Merrick Stages - 4 Sep 10

Podium interviews

Posted: September 6, 2010 9:13 PM

In Car

Posted: September 6, 2010 9:12 PM

Video Clips

Posted: September 6, 2010 9:08 PM

BOGIE BAGS SCOTTISH TITLE N0.2

Posted: September 6, 2010 4:16 PM

David Bogie put the seal on a "fantastic season" by winning Saturday's Hankook Merrick Stages Rally and his second Scottish championship.

In the end the advantage was just five seconds over a hard-charging Jock Armstrong, who dominated the Galloway forest event last year.

However, with four victories to his name, Bogie needed only a top four finish on the penultimate round in his Mitsubishi Evo 9 to complete a successful defence of his Hankook Scottish crown alongside co-driver Kevin Rae.

BRC front runner Jonny Greer secured third overall, to add to his runners-up spot of 2009, but since he was not eligible for Scottish championship points, it was Alick Kerr – on an identical total time - who sprayed the champagne alongside Bogie and Armstrong.

It had been predicted that the 19-mile opening stage through Glentrool would be a "make or break" test, and so it proved, with a string of retirements, punctures, and tales of hanging dust and "big moments".

Among them was Armstrong, partnered by Kirsty Riddick, in his GpN Subaru Impreza: "I missed hitting a large log by millimetres. It was one of my scariest rallying experiences, and definitely knocked my confidence".

No such problems for Bogie and Rae though, who were seven seconds up on the Castle Douglas duo going into first service.

"We stuck at the same pace we've been at all year – we didn't alter it to suit as such", said the 23-year-old Dumfries driver: "Coming out of Glentrool, we'd know idea where we were in relation to the others, but I was very happy to learn we'd set the quickest time. For me it was the best stage of the championship".

Sharing third quickest time, a second adrift of Armstrong, was fellow GpN front-runner Shaun Sinclair – his Evo 9 cured of its season-long fuel-pump issues - and Paul Benn in his Ford Focus WRC '01.

On SS2 Craignell, Benn, co-driven by fellow Cumbrian Richard Cooke, had a two second advantage over Bogie, and moved into second behind the defending champion in the overall classification.

Tied for third were Armstrong/Riddick, Sinclair and Chris Hamill, and Kerr, alongside Neil Shanks, in a Subaru Impreza. They were separated by two seconds from Mike Faulkner and Peter Foy in an Evo 6, with Greer and co-driver Dai Roberts a further four seconds back in their Evo 9.

There was no change to the top seven after the five-mile SS3 Drigmorn, which saw Bogie recording his second fastest time of the day, two seconds up on Greer and a resurgent Armstrong.

If by now any chance of taking the championship had slipped from his grasp, Armstrong was not about to give up on the rally win, and a change of tyre strategy was called for at second service ahead of the two afternoon stages.

"We cut them this morning to get more heat into them, but it turned against us on the longer stage because there was a lot of movement in the car and we were going in wide to many of the corners. So we've changed the tyres in the hope we can claw back some time".

The tactic worked, with Armstrong, Greer and Kerr sharing top honours through the 8-miles of Arroch Hill, followed by Sinclair, Benn and Wayne Sisson/David MacFadyen in an Evo 9. Bogie and Rae were seventh quickest, eight seconds off the pace.

With 19 seconds covering the top seven crews going into the final test of the day, SS5 Borgan, it was "gloves off".

Armstrong gave it his all in setting the benchmark, one second faster than an equally determined Faulkner and Greer, who was relishing a return to the "loose stuff" in preparation for the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire later this month.

Bogie's overall lead had been reduced from eight to five seconds, but he had achieved his target and the smiles were as wide as the surrounding streets as a Scottish piper led the winning pair the final few yards to the finish ramp in Wigtown.

"Every day I've been thinking about winning the championship again and here we are - it's been a fantastic effort by the whole team this year. A perfect day in a perfect season for Kevin and myself".

For Armstrong it was a case of what might have been ("we'll be back for another crack at it next year"), while Kerr again stayed focussed, despite losing third gear on the last stage, to maintain his second spot in the championship, with one round remaining.

"The overall title might have been decided, but second and third are still up for grabs going into the McRae Stages – there''ll certainly be no let up, but we need reliability", said Kerr.

