Rally - Missing on Mull

Sadly my big pal Jaggy won’t make it to Mull this year, family matters have curtailed his annual pilgrimage. From the Festering Piles to the Mish, from the Mac to Macgochan’s there will be no trail of alcoholic slevvers marking his wayward progress around Tobermory harbour. Similarly there will be no unearthly presence ensconced on the bottom stair at the Salen Hotel or decorating the bars in Craignure.

Of course, he’ll also miss the intoxicating whiffs emanating from Scrutineering mixed with the occasional and most welcome aroma of the all too rare Castrol R fragrance. The spectatorial mayhem at the Dervaig junction and the comforting sounds of stab mells restoring bent steering arms and twisted metal back to some semblance of their original shape at Craignure service. And ‘service’ is the word, the whole Mull Rally experience is worthy of a worshipful ecclesiastical celebration.

Those memories only eclipsed by the mellifluous cacophony of four and six cylinder aural accompaniments making their red-lining angelic mechanical music as they pound over the lochs, around Calgary and doon the Glen. There’s simply nothing to beat the sights and sounds advancing on those gathered in a certain cemetary or sitting on the clammy wall as the damp seeps through the troosers and pants and into the very bones. It’s the searchlights sweeping the skies above Glen Gorm and Loch Frisa before bursting over the crest in a furious firework display of sparks, glowing brake discs and the furious bark and bellow of angry four wheeled monsters - and Kenny Watt’s wee Mini!

As for the rogue’s gallery below, if you see any of this lot, best give them a wide berth, they’ll only lead you into trouble and serious alcoholic iniquity. A rag tag bunch the lot of them.

Oh, and by the way, stay safe out there, whether watching, marshalling or competing – because you never know what might be making that rustling sound in the heather behind you in the silence of the creeping cold autumn darkness. It might even be the lost souls of those who have gone before and destined forever to roam the hills and glens - in search of tasty spectators!

 

The Book - The Final Proof

Dear rally readers, the printer’s proofs arrived this afternoon which necessitated one final read-through of the latest tome entitled ‘ The Scottish Rally Championship 2000-2009’. A couple of things required a wee change but otherwise, good to go.

However, despite the many read-throughs the proof-readers undertook (two) and myself (countless) there might well be something we’ve missed. It happens to the best of authors, proof-readers and publishers – and even AI (Artificial Incompetence) gets things wrong - but I’ll tell you what, if some smart git comes up to me, taps me on the shoulder and engages me in conversation starting with ‘By the way, did you not notice …. ‘.

Then be warned, I will not be held responsible for the ensuing consequences, which will either be a moothfae of dandruff (Glasgow kiss) or a boot up the exhaust depending on which way the complainant is facing at the time of utterance. And who knows? Some of the attending ‘Bears’ may well take umbrage at any slight to my person!

There are a couple of folk who in the past have taken great delight in pointing out any little errors that may have crept in to the narrative or style and to them I would advise extreme caution in their approach and choice of words. If they are not careful, even the nearest faraway place will not be a safe haven for them! I have gone skelly-eyed reading through this umpteen times and toleration levels are extremely low.

Anyway, job done, it has now been passed to the printer and book binder to do their stuff. As things stand we are on course for an early November launch but I will keep you appraised of date and location if you fancy attending the ‘official’ launch – in its now customary salubrious surrounding!

Copies of the first two books are still available:

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

 

Book - Frazzled, but pleased

The last ten days have been pretty hectic. Yesterday I signed off the draft of the text and photograph layout for the next book, ‘The Scottish Rally Championship 2000-2009’ and that was the fifth draft!

David the designer didn’t know anything about rallying when we started this two years ago – he does now! But why five drafts you may wonder? The first draft is a rough layout with all the print and photographs with captions in place but the printer uses a system of ‘flow-text’. Each page is a template and the idea is you just paste, or ‘flow’ the whole text into the template. Fine in theory but when you start to add tables and photographs the text automatically adjusts itself but every time you add something, the ‘flow’ simply expands and you end up with ‘orphan’ words or jumbles where the text flows over a column, caption or heading.

