McRae (Subaru) Gathering - 30 & 31 Aug 08

Thirty mile McRae convoy smashes world records

Posted: September 2, 2008 12:32 PM

More than 1000 Subaru owners and thousands more fans celebrated the life of Colin McRae over the weekend of 30-31 August, smashing two world records on the way.

The convoy of an estimated 1100 Subaru cars, which at its peak stretched for 30 miles, left Colin’s home town of Lanark on Saturday morning, led by his father Jimmy. Nine hours and 300 miles later, the snake of Subarus arrived at the headquarters of the Subaru World Rally Team in Banbury, UK. Demonstrating the extent to which Colin’s memory endures, thousands of fans packed every available motorway bridge along the route to be a part of this fantastic tribute.

“Literally every bridge had people waving and cheering us along with many hanging the Saltire from the railings” said Grant Hendry, who led the McRae Gathering convoy. “It turned what was an already memorable event into a truly amazing and emotional occasion.”

The convoy re-gathered at SWRT’s headquarters on Sunday morning, before being led away by Colin’s original 1996 Impreza rally car that helped take Subaru to their second world rallying Manufacturers’ Championship.

In a fitting finale, 1086 Subarus were arranged to spell out COLIN MCRAE and the Scottish Saltire in a sign almost half a mile long to set a new official Guinness World Record – smashing the previous record by more than 800 cars. With time for just one more before its conclusion, the event then broke a second Guinness World Record by creating the largest parade of cars of a single marque around the Warwick test venue.

It is estimated that the event has raised nearly £40,000 for the McRae charities.

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McRae Gathering

McRae convoy to stretch 20 miles from SWRT

Posted: August 24, 2008 7:32 PM

Nearly 1300 Subarus will gather in the UK to celebrate the life of Colin McRae and create a convoy which will stretch nearly 20 miles.

Fans up and down the country will be able to watch the convoy as it travels more than 300 miles from Lanark, Scotland to the home of the Subaru World Rally Team in Banbury on Saturday 30 August. 

The convoy of Subarus departs the McRae's hometown of Lanark at 1000hrs, led by Jimmy McRae in one of Colin’s original cars, before travelling south. By the time it reaches Birmingham, it will have grown to more than 700 cars and stretch for more than ten miles. Watching from a single point, it will take ten minutes for the memorable note of the flat four boxer engines to pass by.

On Sunday 31 August, 1300 cars will gather at the Subaru World Rally Team’s base from 1000hrs before assembling behind Colin’s 1996 Impreza 555 rally car for a second convoy heading north, this time 20 miles long. On arrival at Prodrive’s test track in Warwickshire, they aim to break two official Guinness World Records. Firstly, the cars will write out ‘COLIN MCRAE’ in a sign nearly half a mile long and visible to passengers landing at Birmingham airport, and then form a parade of 1300 Subarus.

While entry to the McRae Gathering is now closed, organisers are hoping fans will show their support along the route. “It would be great to see people cheering us along” said Grant Hendry, one of the organisers of the McRae Gathering. “When the idea of the convoy to commemorate the life of Colin was born, we never dreamt 1300 Subarus would be taking part. We even have Subarus joining us from all over Europe, from Poland and the Ukraine to France and Spain, while some fans are flying in especially from Australia and Argentina to be part of this memorable occasion.”

The McRae Gathering has already raised more than £25,000 for the McRae family’s officially nominated charities and is hoping to raise more money along the route.

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McRae Gathering

McRae tribute to set new world record

Posted: July 16, 2008 9:32 AM

A world record 1000 Imprezas are expected to descend on Prodrive, the home of the Subaru World Rally Team, on 31 August as the Subaru community gathers to pay a fitting tribute to the late Colin McRae MBE.

Led by McRae’s 1995 World Rally Championship-winning Impreza 555, a convoy of Subarus will leave Colin’s home town of Lanark at 1000hrs on Saturday 30 August. The initially small group of Subarus will head down the A74, M6, M42 and the M40 before arriving at Prodrive in Banbury later the same day.

On Sunday 31 August, organisers of the McRae Gathering expect more than 1000 Subarus from all over the UK to gather at Prodrive. The British motorsport company is the home of the Subaru World Rally Team, where Colin spent the most successful years of his rallying career; first winning the British Rally Championship in a Subaru Legacy in 1991 and 1992, before graduating to the works team Impreza and famously becoming Britain’s first World Rally Champion in 1995.

Colin also helped Subaru win the Manufacturers’ Championship in 1996 and 1997, and his 1996 Group A Impreza 555 will lead the convoy up the M40 for the final leg of its journey from Banbury to Prodrive’s proving ground in Warwickshire.

Having just set a world record for a gathering of Subarus, the aim is then to set a world record for a parade of Subarus, both verified by a member of Guinness World Records, as all the cars circulate around the two mile test track. As a final mark of respect, the Subarus will park up on the mile-long straight to spell out Colin McRae in letters more than 100 feet tall and visible to anyone flying into nearby Birmingham International airport.

Prodrive chairman, David Richards, was instrumental in putting the young Colin into a Subaru and nurturing his talent. 
He said: “Colin was not only an exceptional driver, but also a remarkable person and a great friend to everyone at Prodrive. Single-handedly he brought the sport of rallying into everyone’s living room, whether it was through his sideways exploits in the forest or through the many video games which bore his name. I can not think of a more fitting tribute to Colin than a gathering of so many Subarus, a car for which he did so much to make as popular as it is today.”

“It is indeed a fitting homage to the man who inspired millions, and did so much to boost the profile of rallying the world over” added Richard Taylor, Subaru World Rally Team managing director. “That so many are committed to turning out en masse in his memory is testament to the legacy and reputation of Subaru’s first World Champion that will continue to inspire his many fans across the globe.” The McRae Gathering is only open to Subarus and to take part, all cars must bear the special ‘McRae Gathering’ plate. There is an entry charge of £10 for each car and all proceeds will go to the McRaes’ nominated charities. For more information and to join the convoy please visit:

McRae Gathering

Event Website / Details

Posted: July 16, 2008 9:31 AM

McRae Gathering