Tuesday 29 November 2011

Rally - Marathon Rallyist

Andrew Cowan presented the principal awards at the Scottish Rally Championship awards night in Glasgow at the weekend, but when compere Roy Campbell asked who was born after Andrew won the Scottish title in 1976, there was a big flurry of hands from the youngsters in the room.

Although best known for winning the Scottish Rally Championship in 1976 in a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer, Andrew also won a few other wee events such as the 16,500 mile 1968 and ‘77 London to Sydney Marathon Rallies and then went on to win 4 World Rally Championship titles as Mitsubishi team boss with Tommi Makinen.

Over the years Andrew has rallied a wide variety of different cars, not just Mitsubishis, from Hillman Imps to Ford Escorts, but perhaps his most unlikely choice of cars were the Mercedes-Benz 280E with which he won the ’77 Marathon and the 5 litre 450 SLC which he used subsequently.

Coincidentally, when he (and Colin Malkin and Mike Broad) won the 1977 London to Sydney Marathon, there was more Scottish interest further down the field with Jim Ingleby and Bob Smith finishing 14th overall in a Jeep Cherokee.

Anyway, now you know.

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