26 Mar: DCC Stages preview

… DCC Stages/DCC Junior Stages Rally, Sat/Sun 30/31 March …

The tarmac tearaways take to the stages this weekend at Ingliston for the 2nd round of the 2019 Cobble Shop Scottish Tarmack Rally Championship. As ever positions at the top of the points table are closer than two coats of paint as the class based points scoring system awards equal points to class winners rather than distributing one single set of points to the overall classification.

However, total class points are determined by the number of starters in each class, so there can be some minor variations following each round of the championship. To find out how the series is progressing throughout the year, do what I do and keep an eye on the points tables:
http://dunfermlinecarclub.co.uk/images/STRC/2019/Strc2019.pdf

That means following the opening round at Knockhill, there are currently 4 joint leaders, one 2nd place and 4 joint 3rds. Clear?

Championship Leaders
Des Campbell (Peugeot 206) 1600cc, 22 points
Michael Robertson (Honda Civic) 1998cc, 22 pts
Colin Gemmell (Ford Escort Mk2) 2500cc, 22 pts
John Marshall (Subaru Impreza) 2000cc, 22 pts
Cameron Craig (Peugeot 205) 1389cc, 20 pts
Kyle Adam (Ford Escort Mk2) 1600cc, 19 pts
Chris McCallum (Ford Escort Mk2) 1998cc, 19 pts
Tom Blackwood (Ford Escort Mk2) 2499cc, 19 pts
John Rintoul (Ford Fiesta) 2000cc, 19 pts

There is a full-house entry plus reserves this weekend as the event also counts towards the AS Performance North of England Rally Championship and the Borders Rally Challenge

Heading the Seniors entry list on Saturday is last year’s winner Gordon Morrison with John Marshall at number 2 and this pair had a real old ding-dong last year at this event. With two stages to go the two Subarus were dead level with Morrison snatching his first outright rally victory by 11 seconds at close of play. (Full report on last year’s event [2018 DCC] here).

And without wishing to insult black hearted cuddies, there are two dark horses amongst the top seeds. If he can put last season’s gearbox woes behind him, Alistair Inglis might well spring a surprise given the tight confines of the Ingliston showground and the nimble nature of his Lotus, while seeded at six is the ‘Dervaig Dervish’ hissself, one John MacCrone Esq in a Ford Fiesta R2T. With just short of 200 bhp, it will be interesting to see what can be done with this wee weapon.

Then there is Ian Paterson, another Subaru pilot who set some sterling stage times in his unsophisticated machine last year, and just lacks the top end to take the fight all the way to the top. Tom Morris is another contender but still needs to sort out the Skoda Millington while the Escorts of Tom Blackwood, Colin Gemmell and Alan Gardiner will no doubt be mixing it with the all wheel drive brigade.

The fun and frolics get underway at 9.00am on Saturday morning at the first of 8 Special Stages but unless you are competing, servicing or officiating you won’t get in. This event is a ‘lock-in’ which does not allow spectators on to the site. That means you’ll have to wait till the post event report here to find out the full story of the day’s competition.

On Sunday the Juniors take to the tar for their own stand-alone event also comprising 8 Special Stages (although shorter than the Senior event!) and that gets underway at 9.00am. 16 crews have entered including some far travelled crews from down south and across the water. Driving a 1 litre car might sound a bit tame to those who don’t know any better, but driving such a car flat out, daring not to lift off the throttle or use the brakes to ensure that no momentum is lost requires skill, a deft touch and determination. And there will be plenty of that on Sunday.

