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Rally News - December 31, 2009 Galloway Gossip ________________________________________________________________________ Douglas Wood, 1960-2009Let's start on a sad note. Douglas Wood, youngest son of Ken and Jeanette Wood passed away earlier this month after losing his fight with cancer. The family had managed to keep it quiet all year and Douglas' last run out was on the Granite City where he had delayed an operation just to do the rally. He finished 63rd equal in his Triumph Dolomite Sprint and was delighted, despite being in considerable discomfort during the event. Then it was back into hospital, where for a wee while, hopes were high of some improvement. Sadly it was not to be. He passed away at home amongst his family on the 4th of December. He was only 29. The funeral the following week at Insch Parish Church was huge and a tribute to a true enthusiast. And maybe it was just me, but later at the graveside service, I thought it entirely fitting and moving when a huge flock of geese noisily flew overhead in a long straggly V-formation. I reckon they were all heading towards Insch airfield! To Lesley and the children, and to both families and all their friends, all our thoughts are with you. __________________________________________________________________________ After an unfortunate accident on the Galloway Hills, David Wilson is reviewing his 2010 season. The EVO4 has had more hits than Girls Aloud this year and David reckons it would be better to replace it than try and fix it. An EVO9 would be nice, but is beyond financial reach at present so he is looking at a Subaru. Mark McCulloch has sold his Corsa to a bloke in Yorkshire and his latest project is making progress in the shed. He is currently building up a Group N Renault Clio from a 'shell which he has already purchased and is now looking for the rest of the bits, both chassis and greasy. Current plans include the Scottish Championship next year, but he also fancies tackling a foreign national series, probably in Englandshire. What an intellectual he must be, he speaks fluent 'Eee by gum' and now he's reading a French prep manual! Richard Dickson was well chuffed with 7th on the Galloping Hills. He broke his 5 speed box on the Solway Coast so this was his first run out with a new 6 speed box and electronic centre diff. Stages times were good initially but once underway the massed Irish crews ganged up on him and he dropped out of the top six. Steven Broll was out navigating (at least that's what I think he claimed) for Fraser Wilson in Galloway but his latest project is already well under way too. He has acquired another Vauxhall Corsa to replace the one which he blootered on the McRae. This one was well past patching up, especially after the Rescue Medics made it into a convertible with their four stroke tin opener to get the crew out when it crashed. Tommy Mackin had his first taste of 4WD on the Galloway and it was also his first run out on a rally for two years. He was having a ball, but the trouble is it might be his last. Once Rhona finds out how much fun he was having, Tommy reckons he'll be back in the Escort because she'll have nabbed the Subaru. It's always nice to see something different in the woods and Scott Murdoch's new car is certainly that. He has acquired an ex-Dave Brookes built RWD Ford Escort DB5 (off Ebay!) and has installed a John Reid engine. The new engine sits further back than the original which meant he had to have a new propshaft made. It was OK over the first couple of tests in Galloway, but the shaft started to vibrate badly over the closing stages, so that'll need to be fixed ahead of the new season. Iain Haining has plans to re-shell his Nova over the Winter. The wee car has surprisingly survived six years of forest and single venue abuse, but is now showing signs of age i.e. wheezing at the seams. His excellent 17th overall and 2nd in class in Galloway was enough to clinch outright victory in the '5 of Clubs Championship'. His prize is a free entry in next year's Armstrong Galloway Hills so he's got an added incentive. A free entry is not to be sniffed at these days. Things to look out for in 2010 - Gordon Murray got a bit of ear-bashing from a Marshall on the Galloway Hills who objected to his competition door numbers not being mounted on a completely white background. Some of Gordon's graphics encroached on the area, but he did have the SRC type of day-glo numbers on his side rear windows. As it turned out, nothing came of it, but it's an issue that will need to be clarified ahead of the new season's championships. And finally ... Autosport Show, 14-17 January, NEC, Birmingham For more info, and to book tickets, go to: www.autosport-international.com And don't forget the Car Park charge either. The last time I was there it was 8 quid! ** |