Rally - Big Drew

No apologies - ‘The Man’, the method, the magic. I was in the loft again and came across this photo by Chris Money from Harrogate, a well known rally photographer in the 70s and 80s. The photo was taken in 1979 on the Raylor (Yorkshire? Wales?) Rally and it shows The Big Yin with David ‘Budgie’ McHarg’ using the side windows to check the direction of travel and forward momentum.

It’s quite timely coming across this, as it’s just a couple of weeks after the Scottish Rally Championship awards night in Glasgow. It’s 35 years since Drew won his third Scottish Championship title in 1979 before going on to win his fourth title the following year in 1980, but it was the matter of his winning and driving that endeared him to the hearts of thousands.

This was a character straight out of a Marvel action comic and so full of talent he was bursting at the seams. That effervescence was also apparent at the after rally parties in those days. By goad, the sair heids the morning efter sounded and felt like a Snap-On tool chest slowly and deliberately rolling down Ben Nevis. It was also the time when Irn-Bru still had real iron in the recipe. It was the only thing that could subdue the internal throb and clatter and bring calm to churning, heaving intestines before stoking up with a serious fry-up to get you home. And some folk called them the good old days!

It also made me wonder whatever happened to Chris Money. If you’re out there Chris, what else have you got tucked away?