Benn ended the day fifth overall: "I'm a bit disappointed to be honest but given we were only 13 seconds behind David at the finish , it's actually not bad at all – the pace has been that fierce all day".
It was a sentiment shared by Sinclair, who was more than satisfied with sixth place, declaring his car "was back to its usual self". The Oban-based competitor finished one second ahead of Faulkner, who was rueing a spin and a stall at the start of the penultimate stage, which lost him fifteen seconds.

The Evo 9 crew of Donnie Macdonald and Kier Beaton from Inverness secured their second top ten finish of the season in eighth, followed by Sisson ("it's been a terrible day") who was on the back foot throughout after losing time on a difficult opening stage.

The Aberdeenshire partnership of Bruce McCombie and Michael Coutts in a Subaru Impreza – matched Sisson's total time to finish ten overall, their best result since the season-opening Snowman.

In the 2-wheel drives, the Escort Mk 2 duo of Malcolm Buchanan and Ian Nicoll had built up a 19 second lead in class before sustaining front wheel damage on the penultimate stage, followed by a cut out on the final test. The advantage went to Steve Bannister and Louise Sutherland who finished 16th overall in their Mk2. "We lost quite a bit of time in Glentrool when we caught a car with a puncture", said Bannister: "Then our distributor came loose and the car wasn't pulling right – so it's been hard going".

In the Ecosse Civic Challenge, Aberdeen's Euan Duncan and Peter MacInnes from Maryburgh took top honours in a newly rebuilt Honda Civic – following their heavy crash on the RSAC Scottish in June.

Duns youngster Garry Pearson put in a storming drive alongside Tom Hynd to clinch the 205 Challenge, and first in class.

Photos

Posted: September 6, 2010 4:11 PM

Lindsay Photosport

Results

Posted: September 6, 2010 4:05 PM

1 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 44 mins 12 secs
2 Jock Armstrong (Castle Douglas)/Kirsty Riddick (Castle Douglas) Subaru Impreza 44.17
3 Jonny Greer (Castleduff)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 44.23
4 Alick Kerr (Bothwell)/Neil Shanks (Elgin) Subaru Impreza 44.23
5 Paul Benn (Cockermouth)/Richard Cooke (Keswick) Ford Focus WRC 44.25
6 Shaun Sinclair (Oban)/Chris Hamill (Oban) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 44.28
7 Mike Faulkner (Kirtlebridge)/Peter Foy (Bingley) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 44.29
8 Donnie Macdonald (Inverness)/Keir Beaton (Inverness) Mitsubishi Evo 9 45.46
9 Wayne Sisson (Burton-in-Kendal)/David MacFadyen (Inverness) Mitsubishi Evo 9 46.29
10 Bruce McCombie (Banchory)/Michael Coutts (Torphins) Subaru Impreza 46.30

Class Winners
Class 2: Mark McCulloch/Craig Wallace (Vauxhall Nova)
Class 3: Garry Pearson/Tom Hynd (Peugeot 205 Gti)
Class 4: Lachlan Cowan/Stuart Bell (Peugeot 106)
Class 5: David Cameron/Douglas Cameron (Ford Escort Mk2)
Class 6: Historics: Roger Kilty/Lynette Banks (Ford Escort RS)
Class 7: John Boyd/Chris Williamson (Ford Fiesta ST)
Class 8: Steve Bannister/Louise Sutherland (Ford Escort Mk2)
Class 9: Mike Horne/Robbie Mitchell (Ford Escort Mk2)
Class 10: GpN: Shaun Sinclair/Chris Hamill (Mitsubishi Evo 9)
Class 11: Calum MacLeod/Claudia MacLeod (MG S2000)
Class 12: Alick Kerr/Neil Shanks (Subaru Impreza)

Merrick 2010 - Full Results

flyingfinish.co.uk

Provisional Seeded Entry List

Posted: August 31, 2010 4:30 PM

• Merrick Forest Stages.

FIRST STAGE KEY TO MERRICK SUCCESS

Posted: August 29, 2010 5:16 PM

Crews competing in Saturday's Hankook Merrick Stages Rally will need to be "in the groove" from the start as they tackle a daunting opening test of nearly 19 miles.

The monster Glentrool stage will be key to deciding the outcome of the seventh and penultimate round of the Hankook MSA Scottish Rally Championshi, which has attracted nearly 100 crews.

"When you go into that first 19-miler, there's no messing", said 2009 Merrick winner and top seed Jock Armstrong; "You've really got to get to grips with it, and get the feel straight away".

Defending Scottish champion David Bogie, who starts second, agreed: "You need to commit to it from the word go. If you have a lazy stage, or you're not 100 percent on the ball, then you can have either a poor time or make a costly mistake."

