… Armstrong Galloway Hills Rally, Sat 8th Sept …
Crikey, what an entry. The fight for this year’s ARR Craib Scottish Championship crown has been reduced to a duel for this final round of the national series, between Andrew Gallacher and Donnie MacDonald. Just 3 points separate the twosome ahead of this weekend’s shoot-out in Galloway and although Gallacher is in the driving seat, he still needs to finish, and finish well, to ensure that MacDonald remains in the runner-up position.
As if this tussle wasn’t enough to titivate the sporting interest, there will be a full supporting cast of the fast and the furious all keen to end their season on a high regardless of what the title contenders will be doing. Joining the fray after a frustratingly short season in the British Championship due to cancelled events, and the sudden news that this month’s Manx is also a non-runner, is David Bogie. And if you think he’s rusty, forget it, he sprays his oxters with WD40 every morning.
Bogie will renew his sparring with long time rival and neighbour, Jock Armstrong. Bogie will be aiming for a third win on this event whereas Armstrong is going for victory number TEN! Garry Pearson will be out to deny them both as will Freddie Milne, Bruce McCombie and the long awaited return of Mike Faulkner. But don’t discount Mark McCulloch either, the 2011 Galloway Hills winner is seeded just outside the top ten.
Spicing up the entry list are Jonathan Greer and Desi Henry from ‘across the water’ while Niall Henry is bringing his DS3 R5 to do battle with the thistle munchers.
Looking further down the entry list reveals a few more gems with Craig McMiken making a return to the sport after 4 years, having last been seen at the RSAC Scottish test day a couple of months back with his Lancer! Further down is Wild Willie Bonniwell making only his 3rd appearance in 3 years on a Scottish forest event and Walter Henderson has swapped his Subaru last seen in action some 5 years ago for a Mk2. This should be a worry for us all, if he forgets it only drives from the rear not through all four! Sneaking under the radar is Scott Erskine in an ex-works Fiesta R2 which he drove on last year’s Mull Rallysprint and ex-Scot, ex-English, back to Scotland again, Gordon Alexander in his Nova.
In other words, lots of interest all through the field.
To see the action, the organisers have laid on a fully furnished (Burger van and Loos) ‘Spectator Arena’ at the Black Loch test which offers two views of the cars during the day with easy access from the A712, 4 miles north east of Newton Stewart. Look out for the green ‘Spectator’ arrows and park up as directed. The venue offers viewing of an almost 1 mile stretch of road with the cars in sight for over 50 seconds, so take your stop watches with you and time your favourites against the rest.
The first cars will be flagged off from the Car Park at the west end of Castle Douglas just after 9am on Saturday morning to tackle 5 Special Stages before returning to CD around 3.30pm in the afternoon.
Full spectator info will be published here ahead of the rally:
http://www.gallowayhillsrally.co.uk/spectators
Full Entry List:
1, Jock Armstrong/Cameron Fair (Castle Douglas/Stewarton) Subaru Impreza, Class 10
2, David Bogie/John Rowan (Dumfries/Cushendall) Skoda Fabia R5, 11
