18 Sep: Albar Kames Rally – Preview

… Albar Kames Trophy Rally supported by ISS (Aberdeen) Ltd, Sun 23rd Sept …

The penultimate round of the Junior 1000 Ecosse Rally Challenge takes to the stages at Muirkirk in Ayrshire this weekend on Sunday 23rd September for the Albar Kames Trophy Rally supported by ISS (Aberdeen) Ltd.

East Ayrshire Car Club have attracted 12 Junior entries for the main event plus a few ‘senior’ entries to support the youngsters. The Junior Championship has now reached a critical stage with 2 rounds remaining and 3 young tearaways, sorry, talented drivers in the hunt for the national title, Johnnie Mackay, Lewis Haining and Andrew Blackwood. And having watched them last weekend at RM Condor, there’s little to choose between them.

However, amongst the senior entries there lurks a rallying revolution. This event on Sunday will witness the competition debut in Scotland of the UK’s first electrically powered special stage rally car.

The fully electric Renault Zoe rally car is the result of an extensive development programme orchestrated by Jean Hay and Ellya Gold. The car is powered by a 65Kw electric motor driving the front wheels and has been fitted with an approved MSA rollcage, seats and harnesses.

The car has also had much of the interior stripped out to reduce weight whilst the battery pack’s location under the floor ensures a very low centre of gravity. During previous test runs the car has proved to be remarkably nimble and very stable so it will be interesting to see how it compares with its infernal combustible rivals this weekend.

Former star Junior 1000 rally driver Cameron Davies will be driving the car this weekend and has carried out much of the testing so far. Ellya Gold will co-drive and the aim is to demonstrate the car and its capabilities and perhaps influence the UK-wide Junior championships to consider electric cars as the entry level point for the 14-17 year olds who contest this beginner series.

The first car will be flagged off at 09.31 Hrs on Sunday morning on the first of the day’s 16 Special Stages, so if you are doing nowt else, come along and cheer on the youngsters. Kames is an ideal venue because between runs you can chat with the teams and for those new to the sport, find out how to get started.

But a word of warning, keep your eyes peeled – that’s only because the Renault is so eerily silent!

Junior 1000 Ecosse Challenge 2018
Entry List:

901, Lewis Haining/George Myatt (Skoda Citigo) 999cc
902, Johnnie Mackay/Gordon Reid (Suzuki Alto) 996
903, Andrew Blackwood/Richard Stewart (Citroen C1) 999
904, Oliver Hunter/Tom Hynd (Peugeot 107) 1000
905, Peter Beaton/Dean Ross (Peugeot 107) 998
906, Fraser Anderson/Steven Brown (Citroen C1) 1000
907, Amy McCubbin/TBC (Skoda Citigo) 998
908, Cameron Davidson/TBC (Nissan Micra) 1000
909, Jack Hall/Robin Nicolson (Nissan Micra) 998
910, Alice Paterson/Ian Crosbie (Peugeot 107) 998
911, Aaron Webster/Colin Baxter (Nissan Micra) 998
912, Erica Winning/Mark Runciman (Nissan Micra) 999

‘Seniors’ Entry List:
1, Colin Gemmell/Derek Keir (Ford Escort Mk2), Class 4
2, Graham Bruce/Paul Toner (Ford Escort), Class 3
3, Lindsay Taylor/David Murie (Ford Fiesta ST150), Class 3
4, Alistair Cunningham/Jim Smith (Ford Escort RS2000), Class 3
5, Hugh Murdoch/Ewan Murdoch (Ford Escort Mk2), Class 3
6, Cameron Davies/Ellya Gold (Renault Zoe), Class 5
7, David McLeod/Eamonn Boyle (Talbot Sunbeam), Class 3