… AM Phillip Trucktech Snowman, Sat 5th March, 2022 …
The year is 2022. The location is the far north, or if you live in Thurso – the deep south! Or to be more precise, the ominously sounding Black Isle Showground. But don’t be put off by the dark forbidding title, this has nothing to do with black magic or islands.
The Black Isle is indeed a magical place to visit although it has nothing to do with witches or flying broomsticks. The peninsula north of Inverness is so named because the land was once ‘black’ or covered with dense woodland which led to the name.
However this weekend, the AM Phillip Trucktech Snowman will indeed host a rather large number of wizards in their flying machines!
That’s because this will be the opening round of the KNG Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship.
Heading the 90 plus entry are 2020 winners Michael Binnie and Claire Mole in the completely stripped and rebuilt Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 in which they won the previous Snowman Rally. Running at number two and perhaps aiming for a 6th National title is David Bogie with Kevin Rae in the MINI WRC machine.
Twice Scottish Champion Jock Armstrong runs at Number 3 with Cameron Fair back in the Subaru (or maybe not) after last year’s outings in a Fiesta R5. Freddie Milne’s campaign to win the title last year got off to a bad start through no fault of his own so he will be out for revenge this year with Patrick Walsh in the Fiesta. John Wink is sticking with the Hyundai i20 R5 this year and also the hugely experienced Neil Shanks, and with Wink’s pace improving all the time, the top four will need to keep an eye on the rear vision mirror.
Bruce McCombie and Michael Coutts have been getting quicker in the Ford Focus WRC but a couple of mechanical niggles have let them down on past events so expect them to be at the forefront of the dogfight and they might well be joined by Scott Beattie and Paula Swinscoe. Beattie’s pace in the Mitsubishi Evo7 raised eyebrows last season and if there is snow on the Snowman, that could be the great equaliser for the less powerful cars.
Alan Carmichael and Ivor Lamont will add a touch of Northern Irish flair to proceedings in their Hyundai R5 while Donnie MacDonald and Andrew Falconer should be in confident mood after their win on the Knockhill Stages a couple of weeks back first time out in the new Ford Fiesta Rally2. Rounding off the top ten are Scott MacBeth and Daniel Forsyth in a Mitsubishi Evo9 and they too could well spring a surprise.
Other crews to look out for include Kinloss Stages winner, Hugh Brunton and East African Safari Classic winner, Drew Sturrock in a Fiesta R5, Ian Forgan and Chris Lees in another Fiesta R5 and Mark McCulloch and Michael Hendry debuting the new Proton Satria Evo.
With Covid restrictions relaxed, spectating should be a bit easier this year plus the fact the rally will be centred on theBlack Isle Showground which will host the Start, Finish and two service halts. The rally will also feature last year’s popular innovation of a regroup in Dingwall High Street at lunch time. The first car is due to leave the start at 09.00 Hrs on Saturday morning and is expected back around 15.30 Hrs.
There are just three Special Stages, two of which will be run twice to make up the five stage route and full details plus maps will be available in the Rally Programme, so make sure you try and get one.