David can manage this quite well but often needs someone who knows a bit about rallying and its technicalities to help him out and since he doesn’t know any one in the sport but me, he has little choice in the matter. So the first draft was tweaked and made to fit but that still upset a few lines and paragraphs in the second draft. There were fewer changes for the third draft and even fewer for the fourth and then I switched around some photos! Grrr! At least he’s still talking to me but the final draft has now been signed off.

Next step is the preparation of the printing plates from which I will get a finished copy of the book as it will appear in print, but not bound – it will come as a number of separate sheets with eight pages on each! That means another read through this weekend just to make sure that there have been no slip-ups when etching the plates.

It may sound awfy pernickety but that’s the nature of the task. David and Craig (the printer) know that and it’s a similar process for other books which they produce so I’m not their most difficult customer. Of course it would have been easier if I had sought a publishing company and just handed them the text and the foties but I wouldn’t have had the same control.

Anyway, that is where we’re at and hopefully still on course for publishing the new book in early November. Naturally I’ll keep you informed of the exact date.

As for the cover, well the decision has been made. The choice of Ken Wood for the 1980s book was dead easy, he won the title three times in that decade. Similarly the choice of Brian Lyall was equally appropriate for the 1990s as he uniquely won both the Scottish and ANCRO National Championship titles in the same year, 1997.

However, this latest book caused a wee bit of a headache. Two drivers each won the Scottish Championship twice during this ten year 2000s period, so which one to choose? Or should I put both pics on the front cover? As things turned out the choice was once again staring me in the face, it was just so bluidy obvious. Dohhhh!

Anyway, we’ll soon find out if you all agree – or not!!

The other side of rallying

One thing of which Knockhill has an excess, is weather. All flavours, varieties and intensities and last weekend we actually saw the best of it. It was cold on Saturday and the three wee rain showers which sped over the circuit soon dried off whereas Sunday was sunny and warm – when the sun shone, but awfy cold when it ducked behind some clouds! Nobody got drookit or frostbitten, a bonus, eh?

There were three generations of McRaes in attendance and an abundance of stars, personalities and VIPs all mixed in with a couple of on-stage rallies for the Junior 1000 Ecosse Challenge lads and lassies and an equally serious competition for the all-stars and their rather more powerful and gloriously noisy conveyances plus various processions and other entertainments.

And throughout the days there were roving hordes of autograph hunters wanting programmes, books, clothing and helmets signed by anyone they could waylay. As for the guests, they just mixed in with everybody and had a ball. It was grand. Even Sir Chris Hoy was out and about although he had to have a wee quiet sit-doon after each run in the rally car before facing the crowds and interviewers once again. Understandable. The man’s a marvel and an inspiration.

Speaking of interviewers, the concert stage in the Paddock was busy throughout both days and the dulcet tones of the ‘Larkhall Foghorn’ could even be heard down in the Trade Area – but we couldnae hear the guests!

Another thing I learned was that musicians cannae play the bagpipes with gloves on! Hazel Whyte’s finger tips were almost numb by the finish, but she gave it laldy did she not?

Mind you, the place was fair hoachin’ wi’ locusts. Rhona’s tablet supply in the Junior 1000 tent disappeared faster than Stuart Gray when it’s his round, and Mrs McCombie’s caramel tart tin was almost emptied by the voracious Moates mob next door. However, Bruce managed to save the day and kept a single tart for his big pal Jaggy Bunnet (aye, he wis there too!) although the chocolate coating looked suspiciously thin – I think somebody had given it a serious licking before putting it back in the tin!