DCC Stages Entry List – Sat 30 March
1, Gordon Morrison/Calum MacPherson (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
2, John Marshall/Scott Crawford (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
4, Alistair Inglis/Colin Inglis (Lotus Exige) 2200, 4
5, Ian Paterson/Allan Paterson (Subaru B13) 1995, 5
6, John MacCrone/Lewis Brown (Ford Fiesta R2T) 1000, 3
7, Tom Morris/Russell Smith (Skoda Fabia) 2500, 5
8, Tom Blackwood/Gordon Winning (Ford Escort Mk2) 2499, 4
9, Colin Gemmell/Derek Keir (Ford Escort Mk2) 2500, 4
10, Alan Gardiner/Robin Nicolson (Ford Escort Mk) 2500, 4
11, Nick Stamper/Mark Casey (Subaru Impreza) 1998, 5
12, Willie Paterson/Euan O’Neill (Ford Escort Mk2) 2500, 4
14, Stephen Thompson/Larry Higton (Ford Escort Mk2) 1600, 2
15, Alistair Hutchinson/St.John Dykes (Renault Clio)1998, 3
16, Ross McCallum/James Ralph (MG Maestro) 1998, 3
17, Kyle Adam/Fiona Moir (Ford Escort Mk2) 1600, 2
18, Greg Inglis/Ewan Stanhope (Lotus Exige) 2000, 3
19, Richard Sutherland/Jack Sutherland (Opel Manta) 1998, 3
20, Des Campbell/Craig Forsyth (Peugeot 206) 1600, 2
21, Steven Hay/Kirsty Mochrie (Vauxhall Corsa) 1598, 2
22, Alan Wallace/Darren Robertson (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6) 1998, 5
23, Ben Wilkinson/Andrew Wilkinson (Citroen Saxo) 1597, 2
24, Neil Thompson/Niall Frost (Vauxhall Corsa) 1598, 2
25, Robert Marshall/Lewis MacDougall (Ford Escort) 2500, 4
26, Billy Hamilton/Donald Durrand (Opel Kadett) 2000, 3
27, Graham Bruce/David Aitken (Ford Escort) 2000, 3
28, Harry Chalmers/Craig Macivor (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
29, Stuart Grant/Alan Hewitson (Ford Escort) 1998, 3
30, Mark Thompson/Jordan English (Peugeot 206 GTI) 1998, 3
31, Gareth Dalgliesh/Kenneth Dalgliesh (Subaru Impreza) 1995, 5
32, Jamie Miller/Ian McCulloch (Citroen C2R2 MAX) 1598, 2
33, Martin Watterston/Kenny Anderson (Subaru Impreza) 1999, 5
34, Andrew Grimstone/Andrew Hutchinson (Honda Civic) 2000, 3
36, Alan Stark/Greg Stark (Mitsubishi Evo9) 1999, 5
37, Lewis Davies/Steven Davies (Renault Clio RS) 2061, 4
38, Graeme Rintoul/Jim Rintoul (Ford Fiesta) 1999, 3
39, Michael Robertson/Murray Milne (Honda Civic) 1998, 3
40, Andrew Hutchinson/Joe Hutchinson (Renault Clio 172 Cup) 1998, 3
41, James Munro/Nikki Addison (Subaru Impreza) 1994, 5
42, Peter Oag/Jennifer Oag (Citroen C2 VTS) 1598, 2
43, Jonathan MacDonald/Chris Wareham (Peugeot 306 GTi-6) 1998, 3
44, Adam Hanner/Wayne Wood (Peugeot 205 gti) 1580, 2
45, Marcus Tinsley/Cameron Dunn (Peugeot 205 Rallye) 1360, 1
46, Gregg Lithgow/Alan Todd (Ford Escort Mk2) 1998, 3
47, John Robertson/Violet Kydd (Ford Escort) 1998, 3
48, Hamish Grant/Stewart Hurst (Ford Escort) 2500, 4
49, Fraser Smith/Ian Parker (Honda Civic) 1598, 2
50, James Strachan/Louise Strachan (Peugeot 106) 1, 1
51, Andrew Scott/Ian Robertson (Ford Escort Mk2) 2371, 4
52, Gavin Lloyd/Gordon Clark (Vauxhall Nova) 1400, 1
53, Greg Turner/Ruth Turner (Peugeot 206) 1598, 2
54, Dave Cranston/TBC (Opel Astra) 1998, 3
55, Joe Pringle/Brian Pringle (Vauxhall Corsa) 1598, 2
56, Tom Pearson/Jim Stairs (Ford Escort) 1975, 3
57, Johnnie Mackay/Erica Winning (Nissan Micra) 998, 1
58, Andrew Blackwood/Richard Stewart (Ford Fiesta ST) 2000, 3
59, Karl Knox/Sam Colman (Vauxhall Nova) 1600, 2
61, Kayleigh Strachan/Jessica Strachan (Citroen Saxo) 2, 2
62, Brian Beefy Fraser/Iain Thorburn (Hillman Avenger Tiger) 1600, 2
63, John O’Kane/Meghan O’Kane (Ford Escort Mk2) 2, 3
64, Robert Cumming/Robert Irvine (Vauxhall Astra) 1998, 3
65, Colin Butler/Thomas Bruce (Renault Clio) 1998, 3
66, Allan Watt/Michael Moates (Citroen Saxo) 1600, 2
67, Euan Blair/Kevin Flanagan (Talbot Sunbeam) 1598, 2
68, James Rae/Louis Ford (Honda S2000) 1999, 3
69, Garry Coutts/Curtis Fraser (Ford Fiesta) 1596, 2
70, Campbell McColm/Donald McColm (Peugeot 106) 1600, 2
71, Stuart Waite/Lisa Demirkoc (Peugeot 206) 1587, 2
72, Robert Wood/Ryan Griffiths (Ford Fiesta) 1596, 2
73, Colin Blake/Pauline Blake (BMW Mini) 1598, 2
74, Paul Orchiston/James Clark (Audi TT) 2, 5
75, Martin Farquhar/Aiden Henderson (Peugeot 106) 1360, 1
76, Phillip Hill/Philip Jeffress (Toyota Celica) 1796, 3
77, Andrew Logan/Calum Fraser (Peugeot 205 GTI) 1580, 2
78, Robbie McTaggart/Keith McTaggart (Peugeot 106) 1598, 2
79, Niall Thomson/Jack Hall (Toyota Yaris) 1000, 1
Reserves
507, Andrew Kirkaldy/Peter Carstairs (Ford Escort Mk2) 2500, 4
509, Donald Bowness/TBA (Vauxhall Nova) 1600, 2
510, Andy Chalmers/Martin MacCabe (Subaru Impreza) 1998, 5
511, Amy McCubbin/TBC (Skoda Citigo) 999, 1

