2020 Scottish Rally Championship - CANCELLED

SCOTTISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP CANCELLED AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Posted: March 27, 2020 11:24 AM

Organisers of the KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) have had to take the regrettable decision to cancel this year’s championship as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread causing a subsequent cancellation of events.

Four events – McDonald & Munro Speyside Stages, Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Reivers Rally, RSAC Scottish Rally and Grampian Forest Rally – have all rightfully been cancelled due to the global health warning, making the decision to call off this season’s championship inevitable.

While this decision is a huge shame for competitors, organisers and fans alike, it was the only sensible one to make with a rather thin calendar remaining and the threat of COVID-19 still largely unknown.

Organisers of the championship will not be standing still however, with conversation already turning towards 2021 as the series looks to bounce back stronger than ever next year.

“We apologise to all competitors, sponsors and fans who will all be affected by this difficult decision but given the circumstances it was the only responsible one we could make,” said SRC Chairman Gordon Adam.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to spread and apply pressure to our national health service, and with half the calendar now called off it would simply make no sense to continue with the 2020 SRC and potentially put people’s lives at risk.

“As an organising team our attentions have already turned to 2021 where we aim to deliver the best championship possible.”

All competitors will be refunded their registration fee in full. Championship points from the Coogie Urquhart Snowman Rally are now regrettably void but the result of the rally still stands.

NEW AWARDS ADDED TO SRC CLUBMAN CATEGORY INCENTIVE

Posted: March 4, 2020 6:51 AM

Reigning KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) 2WD Champion Iain Wilson is deeply encouraged by the new for 2020 clubman incentive scheme that bids to make it easier for the clubman rally driver to compete in the SRC.

The clubman incentive is Wilson’s brainchild and has been supported by 15 SRC competitors past and present including multiple champions and event winners.

The incentive complements the new SRC Clubman category which is split into five different classes from small capacity two-wheel-drive cars through to turbocharged four-wheel-drive cars. The key within this category is the limited nature of technical modifications allowed, which in turn limits the budget required to be competitive.

A prize fund totalling £5,000 will be split between the five Clubman classes in the form of vouchers to be put towards entry fees of a succeeding round of the championship.

As well as prizes for each of the class winners, there will be an additional three £200 vouchers to be used against following SRC rounds: the Performance of the Day Award, the Clubman Spirit Award and the Hard Charging Hard Luck Award.

Spectators and followers on social media will be encouraged to choose these award winners along with the SRC media team; adding an exciting new dimension to each championship round.

“It’s a fact that even entry level rallying is far from cheap and that is unlikely to change so one of the things we can actually do is to try and make it better value for money,” Wilson said.

“Everyone deserves to enjoy the sport and it’s important to make sure all competitors are catered for. Every entry is very important if we want to see our calendar remain.

“The incentive is funded mostly from other competitors but we have also had private individuals and companies linked with the sport pledge their support as well. Overall the response has been amazing and I’m so pleased that so many of the people I approached were happy to help.”

Alongside Wilson and his Wilson Machinery business, five-time champion David Bogie (Oakbank Waste Management) and double champion Jock Armstrong (R Earsman Ltd) are supporting the scheme as well as current competitors Alan Dickson (Sackmaker), Simon Hay (Albyn Garage Aberdeen Ltd), John Wink (John Wink Design), Bruce McCombie (McCombie Builders), Michael Binnie (Crailing Tofts Potatoes), Mark McCulloch (Signright Graphix), Barry Groundwater (Groundwater Lift Trucks), Brian Watson (E Watson & Son) and Steven Clark.

Former competitor Gordon Murray (Scottish Tourer) has also pledged his support as well as Richard Stewart (DA Autoparts) and Dommy Buckley (Rally Sport Connections).

To take advantage of this pioneering incentive, competitors must have a car that complies with the technical specifications of one of the Clubman category classes. The full technical regulations are available on the championship website, link below.

“The start of this season is close but I have heard a few stories of cars being prepared and sometimes even downgraded to qualify for the Northern and Southern championships,” Wilson added.