Speaking of Bruce, he had the barbecue fired up and was dispensing burnt slices of coo to friends and guests washed doon wi’ bottles of fermented barley and waatter, whilst other barbecues around the overnight encampment lit up happy faces gathered around. However, up the ‘posh’ end of the Paddock there were dangers to be avoided. The Sheriff and Montana were in town along with others of that ilk with the smell of strong spirits lying heavy in the night air. Man it was a grand night - to be safely tucked up in bed away from such malevolent influences!

Typical of the other side of rallying there was a late night engine change in the service area on Saturday evening where three generations of the Wallace clan were awfy busy. The engine in Junior 1000 driver Caela Wallace’s Toyota Yaris had expired but the team had sourced a spare engine in a Perth scrapyard (late on a Saturday evening!) picked it up, brought it back to Knockhill and proceeded to change it under torch light with Dad Craig (who was also co-driving for John Marshall) helping out whilst grandad Colin ‘Crabbit’ Wallace oversaw proceedings - in an ‘advisory’ capacity only! It was an effort that would have had the Team Toyota Gazoo Racing personnel gazing open-mouthed in astonishment.

And then there was the stupid bet. Martyn Douglas and Ross Pringle had put a bet on, but both had troubles during the rally and the terms were changed to who would be fastest over the final two stages. A difference of nine seconds gave the advantage to Martyn while Ross had to suffer the forfeit – shave off HALF his beard. Wait till his Mammy sees him when he gets home!

That was the other side of an event which was won by rising star Max McRae and Cameron Fair by 30 seconds from Joe Cunningham and Joshua Beer with Matt Edwards and Neil Shanks third in John Wink’s Hyundai i20 while just 3 seconds separated the top two in the Junior 1000 Ecosse Challenge. Ollie Forrester and George Myatt just pipped McKenzie Snowden and Jonathan Turnbull. Gregor Reid and Simon Mills were third.

But for me, the on-track action was more than matched by the off-track craic. It was a chance to meet up with friends old and new although I can only apologise to a certain Irish fella who stopped by for a chat. For over 5 minutes I stood bemused and perplexed listening to a verbal fusillade of heavily accented incomprehension, and then he came back for another chat later. I still have little idea of the subject/s that was/were under discussion but by heck it was grand while it lasted. He could have put Sir Alex Ferguson’s famed ‘hair dryer’ harangues to shame.

Rally Day 2

 Here's one for fans of the Spanish language. These door panels were made up for him by a very good 'friend', but look closely at the bottom of the door panel - it translates to "Bullshit Merchant" !!! With friends like that  who needs enemies?

Rally - Night, night

 It was a busy day, time for bed!

Rally - Day 1 over

 Knockhill at night time. All tucked up ready for tomorrow and they go again.

Rally - McRae at Knockhill

 Some folk seem surprised that there is a 'McRae Section' in the ' Scottish Rally Championship' books, but this is where they all started. If you want to see more, the booktique is down at the hairpin - look for the red and white chequered flag beside the Junior 1000 marquee.

Rally - McRae Challenge

The calm before the storm .... Knock Hill is crouched over the circuit like a benevolent uncle, but it has a mean streak at times - a magnet for rain clouds. Dry at present, fingers crossed, eh? The booktique is now open for business above the hairpin but I think Stuart (Gray) chose the location deliberately. I'm right beside the chuck wagon and already enveloped in the smell of frying bacon and sausage - and not a vegan option in sight! Such sweet torture, eh?

Rally - The BIG weekend

As part of Knockhill Race Circuit’s ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations, this coming weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 20th and 21st September, it’s the turn of rallying to be celebrated, and by crikey, they’re doing it in style. The McRae Rally Challenge has more stars than I saw when I banged my heid getting into a Ford GT40!

This event also marks a special milestone in Jim McRae’s rallying life, fifty years (plus one) since he first sat in a rally car, a four door Ford Cortina with a Lotus Twin Cam under its bunnet. And he won’t be alone, he’s bringing the gang with him, son and grandson, Alister and Max, and grand daughter Hollie.