DCC Stages Junior Entry List – Sun 31 March
1, Elliot Payne/Carl Williamson (Citroen C1) 998,
2, Marcus McElwee/John Henderson (Skoda Citigo) 998,
3, Oliver Hunter/Michael Cruikshank (Peugeot 107) 1000,
4, Ioan Lloyd/Jonathan Jackson (Citroen C1) 998,
5, Cameron Davidson/Ian McRae (Nissan Micra) 999,
6, Archie Swinscoe/Jane Nicol (Skoda Citigo) 998,
7, Billy Grew/Emma Morrison (Volkswagen UP!) 998,
8, Fraser Anderson/Steven Brown (Citroen C1) 998,
9, Daniel Hurst/Phil Sandham (Peugeot 107) 1000,
10, Lewis Hooper/Sam Bilham (Nissan Micra) 998,
11, Letisha Conn/Ian Crosbie (Peugeot 107) 1000,
12, Jack Hall/Robin Nicolson (Toyota Yaris) 1000,
13, Aaron Webster/Neil Jeffrey (Nissan Micra) 998,
14, Erica Winning/Ellya Gold (Nissan Micra) 999,
15, Thomas Johnstone/Ian Shiells (Nissan Micra) 998,
16, Harry Walshaw/Ian Bass (Nissan Micra) 998,