Programme Retailers: Autosave, Elgin Autosave, Inverness Bannermans Seat, Inverness Bitz Garage, Nairn Charlie's Cafe, Inverness HIS, Inverness Kingswells Filling Station, Culcabock, Inverness Lewiston Petrol Station, Drumnadrochit Ord Filling Station, Muir of Ord Ross Shire Club, High Street, Dingwall Tore Service Station, Tore West End Filling Station, Dingwall
Entry List - No, Driver/Co-Driver, Town/Town, Make, Model, Class 1, Michael Binnie/Claire Mole (Cornhill On Tweed/Duns) Mitsubishi Evo9, M7 2, David Bogie/Kevin Rae (Dumfries) Mini JCW WRC, Pro4 3, Jock Armstrong/Cameron Fair (Castle Douglas/Tobermory) Subaru Impreza, M7 4, Freddie Milne/Patrick Walsh (Aberdeen/Aberystwyth) Ford Fiesta R5, Pro4 5, John Wink/Neil Shanks (Huntly/Elgin) Hyundai i20 R5, Pro4 6, Bruce McCombie/Michael Coutts (Banchory/Torphins) Ford Focus, Pro4 7, Scott Beattie/Paula Swinscoe (Alford/Withnell) Mitsubishi Evo7, M7 8, Alan Carmichael/Ivor Lamont (Ballymoney/Ballymena) Hyundai R5, Pro4 9, Donnie MacDonald/Andrew Falconer (Inverness) Ford Fiesta Rally 2, Pro4 10, Scott MacBeth/Daniel Forsyth (Muir of Ord/Elgin) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, M7 11, Keir Beaton/Iain Thorburn (Inverness/Elgin) 12, Keith Morris/Terry Mallin (Aberdeen/Bothwell) Mitsubishi Evo, M7 14, Scott Mutch/Greg McDonald (Keith/Mosstodloch) Subaru GC8, C5 15, Hugh Brunton/Drew Sturrock (Arbroath/Brechin) Ford Fiesta R5, Pro4 16, Ross MacDonald/Matthew Johnstone (Conon Bridge/Aberdeen) Mitsubishi Evo9, M6 17, Ian Forgan/Chris Lees (Lundin Links/Glasgow) Ford Fiesta, Pro4 18, John Morrison/Peter Carstairs (Conon Bridge/St Andrews) Ford Fiesta R5, Pro4 19, Thomas Gray/Tom Howie (Tore/Inverness) Ford Escort Mk2, M5 20, John Crawford/Karen MacLeod (Lanark/Airdrie) Ford Escort Mk2, M4 21, Mark McCulloch/Michael Hendry (Dumfries/Aberlour) Proton Satria Evo, M7 22, Andy Horne/Alison Horne (Inverness/Inverness) Subaru Impreza, M6 23, John Rintoul/Ross Hynd (Lower Largo/Prestwick) Ford Fiesta R5, Pro4 24, Angus Lawrie/Paul Gribben (Castle Douglas/Annan) Mitsubishi Evo9, M7 25, David Wilson/Callum Atkinson (Alness/Lauder) BMW Compact, M5 26, James Brims/Iain MacDonald (Thurso/Thurso) Ford Escort Mk2, M4 27, Keith Riddick/Mairi Riddick (Haugh of Urr/Dumfries) MG ZR, M2 28, Matt Calderwood/Philip Sandham (Helensburgh/Carnforth) Mitsubishi Evo7, M6 29, Duncan Campbell/Michael Cruickshank (Mauchline/Crieff) Subaru Impreza, M6 30, Peter Stewart/Harry Marchbank (Dumfries/Dumfries) Peugeot 208, Pro2 31, William Paterson/Tom Hynd (Strathaven/Montrose) Mitsubishi Evo9, M7 32, Robert Adamson/Jamie Edwards (Kilmarnock/Wrexham) Ford Fiesta Rally2, Pro4 33, Kevin Crawford/Andrew Stevenson (Alford/Huntly) Mitsubishi Evo9, M7 34, Steven Wood/Mary Wood (Inverness/Inverness) Ford Fiesta RWD, M4 35, Mike Moates/Gary McDonald (Aberdeenshire/Aberdeen) Subaru Impreza, C5 37, Michael Renton/John Shepheard (Tain/Elgin) Subaru Impreza GC8, M7 38, Paddy Munro/Dave O'Brien (Kyle/Duns) Ford Escort, M4 39, Brian Ross/Jamie Mactavish (Elgin/Pitlessie) Ford Escort Mk2, M5 40, Stuart Irvine/Marc Irvine (Erskine/Bishopton) Hyundai Accent WRC, Pro4 41, Sandy Fairbairn/Ian Murray (Gattonside/Ayr) Mitsubishi Lancer, M6 42, Darren McDonald/Sarah Young (Elgin/Elgin) Subaru Impreza, C5 43, Alistair Brearley Snr/Gerry Bryden (Galashiels/Sorn) Ford