Rally - Editor’s dilemma

Following publication of the book ‘The Scottish Rally Championship 1980-1989’, work is ongoing with the next volume covering the years 1990-1999, but this 1991 photo won’t make it, not because it’s not a good or bad photo, but simply because others have been chosen which were taken on that same day!

And yet, this photo is still quite remarkable as it captures a rather unique moment in Scottish stage rallying. At the conclusion of the 1991 International ‘Scottish’ Rally the final results revealed that no less than six Scottish drivers finished in the top ten along with three English drivers and one Swede.

In fact three of those Scottish drivers not only came from the same town, but were from the same family finishing 1^st, 3^rd and 8th, while yet another came from the same county, just a few miles from Lanark and who finished fifth and winning the Group A award as well! The driver who came fourth was, and is, from the Scottish Borders while the tenth placed driver came from the Scottish Highlands.

Before Jim McRae won the 1988 Scottish Rally, Andrew Cowan had been the previous winner in 1963, when Jim was still riding motor cycles, so a home win was long overdue.

At the finish of the 1991 event, and having finished runner-up no less than six times, Jim remarked: “It took me eight years to win my first home International – Colin did it in three!”

This photo shows five of that top six meeting a couple of Scottish Rally fans.

Copies of the current book are still available:

https://fife-motor-sports-agency.square.site/