3, Garry Pearson/Dale Bowen (Duns/Aberdare) Ford Fiesta R5, 11
4, Jonathan Greer/Liam Regan (Carryduff/Belfast) Ford Fiesta R5, 11
5, Desi Henry/Liam Moynihan (Portglenone/Ballydaly) Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX, 10
6, Andrew Gallacher/Jane Nicol (Hurlford/Edinburgh) Ford Focus WRC, 11
7, Donnie MacDonald/Jamie Edwards (Inverness/Wrexham) Ford Fiesta R5+, 11
8, Freddie Milne/Patrick Walsh (Aberdeen/Aberystwyth) Subaru Impreza WRC, 11
9, Bruce McCombie/Michael Coutts (Banchory/Torphins) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, 10
10, Mike Faulkner/Peter Foy (Aspatria/Bingley) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, 10
11, Lawrence Whyte/Paul Beaton (New Aberdour/Inverness) Ford Fiesta R5, 11
12, Mark McCulloch/Michael Hendry (Dumfries/Archiestown) Subaru Impreza, 10
14, John Wink/John Forrest (Huntly/Inverurie) Hyundai i20 R5, 11
15, Michael Binnie/Claire Mole (Cornhill On Tweed/Duns) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, 9
16, Scott McCombie/Mark Fisher (Banchory/Workington) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, 10
17, Greg McKnight/Harry Marchbank (Penpont/Thornhill) Ford Escort, 8
18, Fraser Wilson/Craig Wallace (Port William/Kirriemuir) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, 9
19, Ian Baumgart/Mike Dickson (Hawick/Galashiels) Subaru Impreza, 9
20, Brian Watson/Sean Donnelly (Kinneff/Elgin) Subaru S11 WRC, 11
21, Niall Henry/Damien Duffin (Portglenone/Rasharkin) Citroen DS3 R5, 11
22, Alan Dickson/Martin Forrest (Glasgow/Bridge of Don) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, 10
23, Keith Morris/Terry Mallin (Aberdeen/Motherwell) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6, 10
24, Richard Dickson/Roger Alcorn (New Abbey/Castle Douglas) Subaru Impreza, 9
25, Tommy O’Connell/Thomas Wedlock (Dungiven/Cootehill) Ford Escort Mk2, 7
26, Angus Lawrie/Paul Gribben (Castle Douglas/Annan) Vauxhall Corsa, 3
27, Duncan MacDonald/Neil Ross (Portree/Portree) Ford Escort Mk2, 7
28, Paul McErlean/Niall McKenna (Bellaghy/Draperstown) Ford Escort Mk2 , 7
29, Keith Riddick/Steven Clark (Haugh of Urr/TBC) MG ZR, 3
30, John McIlwraith/Scott Young (Canonbie/Duns) Subaru Impreza, 9
31, John Rintoul/Ross Hynd (Lower Largo/Inverbervie) Skoda Fabia, 10
32, Craig McMiken/Charlotte McDowall (Newton Stewart/Creetown) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, 10
33, Gordon Murray/David O’Brien (Perth/Perth) Ford Escort Mk2, 8
34, Alasdair Currie/Grant MacNiven (Mull/Oban) Ford Fiesta, 6
35, Paddy Munro/Seamus MacLean (Kyle/Sconser) Ford Escort Mk2, 4
36, Andrew McCormick/Rudy Tate (Crossgar/Ballynahinch) Vauxhall Chevette, 7
37, Steven Wood/Mary Wood (Inverness/Inverness) Ford Fiesta RWD, 7
38, Stanley Orr/Graham Henderson (Killinchy/Londonderry) Ford Escort RS1600, 5
39, Fraser MacNicol/Sinclair Young (Ullapool/Lairg) Ford Escort Mk2 , 4
40, Scott Erskine/Michael Gilbey (Biggar/Lampeter) Ford Fiesta R2, 3
41, Luke McLaren/Phil Kenny (Hamilton/Sunderland) Honda Civic, 6
42, Duncan Campbell/Michael Cruickshank (Mauchline/Crieff) Subaru Impreza, 9
43, Willie Bonniwell/Angus Kennedy (Fort William/Fort William) Subaru Impreza, 9
44, Kevin Crawford/Claire Martin (Alford/Huntly) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo5, 9
