3 R5.

David Bogie sported a striking new livery on his Skoda for his local round and the multiple Scottish Rally winner wanted to put on a show in front of the home crowd. With his extensive knowledge the CA1 Sport driver also played his ‘Joker’, but disaster struck on the final stage as the Scottish driver suffered too much damage to his radiator after an incident to make it back to the Ceremonial Finish in the centre of Dumfries.

Bogie’s CA1 Sport teammate Fredrik Ahlin led the series coming into the Scottish and – in the wake of leader Evans – he enjoyed a ding-bong battle over the course of the morning with the Scottish driver. After a slow start, the Swedish star turned up the wick and started to reel in his more experienced teammate, but on stage four he too had to retire, with a broken propshaft the culprit.

The DMACK Junior BRC always sees entertaining action from the under 26-year-olds in front-wheel-drive, pocket-rockets and the Scottish Rally was to be no exception. Norwegian Sindre Furuseth took the early advantage in his Renault Twingo R2 as he flew out of the blocks on the opening picturesque stages. Furuseth and co-driver Jim Hjerpe were desperate to win their first BRC event after coming close previously. Recording a succession of fastest stage times, the Scottish Rally was to be their rally as the Scandinavian pair took the spoils in Dumfries on Saturday evening.

Irishman Robert Duggan had a nightmare in the early stages of the event. A clutch and gearbox gremlin hampered the Vauxhall ADAM R2 and to remain in the event his Vauxhall Motorsport mechanics had to change a complete gearbox in 30 minutes. It was a feat they triumphantly achieved with minutes to spare allowing Duggan and co-driver Ger Conway to continue in the event and take a solid second, adding lucrative points to their championship campaign.
Vauxhall stablemate Mattias Adielsson took a fine third in the DMACK Junior category. The result shows a return to form for the Swedish sensation as he stood on the podium once again.

Matt Edwards and co-driver Will Rogers took the spoils in BRC2, further extending their championship lead. The duo once again delivered a giant-killing performance in their Mitsubishi Evo 9 which is not too far from a showroom-production model, finishing 11th overall and seventh in BRC, putting more powerful R5 machinery behind them in the process.

Chris Wheeler in his Citroen DS3 R3 played his ‘Joker’ on the Scottish Rally, elevating him in the BRC3 points table – overhauling BBC Top Gear presenter Chris Harris in the process. Tony Simpson bounced back after a troubled Pirelli Carlisle event to take the BRC4 honours. He too played his ‘Joker’ putting him in the pound seats going into the second half of the season. In the BRC National Rally Cup, Robert Blomberg scored his first win of the year and the second for the Mitsubishi Mirage after guest star Osian Pryce won the opening round in Wales.

The winner of the SORT Oil Spirit of the Rally Award was Australian Guy Tyler in the DMACK Junior BRC. Tyler was declared the unanimous winner by the BRC team and SORT Oil for his sheer dedication and commitment to the series. After making the mammoth move from the other side of the world to compete in the series, the young Australian showed great pace, finally recording his first BRC finish with fifth in the Junior series.

Quotes from the RSAC Scottish Rally:

RSAC Scottish Rally First Overall – Elfyn Evans – Ford Fiesta R5
“This win is what we wanted as we have had a lot of bad luck on the last few rounds and we wanted to get on back track in Scotland. I am really happy that we managed to do it and we can go to the next round pretty happy and with confidence as well. It is a shame Fredrik [Ahlin] and David [Bogie] retired the way they did, but fortunately luck has gone our way this time and I look forward to the battle resuming on the Nicky Grist Stages in two weeks time.”

RSAC Scottish Rally Second Overall – Tom Cave – Ford Fiesta R5
“It has been a really good day and a solid points haul as well is brilliant. We had a couple of issue to be honest but we just had to overcome them and hold the head high to get through it all. Congratulations to Elfyn [Evans] he drove really well again and his pace has helped inspire me, as I want to get as close to him as possible. Things are coming together nicely for us now. Spencer Sport is a young team, things take time to gel and things are starting to work really nicely. I felt the time was right to play the Joker, and the pace helped me make the most of it.”

