… Snowman Opens Forest Season …
Fingers will be crossed across the Highlands this weekend when the Arnold Clark Jurys Inn Snowman Rally officially gets the 2017 ARR Craib Scottish Championship season underway. Last year’s event was blighted with blizzards over the closing stages and as darkness set in, the organisers wisely decided to curtail activities for the later runners.
Leading off the 90+ entry will be last year’s winners, Donnie MacDonald and Andrew Falconer but Donnie is under no illusions about what lies ahead, even though he’s got a new motor!
Donnie has done a deal with Dom Buckley’s RSC equipe to run a Ford Fiesta R5 in this year’s championship: “I’ll be lucky to stay in the top 5 this year, let alone win it,” said Donnie, “it’s a new car to me and just look at the quality, David Bogie, Euan Thorburn, Jock Armstrong and Mike Faulkner plus the rest. In fact, the rally might well be decided on the third stage. It’s so fast, and last year the turbo cars had the legs of the R5s, we’ll toil just to keep up.”
“I’ve had one test session with the car a couple of weekends ago. Dommie took me round to show me how it worked then I had half a dozen runs myself. It felt right from the word ‘go’. I’m really looking forward to it but I’m a bit apprehensive. I know it’s home territory and I know the local folks will be hoping for another ‘home’ win but I’m keeping it low key and we’ll see how we go.”
The first car will leave Jurys Inn at 8.50 am for the Ceremonial Start in High Street commencing 9.00 am ahead of 5 Special Stages on Forest Enterprise land with the first car expected to return (weather permitting!) to the official Rally Finish back at the Jurys Inn from just after 3pm.
Programmes available from the following outlets:
Arnold Clark Peugeot, 36 Harbour Rd, Inverness IV1 1UB
Autosave, Greyfriars Street, Elgin IV30 1LF
Autosave, 35H Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1UA
Bannerman’s Seat Filling Station, 44 Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1UF
Charlies Café, Margaret St, Inverness IV1 1LS
Contin Filling Station, Contin, IV14 9ES
Jurys Inn, Millburn Rd, Inverness IV2 3TR
Kingswells Filling Station, 36 Old Perth Road, Inverness IV2 3HR
Ord Filling Station, Great North Road, Muir of Ord IV6 7XR
Skiach Service Station, Evanton, IV16 9XJ
Tore Service Station, A832 Tore, IV6 7RZ
Entry List:
1, Donnie MacDonald/Andrew Falconer (Inverness / Inverness) Ford Fiesta R5, 12
2, David Bogie/Kevin Rae (Dumfries / Jedburgh) Skoda Fabia, 12
3, Jock Armstrong/Paula Swinscoe (Castle Douglas / Chorley) Subaru Impreza, 11
4, Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton (Duns / Inverness) Ford Fiesta R5, 12
5, B S W Energy Powered By Hotties Aquam Corp
Mike Faulkner/Peter Foy (Aspatria / Bingley) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX, 11
6, Bruce McCombie/Michael Coutts (Banchory / Torphins) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9, 11
7, Mark McCulloch/Michael Hendry (Dumfries / Aberlour) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX, 11
8, Shaun Sinclair/Jamie Edwards (Oban / Wrexham) Subaru Impreza WRC S14, 12
9, Quintin Milne/Sean Donnelly (Banchory / Elgin) Mitsubishi Evo Proto, 11
10, Rory Young/Allan Cathers (Dumfries / Brampton) Ford Fiesta R5, 12
11, Scott McCombie/Mark Fisher (Banchory / Workington) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9, 11
