Rally - Nearly done

Here's an interesting thing. Jeff Horne has downloaded an App to his iPhone called 'ASE Rally Monitor' and it replicates, exactly, a Rally Tripmeter with all the large digits and displays. Running off a GPRS signal it looks really authentic and it actually works. Sitting beside Gordon Halley in his MkII, Jeff has the phone velcro'd to the door. He's not actually relying on it for the rally but is using it as backup and a secondary check on his own position and timekeeping, and it only cost £2.50 apparently. Worth a look for budding rally drivers,eh?

And here's another tale to stir the hearts and minds of older rallyists. In car number 113 is 18 year old Ruaridh Allan and co-driven by 16 year old Jamie 'Fred' MacLean. This will be their first ever rally in their own self-built Vauxhall Nova. It has taken the boys 2 years to build the car: "My Dad has a shop in Dervaig," said Ruaridh, "and he's helped a lot of local drivers over the years, so when they heard I was building a car they've all helped me. It has been overwhelming, we couldn't have done this without them." Asked about what lies ahead, he said: "I've got mixed feelings. It's what I've always wanted to do, but I'm really nervous. When I was a wee boy, I used to run down to the road when the rally cars were passing and put my thumbs up to the drivers, and on the way down here this morning there were lots of kids doing it to me. It's so strange."

That's what its all about, eh? Gaun yersel boys, have a good weekend.

Scrutineering is nearly over, just the stragglers to come.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. Anyone seen a Log Book for Car 52, a white MkII, Reg XYB 465? It was left in the wrong car this morning. If you find it, hand it to a Rally Official please, or to the car's crew.