2017 Scottish Rally Championship

Keith Riddick wins Star Driver shoot-out

Posted: September 26, 2017 9:46 AM

Keith Riddick was named the inaugural SRC John Horton Star Driver after winning the end-of-season shoot-out held at Kames Motorsport Circuit.

The Haugh of Urr driver impressed the panel of judges with his driving talent, his media and interview skills but particularly with his ability to create his own pace notes.

Riddick’s prize is a supported entry to an upcoming European event. The MG ZR pilot selected the Down Rally in Northern Ireland, a round of the 2018 MSA Asphalt Rally Championship.

“Thank you to the whole panel and all the other competitors for coming out today, it’s been a great day and a great experience, I’ve never done anything like this before,” he said.

“I’m hoping to have fun over in Ireland next year, we’ll just see what we can do. The aim is to make the SRC proud.”

“That was tough,” Mike Broad, Chairman of the judging panel added. “Well done to Keith, it was astonishing what he did today. For a first effort at making pace notes they were superb, and that goes to all the finalists.

“There wasn’t anybody that particularly stood out, the level between all the competitors was very similar throughout the day. I will go and see the Horton family next week and tell them all about this, it’s been a truly fantastic occasion. Every single finalist should leave here proud of themselves.”

Following each round of the 2017 ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship (SRC), an assembled panel of SRC officials, media and independent observers selected an SRC-registered driver who they felt put in an extra special performance during the rally to go forward to the end-of-year shoot-out.

Michael Binnie - who lost out to Riddick through a split vote - Mike Stuart, Alex Pirie, Angus Lawrie, Mark McCulloch, Duncan MacDonald, Simon Hay and Riddick all attended the shoot-out to win this unique award named after the late John Horton.

A name which is synonymous with UK rallying, John first made his mark on the sport as an international co-driver and competed alongside the likes of Russell Brookes, Billy Coleman and Jimmy McRae in a variety of cars and teams. Perhaps the most famous of these was with GM and the Opel brand in the 1970’s.

Outside the cockpit, John was actively involved in rallying, helping to develop the MSA British Rally Championship and its own Star Drive schemes as well as assisting in the organisation of many high profile events across the country. Perhaps though, he is most famous for his media and PR activities, being the voice of the PA system on many UK and Irish rallies down the years.

He also worked as the national press officer for the British Grand Prix and Wales Rally GB at the turn of the century, and is sadly missed by the rallying community after he died suddenly last year.

The 2017 ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship is partnered by Pirelli Motorsport, Coltel Communications and Reis Motorsport Insurance.

The championship consists of seven forest events across the whole of Scotland, taking in over 300 competitive stage miles.

Keep up to date with all the latest news via the website, Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #SRC17.

ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship reveal nominees for the John Horton Star Driver Award shootout.

Posted: September 13, 2017 6:26 AM

Organisers of the ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship are delighted to announce the finalists for the inaugural SRC John Horton Star Driver Award, to be held at Kames Motorsport Centre on 20th September.

The winner of the shoot-out selected by the judging panel will receive an entry to a high-level European event. Entry fee, travel and accommodation costs will be covered and contributions towards fuel and tyres will be also be included courtesy of the championship partners. The prize fund is expected to be worth in the region of £2000.

After last weekend’s final round of the championship, the Armstrong Galloway Hills Rally a total of seven nominations were collated, one from each round of the series. The judging panel has also announced three wildcard entries who have all been in contention for event nominations, taking the total number of contestants to ten.

The finalists are:

Event Finalist
Snowman Rally Thomas Gray
Border Counties Rally Greg McKnight
Speyside Stages Michael Binnie
RSAC Scottish Rally Mike Stuart
Argyll Rally Alex Pirie
Grampian Forest Rally Angus Lawrie
Galloway Hills Rally Mark McCulloch
Wildcard Duncan MacDonald
Wildcard Simon Hay
Wildcard Keith Riddick

The finalists will assemble at Kames on 20th September to take part in a series of assessments including media, route note making and driving skills.

The panel will consist of:
Former factory Co-Driver & Team Manager and MSA Council Member - Mike Broad (Chairman),
Dayinsure Wales Rally GB Clerk of the Course - Iain Campbell,
Former factory driver & two-times Scottish Rally Champion – Andrew Wood,
Scottish Sun - Deputy Motoring Editor – Jon Doran,
Scottish Rally Championship Media Manager - Matt Cotton. After the tasks have been completed, the winner of the shootout will be announced after the panel has deliberated their decision at the conclusion of the shootout.

The ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship named this prestigious award after the late John Horton. A name synonymous with UK rallying, John first made his mark on the sport as an international co-driver and competed alongside the likes of Russell Brookes, Billy Coleman and Jimmy McRae in a variety of cars and teams. Perhaps the most famous of these was with GM and the Opel brand in the 1970’s.

In later years he worked as the national press officer for the British Grand Prix and Wales Rally GB at the turn of the century and is sadly missed by the rallying community after he died suddenly last year.

All roads lead to Wales for Scotland's finest - SRC champions rewarded with prize drive on Wales Rally GB

Posted: March 16, 2017 10:15 AM

Organisers of the ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) are delighted to confirm that the overall SRC Champion and SRC Junior Champion will receive a free entry to the 2017 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB thanks to the Road to Wales programme.

In co-operation with the Motor Sports Association (MSA), International Motor Sports (IMS) and Wales Rally GB, the 2017 Scottish Rally Champion and 2017 Junior Champion will travel to North Wales to compete in the National section of Britain's round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

The Wales Rally GB National Rally has been won by an SRC crew for the past four years.

Euan Thorburn and Paul Beaton took victory on the three-day event in 2013 at the wheel of a Ford Focus WRC, before Mike Faulkner and Peter Foy took the double in 2014 and 2015 in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX.

Bruce McCombie and Michael Coutts flew the flag for the SRC last year, taking their finest result in rallying with the 2016 National win in classic yet challenging Welsh rallying conditions.

The SRC Junior Champion will also receive a free entry to the event which runs alongside the WRC for the first time in 2017, with the championship age limit also being raised to 25 in order to intensify the competition.

The opening round in Inverness [Snowman Rally] certainly indicated that potential future SRC champions lie within the Junior ranks, with top runners Marty Gallagher and Thomas Gray being separated by a mere second after 43 stage miles.

The SRC is proud to be able to offer this prize worth around ?2000 thanks to IMS and Wales Rally GB.

"The Road to Wales programme offers the opportunity for Scottish Champions to compete alongside the best drivers in the world" says Vice Chairman Dave Weston.

"The fact that SRC drivers have won the National event for the past four years just goes to show how impressive the pace is in Scotland and it's an unbeatable chance to showcase Scottish talent on a world stage. The championship extends its thanks to the MSA, IMS and Wales Rally GB for this unbeatable incentive."

Iain Campbell, Dayinsure Wales Rally GB Clerk of the Course, added:
"To have the opportunity to compete on the same stages as the World Rally stars presents the ultimate high and challenge to the National competitor. The SRC drivers have supported Wales Rally GB National Rally strongly for a number of years to great success.

"This year we will get to see the SRC Champion and SRC Junior Champion compare their times against the likes of Latvala, Ogier, Meeke and company. The stages are longer than the National competitor is used to, meaning that concentration, fitness and car preparation is key."

The 2017 ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship is partnered by Pirelli Motorsport, Coltel Communications and Reis Motorsport Insurance.

The championship consists of seven forest events across the whole of Scotland, taking in over 300 competitive stage miles.
The next round of the SRC is the Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally in Jedburgh on 18 March.

Scottish Rally Championship launch Overseas Support

Posted: March 7, 2017 6:18 AM

The ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) has launched an incentive scheme for overseas competitors in a bid to entice them to contest the remaining six events of the series.

With a succession of Irish contenders heading across the North Channel and Irish Sea to contest the SRC in previous years, the championship has announced a support package to competitors coming from overseas in 2017 with a ferry subsidy scheme.

The SRC Overseas Support scheme will see the championship support any registered competitor residing outside Scotland who requires the use of a ferry to transport their car to SRC events.

On receipt of the ferry invoice, the SRC management committee team will make a STG100 contribution to the costs.

The scheme aims to further encourage Irish and other foreign competitors to come and join one of the most competitive championships in the UK.

"Historically we have always seen a healthy contingent from Ireland come and contest the SRC" says championship Chairman Gordon Adam. "The series is an excellent proving ground for young talent and offers a huge variety of events to nurture their skills on. But equally, experienced crews can come over and compete in the Scottish championship which offers some of the best forest roads and competition in any of the UK gravel championships.

"We wanted to open the series up to as many people as possible across the water and we hope it will encourage our friends from Ireland and beyond to come and join us during the year".

Letterkenny driver Marty Gallagher took advantage of the new scheme for round one of the 2017 SRC, the Arnold Clark Jury's Inn Snowman Rally in Inverness.