And there’s more. Joining the gang will be Sir Chris Hoy back in the driving seat of a rally car and guided/advised or distracted by Campbell Roy! The real Stig is coming, and Dario never one to pass up some seat time, albeit in a rather different setting! And from Wales, none other than Gwyndaf (Elfyn’s Dad) and from across the water, young Jon Armstrong – in a Mk2!

Joining this international throng is a veritable ‘Quality Street’ of home grown talent including Garry Pearson and Matt Edwards (in John Wink’s Hyundai), ‘Forgy, Joe Cunningham from doon sooth, the return of Finlay Retson, Kevin Proctor, Bruce McCombie, John Crawford, Ross Hunter (he’ll be a dark horse, eh?), Alan Kirkaldy, Barry Groundwater, Wayne Sisson and a whole host more.

Looking further down the list reveals yet more highlights, ‘Dangerous’ Des Campbell in the demonic 206 and Andrew Gallacher – in a bluidy Porsche! Out of retirement and thrusting their zimmers aside are Donnie MacDonald and Gary Adam, but this should be interesting, Gary’s boy Kyle will also be in a Mk2 as well!

Adding some more sparkle to the mix are Alison Horne, Sarah Hunter, Meghan O’Kane, Nikki Addison and Ashleigh Morris

And there’s even more, the Juniors will be out in force contesting their own event. This is the category for 14 to 17 year olds. The one litre cars may lack the spectacle of the ‘big bangers’, but the competition is even fiercer!

The other stars of the show are the cars and your eyeballs and ears are in for treat. In amongst the Rally2s and World cars are a couple of BMWs although James Gibb’s example now has a 2.4 litre Honda engine while John Marshall’s retains its straight six – I wonder if he’ll dare use the side exhaust! And then there’s the flat six of Gallacher’s Porsche. There’s also a veritable flock of flat fours – with Subaru badges.

And so much more. I cannae wait!

https://www.knockhill.com/events/fixture-International-McRae-Rally-Challenge-id644 

Also in attendance will be the mobile ‘book-tique’ but as yet I don’t know the exact location, so if you’re seeking some informative, educational, and hopefully entertaining, reading material, look me up.

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

 

Rally - Motorsport News

The Mission – should they choose to accept it …. The recent news that the weekly (fortnightly?) newspaper ‘Motorsport News’ has been sold has sparked interest, particularly among rally fans and followers. Of course, the new owner will face a tough task to restore the publication to its rightful place on the nation’s newsstands, and one thing for sure he knows that only too well himself - otherwise he wouldn’t have taken the chance.

It’s not just declining circulation that will have to be halted but advertisers will have to be re-attracted and a new network of regional correspondents engaged. The fact that the current editor (a racing man) and deputy editor will still be in charge should be good as they both have long experience in the business and their ‘contacts books’ should still be pretty comprehensive.

But what they face is a public apathy for print. We’ve lost countless magazines over the years from ‘Motor World’ in the 1960s to ‘Cars and Car Conversions’, ‘Competition Car’, the much-loved ‘Rally Sport’, ‘Rally Car’, ‘Road Sport North’, ‘UK Rally Scene’ and more recently ‘Pace Notes’ magazine amongst others.

Which prompts the question, if ‘Rally Sport’ was so widely loved why did it fail? Dwindling circulation and advertising revenue. But there was another reason, the rise of the internet and social media.

If you look at the current state of play, the people who are welcoming the possibility of a revitalised ‘Motorsport News’ are mostly of a certain generation. Folk who have memories of ‘the good old days’ and still retain an interest, but what we don’t have is a current generation who are invested in print. The ‘smart’ phone is the biggest killer, and even worse, it is encouraging shorter attention spans. It seems that modern youngsters just want short snappy comments and answers and of course photos and video clips.