45, William Nicoll/Dave Robson (Brechin/Ancrum) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6, 9
46, Harry Chalmers/Andrew Logan (Alford/Inverness) Subaru Impreza, 9
47, Ross Hughes/Steven Brown (Lanark/Fort William) Citroen C2 VTS, 3
48, Scott McMinn/Mary Pierotti (Auchinleck/Auchinleck) Subaru Impreza , 9
49, Mike Moates/Kenny Foggo (Ellon/Munlochy) Subaru Impreza, 9
50, Tom Coughtrie/Ian Fraser (Ayr/Salen) Mitsubishi Galant VR4, 5
51, David Forrest/Charlie Carter (Shipley/Bradford) Ford Escort Mk2, 5
52, Derek Connell/Laura A Connell (Ayr/Ayr) Subaru Impreza, 9
53, John O’Kane/Meghan O’Kane (Kyle of Lochalsh/Kyle of Lochalsh) Ford Escort Mk2, 4
54, Grant MacRae/Martin Bruce (Portree/Portree) Ford Fiesta ST, 6
55, Walter Henderson/Linzi Henderson (Carnwath/Carnwath) Ford Escort Mk2 , 4
56, Andy Gray/Tom Murphy (Chesterfield/Nottingham) Peugeot 205, 2
57, Scott Sloan/David Sloan (Dumfries/Dumfries) Peugeot 208, 3
58, Jim Robertson/Mike Curry (Penpont/Thornhill) Ford Escort, 4
59, Douglas Watt/Mark Grierson (Inverary/Edinburgh) Ford Escort Mk2, 4
60, David Hayton/Derek Adamson (Dumfries/Dumfries) Ford Escort MkI, 3
61, Jan Budge/Bruce Lindsay (Thatcham/Bedale) Subaru Impreza, 9
62, Pete Barnett/Jim O’Kelleher (Brigg/Dronfield) Subaru Impreza WRX, 9
63, Chris McGurk/Liam McIntyre (Ballymena/Donegal Town) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10, 9
64, Joe McKeand/Phil Sandham (Southerness/Bolton-le-Sands) Subaru Impreza, 9
65, Robert Rook/Steve Varey (Market Weighton/Cottingham) Ford Escort MkI, 2
66, Donald Peacock/Mark Roberts (Castle Douglas/Dumfries) Peugeot 205 GTi, 2
67, Niall Cowan/Tony Gill (Dumfries/Harrogate) MG ZR, 3
68, Scott Peacock/Robin Neil (Castle Douglas/Haugh of Urr) MG ZR, 1
69, Gordon Alexander/Ian Clark (Cumnock/Cumnock) Vauxhall Nova, 3
70, Greg Pollock/Helen Brown (Cumnock/Dumfries) Ford Escort MkI, 7
71, Tim Metcalfe/Caron Tomlinson (Headlam/Caernarfen) Ford Escort RS1800, 5
72, Johnnie Mackay/Rhys Stoneman (Newburgh/Swansea) Ford Fiesta ST, 6
73, Niall Cowan Jnr/Thomas Bruce (Dumfries/Newton Aycliffe) MG ZR, 1
74, Finlay Brock/Phil Shaw (Castle Douglas/Cleckheaton) Ford Fiesta, 6
75, Jamie Stewart/David Findlay (Blair Atholl/Rattray) Peugeot 205 , 2
76, Kevin Downes/Richard Wardle (Great Barugh/Pickering) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo8, 10
77, Paul Rawson/Graham Wild (Bradford/Market Rasen) Ford Escort MkI, 5
78, Fraser Smith/Ian Parker (Houston/Lochgilphead) Honda Civic, 3
79, Jim Stephenson/Sam Spencer (Market Weighton/Malton) Talbot Sunbeam Ti, 2
80, Caroline Carslaw/John Duke (Dunlop/Dunlop) Ford Fiesta R2, 3
81, David Kirkpatrick/Kyle Kirkpatrick (Castle Douglas/Castle Douglas) BMW Compact , 7
82, Ian Milne/Sandy Milne (Brechin/Brechin) Ford Escort Mk2 , 5
83, Ernie Lee/Ian Shiells (Methlick/Monikie) BMW 325i, 5
84, Drew Barker/Shona Hale (Kirkcaldy/Dunfermline) Citroen Kettle, 3
85, Nikki Addison/Rachel Matheson (Inverness/Beauly) Peugeot 106 GTi, 3
86, David Cameron/Douglas Cameron (Oldkilpatrick/Oldkilpatrick) Ford Escort Mk2, 5
87, Alan McMorran/Albert Connelly (Castle Douglas/Castle Douglas) Chrysler Avenger , 2
88, Aileen Forrest/TBC (Inverurie/TBC) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo5, 9