… News & Gossip …
The Donegal Rally had visitations from quite a few of our lot, but not all were successful. David Bogie finished 4th in the National and won his class first time out in the Escort while Jim McDowall finished 30th (2nd in class) in the Subaru. Lewis Gallagher was only 16 seconds behind McDowall at the finish in 31st place in his Subaru and Stewart Morrison was 37th in his Mk2. Ross Hunter was 45th in the Peugeot and Tony Jardine 54th in his Lancer. Not quite so fortunate were Alan Gardiner who crested a rise only to find the butt end of a car sticking out of a ditch and nowhere for him to go. The Mk1 clipped it and he was out. Ross Marshall had the throttle stick open, plunging off the road and burying the Mk2 in the heather and Kieran O’Kane got 6 miles into the first stage and a driveshaft broke in the Ascona – and the spare didn’t fit!
Also in Donegal, Lee Hastings lost his crown. He clipped a rock on an apex which flipped the Subaru up on to two wheels: “It was like Terry Grant,” said Lee, “up on two wheels but I didn’t think it would go over. It did. And when I ended up in the ditch, my first thought was, ‘where’s my crown?'” And no it wasn’t delusions of grandeur or some long past royal dalliance amongst his ancestors, he was referring to his tooth and turned up at the Scottish with a temporary filling in place.
Jim McDowall thoroughly enjoyed his Donegal experience and ‘the craic’. In his day job as proprietor of Motorwise Repair and Breakdown Recovery, Jim knows a thing or two about helping others. Anyway, he came across a fellow competitor in a Mk2 with the bonnet up and stopped to enquire. He was told it wouldn’t start. The bold Jim offered to give the chap a tow to get him started and off they went. It still wouldn’t start. Jim then offered to tow the guy 15 kms back to service but informed him he’d need to be quick to get there on his rally time. The response was: “That’ll be alright, you keep her lit.” Off they went with a short strap between Jim’s Subaru and the Mk2. All the while Jim was keeping an eye on the mirrors to make sure the Escort driver wasn’t getting too close to his paintwork: “We were getting on at quite a pace,” said Jim, “and I could see him in the mirrors after each corner. Then we came to one sharp right hander and as we shot out of the bend, I checked the mirrors – and he wasn’t there. I don’t know where he went. I never saw him again.” Makes you wonder if he’ll get a five star customer review from the North West of Ireland for his Motorwise web-site, eh?
SatNavs have replaced maps, huge reflective painted road signs have replaced finger posts, Notes have replaced ‘Tulip’ Roadbooks, digital clocks have replaced Marshals with clocks and countdowns, is it any wonder that modern day co-drivers get lost? Take Craig Wallace for instance. He was on his way south down the M74 Motorway, you know, one of those awfy wide and sweeping stretches of three-lane tarmac with huge blue road signs the size of buses on which giant sized lettering highlights destinations. These signs also display road numbers and Junction numbers to help and guide highway travellers. They even have rally style countdown boards before each junction. You can’t go wrong, especially an experienced, highly trained and hugely successful modern-day co-driver? Don’t you believe it. Anyway, the aforementioned Craig was heading south to Dumfries to meet up with Fraser Wilson to contest the RSAC Scottish Rally – and he missed his turn-off. “It was only when I got to Johnstonebridge I realised what I had done,” said Craig, “I had missed the Moffat junction.” Then came the bigger admission: “I’m always doing that!” Now you know Fraser.
James Gibb appeared in Dumfries minus his Subaru. Instead he was at the wheel of Andrew Gallacher’s Fiesta. James admitted: “I’m actually getting one built for myself so Andrew suggested I drive it this weekend and we do a bit of testing and get my new car sorted out and set up to suit me. I had a test before the rally and loved it. I learned a few things too, and I also learned I’m short of talent! I won’t be driving like Andrew, it will be a steady run round on the rally.”
Chris Collie is not as regular on the scene these days, but was back in Dumfries with one of the Sheriff’s Lancers after his engine troubles on the Granite, but he had another admission: “I’ve got twin girls and a wee boy and my wife’s pregnant again. If she’s a couple of weeks late, I might get out on the Speyside.” That’s what I like to hear, getting one’s priorities right!
John Rintoul learned a valuable lesson approaching the first stage in Ae: “Don’t spit your chewing gum out of the window while you’re driving.” Apparently it blew back in, got stuck to his shoulder and messed up his seat harness and racesuit. And I thought he had an encounter with a seagull with a bad diet.
Robert Harkness was relieved to get to the finish in one piece: “We’re off on holiday tomorrow, on a cruise, so I had promised to phone Gail from the finish – to tell her to get ready.” Some women have no faith, eh?
The Army and RAF boys were in a hurry at the finish to get packed up and on the road. Not because they had to return to Barracks, but because they were all off to Goodwood overnight (only 400 miles away) for a display the following day. What was the old saying? Join the army and see the world. I’d settle for Goodwood. If you’ve never been, it’s one for the bucket list.
And finally …
Once upon a time there was a wee boy called Greg who was keen on rallying and Escorts in particular, and his absolute boyhood hero was Steve Bannister. One day, when the rally cars came to town, his Dad Chris found out where the Malton Missile was staying overnight and took his lad to the hotel to see if they could get Steve’s autograph. The team were in the bar (naturally!) but Steve, like the serious competitor he is (!), was already in his bed for a good rest ahead of the following day’s rigours. Chris asked if he could leave something for Steve to sign and the boys said they’d sort it out. When the rally was over, Chris got a call from the hotel: “Those Yorkshire lads left something for you when they left,” he told him. So Chris and Greg headed back to the hotel thinking they would get a scrap of paper with the great man’s signature. It wasn’t just a scrap of paper, it was a handwritten and signed note and a tee-shirt with the word ‘Banner’ across it.
Greg and Steve
And finally, finally …
There was a slight feeling of relief from Steve Bannister at the finish of the Scottish Rally, and he had to be pressed on the reason why. The normally recalcitrant Yorkshireman eventually admitted that he had a promise to keep on the following Tuesday evening. “Dave Brown who services for me on most events has a 15 year old son, Jack, who is daft on rallying. Jack asked me over a year ago now, if I would drive him to his school Prom, and I said I would. All I need is to clean and polish the car and we’re good for Tuesday night.” Makes you wonder if there will be any do’nuts at the Prom, eh?
Well? Did you need the hankies?
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