The Irishman said:
"For 2017 we were looking for more gravel experience. We looked at doing the Irish Forestry Championship but when we found out about the Overseas Support Scheme from the SRC that made our decision simple. We found it a great incentive and having just completed our first rally in Scotland, we were delighted with the rally, the reception we got and the result we achieved."

The 2017 ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship is partnered by Pirelli Motorsport, Coltel Communications and Reis Motorsport Insurance.

The championship consists of seven forest events across the whole of Scotland, taking in over 300 competitive stage miles.

The next round of the SRC is the Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally in Jedburgh on 18 March.

Keep up to date with all the latest news from the Scottish Rally Championship via the website, Facebook and Twitter.

New partners join ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship in 2017

Posted: February 22, 2017 6:41 AM

Adding to the long standing association with title sponsor ARR Craib, two new partners have joined the MSA Scottish Rally Championship to further bolster the series in 2017.

Joining tyre giant Pirelli who return for a fifth year, are leading insurance firm Reis Motorsport Insurance and Coltel Communications Technology who have supported the Granite City and Grampian rallies for several years.

The Reis Motorsport Insurance brand is well known across the rallying community and this new partnership will also be the preferred insurance partner for all events in the championship. The new tie-in further reinforces their backing of motorsport at all levels as they will support the British Motorsport Marshals Club throughout the year.

The Coltel Group have a long association with rallying in Scotland but this is the first time they have backed the Scottish Rally Championship. Joining the series as communications partners, the Aberdeen based firm will be no stranger to many fans of the series.

Both Reis and Coltel are joined in 2017 by Pirelli who remain partners to the championship through a long association in Scotland with Andrew Wood Motorsport.

Robert Beck, Championship Coordinator of the SRC is delighted to welcome them all to the series this year.
"It's a real honour to have brands such as Pirelli, Reis Motorsport Insurance and the Coltel Group as partners this year and a true testament to how the Scottish Rally Championship is going from strength to strength as each season passes" he says.

"It will be fantastic to showcase their brands to the fans and competitors of one of the most popular championships in the UK at the moment and we hope this is the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship with them all".

The opening round of the SRC takes place on February 18th with the Arnold Clark Jurys Inn Snowman Rally based in Inverness.

You can keep up to date with the championship via the website www.scottishrallychampionship.co.uk or via the social media feeds.

John Horton remembered with Scottish Rally Championship Star Driver Award

Posted: February 16, 2017 2:12 PM

Organisers of the ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship are delighted to announce that the all-new SRC Star Driver Award will be named after the late John Horton and will be known as the John Horton SRC Star Driver Award.

A name which is synonymous with UK rallying, John first made his mark on the sport as an international co-driver and competed alongside the likes of Russell Brookes, Billy Coleman and Jimmy McRae in a variety of cars and teams. Perhaps the most famous of these was with GM and the Opel brand in the 1970's.

Outside the cockpit, John was actively involved in rallying, helping to develop the MSA British Rally Championship and its own Star Drive schemes as well as assisting in the organisation of many high profile events across the country. Perhaps though, he is most famous for his media and PR activities, being the voice of the PA system on many UK and Irish rallies down the years.

He also worked as the national press officer for the British Grand Prix and Wales Rally GB at the turn of the century, and is sadly missed by the rallying community after he died suddenly last year.

The ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship have paid tribute to John by naming the new and exciting Star Driver Award after him.

Dave Robson from the SRC will be piloting the new initiative through the season and felt it made perfect sense to name the Award after John.

"It's hard to find a major rally that John wasn't involved in and he has been sorely missed by the motor sport fraternity since his death" he says. "John put so much work into the sport and was so very highly respected by us all. He was a great friend to the Scottish Rally Championship, supplied our trophies for many years and was always available with advice and knowledge. It's an honour to be able to name the award after him and we would like to thank the Horton family for allowing us to do so".

Following each round, an assembled panel of SRC officials, media and independent observers will select an SRC-registered driver who they feel put in an extra special performance during the rally to go forward to an end-of-year shoot-out.

The winner of the shoot-out will receive an entry to a top end of year European event where their entry fee and accommodation costs will be covered and contributions towards fuel and tyres will be added in courtesy of our championship partners. There are further prizes on offer to SRC crews in 2017.

The overall Champion and Junior Champion will receive free entries for the Wales Rally GB National in October, an event that has been won by an SRC crew since 2013.