RSAC Scottish Rally Third Overall – Desi Henry – Skoda Fabia R5
“It is a privilege to be on the BRC podium. To be standing with Elfyn Evans is quite something – he is a world rally driver, and I am a builder! We have been driving within ourselves and keeping it steady as there were big gaps in front and behind us. The key was not to get punctures and not damage the car. It is great for our championship and we are over the moon! We hope we can carry the form across into the Nicky Grist Stages now.”

DMACK Junior BRC First Overall – Sindre Furuseth – Vauxhall ADAM R2
“Finally to win a BRC event is amazing. We made a good start and, once we were out in front, I felt comfortable but the Vauxhall boys pushed me hard. I was determined to win and drove flat-put to do it. The Junior BRC is so good as we all push to our limits and it helps us all develop. We are closer to Rob [Duggan] in the standings and it will be interesting to see how the Twingo does on Tarmac. I am hoping this now starts a good run for the championship.”

Results

Posted: October 20, 2016 9:35 AM

1. Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Craig Parry (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5
2. Tom Cave (GBR)/James Morgan (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5  +52.4
3. Desi Henry (IRL)/Liam Moynihan (IRL) Skoda Fabia R5 +2:14.4
4. Jonathan Greer (GBR)/Kirsty Riddick (GBR) Citroen DS3 R5 +2:42.6
5. Josh Moffett (IRL)/John Rowan (IRL) Ford Fiesta R5  +2:56.0
6. Jamie Anderson (GBR)/Ross Whittock (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +2:58.8
7. Matt Edwards (GBR)/Will Rogers (GBR) Mitsubishi Evo 9 +3:59.8 
8. Thomas Preston (GBR)/Jack Morton (GBR) Skoda Fabia R5 +6:41.4
9. Sindre Furuseth (NOR)/ Jim Hjerpe (SWE) Renault Twingo R2 +7:08.8
10. Ollie Mellors (GBR)/ Ian Windress (GBR) Proton Satria S2000 + 7:14.51

MSA DMACK Junior British Rally Championship
1. Sindre Furuseth (NOR)/ Jim Hjerpe (SWE) Renault Twingo R2
2. Robert Duggan (IRL)/ Ger Conway (IRL) Vauxhall ADAM R2 
3. Mattias Adielsson (SWE)/ Andreas Johansson (SWE) Vauxhall ADAM R2 

Leaders
SS1-8 Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Craig Parry (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5

Stage Winners
SS1 Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Craig Parry (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5
SS2 Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Craig Parry (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5
SS3 Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Craig Parry (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5
SS4 Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Craig Parry (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5
SS5 Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Craig Parry (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5
SS6 Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Craig Parry (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5
SS7 Cancelled
SS8 Tom Cave (GBR)/James Morgan (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5

Scottish Rally - (Sat) 25 Jun 16 - RESULTS

Results on Line (Scottish 2016) | Results by: Tynemouth Computer Services Rally Results

Scotland Awaits For Duggan/Conway

Posted: June 23, 2016 2:42 PM

2015 Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year, Rob Duggan, continues his 2016 DMACK Junior British Rally Championship assault this weekend on round 4, the RSAC Scottish Rally.

22 year old Duggan, from Killarney Co. Kerry, currently leads the DMACK Junior Championship by a single point having taken a brace of wins from the opening 3 rounds. As well as that, Duggan, unlike his closest rivals has yet to play his double points "joker" electing to keep it until later in the season.

Despite heading to yet another new event, Rob isn’t worried;
"I enjoy doing new events, you learn so much. I've elected to hold on to my joker until a little later in the season so we'll be hoping to pick up solid points in Scotland. From what I have heard, punctures can be an issue on the Scottish roads and that's something I'll have to keep in mind. Heading there with a narrow lead in the championship doesn’t really change our plan, we are still learning to really drive on gravel but it's something I'm getting a lot more comfortable with and the Vauxhall Motorsport UK Team have been brilliant in helping with car set up. I'm in the position I wanted to be in at the start of the season but I'm fully aware the hard work starts now. I've been training hard and working on my mental preparation through my involvement with Team Ireland and myself and Ger can't wait to hit the Scottish stages on Saturday.