"Nineteen miles comes with its own challenges in keeping up the level of concentration and still attacking every corner from the start to the end, "said Mike Faulkner, who is seeded third: "It's important to get into a rhythm early on and stick to it. Obviously if you get a puncture or make an error in such a long stage, and the day is ruined".

With the best six out of eight rounds deciding the final Scottish championship placings, the "Merrick" is regarded as a "make or break" event.

Bogie is well on his way to securing his second Scottish crown. He has four victories under his belt so far this season, and leads the overall drivers' standings by sixteen points.

"If we were to push for a win on Saturday and everything falls into place then it would certainly see the championship off", said the Dumfries driver: "Winning the title last year was very, very difficult - a lot of things didn't go in my favour. This year it's just all fallen into place - I feel I'm driving well, the car's going well, the team's doing well, so hopefully the Merrick will be no different".

By contrast, Armstrong has had a mixed campaign - with one victory (Snowman), three second SRC points finishes (Granite, Jim Clark and Speyside) and two retirements (Border Counties and Scottish). "There have been frustrations this year, but the mindset is very positive for this rally", said the Castle Douglas competitor: "I enjoy the Merrick. They're good flowing stages. And obviously being a bit closer to home it's one of the events you want to win.There's always a chance - the championship is not done and dusted, but we need consistent results to make it right". Armstrong has the advantage in the Group N standings - with four wins out of the four rounds he has successfully completed. "We can just about put that in the bag - so long as we can get the next couple of results". Mike Faulkner (Mitsubishi Evo 6) is currently third in the overall standings – 21 points adrift of Bogie - and will be looking for a strong finish after a stage one retirement alongside co-driver Peter Foy on last year's "Merrick". "It's a great event, with fast stages that require maximum commitment - they're real driver stages - some of the best in the country", enthused the Kirtlebridge-based driver: "The championship is difficult for us now, but we're still looking forward to giving 100% and will be attacking from the off". British championship front-runner and Mitsubishi Evo Challenge leader Jonny Greer from Northern Ireland is one of three non-SRC registered competitors seeded in the top ten – the other two being fellow BRC contender Euan Thorburn, and 2009 BTRDA Gold Star champion Dave Wright. Greer was runner up on the “Merrick” last year, and will use the event as a “shakedown” for the next BRC round, the “Trackrod “in Yorkshire.. He starts one ahead of Oban's Shaun Sinclair, who has had more than his fair share of frustrations during his SRC campaign this year - caused mainly by fuel-pump issues. Since the Speyside Stages, his Mitsubishi Evo 9 has been thoroughly checked over by fellow competitor and rally preparation expert Wayne Sisson at his AMS motorsport base in Lancashire. "It turns out that it was the return fuel line that was partially blocked, causing the pump to be under extra pressure", said Sinclair's co-driver Chris Hamill. "It also became apparent that the head gasket was leaking. When the car was put on the dyno it was found to be missing 50hp - so hopefully these changes will see us back on the pace". "Everybody will have to be sharp from the off as the potential to win or lose could lie in that first 19 miles", said Hamill. Andy Horne (DAM 4100GTi), who is currently seventh in the overall drivers' standings, one point behind Sinclair, will be aiming to bounce back after a non-finish on the Speyside Stages – his only retirement of the season so far. In recent years, the “Merrick” has proved to be a tough nut to crack for Inverness-based Horne and navigator Jim Howie of Kilmarnock. They have not successfully completed the event since 2006, when it was the Park Systems Stages. On that occasion, they finished fifth in the National B rally. Euan Thorburn from Duns finished fourth on the “Merrick” last year in his Subaru, and is targeting a podium this time out at the wheel of a recently acquired Mitsubishi Evo 9.

"I just want to get a clean rally under my belt without any major issues – something which hasn't really happened for me in a long time”, said Thorburn, who will have Paul Beaton the notes: “I feel I can definitely improve on last year's fourth, as we are in a better car, and I don't have the pressure of trying to score points in the SRC".

For Wayne Sisson, the Hankook Merrick Stages is another "new" event as he nears the end of his first full season in the Hankook SRC, alongside Inverness co-driver David MacFadyen.

"I'm hoping to carry on from the Speyside, when we set third and second fastest times on the last two stages", said Sisson: "We've had a difficult year and luck has not been on our side so we are just looking to finish the season off with some good solid results and regain some confidence".

Sisson will be followed off the start line in Wigtown by Dave Wright, another “Merrick” debutant, who is viewing a possible Scottish championship campaign next season.