But here’s the thing, whilst all us auld gits have ‘memory boxes’ and decorated garage walls full of photographs, rally programmes, press clippings, ticket stubs, lanyards and stickers, what will future generations have? It will all be in their bluidy phones.

And just how permanent will that be? When it comes to looking back and passing on to future generations, much of this memorabilia will be lost. Grandpa will be sitting there with a toddler on his knee trying to describe the sight and sound of a BDA in full flight in the forest – because he’s lost his phone, or the internet is down, or the host site didn’t pay its subscription and all the stored material has been lost – forever!

And once the digital memories are gone there’s no way of getting them back. Print is still more permanent than pixels and digits. After all, the ancient Egyptians left their readable scrolls behind but not a single USB stick!

Which means that the new owner of ‘Motorsport News’ will have a fight on his hands. And to those who wonder what Jonathan Palmer and his MSV Group knows about publishing, think on this, as the owner of six successful motor racing circuits which have to produce a programme for each race meeting, he will know all about generating interesting content for its readers and attracting advertising to help pay the costs.

With that experience, the move into ‘news’ publishing is just another step forward and if JP retains the current MSN Editor and Deputy Editor he’s got a head start. As long as they write insightful and interesting reports and articles they stand a chance. They will also need to re-engage with a network of regional correspondents who can attend events and file reports and keep providing the editorial team with ‘news leads’. They will also need to source experts in their respective fields and star columnists to provide additional opinion, insight and information. And they will all need to be able to write in an interesting, informative, entertaining and sometimes provocative manner! No easy task – but do-able!

Lastly they will need an enthusiastic advertising sales team, but if the editorial team can come up with an attractive publication then that will be a big help.

The MSV Group also knows about advertising and promotion and across six circuits they can help launch and push the new-look publication, maybe even incorporating their event programmes in certain issues or giving away copies of the new-look newspaper with event programmes.

Overall, the one big thing they really need is a readership and a following, and that’s down to the fans. If the new publication is attractive, then it stands a chance.

The sport needs a recognisable authoritative voice and whilst the internet is full of ‘authoritative voices’ we don’t have a bluidy clue who or how reliable most of them are.

Buyers may well moan about the price, and that’s fair comment, but how much is a pint of beer these days – and how long does it last? A decent sized mag will last much longer – and it’s easier to smuggle into the cubicle for a loo-break than a pint!

A new look ‘Motorsport News’ should merit our support at least until it proves it is worth it and earns our respect. If not it will go the way of the others. It’s as much in our hands as it is in the new owners’ but it will have to deserve and justify our support.

Rally - Top Seed

 Alan McMorran who competed on the first Galloway Hills Rally was invited to take part on this 50th event today and was given the use of an MG3 Challenge car, the one make budget category. He says the car handles a lot better than his Peugeot 205, but the intercom isn't working in his helmet and he can't hear Helen Hall, so it's 'old school' - driving to what he can see. Gaun yersel Alan.

Rally - Lunch Halt

 Rain clouds over Dalmellington and showers down below.

Rally - Tantalising delights

 Stocking up for the troops at Mrs Lawrie's picnic emporium.

Rally - in Dalmellington

 At the Galloping Hills .... First car away at 10 am and the Service area is abuzz with the sound of generators and wheelguns. Dry at present - fingers crossed.

Motorsport News

Good news? …. What was once the weekly motoring sporting ‘bible’ ‘Motorsport News’ has officially changed hands. Originally owned by the Tee family through their Teesdale Publications company it was sold to Haymarket Publishing in 1996, in which Lord Michael Heseltine had a stake, and who then sold it on to Autosport Media. Five years ago it was bought by Kelsey Media but they also failed to halt the decline. Circulation figures are hard to come by, but what once sold well in excess of 100,000 copies per week (way back!) now struggles to sell a tenth of that. The current editor and deputy editor have also been signed up.