The RSAC Scottish Rally is the only round of the British Rally Championship to take place over a single day, but it will be a day full of challenges. Offering 65 competitive miles and encompassing classics tests such as Ae, Twiglees, Castle O’er, the Dumfries based event has a fearsome reputation. The Scottish is one of the oldest events on the calendar dating back to 1932. More information can be found on www.msabrc.com

To keep up to date with Rob's exploits through the season, visit www.robduggan.com and www.vauxhallmotorsport.co.uk

Rob is supported by Rentokil Initial, Motorsport Ireland, Sport Ireland and the Team Ireland Foundation.

Open to any driver under the age of 26, the DMACK Junior BRC is a competitive proving ground for crews as they have the chance to tackle some of the best forest stages and Tarmac tests in the British Isles in FIA-homologated R2 cars. DMACK will supply control tyres for the DMACK Junior BRC series, and the number of tyres used per round will be restricted to keep costs to a minimum and to create a level playing field for all competitors in the class. The 2016 DMACK Junior BRC Champion will take a huge step onto the world stage with a subsidised drive in the 2017 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy on five WRC rounds, with the winner benefiting from testing before every round as part of the package. The winner of the 2017 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy will themselves receive a funded drive in an R5 car on selected events during the 2018 WRC season.

A bumper entry heads to Dumfries for RSAC Scottish Rally

Posted: June 22, 2016 7:30 AM

One of the biggest entries in the event’s 71 year history will descend on the market town of Dumfries this weekend, as crews from over 10 different countries tackle the RSAC Scottish Rally on Saturday 25th June. The popular event is shaping up to host one of the greatest battles in recent motorsport history as crews from the MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) and ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) meet for the first time since 2014 to tackle classic Scottish stages in the Eskdalemuir and Ae forests.

Leading the field away will be World Rally Championship star Elfyn Evans who will be looking to overcome a run of bad luck in his Ford Fiesta R5 to take the overall and BRC honours in Scotland. The Welshman will be co-driven by fellow countryman Craig Parry. Championship leaders Fredrik Ahlin and Morten Erik Abrahamsen from Norway will be hot on the heels of Evans at number two seed and are fresh from their previous round victory in a similar Fiesta R5. Breaking the Ford chain is local pilot David Bogie from Dumfries in his Skoda Fabia R5. Co-driven by Kevin Rae, the duo will start at three and are hoping to add their name to the winner’s trophy for a fifth time.

Tom Cave and James Morgan start at five with Irish crew Josh Moffat and John Rowan at six, both in Fiesta R5s. Belfast’s Jonathan Greer is at seven in his Citroen DS3 and is accompanied by popular Castle Douglas co-driver Kirsty Riddick. The all Scottish crew of Euan Thorburn (Duns) and Paul Beaton (Inverness) bring their potent Peugeot 208 to Dumfries at car eight.

Likeable local hero Jock Armstrong (Castle Douglas) heads the SRC contingent in his bright orange Subaru Impreza at car nine, partnered by Paula Swinscoe. But they are closely followed by championship leader Garry Pearson and Robbie Mitchell from Duns in their Fiesta R5 who round off the top 10. Despite not having the benefit of a pre-event recce of the stages, the Scottish Championship frontrunners will undoubtedly be keeping an eye on the times of the BRC runners through the day. Other notable Dumfries entrants come in the form of SRC regulars Mark McCulloch in his Mitsubishi E9 at car 21 and Rory Young at 22 in his Ford Fiesta.

Matthew Robinson and Sam Collis are the first two-wheel-drive runners on the list at car 36 in their crowd pleasing Historic Fiat 131. The British Historic Championship front runners bring their stunning machine to Dumfries and their seeding number is an indication of the impressive field of cars ahead. Rob Duggan and Ger Conway from Killarney lead the BRC Junior field in their Vauxhall Adam with team mate Mattias Adielsson and Andreas Johansson right behind.