12, Steven Clark/Paul Brown (Holywell / Wester Fossoway) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 5, 11
14, Helix Oilfield Services
Freddie Milne/Chris Williams (Kinneff / Carlisle) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9, 11
15, Greg McKnight/Laura Marshall (Thornhill / Tarbolton) Mitsubishi EVO 9, 11
16, John Wink/John Forrest (Huntly / Rothienorman) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9, 10
17, Fraser Wilson/Craig Wallace (Port William / Kirriemuir) Mitsubishi EVO 9, 9
18, Iain Wilson/Callum Atkinson (Dalbeattie / Lauder)Subaru Impreza, 10
19, Reay MacKay/Keir Beaton (Fort Augustus / Inverness) Ford Focus WRC, 12
20, Simon Hay/Calum Jaffray (Aberdeen / Torphins) Mitsubishi EVO 6, 10
21,Glendale Engineering
Michael Binnie/Claire Mole (Cornhill on Tweed / Duns) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 5, 11
22, Ross MacDonald/Matthew Johnstone (Conon Bridge / Aberdeen) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8, 11
23, Fraser & Grant Joinery
Scott MacBeth/Daniel Forsyth (Inverness / Elgin) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7, 10
24, FCE Group Of Leven
John Rintoul/ Ross Hynd (Lower Largo / Dalgety Bay) Mitsubishi EVO X, 11
25, Ian Baumgart/Mike Dickson (Hawick / Galashiels) Subaru Impreza, 10
26, Dougal Brown/Lewis Rochford (Forres / Inverness) Ford Escort Mk2, 7
27, Malcolm Buchanan/Jim Howie (Uig / Kilmarnock) Ford Escort Mk2, 7
28, Mercury Motorsport Ltd
Ian Forgan/Kathryn Forgan (Lundin Links / Lundin Links) Subaru Impreza, 11
29, Fraser Louden/Ashleigh Will (Aberdeen / Kintore) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX, 11
30, Kyle Orr/TBA (Dromore / TBA) Mitsubishi EVO, 10
31, Marty Gallagher/Dean O’Sullivan (Letterkenny / TBA) Peugeot 208 R2, 3
32, Robert Thomson/Steven Kerschat (Auldearn / Auldearn) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8, 11
33, Angus Lawrie/Paul Gribben (Castle Douglas / Lowthertown) Vauxhall Corsa, 3
34, D C Vending Ltd
Duncan Campbell/Michael Cruickshank (Ballochmyle / Crieff) Subaru Impreza, 10
35, Ken Wood/Gordon Wood (Insch / Huntly) Triumph Dolomite Sprint, 8
36, Thomas Gray/TBA (Muir of Ord / TBA) Ford Fiesta R2, 3
37, Matthew Thomson/Ian Graham (Inverurie / Inverurie) Subaru Impreza GC8, 10
38, Harris Home Furnishings
Duncan MacDonald/Neil Ross (Portree / Portree) Ford Escort Mk2, 7
39, Jim Robertson/Harry Marchbank (Thornhill / Thornhill) Citroen C2 R2, 3
40, Andy Chalmers/Martin MacCabe (Turriff / Glasgow) Peugeot 205Gti, 2
41, S T H
Brian Stephen/Jack Keith (Elgin / Lossiemouth) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9, 11
42, John McIlwraith/Scott Young (Canonbie / Duns) Subaru Impreza GC8, 10
43, Donald Brooker/Rachel Brooker (Ballater / Aberdeen) Subaru GC8, 10
44, Keith Riddick/Mairi Riddick (Haugh of Urr / Dumfries) MG ZR, 3
45, Michael Robertson/Gary McDonald (Letham / Aberdeen) Subaru Impreza, 10
46, Neil Morrison/Seumas MacLean (Dunvegan / Portree) Talbot Sunbeam, 7
47, Ivor Clark/Brian Hodgson (Gretna / Penrith) Hillman Avenger, 7
48, Colin Baxter/Donald John Campbell (Tain / Invergordon) Subaru Impreza, 10
49, Alex Pirie/Frazer Skene (Drummuir / Keith) Citroen C2, 3
50, Steve McGregor/Malcolm Vie (Laurencekirk / Montrose) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 3, 10
51, Neil Coalter/Hannah Cessford (Sauchen / Sauchen) Suzuki Ignis, 1
52, Robertson Crop Services
Steven Fraser/Rhuaridh Campbell (Helmsdale / Glemoriston) Mitsubishi EVO 9, 11