The new owners are the MotorSport Vision (MSV) group founded by ex-racing driver Jonathan Palmer. MSV is not actually in the publishing business. They own six race circuits and an autodrome complex and they also own the British Superbike championship (BSB) so they are definitely serious about motor and motor cycle racing, but rallying?

However, Jonathan Palmer is a diehard motor sport nut and that does include rallying. He is also of an age to remember the golden days of ‘Motoring News’. More importantly he’s pretty good at making money!

He will face some immediate problems though, declining sales and subscriptions primarily, and of course, the biggest threat – social media. But when you see some of the ‘reporting’ on the huge range of social media outlets, there could well be room for a regular and authoritative source of factual content and news.

It will be interesting to see what happens next. Can he turn things around? I wish him well.

Rally - Galloway Hills

Rally round-up …. This weekend, Saturday 13th September, the annual Armstrong Galloway Hills Rally will have a new look and format. Organised by Solway, Machars and East Ayrshire Car Clubs this year’s penultimate round of the Asset Alliance Scottish Rally Championship will feature six stages in familiar terrain, but will start and finish in Dalmellington.

The rally will in fact use just two forests with the roads being used three times each during the day while Dalmellington will host the rally Start and Finish. Dalmellington may seem an unusual choice but had the organisers been able to use their originally intended route it would have made more sense. However, rally organisers up and down the country are entirely dependent on the goodwill of Forestry & Land Scotland for the choice and availability of forests.

This post is of course no place for politics (!) but it may well be a subject which will be taken up over the quieter winter months ahead of next season’s activities in the woods. Rallying needs to be treated at least on equal footing with any other sport/activity which wants to use the publicly owned forests, or even better considering the sums of money involved in ‘hiring’ the roads. Anyway, another topic for another day.

However, the organisers have come up with an attractive compact route using forest roads which will appeal to competitors and spectators alike. Heading the entry list is the ‘internationally’ (throughout Dumfries & Galloway) renowned Alan McMorran with Helen Hall on the Notes although Helen will ned to sit on Alan’s wallet to see over the dash! On second thoughts she might need to sit on someone else’s wallet for extra height! Alan in fact competed on the very first Galloway Hills way back in Black & White days in 1974, the very same year in which Jim McRae made his rallying debut in a four door Cortina.

He'll have his work cut out to stave off the horde behind him though. David Bogie, Jock Armstrong and Mark McCulloch lead the throng with the Christmas Tree ‘farmer’ Rory Young running at number 5 ahead of a visitor from the deep south (Northumbria) Stephen Petch. In fact there will be nine current generation 4WD cars running behind McMorran in his borrowed MG3. However two tins of Popeye’s spinach and a can of full strength Irn Bru should ensure that the pack never catch a whiff of the MG’s exhaust.

Behind the top ten there is more fun in store with Paddy Munro having to fend off the Mk2 Escorts of Marty McCormack, Damien Tourish and the visiting Irish American Barry McKenna plus a full supporting cast of the fast and furious.

Full details are in the programme complete with maps showing where the main spectator points will be. The programme also lists no less than 15 different outlets (with a map) in Dalmellington where spectators and rally followers can obtain sustenance and fortification for a day in the woods including the ‘Sweet Treats Picnic Popup’ run by Angus Lawrie’s Mum. Mind you she’ll need to go some to beat Mrs McCombie’s tarts, Shona’s tray brakes, Louise’ jam sponge and Rhona’s tablet. That sounds like a job for my big pal Jaggy.

It's also worth noting that Saturday marks the running of the 50th Galloway Hills Rally which has been sponsored for the past 25 years by the Armstrong Group which itself will be celebrating 60 years in business! All these celebrations? Sounds like there needs to be a cake 

Anyway, the on-line programme contains all you will need, and some stuff you won’t, but will find interesting when waiting between cars

http://gallowayhillsrally.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-GHR-Spectator-Info.pdf

Needless to say, a certain pop-up book-tique will also be in attendance at the Service Area, just look for the red Transit!

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