The RSAC Scottish Rally is also a round of the HRCR Motoscope Northern Historic Rally Championship, C2Motorsportparts.com Ecosse Challenge, The Border Challenge and Five of Clubs Rally Championship which have all provided many competitors all eager to sample the classis Scottish stages on offer.

The Dumfries and Galloway Council supported event has a new-look route which sees the combination of classic Scottish Rally tests alongside the new “Mount Joe” stage near Beattock. The route, which sees competitors from both the Scottish and British series contesting identical stages, hosts a much awaited battle in the South West of Scotland and is based at Scotland’s Rural College Barony Campus just outside of Dumfries. The venue provides Rally HQ, pre event scrutiny and documentation from around 1.30pm on Friday 24th June.

On Saturday 25th, crews will then leave the Dumfries town centre start at Whitesands from 8.00am to tackle over 60 competitive stage miles in the surrounding forests. Spectators will have plenty of opportunity to watch the action unfold in the forests or at close quarters at the Heathhall service area on the outskirts of the town twice during the day.

The first chance comes with the Castle O’er stage at 9.20am, South West of Eskdalemuir village. Crews will then visit the Heathhall service area at around 11.00am before heading back out to Gubhill Rig near Ae Village at 12.10pm. The Rivox stage follows, just off the A74 at 1.15pm before returning to Heathhall service at 2.30pm. Gubhill Rig is then repeated (as Knockenshang) at 4.00pm with Rivox also seeing a return run (as Mount Joe) at 5.00pm. Those lucky enough to have completed the route will spray the champagne at the Dumfries finish podium celebrations from around 6.30pm in the town centre. The full spectator information, more information and entry list is available at www.scottishrally.co.uk and in the spectator programme which is on sale now and throughout the event.

Keep up to date with the event news which will be updated live throughout the event via social media:
www.facebook.com/scottishrally
www.twitter.com/scottishrally

SRC MEETS BRC AS BATTLE CONTINUES IN DUMFRIES

Posted: June 22, 2016 7:23 AM

Round 4 of the 2016 ARR Craib Scottish Rally Championship sees the crews head to Dumfries for the RSAC Scottish Rally.

The competitors have an extra 20 competitive miles to complete as for the first time in two years the SRC and the MSA British Rally Championship drivers are competing on the same event, which will see current champion Jock Armstrong come up against previous Scottish champions and rivals David Bogie and Euan Thorburn.

2015 Scottish Champions Jock Armstrong and Paul Swinscoe head the SRC entry list seeded at number 9 in their Subaru Impreza. The Castle Douglas driver has enjoyed some great battles with Duns’ Garry Pearson throughout the season, and will be looking to overhaul the Fiesta driver in the South West of Scotland. However, Jock is still nursing a shoulder injury that he sustained when cycling on his mountain bike, but hopes it won’t hold him back. Garry Pearson and Robbie Mitchell are seeded just behind Armstrong and Swinscoe, and are fresh from a maiden victory on the McDonald & Munro Speyside Stages. The R5 crew head the championship after three rounds, and are looking forward to the Scottish.
Garry said: “When you’ve been in two wheel drive cars since 2008 and get the shock chance to drive an R5 you look forward to every single second in the car and the Scottish is no different. “It’s nice to have the BRC in Scotland but we won’t be able to compare times as we have no recce, which is a shame.”

Mike Faulkner and Peter Foy are also heading to Dumfries in form and full of confidence after a first podium finish of the season last time out in Elgin. Seeded 16th for the Scottish, the Wigton driver is aiming to push the championship pace setters Armstrong and Pearson all the way.

He said: “For the second half of the season we believe we can win and that’s what we want to do whether that’s realistic or not, it doesn’t matter.

“We will drive 100% and hope that it is enough to put the pressure on and hopefully some luck will come our way.”

