… Speyside News & Blethers …
Sad to report, but I bumped into Dave Tennant at the Speyside who was looking after Kris running Course Car in the family BITZ Subaru Impreza. Apparently the car had been prepped for Annabelle to have a run, probably her final rally outing. Dave was telling me her cancer is back and it would appear there is no cure this time, just treatment. So Annabelle was at home while ‘the boys’ were helping out. Good on you Annabelle, and we’re all thinking of you.
Gordon Grant finished 24th overall on his first rally in over five years and his first ever run in a four wheel drive car. He previously rallied a Peugeot 106 when he lived in Inverness before emigrating to Australia four years ago and was back for a home visit to coincide with the Speyside Stages. Donnie MacDonald had arranged for Gordon to drive his ‘spare’ Lancer to thank him for all his assistance when Donnie’s daughter moved to Australia recently and Gordon helped her to get settled. Rounding off a great weekend, he also got a trophy for second in class.
Something in the watter … I don’t know what’s going on the in the Borders but Doug Brydon got married to Stephanie Tiffin (she’s English but really nice!) a few weeks back and Dale Robertson has married local lass, Morag Poole. Euan Thorburn was best man at Doug’s ‘do’ and apparently the speech was a stormer.
Marshal calling … It was good to see a couple of competitors out marshalling on the Speyside. David O’Brien was down to co-drive for Gordon Murray, but Gordon had to pull out leaving David with nought to do, but he had already agreed to drive up with Davie Robson and had also arranged to take Paul Beaton’s helmet up to Speyside and so with ‘digs’ booked he volunteered to marshal. So too did Don Murray taking time out of his Subaru piloting to put on a tabard. Both first-timers and perhaps an example that other drivers and co-driver s might follow!
Mike Faulkner’s service van was parked up at Huntly with doors open and stuff lying around, but he wasn’t worried about anyone nicking stuff – Bella was on guard duty. She’s a ‘rescue dog’ from Romania and was keeping a beady eye on anyone who approached. I wonder what the Romanian words for ‘stay’ and ‘sit’ are, and ‘do you want a biscuit instead of biting my leg?’.
Founder member of the ‘lucky white heather club’ Chris Collie collected his Evo on the Friday after its repair and engine rebuild following the Granite, and the crank sensor failed on Saturday morning before the Speyside start!
David Bogie was due to attend the Turriff Show the day after the Speyside on behalf of his business North East Fallen Stock and was dreading it: “It’s a two-day show and we’re right across the way from Bob Shepherd (Station Garage Mitsubishi). It’s a two day show so we all have a night out at the end of the first day. It all got a bit messy last year!”
Speaking of David Bogie, he admitted at the weekend he was looking at the British Rally Championship next year. “There’s a good spread of events with three up here (in Scotland), two in Ireland and one in the north of England and Wales,” said Bogie, “and I won’t miss the Isle of Man event simply because it’s expensive in terms of time off work and the ferry costs. Admittedly, Ireland is pretty close for me with the ferry port just 35 miles away! I know there are a lot of people who think it is too ‘northern based’ but when I last contested the series four years ago, I had to travel south for much of it. This time those in the south will have to travel north, but that’s rallying. We have to go where the forests and best roads are. Which just makes me wonder. Should Rally Wales GB be part of the British Championship? It’s a nice idea, but I’m not sure. I’ll make up my mind when I see the Regs and the format for each event, but I’m definitely interested. The sport in Britain really needs a high profile series, especially in these difficult times.”
Makes you wonder, could the BRC plans have a detrimental impact on the national Scottish Championship?
And finally …
I’m surprised Doug Brydon managed to turn up at his wedding. Just a few days before it, his ‘friends’ (ex-friends now perhaps?) kidnapped him. He was tied, tarred and trailered round Duns strapped to a pallet (almost naked) on a flatbed trailer towed behind a Shogun. One of the ringleaders was a certain D Robertson Esq. So far I haven’t seen any pics of Dale’s ‘stag do’, but Doug’s are on Stephanie’s Facebook page – nice one Steph.
https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.tiffin.5
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