… Kingdom Stages Rally, Sat 17 June … Auld Codgers’ Day Oot …
Although there will be a touch of ‘international’ flavour to this weekend’s Kingdom Stages Rally, there will also be something of a musty odour, and not just because this event marks the 40th anniversary of the first running of the Kingdom. There are so many auld codgers taking part, the smell of mothballs and Old Spice will no doubt clash with the oxter freshness of youth blathered with Lynx Dark Temptation deodorant!
Taking care of the ‘international’ element, Tristan Pye will be the top seeded English driver running behind Alan Kirkaldy, Alistair Inglis and John Marshall.
As for the auld codgers, codger-in-chief must surely be the guy who will flag the cars off at the 8.00 am Start from Crail, one Brian Wilkinson Esq who won the inaugural event all those years ago. Then there’s Ian McRae whose first event was Baldoon, but the Kingdom was his first multi-venue rally. Ian has done everything in rallying, driven, navigated, co-driven, marshalled, officiated and was Clerk of the Course for the Weldex Rally in Argyll during the glory years. So he’ll be back in the belts this weekend co-driving for Tom Middlemiss.
And then there’s Ian ‘Ginge-it’ll be fine’ Logan, renowned Talbot Sunbeam pilot and who has built a Mk2 which he will debut this weekend, with daughter Carin in the hot seat. Now there’s a recipe for a dust-up, for sure.
Ricky Wheeler will wheel out his ‘new’ Historic Escort and Hugh ‘Shug’ Steel is now celebrating his third, or could it be fourth, mid-life crisis and has acquired a Subaru. And then there’s Martin Murray and Pete Weall, where the chat inside the car will be more about bus Passes and inflation than speed and progress. Neither is Fergus Gray or Tom Hynd in the first flush of youth any more. In fact if you look at the entry list as a whole, there is more grey hair and baldness than flowing locks and testosterone, such is the state of the sport these days.
But at least the auld gits know how to enjoy themselves. Nothing beats a good winge and a day oot o’ the care home.
There will be 10 stages in this year’s event, the first two will be at Crail then the main field heads a wee bit north to Leuchars for 4 stages before returning to Crail for the final four stages. There is no spectating at Leuchars – trespassers will be shot, but the Junior 1000 field will take to the Crail tests while the big cars are away.
So by all means, come along for the first two stages, but please stay and watch the youngsters because, by gawd this sport needs them. They will contest 6 stages in total during the period the ‘seniors’ are away to Leuchars so there will be entertainment all day when the seniors return. Failing that, there’s the burger van!
Entry List:
1, Alan Kirkaldy/Cameron Fair (Ford Escort) 2499cc, 4
2, Alistair Inglis/Colin Inglis (Lotus Exige) 2188, 4
3, John Marshall/Scott Crawford (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
4, Tristan Pye/Andrew Falconer (Subaru Impreza) 1998, 5
5, Gordon Morrison/Calum MacPherson (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
6, John Rintoul/Ross Hynd (Ford Fiesta RX) 2000, 5
7, Taylor Gibb/Jane Nicol (Mitsubishi EVO 8) 1998, 5
8, Jamie Smith/Jim Smith (Citroen DS3) 1598, 5
9, Rob Snowden/Mark Fisher (Ford Escort Mk2) 2500, 4
10, David Newall/Craig Wallace (Ford Escort) 2000, 3
13, Gareth White/Harry Marchbank (Peugeot 208 R2 Vti) 1598, 2
14, Chris Grieve/Paul Makepeace (Peugeot 106) 1600, 2
15, George R Auld/Richard Stewart (Ford Escort) 1998, 3
16, Colin Gemmell/Derek Keir (Ford Escort Mk2) 2499, 4
17, Ricky Wheeler/Russell Wheeler (Ford Escort Rs) 1999, 3