Shaun Sinclair has had an indifferent 2016 so far, with a superb third overall on the Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally at the wheel of a Focus WRC but on the other two rallies has struggled with various issues in his Subaru Impreza WRC.
The Impreza will be back out for the Scottish despite being up for sale, where Sinclair is hoping to get a decent result, otherwise he may not complete the rest of the Scottish championship season. Running as car 19 and seeded fifth of the SRC runners are Inverness duo Donnie MacDonald and Andrew Falconer with their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. Donnie won the opening rally of the 2016 season, the Arnold Clark Jury’s Inn Snowman Rally, but suffered various issues on the proceeding two events that saw him slip down the championship table. He will also be competing in the BRC National Cup as well as the SRC this weekend, making the Scottish an interesting event for him.
He said: “At the start we will treat the rally as normal, but we will just have to see where we are at the half way point of each championship.
“They’re great stages, I love Ae forest and I think all the Scottish stages suit an Evo!” Bruce McCombie and Michael Coutts have enjoyed themselves this season after three of the six SRC events. In with a shot of victory on the Snowman before a mistake, Bruce has once again shown the consistent form that put him in with a shout of the 2015 SRC title last year. However, he acknowledges he needs to go a bit quicker if he wants to have the same chance in 2016.
McCombie said: “We are looking forward to the rest of the year but we have to go a bit quicker to try and catch the guys in front.”

Mark McCulloch and Michael Hendry have had a great 2016 season so far, sitting equal third in the championship standings with Dale Robertson and Stuart Loudon.
They almost took their maiden win on the Snowman but for a puncture to cruelly deny them the chance, but have showed steady pace throughout the year as Mark continues to get to grips with the new Evo IX he acquired for 2016.
McCulloch said: “For the rest of the year we need to just look at getting as high up the overall results as we can to try and get a good final position in the championship. Press Information
“The Scottish stages are normally very good and it always has a good atmosphere although it has been very bad to me for the past few years, so we will be hoping for a better run this time out.”

Making his first appearance of 2016 on the Scottish is Dumfries driver Rory Young at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R5, one of 16 R5 cars on the entry list.
Competing on his home event fresh after a 13th overall on the DMACK Carlisle Stages on 11 June, Young will be looking to set some competitive stage times and upset some of the SRC regulars.

Ninth SRC runner and running as car 24 are Fred Milne and Millom co-driver Chris Williams in their ex-Barry Groundwater Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. Milne secured a superb ninth overall on the McDonald & Munro Speyside Stages, and will be looking to continue that form into the longest SRC rally of the year. Milne was another to compete on the recent DMACK Carlisle Stages, taking a fine seventh overall and first in his class.

Andrew Gallacher and Jane Nicol start as the tenth SRC crew on the Scottish aboard their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX.
The Hurlford driver has been dogged with issues this season, but scored a top 10 finish last time out in Elgin where his car seemed to be back to full working order, so he will be hoping his Evo holds together strong and he can mount a serious push on the Scottish. The RSAC Scottish Rally will start and finish in Dumfries on 25 June, using classic forest tests such as Ae.

You can keep up to date with the SRC via the website www.scottishrallychampionship.co.uk or through Facebook and Twitter (@MSA_SRC).

Seeded Entry List

Posted: June 18, 2016 4:53 AM

Scottish Rally - (Sat) 25 Jun 16 - SEEDED ENTRY LIST

Local council launch RSAC Scottish Rally to the people of Dumfries

Posted: June 15, 2016 9:26 AM

Representatives from Dumfries and Galloway Council gathered with organisers of this year’s RSAC Scottish Rally this week, to officially launch the event to the people of host town Dumfries. Having supported the event for 20 years, Dumfries and Galloway Council Events Champion Colin Smyth unveiled one of the most popular and largest events in the Scottish motor sport calendar alongside local rising rally driver Niall Cowan Junior.

The 71st running of the RSAC Scottish Rally is honoured to host two of the most hotly contested championships in the UK in 2016, the MSA British Rally Championship and the ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship. The event will see a bumper entry of over 110 crews from 10 different countries including Australia, Sweden and Italy who will descend on the market town of Dumfries on June 25th to tackle classic Scottish stages in the nearby Eskdalemuir and Ae forests.

