Amongst the crowd was past British Rally Champion, David Bogie, one of the most winningest drivers in the Scottish Rally Championship with seven national titles to his credit – so far! He didn’t have to be there, but he was, and not just because he was on the front cover, but he thought it just right, even though this was merely a glorified club night. Also in attendance, and he should have more sense at his age, was the CEO of Insch International Airport (and three times Scottish Rally Champion) Ken Wood having made the long trek from the far north, while fresh from his victory at Kinloss last weekend was a pensive looking Mark McCulloch. Pensive? Until last weekend the Proton was up for sale, but after a pretty much dominant weekend, he’s now not so sure!!
The photographers were there too, Alistair and Andrew Farquhar and John Lindsay, without whom the book would be a pretty colourless affair, but in reality there is a cast of dozens behind each book and the front page lists everyone who has found, kept, stored and allowed me to use, much of the information I have needed over the past few years. And more will be needed, much more, going forward. The next job is to record the early years of the championship and even more resources and help will be sought.
Another vital element in the production of these books is the advertising input, and my grateful thanks goes out to each and every advertiser for their support, especially the book sponsor. Ahead of this book I had to make the telephone call and back came the answer – “You know me I’m just a rally fan, I’m in!” And to those folk who think I do this to make money, that’s not quite correct – I do it not to lose money! There is a difference. The advertising revenue actually covers less than half the print production cost but the advertising is limited to ensure the book doesn’t turn into a Sunday magazine – and the other thing is, all the advertisers have a direct connection with the Scottish Rally Championship. Nice one, eh?
Back in the late 1950s, into the 1960s there were no computerised results and no internet, everything was hand written or typewritten and with no photocopiers around then either, multiple copies were virtually non-existent. And yet over recent years I have managed to find a lot of ‘long-lost’ information which is like gold dust to me and the likes of Highland CC historian Neil Moir who echoed my sentiments last night – “don’t throw anything out!” So if you, your parents or grandparents, (great grandparents?) come across dusty, faint paperwork from rallies gone by please seek out someone like Neil or myself who will find a good home for such nuggets of information and rally history.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Scotland needs its own motoring/motor sport museum with a library and reference section to store records and photographs. There are quite a few smaller museums scattered around the country and of course there is the Transport Museum in Glasgow, but that’s more of a shop window display than a ‘get up close and personal’ exhibition for interested visitors and enthusiasts. However, we need a proper and permanent repository for such information and memorabilia – before it’s gone forever.
And finally, thanks once again for Coltness Car Club’s hospitality and tolerance. They even allowed vegetarians and vegans to enter the premises!
One more task – update the website to include the new book ‘Scottish Rally Championship 2010-2019’ so you can place and receive orders well in time for Christmas and I’ll put some on Ebay as well. I’ll let you know where when it’s done – I need a seven year old these days to help with such internetery black magic!!
Oh, and that’s the real front cover in the fotie this time – no real surprise there though, eh?
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