The Master still has it. Whenever the Firenza
pulls up in service at WRGB, the crowds gather instantly. I reckon the V8
monster is only part of the attraction, the main attraction is the Master
himself, one James S McRae Esq. He’s still got it. Driving the most difficult
car out there – too much grunt and not enough grip – and he’s just outside the
top ten. The crowds love him and the fans adore him.
He had cause to reminisce when Alex Strathdee turned up.
Alex used to look after a rather more modest Firenza plus sundry Chevettes and
Mantas in the early days. Anyway, Jim found out one of the causes of his
troubles last night. A plug lead had come off: “It doesnae matter, I’ve still
got 7 cylinders left,” he quipped.
He added: “Last year I said I wasn’t coming back!” Anyway he
cheered up a bit when Alex turned up with his son Jack.
Meanwhile not too far away there was a flurry of activity
under the Hastings tented encampment. Colin Telfer was bolting a bike rack to
the back of Iain Wilson’s Subaru. He tried to tell me it was actually his
tracking gauge system – but I still reckon it was a bike rack.