“I last competed in the forests of south-west Scotland in 2004, “said Wright, who will be accompanied by regular co-driver Michael Wilkinson: “The stages are amongst my favourites, I really enjoy the fast flowing nature of them”.

The top ten is rounded off by Lanarkshire's Alick Kerr, who sits second in the SRC drivers' points in his Subaru Impreza. Despite being dogged by season-long mechanical problems problems, Kerr has managed to put together a string of top-five finishes, with just one retirement on the Jim Clark Reivers.

"We know that we need to target a podium this weekend if we're to keep the pressure on", said Kerr, who will have Neil Shanks back on the notes: "We've dropped only one round so far so there's still a bit of leeway coming into the last two rounds. Other drivers are not in such a good position in that respect as they cannot afford to slip up at all".

Another top junior prospect - David Wilson from Alness, co-driven by Drew Sturrock of Laurencekirk - will be aiming to make amends for a non-finish on last year's event, when his car rolled.

Wilson has had one third place finish in 2010 in his Evo 9, and was running within striking distance of a podium on the last round before sustaining a puncture.

After fielding an Evo earlier in the season, and a newly-acquired Subaru Impreza WRC on the Speyside, Fort Augustus driver Reay Mackay, with navigator Robert Macdonald will give his MG Metro 6R4 an outing this weekend.

The car has been off the road with an oil pressure problem, which has taken a while to track down", said Mackay: "We're using the Merrick as a shakedown for Mull, and will be back out in the Subaru on the final SRC round, the McRae Stages".

The 2-wheel drive contingent will be led once again by Steve Bannister/Louise Sutherland - with fellow Escort Mk2 crews Malcolm Buchanan/Ian Nicoll and Mike Horne/Robbie Mitchell aiming to keep them in their sights.

The 1600 category is again expected to produce some fierce competition in the Galloway forests, with current joint leaders Graeme Schoneville (Honda Civic) and Lachlan Cowan (Peugeot 106) battling for top honours, along with the likes of Alasdair S.Graham (Vauxhall Corsa) and Grant Inglis and Euan Duncan, both in Honda Civics.

Meanwhile, East Kilbride's Steven Smith (Peugeot 205 GTi) will be out to maintain his current advantage in the SRC Junior rankings and the Red Bull Junior Challenge.

A group of “Historics” will run ahead of the main field, including a Lancia Stratos V6 Replica, which will be driven by Andrew Gallacher, son of four times Scottish champion Drew.

As well as the familiar Mitsubishi's and Subaru's, the turn-out has also been boosted by the inclusion of an MG ZR S2000 Sport, fielded by Calum MacLeod, who has made the trip over from his base in Germany.

With the re-location of the start/finish and rally headquarters to Wigtown, the route remains one of the most compact in the Scottish calendar, with five classic forest stages totalling 45 miles, and central servicing at Glencaird, close to Glentrool.

As well as the Hankook SRC, the event - organised by the Machars and Scottish Sporting car clubs - is a round of the Brick & Steel Ecosse Challenges and the Scottish Borders and Five of Clubs Rally Championships.

The Glentrool Mini Rally will continue to run in conjunction with the main event once again and offers competitors a reduced mileage event of approximately 30 stage miles which forms the counter in the Five of Clubs Championship.

There will also be a Trophy Rally for those competitors who are unfortunate enough to retire early, giving them the opportunity of a run through the final two stages.

Several new trophies will be awarded this year at the post-rally prize-giving which will be held at the County Buildings in Wigtown.

The John Allan Memorial Quaich will go to the leading "overseas" driver, which includes competitors from Ireland and the Scottish islands.

A rallying legend, John Allan, who succumbed to cancer in April , was a long-time supporter of the event, and had driven the opening course car for a number of years.

Two quaichs, donated by Scottish Sporting Car Club chairman and president Bruce Lyle, will be presented to the leading "Junior" crew - as defined in the SRC regulations. Failing that, the trophies will go to the first placed SRC Junior driver and co-driver.

The first "historic" will start from outside the county buildings at 0830 on Saturday, with the main field following on at 0910.

