Rally - Thorburn wins

Euan Thorburn and Paul Beaton scored their fourth rally victory when they won today’s Gleaner Oil & Gas Speyside Stages, but their margin could have been greater or even less had it not been for four stages during the day which were cleanable. Admittedly only Thorburn cleaned one of the four, but it shows just how technology and tyres are pushing boundaries. Prior to the event, the organisers thought they had done enough, but dry conditions, fast stages and four of Scotland’s top drivers just beat them to it.

At the finish Euan said: “That’s what we’ve been needing for a long time a clean run.”

Bogie converted a 3 second deficit after 7 stages to a 1 second advantage over Jock Armstrong to snatch a hard fought runner-up position, and both were on the limit: “I sideswiped a gatepost in the final stage,” said David referring to the panel damage down the Lancer’s o/s flanks, “I turned in fine to the final hairpin on the last stage, but there was a big mound of earth on the inside and I didn’t want to risk hitting it or running over it, so I slid wide – but there was a gatepost there.”

Armstrong just shook his head: “These young boys are just so quick,” laughed Jock, “But the car is better and I learned a few things about it today, so that was good.”

Mike Faulkner finished fourth; “That’s as hard as this car will go,” he said, while Donnie MacDonald scored an excellent result with fifth overall: “I nearly didn’t,” he said, “I had a huge spin in Gartly and ended up facing the wrong way!”

Rounding off the top six was Chris Collie, while ruing what might have been was Alistair Inglis: “If it hadn’t been for that fuel pump problem I might have made the top six, still I was pleased with today.”

John McClory was eighth ahead of Malloch Nicoll and Jimmy Christie, but John Morrison lost out on a top ten finish: “I was just pushing too hard,” he said, “after that puncture earlier I was trying to make up time. I went too tight into a Right 7 on the last stage and spun, ending up facing the wrong way, but I was aware that Keith (Robathan) was behind me, and I was struggling to get the thing turned around.”

Steven Lockhart missed out on a top ten finish too when he holed the radiator.

T op Ten after Stage 10 (of 10)

1 Thorburn, 43m 01s

2 Bogie, 43m 27s

3 Armstrong, 43m 28s

4 Faulkner, 44m 55s

5 MacDonald, 45m 09s

6 Collie, 45m 10s

7 Inglis, 45m 41s

8 McClory, 46m 30s

9 Nicoll, 47m 34s

10 Christie, 47m 36s