Rally - Bogie wins Snowman

David Bogie and Kevin Rae scored the first victory of the 2017 ARR Craib Scottish Rally Championship season in Inverness. They finished the rally almost a minute clear of Shaun Sinclair and Jamie Edwards. Bogie was in imperious form all day in the Skoda Fabia R5 while Shaun Sinclair raised a few eyebrows with his pace in the Subaru Impreza. Second time out in the car he reckoned there is more to come from the car and from himself in the car: “Jamie was telling me to ‘push, push’ at times,” said Shaun but I was lifting and feathering slightly just not wanting to risk it. All I need is a bit more confidence.”

Euan Thorburn fought back to third place first time out in his new Fiesta R5 after striking a rock in the opening stage: “It damaged a rear track control arm,” said Euan, “and the wheel was left pointing outwards. Then we bent a rim in the third stage. I thought I had a puncture. We were lucky.”

Jock Armstrong finished just off the podium in his rebuilt Subaru Impreza with Rory Young fifth in his Fiesta R5. Steven Clark was on course to round off the top six until the final stage when Bruce McCombie took 16 seconds out of him in 11 miles to clinch the position by 2 seconds: “I don’t know where that came from,” said Steven, “fair play to Bruce that was a fantastic time.”

Mark McCulloch was 8^th in his Lancer ahead of Mike Faulkner first time out in a new Lancer: “It’s been a learning day,” said Mike, “I’ve learned a lot, and the car was getting quicker by the close of play.”

Rounding off the top ten was Donnie MacDonald, last year’s winner, first time out in a Fiesta R5: “It’s been a fantastic day and the car’s been fantastic,” said Donnie. “I’ve had a ball. I’m happy with tenth but it could have been better. I got stuck in a chicane in the third stage and just couldn’t get reverse. I lost 40 seconds or so, but it wasn’t the car’s fault, I just lost the head with myself!”

Quintin Milne finished just outside the top ten in a Lancer in 11^th place after a wee indiscretion on the first stage and Greg McKnight was going well till the brakes failed in his Lancer in the final stage and he didn’t finish.  

For once there wasn’t a trace of snow or ice on the Jurys Inn Arnold Clark Snowman (Snowfree?) Rally with some folk complaining about the lack of snow and others happy to be free of the “bluidy stuff”.

Bogie was certainly happy running DMacks for the first time: “The last stage was smoother than the others and I really had to lean on the tyres – the grip was there. The stages were good but a bit slippery and muddy in places. I really enjoyed that.”

(More in Wednesday’s ‘Motorsport News’)

Top Ten:

1, D Bogie, Skoda, 37m 51s

2, S Sinclair, Subaru, 38m 49s

3, E Thorburn, Fiesta, 39m 11s

4, J Armstrong, Subaru, 39m 13s

5, R Young, Fiesta, 39m 50s

6, B McCombie, Mitsubishi,39m 59s

7, S Clark, Mitsubishi, 40m 01s

8, M McCulloch, Mitsubishi, 40m 09s

9, M Faulkner, Mitsubishi, 40m 15s

10, D MacDonald, Fiesta, 40m 38s