TOP 20 PROVISIONAL SEEDS

Posted: August 29, 2010 5:14 PM

1 Jock Armstrong (Castle Douglas)/Kirsty Riddick (Castle Douglas) Subaru Impreza WRX
2 David Bogie(Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
3 Mike Faulkner (Kirtlebridge)/Peter Foy (Bingley) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6
4 Jonathan Greer (Belfast)/Dai Roberts (Belfast) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
5 Shaun Sinclair (Oban)/Chris Hamill (Oban) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
6 Andy Horne (Inverness)/Jim Howie (Kilmarnock) Dam 4100GTI
7 Euan Thorburn (Duns)/Paul Beaton (Inverness) Mitsubishi Evo 9
8 Wayne Sisson (Burton In Kendal)/David MacFadyen (Inverness) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
9 David Wright (Nr Lancaster)/Michael Wilkinson (Durham) Mitsubishi Evo 9
10 Alick Kerr (Bothwell)/Neil Shanks (Elgin) Subaru Impreza
11 David Wilson (Alness)/Drew Sturrock (By Laurencekirk) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
12 Paul Benn (Cockermouth)/Richard Cooke (Keswick) Ford Focus WRC01
14 Barry Groundwater(Stonehaven)/Daniel Paterson(Stonehaven) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
15 Jim Carty (Renfrewshire)/Ian Fraser (Aros) Subaru WRC
16 Steve Bannister (Malton)/Louise Sutherland (Hawick) Ford Escort Mk2
17 Reay Mackay (Fort Augustus)/Robert Macdonald (Fort Augustus) MG Metro 6R4
18 Donnie Macdonald (Inverness)/Keir Beaton (Inverness) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
19 John Morrison (Conon Bridge)/Peter Carstairs (St. Andrews) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
20 David Hughes (Dumfries)/Bruce Harper (Dumfries) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9

List of Entries Received to Date

Posted: August 18, 2010 3:04 PM

• Merrick Forest Stages.

Regulations Available / On Line Entry

Posted: July 22, 2010 5:53 PM

• Merrick Forest Stages.

NEW SPONSOR AND HQ FOR MERRICK RALLY

Posted: April 29, 2010 10:47 AM

The award winning Merrick Stages Rally in Galloway has received a major boost with the confirmation of sponsorship from global tyre manufacturer Hankook.

It comes as organisers firm up plans to return the rally to its "roots" - with the start/finish and event headquarters based in Wigtown.

It is also hoped to use the rally on September 4th for the launch of a new young drivers' initiative.

Hankook are into their second year of sponsorship of the Scottish Rally Championship - of which the "Merrick" is the seventh and penultimate round.

Rally Manager Allan Marshall described the tyre firm's backing of the re-branded Hankook Merrick Stages as a "huge vote of confidence".

"We've been very fortunate to have won the Chairman's Cup for the best SRC event twice in the past three years, and the fact that Hankook have now picked our rally as the one they wish to back within the championship has given us greater encouragement. It'll give us a good foundation on which to build an even better event this year".

Mr Marshall also expressed gratitude to Castle Douglas businessman Ian Bendall for his continuing support of the "Merrick". He came in with financial backing three years ago, after the previous long-running Park Systems sponsorship had run its course.

The rally HQ, including official documentation and the prize-giving ceremony, will be at the County Buildings in Wigtown, with the start/finish in the Main Square.

"We're taking the rally back to its original roots", said Mr Marshall: "Years ago it was known as the Baldoon Stages, and I can remember as a wee boy watching the event start from the Square in Wigtown. The County Buildings is the perfect venue and the perfect backdrop for our modern day version. We've had great support from the local community council who have welcomed us to Wigtown with open arms".

Building on the positive competitor feedback of the past three years, organisers have identified five stages in the famed Glentrool forest complex and Black Loch area.

All the stages are close to the purpose-built central service base at Glencaird, making the "Merrick" one of the most compact events on the eight-round SRC calendar.

As part of the plans, it is hoped that there will be a sufficient number of "historic" entries to run them ahead of the main field.

Allan Marshall also disclosed that he was in discussion with Dumfries and Galloway Road Safety Partnership about the possibility of using the "Merrick" to unveil an expanded scheme, working with young motorists involved in minor crashes or inappropriate driving behaviour.

"It was run in the Stewartry with great success in rehabilitating young driver offenders, and this is now being rolled out across the region", said Mr Marshall: " We have offered the Merrick Stages as a launch platform for the initiative, and our new sponsors Hankook have intimated that they would be very interested in putting forward a prize as an incentive for a young driver participating in the scheme".

The "Merrick" is jointly organised by Machars and Scottish Sporting car clubs.

www.merrickstages.co.uk

Event Website / Details

Posted: January 1, 2010 12:01 AM

• Merrick Forest Stages.