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Rally News - February 22, 2009
Snowballs - Gossip from the Snowman Rally, Saturday 14th February
Jaggy caught up with David Bogie at the Snowman to ask if his season ahead was now sorted. Given the fact that the motor industry is having a hard time at the moment and with Mitsubishi pulling out of the Dakar series of events I wondered if the 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Champion would get his prize drive after all! However, on the same day that the company announced its Dakar decision it also confirmed its rally plans for 2009.
David will therefore get his full season's drive in this year's British Rally Championship. A brand new Group N Lancer Evolution X is currently being built by JR Motorsports (who recently acquired ADR Motorsport). The 'JR' bit of the title refers to James Rumsey who has taken over the motorsport side of the ADR business, but his own background is in drag racing, so the rallying side is new to him - maybe he'll take on Jaggy as rally consultant! And maybe not.
The car is nearly finished and he's hoping to get a test in ahead of the Bulldog Rally in Wales.
This year's Evolution Challenge calendar will comprise eight rounds, six with the MSA National Gravel Championship and two with the British Championship.
Competitors will nominate seven events and count their best six scores.
The events are:
1 February 27-28, Rallye Sunseeker (Nat)
2 March 21, Border Counties (Nat)
3 April 18, Pirelli Tour of Cumbria (Nat)
4 May 8-9, RBSI Manx National Rally (Nat)
5 May 30, Severn Valley National (Nat)
6 July 18, Swansea Bay Rally (Nat)
7 August 21-22, Ulster Rally (Int)
8 September 26, Rally Yorkshire (Int)
We haven't lost David to the English though, for he intends to retain his current Group N car prepared and run by ProTec Motorsport (based at Preston) and will contest as many rounds of the Scottish series that he can. He's also keeping an eye on the IRC Challenge at the end of the year, but whether he will do it in the Mitsubishi car or his own remains to be seen.
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Andy Jardine was looking a tad nervous ahead of the Snowman: "I've never co-driven for anyone younger than myself!" he explained. Anyway, he broke his rule to sit beside Kris Tennant in a pretty much brand new Impreza N12b. This was bought for Kris' Mum Annabelle to use last year, but instead sat in the garage going nowhere. So the family Tennant decided the car needed an airing ahead of the new season. It was shortlived. Kris retired the car on the first Stage (undamaged) when it got stuck in the snow. However, the family run Bitz operation is hoping to have Maw Tennant out mid-season in one of these new-fangled Impreza based Murtaya things. Just imagine it, spaceframe chassis and fibre bodywork equals nae weight at all. Stick in a powerful turbo flat four, put Annabelle behind the wheel and what have you got? Instant mayhem. The car will be used initially for tarmac events - I can't wait!
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Euan Thorburn will continue to use his N12 in the SRC, but he's set his sights on a BRC campaign this year. He and Pop are working hard on a deal at present to do the full British series, so here's hoping the hard work comes off.
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Jock Armstrong appeared in a TEG car at the Snowman because his own machine wasn't quite finished. He's actually building an N11, because it's lighter than an N12, looks like he's serious about the Scottish title this year. Kirsty Rddick has signed up for the year. She's a brave girl!
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Alasdair Graham has started the season in his 2 litre MkII, but Paw Graham is currently looking around for a 4WD machine. Young Al wants to do the Pirelli next month and he's also got plans to tackle the IRC at the end of the year.
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Dave Weston Jnr had to miss out on the Snowman because his N14 wasn't quite ready yet, but he's hopeful of doing the Malcolm Wilson ahead of the Border and the Bulldog. He has plans to do both SRC and BRC plus he fancies a shot at the end of season IRC and would like to do Ypres ahead of the Jim Clark for a bit of tarmac practice. How is he going to fit in school and homework around all that? And there's more, he's hoping to borrow Dad's car again for Rally Wales GB.
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Mike Horne has spent the last few months re-shelling and rebuilding his MkII. He got a shell from Steve Bannister with Robbie Mitchell doing a lot of the work despite a slagging from Jaggy about his welding! But the finished car looks a treat and is testament to Robbie's attention to detail. The new car has now got a Proflex rear end and a 6 spd sequential box. But here's an interesting fact. The old bodyshell weighed 1070 kgs and the new one is a mere 900 kgs, so already Mike's off to a flying start.
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And here's a worrying thought. Who is the most unlikely rally driver to become a Dad? A Parent? A bringer-up of an innocent wean? How about Ian Paterson? The good news is that Claire is due to give birth two weeks after the RSAC Scottish and two weeks before the Jim Clark - the bad news is, Ian has telt her not to be late, or early, as he has plans to do both! The bigger, longer term worry is that should the new arrival not have mastered handbrake turns in a kart before he or she starts school then it could be a foster parent job. Only kidding, here's to you both.
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Speaking of Patersons, Stuart of that ilk has sold his Fiat and bought a Subaru Impreza. Lord help us all.
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George MacDonald was spotted helping out Stewart Davidson at the Snowman. The Corsa has been sold and George is now at a loose end - till he finds something else! How about knitting, or embroidery?
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And here's a tale to give all buyers of rally cars a fit of the heebie-jeebies. The one cardinal rule is that you never buy a rally car in the dark! Well, I know someone who did. Fresh back from driving a MAN 6x6 truck on the Dakar supporting a motor cycle team was Stuart Walker who suddenly thought to himself that he fancied a run at this rally driving lark. Not one to mess about or start at the bottom, he sourced an EVO9 in Aberdeen and did the deal in the dark on the Monday night before the Snowman. The car was shipped to his premises in Bathgate on Wednesday and prepped for Saturday. Then he thought about a co-driver and after casting around, found one who was willing to sit beside him, Caroline Will. With only two rallies under her belt Caroline was still up for the seat sitting beside another novice but they didn't actually meet till the Saturday morning of the rally. After two stages they were up 30th place but it all went wrong on the third. Snow stopped play. There was no damage, but the pair are up for a repeat outing on the Border, only this time they intend to finish.
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And finally ... there is a saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I've got another opinion. Maybe us old dogs don't need to learn new tricks! There I was standing in SS2 at Junction 7. It was a downhill approach into a square left, and by goad it wis icy. I was about to leave when I heard a frantic tooting in the distance. It sounded like a demented wean in a pushchair with a toy trumpet. I wondered what the heck it was. Then over the crest came a wee Vauxhall Nova. Surely not? And it wasn't, but tucked right up its rear bumper was a Dolomite Sprint. 
It was obvious he was wanting past. Iain Johnston was literally hanging out the co-driver window gesticulating wildly and shouting at the Nova while Ken Wood looked like a bright red kettle fit to burst. Honestly, I don't think Tich McCooey realised they were there or if he did he only became aware at the last minute, but he overshot the bend under braking (skating?) and ran wide. Kenny saw his chance and went for the gap. He was up alongside and nosing ahead as Tich found grip and tried to reclaim his line, but he was too late, Kenny wasn't giving up at this point. He hooked the n/s front wheel in the ditch and pulled himself round. 
As he did so, the rear end stepped out ever so lightly and just gave the most gentle tap you ever did see to Colin Reekie's door on the Nova. It was so light he didn't mark the paint on either car, just scraped the mud off. It was so neat, it looked as though it was deliberate. Laugh, I nearly wet my hankie. But that's the difference between those who are competitive and those who are out for a run. Kenny saw the gap and went for it, and made it safely. No wonder he was Scottish Champion on three separate occasions. Still game? That's for sure, but we'll need to buy him a set of air horns!
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