“The incentive will be available to all crews that are able to enter these, as well as some that may do the full championship. It is a bit of an unknown but I would like to think if the idea has some success then we may see more crews getting involved in 2021. It is not going to bring back the good old days but if it can make even a small impact together with other championship incentives then it will have been worthwhile.”

SRC Management Committee member Neil Shanks is delighted to implement these incentives into the championship as part of a conscious effort to provide exceptional value for money for all competitors.

“As a championship it’s vitally important to us that the sport remains as accessible as possible,” he said. “That’s been the driver behind the creation of the Clubman category as you don’t need a car worth tens of thousands of pounds to compete for a Scottish title.

“Hand in hand with this, we have made improvements to make our social media coverage more inclusive of all competitors on each event, allowing us to concentrate on battles throughout the entire field and not just at the front of the field.”

The opening round of the season is the Coogie Urquhart Snowman Rally on Saturday 7th March in under three weeks time. Entries for the event are open and can be made here.

The KNC Groundworks Ltd Scottish Rally Championship is supported by Royal Aero, Pirelli Motorsport, Moates Offshore Ltd, Albyn Garage Ltd, RAVENOL and Reis Motorsport Insurance.

Keep up to date with all the latest news via the championship's official website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SRC20.

BRITISH RALLY CHAMPION MATT EDWARDS TO SUPPORT SRC JUNIORS

Posted: March 4, 2020 6:36 AM

Competitors eligible for this year’s KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) Junior Championship have plenty of reasons to enter with double British Rally Champion Matt Edwards pledging his support to the category.

The SRC Junior category is one of the most competitive within the SRC and has witnessed some sensational battles over the years. Last year, Jude MacDonald triumphed in his Skoda Fabia R2 with the roll of honour also boasting drivers such as Niall Cowan Jr, Max Redpath and Thomas Gray.

Through his ME Rally Sport business, Edwards provides competitors all over the world with virtual mentoring sessions where he assesses their performance based on onboard footage as well as personal one-on-one tuition and training.

All SRC Junior competitors will have the chance to make use of these services in 2020, with each round winner receiving a virtual mentor session with Edwards and the outright champion receiving some one-on-one tuition in their own car.

The SRC in conjunction with Andrew Wood Motorsport will also back the SRC Junior Champion with an entry support and tyre scheme for the 2021 season worth approximately £1500.

“We are absolutely delighted to be able to confirm this invaluable prize for our Junior competitors,” enthused SRC Chairman Gordon Adam.

“Matt Edwards has risen through the ranks from a self-built 1400cc Vauxhall Astra to be a double British Rally Champion, so will be an inspiration to all our drivers. For them to receive tuition and guidance from such a talented driver will undoubtedly help them in their own careers.

“We would like to thank Matt for all his support.”

In memory of Bob Shepherd

The 2020 SRC Junior Championship will be named in memory of the late Bob Shepherd who was a staunch supporter of the series for years through his Station Garage business.

Bob's family organised a collection at his funeral to help support SRC Junior competitors in the sport which he loved so dearly.

To be eligible for the Bob Shepherd SRC Juniors, the driver and co-driver must have been born on or after 1st January 1995 and compete in a two-wheel-drive car.

The KNC Groundworks Ltd Scottish Rally Championship is supported by Royal Aero, Pirelli Motorsport, Moates Offshore Ltd, Albyn Garage Ltd, RAVENOL and Reis Motorsport Insurance.

The opening round of the season is the Coogie Urquhart Snowman Rally, held in Inverness, on Saturday 7th March.

Keep up to date with all the latest news via the championship's official website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SRC20.

R5 TEST ON OFFER TO SRC JOHN HORTON STAR DRIVER AWARD WINNER

Posted: March 4, 2020 6:32 AM

The winner of the 2020 KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) John Horton Star Driver Award will receive a test in a Dom Buckley RSC Ford Fiesta R5, as well as receiving tuition from a professional driving coach.

First launched in 2017, the SRC John Horton Star Driver Award was introduced to reward competitors up and down the ultra-competitive SRC field. The pedigree of the award is unquestionable with previous winners including Keith Riddick, Michael Binnie and Max Redpath.

Following each championship round, judges will select an event winner from a shortlist of competitors who catch the judging panel’s eye with their performance. Each event winner will also receive a virtual mentor training session with Matt Edwards, who will analyse their driving performance using in-car footage enabling the competitor to improve their driving.