Thanks to the support of the people of Dumfries and the local council, the event can provide the South West of Scotland with a fantastic backdrop for this popular motor sport event.
“Dumfries and the surrounding forests have all the ingredients to make a superb event for competitors who will travel thousands of miles to compete in the event” says Clerk of the Course Jonathan Lord. “But we simply could not offer these classic stages, hosted by the fabulous Dumfries townsfolk without the help and support of Dumfries and Galloway Council. They have been instrumental in enabling us to put the event together for many years now and we are very grateful for all their help over the years.”

Councillor Colin Smyth attended the event launch on behalf of the Local Authority and was delighted to welcome the rally back to Dumfries.
“Within the Council we do our utmost to support the planning and delivery of the Rally, to bring superb live motorsports to our region, and to showcase south west Scotland” he said. “The Scottish Rally is a key part of our sporting heritage and I’m delighted that it is now restored as a Round of the British Rally Championship series. The adrenalin is beginning to kick in as we gear up for another superb weekend of world class action!!”

Representatives of the rally also recently attended the Scottish Rural College Barony Campus Open Day. Organisers were delighted to support the Barony event as the campus will be hosting Rally HQ, pre event scrutiny and documentation in 2016. On Saturday 25th, crews will then leave the Dumfries town centre start to tackle over 60 competitive stage miles in the surrounding forests, returning to the Heathhall service area on the outskirts of the town twice during the day. Those lucky enough to have completed the route will spray the champagne at the Dumfries finish podium celebrations later that evening.

Entries Received

Posted: June 4, 2016 4:14 AM

Available at:

• Scottish Rally

A rallying call for Marshals at this year’s RSAC Scottish Rally

Posted: June 3, 2016 8:25 AM

With entries now beginning to roll in for this year’s RSAC Scottish Rally on the 25th June, the event is shaping up to host an epic battle between MSA British Rally Championship and ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship contenders. But to provide a safe and smooth event for competitors and spectators alike, organisers of this year’s event are encouraging volunteers to step forward and offer their services to marshal either on or off the forest special stages.

A new-look route for 2016 sees the combination of classic Scottish Rally tests alongside the new “Mount Joe” stage near Beattock. The event will be based at The Scottish Rural College Barony Campus which provides Rally HQ, pre event scrutiny and documentation during Friday 24th June. On Saturday 25th, crews will then leave the Dumfries town centre start to tackle over 60 competitive stage miles in the surrounding forests, returning to the Heathhall service area on the outskirts of the town twice during the day. Those lucky enough to have completed the route will spray the champagne at the Dumfries finish podium celebrations later that evening.

But as with any event of this size, it requires a substantial amount of willing volunteers to assist in its running and event organisers are appealing for anyone who wishes to sample stage rallying at close quarters to get in touch. No matter what your experience in the sport, the team have many roles available for all skill levels.

“We have a place for everyone” says Chief Marshal Laurence Ferguson. “Of course we would be delighted to hear from regular marshals and proficient personnel, but equally if you have never volunteered before, we will ensure you are accompanied by those more experienced. If you want to get close to the cars and drivers, we need help at the start and finish in Dumfries Town Centre and the service park at Heathhall on Saturday 25th June. We also need help at scrutineering at The SRUC Barony Campus on Friday 24th. If you’d prefer to get closer to the action out in the field, then we also need staff for stage arrivals, starts, flying finishes and stop lines.”

Chief Communications Officer, Norman Halcrow added, “We are also looking for Radio Marshals to provide safety communications for the event. Any interested crews can get in touch with me on radios@scottishrally.co.uk or use the registration form on the website.”

To volunteer for this year’s event, simply visit www.scottishrally.co.uk and complete the registration form or contact marshals@scottishrally.co.uk or radios@scottishrally.co.uk. A representative of the event will get in touch to discuss your application.

You can find more information on the RSAC Scottish Rally at www.scottishrally.co.uk or keep up to date with event via social media: www.facebook.com/scottishrally and www.twitter.com/scottishrally

Scottish Rally attends Barony Campus Open Day

Posted: May 26, 2016 3:15 PM

Organisers of the RSAC Scottish Rally will be heading to their Rally HQ a few weeks early on Sunday (29th May), as they attend the SRUC Barony Campus Open Day. The Dumfries and Galloway Rural College will play host to the rally’s headquarters, technical checks and documentation and organisers will head to the annual bash to spread the word about the 24th/25th June event.