53, Andy Struthers/Alasdair McIlroy (Libberton / Jedburgh) Citroen C2, 3
54, Alasdair Currie/Steven Brown (Tobermory / Fort William) Ford Fiesta, 6
55, Grant MacRae/Martin Bruce (Portree / Portree) Ford Fiesta, 6
56, L T Nicol Haulage
Martin Crombie/Alan Crombie (Contin / Dingwall) Peugeot 106, 4
57, Chris Duff/Matthew French (Inverness / Inverness) Peugeot 205 Gti, 2
58, Hector MacInnes/Jenny O’Kane (Broadford / Kyle of Lochalsh) Subaru Impreza WRX Sti, 10
59, Michael Stuart/Peter Carstairs (Alford / St Andrews) Ford Escort Mk2, 7
60, Ian Milne/Sandy Milne (Brechin / Brechin) Ford Escort Mk2, 5
61, Scott McQueen/Andrew MacKinnon (Daviot / Dores) Peugeot 205, 4
62, John O’Kane/Meghan O’Kane (Kyle of Lochalsh / Kyle Of Lochalsh) Ford Escort, 5
63, Paddy Munro/Chris Munro (Kyle Of Lochalsh / Portree) Ford Escort Mk2, 4
64, Robbie Beattie/David Findlay (Dundee / Blairgowrie) Peugeot 205 Gti, 2
65, Stephen Fraser/ Gareth MacMillan (Inverness / Inverness) British Leyland Mini 1275 GT, 1
66, Stark Motorsport
David McLoughlin/Graham Robertson (Aberdeen / Aberdeen) Peugeot 205 Gti, 2
67, Jamie Stewart/Simon Bailey (Blair Atholl / Edinburgh) Peugeot 205, 2
68, Allan Young/Sinclair Young (Lairg / Lairg) Peugeot 205 Gti, 2
69, Scott Burness/Jodi Devine (Inverurie / Inverurie) Ford Fiesta ST, 6
70, Billy Falconer/Eric Falconer (Inverness / Inverness) Peugeot 205, 2
71, Danny Sutherland/Grant Sutherland (Golspie / Golspie) Peugeot 205 Gti, 2
72, Gary Blackmore/Sandy Corrigan (Fort William / Ardgour) Subaru Impreza GC8, 10
73, Steven Wood/Mary Wood (Inverness / Inverness) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 3, 10
74, Andrew Grant/Richard Alsop (Inverness / Inverness) Peugeot 306 GTI, 6
75, Kevin Gray/Daniel Christie (Invergordon / Insch) Vauxhall Astra, 6
76, Mark Shaw/Will Munro (Ardgay / Ardgay) Subaru WRX, 10
77, Pete Smart/Terry Smith (Nairn / TBA) Mitsubishi EVO 9,
78, Phillip MacIver/Donnie Ross (Avoch / Inverness) Ford Focus,
79, Dil Vehicle Movers
Calum Fraser/Andrew Logan (Maryport / Inverness) Peugeot 205 Gti,4
80, Unite The Union NHS Highland Branch
Jacob Harlington/Oliver Harlington (Inverness / Stornoway) Volkswagen Polo, 1
81, Gavin Kelt/Nikki Addison (Inverness / Inverness) Vauxhall Corsa Sport, 1
82, Camrov Subsea
James Campbell/ Kevin MacIver (Watten / Peterhead) Peugeot 106 S16, 3
83, Michael Renton/Kenny Foggo (Bonar Bridge / Inverness) Peugeot 306 Gti, 6
84, Michael McKain/Ryan Dunbar (Inverness / Inverness) Ford Anglia, 5
85, John MacKintosh/Ali MacGregor (Inverness / Inverness) Toyota MR2, 3
86, Glenn MacDonald/Alan Munro (Inverness / Inverness) Vauxhall Nova, 1
87, Steven Crockett/Martin Henderson (Aberdeen / Newmacher) Peugeot 205, 1
88, Mark MacDonald/Curtis Fraser (Inverness / Inverness) Ford Fiesta ST, 6
89, Max Redpath/Callum Redpath (Duns / Duns) Peugeot 205 Gti, 3
90, John Rowan/Bridget Rowan (Mauchline / Hurlford) Talbot Sunbeam, 5
91, Tom Howie/Charles MacKenzie (North Kessock / TBA) Talbot Sunbeam, 2
92, Mairi Ross/Ruth Campbell (Point / Stornoway) Skoda Favorit, 1
93, Colin Campbell/Josh Paterson (Glen Shiel / Strathaven) Ford Sierra, 8
94, Alasdair MacLeod/Lindsay Ross (Tong / TBA) Ford Escort, 7
95, Michael Davies/Jamie Edward (Drumnadrochit / Tomatin) Volkswagen Polo Gti, 3
96, Kevin Crawford/Claire Martin (Alford / Huntly) Mitsubishi EVO 5, 10
97, Alasdair Reid/Donald Urquhart (Muir of Ord / Conon Bridge) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8, 10