At the end of the season, in a change from previous years, the event winner’s performances will be compared against each other without a final shootout. Instead, the winner will be selected based on their performances which saw them nominated for the award, with input from Edwards taken into account.

The 2020 SRC John Horton Star Driver Award winner will then be invited to test a Ford Fiesta R5 provided by new Championship partner, Dom Buckley RSC.

SRC Chairman Gordon Adam is delighted with the incentives on offer and thanked all involved for securing such a fantastic prize bundle.

“We have been working on this for some time, and we are delighted that with Dommy [Buckley]’s help, we have been able to put together a fantastic package,” he said.

“What makes this even better is that the John Horton Star Drive is open to every SRC registered driver, and for some they couldn’t have dreamed of being able to drive an R5 car without this prize.

“To have Matt casting his eye over the winner’s performances may well be another first for the JHSD nominees, and we think they will be amazed at just how they can improve their performance with this. We believe this is one of the best, most inclusive schemes, in British rallying where drivers can catch the eye purely on merit regardless of what they drive.”

“The winner will really deserve their accolade and will be rightly rewarded with a test in an R5 car and it is an opportunity they’ll all be gunning for.”

The KNC Groundworks Ltd Scottish Rally Championship is supported by Royal Aero, Pirelli Motorsport, Moates Offshore Ltd, Albyn Garage Ltd, RAVENOL and Reis Motorsport Insurance.

The opening round of the season is the Coogie Urquhart Snowman Rally, held in Inverness, on Saturday 7th March.

Keep up to date with all the latest news via the championship's official website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SRC20.

SRC HEADS TO CARLISLE DUE TO UNFORTUNATE ARGYLL CANCELLATION

Posted: January 23, 2020 9:02 AM

Organisers of the KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) have extended their sympathies to Mull Car Club who did all they could to ensure the Argyll Rally remained on the 2020 rally calendar.

The Argyll Rally has been a feature of the SRC calendar since it was relaunched in 2017, and has played host to some epic battles that proved decisive in the outcome of the championship on more than one occasion.

Utilising recent changes to the Road Traffic Act in Scotland that devolves power to close public roads from the government to Motorsport UK and rally organisers, the Argyll Rally was excitingly set to become a Tarmac rally for the first time in its history in 2020.

But unfortunately event organisers haven't been able to secure the relevant authorisations within the timeframe available, and they've had to take the difficult decision to cancel this year's event. However, plans are already underway for the 2021 event which promises to be a proper challenge.

"Mull Car Club are disappointed to announce that the 2020 Argyll Rally will not be running," a statement from Mull Car Club said.

"The timescales for obtaining the Motorsport Order were short and it has not proved possible to complete the required procedures within the time required.

"We would like to pass on our thanks to the sponsors, authorities and volunteers that have spent a tremendous amount of time preparing for 2020. This effort will not be wasted since on a positive note, the work already put in has put us well ahead of schedule for 2021 and we look forward to bringing the great, new look event to you all next year."

The cancellation of the Argyll means that the Carlisle Stages, the 2020 reserve event, now becomes the final round of the Scottish Rally Championship for the first time; taking place on 24 October.

It marks a return to cross-border stages in Scotland and England that haven't featured in the SRC since the Jim Clark Forest Rally in 2015.

The SRC therefore remains a mixed-surface, seven round championship but the new-for-2020 North of Scotland Championship has been trimmed to just three events: Snowman Rally, Speyside Stages and Grampian Forest Rally.

SRC Chairman Gordon Adam sympathised with the Argyll organisers and praised their efficiency in taking this decision in time for the reserve event to be slotted into the calendar.

"It's obviously a huge shame for not just the SRC but for Mull Car Club and the local Dunoon residents that the Argyll Rally will not run in 2020," Adam said.

"The plans were looking tremendously exciting but we remain optimistic that the event can come back stronger than ever in 2021.

"We are delighted to be heading to the Carlisle Stages which is more than worthy of a slot on the SRC calendar. It will be a new challenge for most of our crews and should be a cracking end to the season."

