… Arnold Clark Snowman Rally, Sat 10th Feb 2017 …
Final Class Results:
Class position / Start No. / Dvr / CoDvr / Home Towns / Car / Time
Notes:
Class 1, 2WD up to 1450cc:
1st, 65 Niall Cowan Jnr/Thomas Bruce (Dumfries/Durham) MG ZR, 57m 42s
Whacked a chicane bale in SS2 but only slightly bashed a front wing. Won his class by almost 6 mins.
2nd, 72 Steven Crockett/Martin Henderson (Aberdeen/Newmachar) Peugeot 205, +5.44
Landed in a ditch in SS3 and broke the sumpguard but got out and carried on taking the sumpguard off altogether for the final stage.
3rd, 53 Scott Sloan/David Sloan (Dumfries) Vauxhall Corsa, +7.23
Lost over 9 mins in SS2 when the gear linkage broke, but repaired it himself on the following road section.
Class 2, 2WD up to 1650cc 8v:
1st, 71 James Campbell/Kevin McIver (Watten/Peterhead) Talbot Sunbeam, 54m 39s
Completed the last stage in the dark with no additional lighting, just headlamps. The lack of auxiliary lights had nothing to do with expense: “We’re just not that organised,” said James.
2nd, 57 Tom Howie/Charles MacKenzie (Inverness/Gairloch) Talbot Sunbeam, +0.11
“We messed up on the first stage,” said Tom, “then broke the clutch cable on SS2.”
3rd, 85 Chris Baillie/Allen Cowe (Portree) Peugeot 205, +2.12
“We hit the chicanes in Millbuie,” said Chris, “and then flattened the exhaust.”
4th, 80 Billy Falconer/Eric Falconer (Inverness) Peugeot 205, +6.34
“That was our first time in the woods in the dark,” said Billy, “the auxiliary lights were not as good as I thought. They’re just a cheap Chinese copy of proper lights.”
5th, 61 Scott MacDonald/David Falconer (Maryburgh/Inverness) Vauxhall Nova, +16.32
Had problems with the electrical Master Switch all day and a misfire all the way through SS4.
62 Adrian Stewart/Emma Steeley (Banchory/Portlethen) Peugeot 205 – DNF
Retired in the final stage with mechanical problems.
63 Jamie Stewart/David Findlay (Blair Atholl/Rattray) Peugeot 205 – DNF
Cowped it in SS5.
Class 3, 2WD up to 1650cc 16v:
1st, 40 Finlay Retson/Tom Hynd (Blairgowrie/Montrose) Ford Fiesta R2, 52m 55s
“That’s my second event in the R2,” said Finlay, “but it was slow going on the ice. I enjoyed the last one, it was quite tricky.” Tom chipped in: “He was getting frustrated at times because he couldn’t go as quickly as he wanted because of the conditions, but it was all about experience today.”
2nd, 37 Thomas Gray/Ricky Finlayson (Tore/Inverness) Vauxhall Nova, +0.46
First time out in the ex-Scott MacBeth Nova, Thomas said he had a few problems and had to adjust the tracking at first service.
3rd, 68 Steve Ross/Rowena Hay (Nairn) Vauxhall Corsa, +2.25
“We’re just glad to finish,” said Steve, “the head gasket is blowing and we were having to top it up with water at the end of each stage and then just nursed it through the last stage to finish.”
4th, 70 Steven Bellshaw/Lorn Hughes (Fortrose/Inverness) Citroen C2 VTS, +2.55
Another crew with no auxiliary lights: “Tricky in the dark.”
5th, 66 Andy Struthers/Alasdair McIlroy (Lanark/Jedburgh) Citroen C2 VTS, +5.00
“We had a few offs,” said Andy, “but we’re OK.”
6th, 87 Drew Barker/Shona Hale (Kirkaldy/Dunfermline) Citroen C2 Challenge, +10.53
“SS2 was like an assault course,” said Drew, “the bottom hose came off the radiator and I think we’ve goosed the engine.” The crew actually pushed the car into the Final Control and over the line: “We’ve got no compression, it’s definitely goosed,” peched the breathless pair.
7th, 91 Nikki Addison/Rachel Matheson (Inverness/Beauly) Peugeot 106 GTI, +18.36
“We did the Galloways Hills, but that didn’t end well,” said Nikki, “so this was our first proper event in the woods. We did have a light bar for the last stage and I just did everything Rachel told me, and we got through.”
29 Scott MacBeth/Daniel Forsyth (Culloden/Elgin) Citroen C2 R2 MAX – DNF
Leading the class convincingly, till they cowped the car on its side in SS4.
38 Keith Riddick/Kirsty Riddick (Haugh of Urr/Haugh of Urr) MG ZR – DNF
Stuck in SS5 with mechanical failure.
42 Neil Coalter/Hannah Cessford (Sauchen/Sauchen) Ford Puma – DNF
Slid off the road in SS5.
46 Ross Hughes/Neil Ewing (Lanark/Largs) Citroen C2 VTS – DNF
They broke the bottom engine tie-bar in SS2 and tried to fix it at first service but eventually forced to retire in SS5.
47 Alex Pirie/Frazer Skene (Drummuir/Tomintoul) Citroen C2 VTS – DNS
Got through Scrutineering OK then the gearbox failed on the way home. Tried to swap it over during the night but ran out of time.
Class 4, 2WD up to 2050cc 8v:
1st, 52 Paddy Munro/Seumas MacLean (Kyle/Sconser) Ford Escort Mk2, 52m 13s
No problem reported and pleased with performance of new co-driver Seumas.
2nd, 34 Fraser MacNicol/Keith Boa (Ullapool/Ullapool) Ford Escort Mk2, +1.06
“Some folk reckoned SS4 was dangerous, but we just drove to the conditions,” said Fraser, “but we’ve got bad vibration coming through the car and don’t know what it is.”
3rd, 67 Colin Patterson/Gary Clark (Drumoak/Alness) Ford Escort, +3.26
“We had no back brakes from SS2 onwards,” said Colin, “just front brakes and the handbrake.”
4th, 86 John MacIntosh/Ali MacGregor (Inverness) Talbot Sunbeam, +8.32
A broken alternator bolt was replaced at first service but by the finish the car was running on 3 cylinders only.
49 Colin Baxter/John Campbell (Tain/Invergordon) Ford Escort – DNF
First time out in an Escort, broke a driveshaft in SS5.
50 Jim Robertson/Mike Curry (Penpont/Thornhill) Ford Escort – DNF
Clutch failed in SS2.
60 John O’Kane/Meghan O’Kane (Kyle Ford) Escort Mk2 – DNF
Stopped in SS2.
[Main Report]
[Fastest Stage Times]
[Classes 5 to 8]
[Classes 9 to 12]
Snowman Blethers