Escort Mk2, C3 44, Ally Reid/Donald Urquhart (Muir of Ord/Conon Bridge) Mitsubishi Evo8, M6 45, Scott Peacock/Craig Wallace (Castle Douglas/Westmuir) MG ZR, M2 46, Alistair Dalgliesh/David Dalgliesh (Lanark/Lanark) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, M7 47, Allan Smith/Sam Smith (Kirriemuir) Honda Civic, C3 48, James Campbell/Ricky Finlayson (Watten/Inverness) Talbot Sunbeam Ti, M2 49, Mike Grant/Graham Kelman (Elgin/Elgin) Subaru Impreza, C5 50, Scott MacDonald/Angus MacNeil (Maryburgh/Oban) Subaru Impreza WRX, C5 51, Jordan Anderson/Clare Mackenzie (Inverness/Inverness) Subaru Impreza, C5 52, Thomas Rapson/Michael Sutherland (Helmsdale/Thurso) Subaru Impreza, C5 53, Donald Brooker/Tony Booth (Ballater/Inverbervie) Subaru Legacy RS, H2 55, Kenny Wood/Gordon Chalmers (Inverness/Inverness) BMW E30, M4 56, Ernie Lee/Patricia Lee (Ellon) BMW 325i, H2 57, Richard Stewart/Carin Tait-Logan (Dumfries/Kelso) Peugeot 208, Pro2 58, John Brownie/Gordon Ritchie (Kintore/Stonehaven) Opel Kadett C, C3 59, Colin Patterson/Gary Clark (Cullen/Alness) Ford Escort Mk2, C3 60, Iain Urquhart/Michael Mackenzie (Inverness/Inverness) Mitsubishi Evo, C5 61, Cameron Black/John Jack (Inverurie/Inverness) Mazda 323 Turbo 4x4, C5 62, Rhuaridh Campbell/Shaina Archibald (Glenmoriston/Invermoriston) Chrysler Sunbeam, M4 63, Hamish Grant/Stewart Hurst (Muir of Ord/Muir of Ord) Ford Escort Mk2, M5 64, David McLeod/Eamonn Boyle (Mauchline/Kilmarnock) Chrysler Sunbeam Ti, H1 65, Jacob Harlington/Oliver Harlington (Inverness/Stornoway) Volkswagen Polo, C1 66, Jan Budge/Bruce Lindsay (Thatcham/Thirsk) Subaru Impreza, M6 67, Martyn Erskine/Kieran Hyslop (Stranraer/Stranraer) Peugeot 206 Cup, C2 68, Robert Proudlock/Steven Brown (Dumfries/Onich) Vauxhall Adam, M2 69, David MacLeod/David Falconer (Maryburgh/Inverness) Peugeot 106 Gti, C2 70, Colin Smith/Charles Mackenzie (Duns/Alexandria) Vauxhall Astra, C3 71, Stephen Fraser/Alan David Grant (Inverness/Inverness) Vauxhall Nova, M2 72, Ashleigh Morris/Martin Haggett (Dollar/Rugby) Ford Fiesta R200, M2 73, Peter Beaton/Dean Ross (Nairn/Alness) Honda Civic, M2 74, Aileen Forrest/John Forrest (Inverurie/Inverurie) Mitsubishi Evo9, M7 75, Orrin McDonnell/Eoghan Anderson (Staffin/ Methven) Subaru Impreza, M6 76, Meghan O'Kane/John O'Kane (Kyle) Ford Fiesta, M2 77, Andrew Logan/Calum Fraser (Inverness/Inverness) Peugeot 205, C2 78, Nikki Addison/Rachel Matheson (Inverness/Beauly) Peugeot 106, C2 79, Colin Baxter/Alvin Campbell (Tain/Bonar Bridge) Ford Escort Mk2, C3 80, Donald Murray/Morgan Redpath (Inverness/Inverness) Subaru Impreza, C5 81, Terry Smith/Kenny Foggo (Inverness/Munlochy) Suzuki Swift, M2 82, Niall Philips/Michael Moates (Inverness/Aberdeen) Ford RS2000 4x4, C5 83, Robert MacRae/Ross MacRae (Kyle) Ford Escort Mk2, C3 84, Robert Tonge/Sean Newlands (Elgin/Old Rayne) MG ZR, C1 85, Tommy Sutherland/Ryan Renwick (Rogart/Golspie) Skoda Favorit, C1 86, Justin Gunning /Stuart McBride (Lanark/Coylton) Ford Fiesta R2, M2 87, Scott McCombie/Charley Sayer-Payne (Banchory/Hamilton) Mitsubishi Evo6, M7 88, Liam Richardson/Darren Kennedy (Inverness/Inverness) Peugeot 306, C3 89, Jim Robertson/Mike Curry (Thornhill/Thornhill) Ford Escort, H2 90, Jim McDowall/Finlay Donnan (Creetown/Newton Stewart) Ford Escort Mk2 91 Sandy Arbuthnott/Ian Arbuthnott