18, Brian Watson/Caroline Will (Mitsubishi Evo) 2000, 5
19, Peter Stewart/Kenneth Marchbank (VW Polo S2000) 1997, 3
20, Iain Sanderson/Kyle Dods (Ford Escort Mk2) 1998, 3
21, Alan Wallace/Darren Robertson (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) 1998, 5
22, James Gibb/Tba (Ford Escort Mk2) 1998, 3
23, Euan Mackay/Daniel Forsyth (Peugeot 208 R2) 1600, 2
24, Greg Inglis/Martin Forrest (Citroen C2 R2 Max)1600, 2
25, Kenny Moore/Thomas Purvin (Hillman Avenger) 2000, 3
26, Stevie Irwin/Ian Middleton (Vauxhall Nova) 1600, 2
27, Des Campbell/Shona Hale (Peugeot 206) 1600, 2
28, James Brims/Iain MacDonald (Honda Civic) 2000, 3
29, Ross McCallum/James Ralph (MG Maestro) 1998, 3
30, Robert Marshall/Lewis MacDougall (Ford Escort Mk2) 1995, 3
31, Willie Beattie/Paul Hunter (Ford Escort) 1998, 3
33, Fergus Gray/Kenny More (BMW 130i) 3000, 4
34, Kevin Paris/Allan McMahon (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
35, Martin Murray/Peter Weall (Ford Escort Mk2) 2000, 3
36, Steve McGregor/Tba (Honda Integra Type R) 1800, 3
37, Marcus Tinsley/Rachel Clark (Peugeot 205 Rallye) 1360, 1
38, Lindsay Taylor/Nick Young (Ford Fiesta ST150) 1999, 3
39, Tom Middlemiss/Ian McRae (Vauxhall Corsa) 1598, 2
40, Michael Robertson/Murray Milne (Honda Civic) 2000, 3
41, Steven Alexander/Cristina Jones (Citroen Saxo) 1600, 2
42, Euan McCosker/Ronnie Roughead (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
43, Martyn Douglas/Brian Pringle (Subaru Impreza) 1997, 5
44, Sue Hynd/Tom Hynd (Bmw Mini Cooper S) 1598, 4
45, Kevin Burns/David Findlay (Citroen Saxo) 1600, 2
46, Dave Cranston/Kelly Howe (Opel Astra) 2000, 3
47, Stephen Dunn/James Braithwaite (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
48, Finlay Brock/Chris Pattison (Vauxhall Corsa S1600) 1600, 2
49, Beefy Fraser/Fiona Moir (Hillman Avenger Tiger) 1500, 2
50, Iain Miller/Matthew Robertson (BMW M3 Coupe) 2990, 4
51, Garry Muir/Nicola Ritchie (BMW Compact) 2800, 4,
52, Eamon Kilmurray/Derek Cassells (Suzuki Swift Gti) 1316, 1
53, Ron Walker/Dean Ross (Ford Ka) 1600, 2
54, Greg Turner/Charley Sayer-Payne (Peugeot 206) 1596, 2
55, Ian Logan/Carin Logan (Ford Escort Mk2) 1998, 3
56, Ian Cruden/Rory Cruden (Honda Civic Type R) 1998, 3
57, Alan Stark/Greg Stark (Peugeot 205 Gti) 1900, 3
58, Hugh Steel/Shannon Turnbull (Subaru Impreza) 1994, 5
59, Keith Meins/Graeme Meins (Proton Satria) 1834, 3
60, Allan Watt/James Strachan (Peugeot 106) 1587, 2
61, Martin Henderson/Steven Crockett (Peugeot 205) 1360, 1
62, Gavin Gray/Colin Mackay (Citroen ZX Mi16) 1905, 3
63, Kevin Clarke/Gary McDonald (Opel Corsa) 1599, 2,
64, Garry Coutts/Curtis Fraser (Ford Fiesta) 1596, 2
65, Andrew Gray/Robert Wood (Peugeot 206) 1997, 3
66, Paul Orchiston/James Clark (Audi TT) 1800, 5
67, Cameron Craig/Ewan Lees (Peugeot 205 XS) 1360, 1
68, Harry Chalmers/Steven Brown (Subaru Impreza GC8) 2000, 3
69, Steven Chalmers/Gordon Chalmers (Subaru Impreza) 2000, 5
70, Cameron Stout/Kevin Stout (Prodrive Impreza) 2000, 5
71, Daniel Patterson/Callum Redpath (Nissan Micra) 998, 0
Junior 1000 Entry List:
1, Ewan Tindall/Paul Hudson (Citroen C1) 998, J1
2, Jude MacDonald/Michael Cruickshank (Skoda Citigo) 999, J1
3, Johnnie Mackay/Steven Hay (Suzuki Alto) 996, J1
4, Lewis Haining/George Myatt (Toyota Aygo) 998, J1
5, Sam Adams/Andrew Bushe (Skoda Citigo Sport) 999, J1
6, Lewis Winder/Mike Baird (Toyota Aygo) 996, J1
7, Andrew Blackwood/Gordon Winning (Citroen C1) 1000, J1
8, Peter Beaton/Tba (Peugeot 107) 998, J1
9, Amy McCubbin/Brian McClelland (Skoda Citigo) 998, J1
10, Alice Paterson/Ian Crosbie (Peugeot 107) 998, J1