This year’s Dumfries based rally is all set to be one of the best in its 71 year history as crews from the new-look MSA British Rally Championship join ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship contenders to tackle classic Scottish stages in the regions forests. With the College hosting its annual family day, rally organisers have been invited along to the event and they will be joined by RSAC New Talent Scholars Gina Walker and Andy Struthers who will also bring their rally cars along for display.

Promoting the rally and in a bid to recruit new marshals, rally representatives will be on hand to answer any questions and to assist in the fundraising of their nominated charity, The Usual Place which will also be in attendance. With Tombola and a Scalextric Competition, the event is guaranteed to be fun for all the family.

“It’s always fun for us to be at the Barony Open day and we are delighted to be back, especially since scrutineering and HQ for the rally will all be hosted on the Barony Campus this year” says Assistant Clerk of the Course Craig Webster. “We are also glad to be working in partnership again with The Usual Place. It’s great to see them now up and running and I can testify as to the quality of their cakes!”

The SRUC Barony Campus Open Day takes place from 13.00 to 17.00 on Sunday 29th May and admission is £5 per car; all proceeds go to the South of Scotland Wildlife Hospital. 

Scottish Rally surprise for SRC crews

Posted: May 10, 2016 3:13 PM

Competitors from ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship bag additional mileage on Scottish Rally.

The RSAC Scottish Rally is proud of its long association with the ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) and has marked the 2016 event with a rather special treat for the crews in the series. The event will play host to round 5 of the popular championship and not only will contenders be able to sample some of the best stages in South West Scotland, but they will also contest over 60 stage miles in the Eskdalemuir, Ae and Windyhill forests on June 25th, an increase of almost 20 miles from the other events in the series.

The new-look MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) will return to the Dumfries based event for the first time since 2014 and offers opportunity to bring both the BRC and SRC together to cover identical stages. This will undoubtedly see one of the biggest battles in recent rallying history as competitors from both championships vie to take the prestigious Scottish Rally honours.

The SRC has flourished in recent years and 2016 has seen a significant growth in its competitor base, all eager to contest the seven round series. The competition has been impressive throughout the field which has produced three different winners across the first three rounds. Duns driver Garry Pearson currently heads the standings in his Ford Fiesta R5 with a seven point lead over popular Dumfries & Galloway resident, Subaru Impreza pilot Jock Armstrong.

Scottish Rally Clerk of the Course Jonathan Lord believes the event will be a great showcase for the championship which has supported the event for almost 50 years
"It's always an honour to be a round of the Scottish Rally Championship and it has certainly gone from strength to strength over the past few years" he says. "We had devised a route based on the British Championship requirements of 60 miles and thought it would be a fantastic opportunity for the SRC contenders to compete directly against the BRC crews and sample all of the great stages we have on offer this year."

"We have also worked hard to ensure we keep costs as low as possible" continues Lord. "The committee are mindful of the increase in costs that any extra mileage brings so have kept the entry fee as low as possible to ensure the SRC crews can really enjoy the additional mileage on the event".

Dave Robson, SRC Chairman also welcomes the news.
"The management committee of the ARR Craib SRC had no hesitation in agreeing to the format proposed by RSAC Motorsport for the Scottish Rally in June" he said. "Competitors regularly ask for a longer event during the season and this will give them the chance not only to test themselves over more stage miles but also against crews from the BRC, all for a very competitive entry fee".

"This adds another welcome tweak to an already changed calendar and we're sure it's a challenge our teams will be up for. As organisers ourselves, we can also see the benefits which running one field, seeded on anticipated performance will bring, not only for spectators but for event staffing and most importantly the safety of all involved. We look forward to seeing another great turnout of SRC crews mixing it with those from the BRC in the classic forests on offer" adds Robson.

The RSAC Scottish Rally has now released Rally Guide 1 which contains outline information about the event.

Event regulations will be available in the coming weeks.

On Line Entry / Rally Guide 1 / Event Website

Posted: May 10, 2016 3:09 PM

• Scottish Rally