The KNC Groundworks Ltd Scottish Rally Championship is supported by Royal Aero, Pirelli Motorsport, Moates Offshore Ltd, Albyn Garage Ltd, RAVENOL and Reis Motorsport Insurance.

Keep up to date with all the latest news via the championship's official website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SRC20.

SRC RETURNS TO MIXED-SURFACE FORMAT WITH EXCITING NEW CALENDAR

Posted: October 28, 2019 4:32 AM

The 2020 KNC Groundworks (Ltd) Scottish Rally Championship will be staged across five gravel and two closed road events as the series returns to a mixed-surface format for the first time since 2013.

The exciting new seven round calendar kicks off in March and concludes in September, taking the championship on a pulsating tour through Scotland.

As is tradition, the season kicks off in Inverness for the 65th running of the legendary Snowman Rally which has moved backwards from its traditional date in February to run in March.

The popular Speyside Stages runs next before the year’s first Tarmac event, the Jim Clark Reivers Rally, which returns after a six-year hiatus from the calendar.

The highly-anticipated match up between the SRC and the BTRDA on the Scottish Rally follows in June before the Argyll Rally, which excitingly switches to a sealed surface in 2020 and is the second of the season’s two closed road events.

The year ends with the Grampian Forest Rally in August and the Galloway Hills Rally in mid-September. In addition to the seven full championship rounds, the Carlisle Stages in October will be the nominated reserve event.

Organisers of the Border Counties Rally are unable to commit to running an event in 2020 presently, but organisers of the SRC are hopeful that the event can return for 2021 season where further calendar refinements are anticipated.

The best five scores from the seven rounds will count, meaning a competitor who may not wish to contest the Tarmac rounds can still win the championship as there are five forest rounds on offer.

A raft of further changes and improvements to the championship, such as class revisions and competitor incentives aimed in particular at Clubman competitors in class cars, will be announced over the coming weeks.

SRC organisers have shaped the 2020 calendar in response to the feedback from the recent competitor forum and survey.

SRC Chairman Gordon Adam is happy with the calendar changes, and is looking forward to the challenge of the new format, whilst retaining an element of competitor choice in what is a transitional year.

“We are delighted to be returning to a mixed-surface format and the events on offer in 2020 really do have something for everybody,” Adam enthused.

“It is important to be able to adapt to the changing preferences within the sport as they happen, whilst being able to stay with tradition, and we feel we have struck that balance perfectly starting in Inverness a bit later in the year than has been normal, and coming to its conclusion in Dalbeattie. We welcome the Jim Clark Rally back with open arms and are thrilled that the Argyll Rally will run as our second chosen closed road event in their first year on Tarmac.

“There may be some competitors who would rather not compete on Tarmac, but because only five of a potential seven scores will count, these drivers will not lose the chance to win their class or overall title. We felt that when we had the opportunity to give our competitors this choice, it was important to do this given the fairly major format changes we have made for the 2020 season.

“Of course, we realise that the gaps between the events in the middle of the season are not ideal, particularly for our volunteer officials, but our hands are tied by the events where they have commitments to other championships. This is obviously an important area for our competitors and officials, and one we will be focusing on for the 2021 season.

“Our thanks go to all the events who have liaised with us to create this exciting calendar. It is going to be another fantastic season for Scottish rallying.”

The KNC Groundworks Ltd Scottish Rally Championship is supported by Royal Aero, Pirelli Motorsport, Moates Offshore Ltd, Albyn Garage Ltd, RAVENOL and Reis Motorsport Insurance.

Championship Rounds (REVISED)

Posted: October 28, 2019 4:31 AM

1. Snowman Rally - (Sat) 7 Mar 20
2. Speyside Stages - (Sat) 18 Apr 20
3. Jim Clark Reivers Rally - 31 May 20
4. Scottish Rally - (Sat) 6 Jun 20
   Argyll (Tarmac) Stages Rally - (Sat) 20 Jun 20 - CANCELLED
5. Grampian Forest Rally - (Sat) 8 Aug 20
6. Galloway Hills Rally - (Sat) 19 Sep 20
7. Carlisle Stages - (Sat) 23 Oct 20

Scottish Rally Championship