The 2017 ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship takes in over 300 competitive stage miles across Scotland, kicking off with the Arnold Clark Jury's Inn Snowman Rally in Inverness on 18 February.

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

ARR CRAIB renew support for MSA Scottish Rally Championship

Posted: February 3, 2017 7:01 AM

One of Scotland's leading haulage firms ARR Craib, have renewed their support of the MSA Scottish Rally Championship in 2017, becoming title sponsor of the series for the fifth year in a row.

Joining the Championship for the first time in 2013, the Aberdeen based firm have seen the series go from strength to strength over recent years and evolve into one of the most popular rally championships in the UK.

The opening round kicks off in just a few weeks' time with around 100 competitors expected to make the start of the Inverness based Arnold Clark Jurys Inn Snowman Rally on February 18th.

Scottish Rally Championship Chairman Gordon Adam is delighted to welcome the firm back to the series once again.
"The ARR Craib name is synonymous with rallying in Scotland and it's a true honour to have them back on board with the championship again" he says.

"We have developed into the strongest rally series in the UK and it's thanks to ARR Craib that we can continue to be innovative and offer competitors some of the best events and incentives in the country."

The ARR Craib Scottish Rally Championship has produced British and World Rally Champions since its inception in 1968 including household name Colin McRae. With seven all-gravel rallies taking place across Scotland, all eyes will be on the defending double champion Jock Armstrong who bids to make it a hat-trick of titles.

Eddie Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of title sponsors ARR Craib Transport Ltd, said the firm is proud to be involved in what promises to be yet another thrilling year for the Scottish Rally Championship.

He said:
"We have been sponsors of the Scottish Rally Championship since 2013 and we are delighted to continue this successful association for another season. There is of course a natural affinity between motorsport and transport and logistics, so this event is a very good fit for ARR Craib.

"Our sponsorship has allowed the organisers to build on the very strong foundations they had in place to ensure this series continues to be one of the best of its kind.

"For the drivers, crews and spectators the sole purpose of the event is to enjoy the rally driving. But as a company which operates across Scotland and beyond, it's also wonderful to see the economic benefit the championship brings to the communities where the rallies are held."

ARR Craib Transport Ltd, which has bases in Aberdeen, Cumbernauld and the North of England, first became involved with motor sport as a stage sponsor in the Granite City Rally.

You can keep up to date with the championship via the website www.scottishrallychampionship.co.uk or via the social media feeds.

PLANS FOR SRC 2017 TAKE SHAPE

Posted: December 5, 2016 9:59 AM

The 2017 ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship is beginning to take shape, with the welcome announcement that ARR Craib will continue as title sponsors of the series for the 2017 season.

ARR Craib Managing Director Eddie Anderson confirmed the Aberdeen based logistics company's commitment to the Scottish Rally Championship at the Awards Evening held at the Marriott Hotel, Glasgow last Saturday evening (26th November).

Alongside ARR Craib, the championship are pleased to confirm that tyre giant Pirelli will also continue their partnership with the SRC, and they will be joined by Coltel Communications and REIS Motorsport Insurance, who have signed partnership agreements with the SRC for the 2017 season.

The Championship are also pleased to announce the calendar for the 2017 season, which will consist of seven rounds all held on gravel.

The Snowman Rally will once again kick off proceedings, before the series heads south for the Border Counties in March, then back North for the Speyside Stages in April. Next up, the championship joins the MSA British Rally Championship for the Scottish Rally which moves from its traditional June date to May for 2017.

June's Argyll Stages is a welcome addition to the calendar, and will see the series head over the Cowal peninsula to Dunoon, for a welcome return to the stages around the town for the first time in 20 years. The Grampian Stages, which was crowned the best event of the 2016 championship at Saturdays Award ceremony stages the penultimate round, while the Castle Douglas based Galloway Hills Rally plays host to the final round, and championship finale.

The ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship is the premier motorsport series north of the border, and it has produced many great champions in its almost 50 year history such as Drew Gallacher, Ken Wood, Colin McRae, Andrew Wood, David Bogie and Jock Armstrong.

Championship Rounds

Posted: November 28, 2016 5:55 AM

1. Snowman - (Sat) 18 Feb 17
2. Border Counties - (Sat) 18 Mar 17
3. Speyside - (Sat) 22 Apr 17
4. RSAC Scottish Rally - (Sat) 20 May 17
5. Argyll Stages - (Sat) 24 Jun 17
6. Grampian - (Sat) 12 Aug 17
7. Galloway Hills - (Sat) 09 Sep 17

Championship Website:

Scottish Rally Championship