Rally - Down memory lane

Pete and Lou with Mr & Mrs Croall

35 years ago, the Jim Clark Memorial Rally sponsored by Croall, Bryson & Co Ltd, was rather different to what will take to the closed public roads of Berwickshire this weekend. Two days of British Rally Championship action on Friday and Saturday followed by the KNC Groundworks Scottish Championship counter, the Jim Clark Reivers Rally, on Sunday.

Previously run over the tarmac roads of the Otterburn Ranges and through the forest roads of Kielder Forest, the 1988 event was back in the forests. Starting and finishing in Kelso, the 48 mile event featured one private ‘Spectator Special’ in Springwood Park followed by eight forest stages in Kielder.

Colin and Neil

Another big change was its inclusion in the Esso Scottish Rally Championship for the first time since 1982. It was also a round of the Esso Metro Super Challenge attracting a large number of 6R4s. In fact, 6R4s filled four of the top five places at the finish of the rally which was won by Pete Slights and Lou Naylor, but in second place overall was the RWD Peugeot Nissan of a young Colin McRae and the not quite so young Neil Ewing. 

Phil Walker and Dave Wilford delivered one of their most impressive drives with sixth place in the Ford Escort Mk2 ahead of Stewart Robertson and Lawrance Clark in their Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. In fact there were six Scottish crews in the top ten including the third placed Metro of David Gillanders and Bob Wilson, Jim Carty and Bobby Wallace were ninth in their Metro while a young Andy Horne with Mike Ramsay were a mighty impressive tenth in the Opel Ascona.

Phil and Dave with Louise

Just outside the top ten in 11^th place was the Nissan 240RS of Donald Milne and John Baird.

Louise Aitken Walker and international rugby star John Jeffrey joined event sponsor Mr & Mrs Robert Croall and other local worthies in the guest line-up presenting the prizes at a very festive open air presentation in Kelso Town Square.

Oh, and a couple of other youngsters did rather well too, Robbie head and Robert Reid won their class.

The Bairns - Robbie and Robert with John Jeffrey