Rally - at the RSAC

 Face in the crowd - an interested bystander !

Rally Raising the standard

 Just spotted a new flag pole - wonder if Jas P Wilson would do me a deal. The man in the moon would even see my flag !!

Rally - Dalbeattie

 The calm before the stoor !!!

Rally - Booktique open

 Open for business .... Methinks I need some form of flutterising device for my poor wee flag. There's not a breath of wind here at Dalbeattie for the RSAC Rally today. Or maybe I should invest in a bugle to call the opening hours ??

Book-tique on tour

Didn’t make it to Dalbeattie today (Friday) for the RSAC Scottish Rally but will be there tomorrow (Saturday 18th) and hope to be on site before the first sparrowfart of the day. Don’t know where the Book-tique will be set up, so lift your eyes skywards and look for the red chequered flag if you’re after some books!

I’ve still got some posters left. In fact I sold three from the back door of the hoose over the past couple of weeks to folk who were worried I’d be sold out before this weekend – because, once they’re gone, they’re gone! And dinnae try tae order one on line – they’re too big to post – personal collection only!

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

 

 

 

Book - Making progress

 Spent the day yesterday in deepest Berwickshire with the proof-readers for the next book in the series, ‘The Scottish Rally Championship 2010-2019’. Once I had been attacked by umpteen tail-wagging, lugs flapping wee dugs we sat down at the table to go through the draft, all 130,000 words of it! Susan checks my grammar (fewer queries this year, yee haa!) while Rodger checks the content (he kens more about rallying than I do!) and we didnae argue – too much!

Compounding this week’s workload, Alistair sent me a further selection of foties and as I’ve said so often before, it’s easy to pick what goes into the book, not so easy which ones to leave out because I’ve run out of space. Always a difficult task. The adverts are also starting to come in although I have room for one more if anyone is interested. There is a strict limit on advertising because I don’t want the book to look like a catalogue but it sure helps with the overall quality of the publication. And in case you hadn’t noticed, all the advertisers so far have a distinct connection with Scottish rallying – nae ootsiders!

Anyway, progress is being made.

One extra wee thing though. Having survived the en-route Edinburgh By-Pass stationery car park quite successfully yesterday morning I had time in hand before my appointment so stopped at Chirnside to visit the church cemetery and pay my respects. There are actually two headstones there because the World Champ lies beside his parents beside the wall at the north side of grounds and both graves looked well tended with fresh flowers. There’s also a wooden bench there for a wee seat and contemplation.

Anyway I was sitting there lost in thought when a head popped over the wall: “Have you seen a black labrador running about?” The head belonged to an elderly gent looking for his dog so we were having a nice wee chat when he asked if I would you like to see the photos? A few moments later his wife appeared with an envelope of personal photographs from happier times past and her own record of later sad events.

It was one of those poignant little moments that will live long in the memory. Grace’s clear voice and perfectly polite lilting diction recalling personal past memories of life and connections in this quiet part of the country. An absolutely lovely and very charming lady sharing her personal memories of a still revered world-wide personality. Thank you Grace.

 

Rally - Changed Days

40 years ago a gallant wee red Talbot Sunbeam Ti made it’s ‘international’ rallying debut on the 1986 Lloyds Bowmaker RSAC Scottish Rally. The car and crew didn’t finish, but the car made an immediate impact, not just on the scenery, but on spectators and the media. A star was born!

Back then the 3 day Glasgow based event contained 39 Special Stages and the winner’s time was 3 hours 54 minutes and 27 seconds! Driving their Peugeot 205 T16, Mikael Sundstrom and Voitto Silander finished the rally over 6 minutes clear of the Ford RS200 of Mark Lovell and Roger Freeman, although it could have ended differently had the Ford not broken its gearbox on the very first stage! Bjorn Waldegard and Fred Gallagher were third in the Toyota Celica Turbo but the event will be remembered for another reason. The only MG Metro 6R4 to finish was the David Gillanders/Graham Neish car, all the others succumbed to the dust including those of Jim McRae and Malcolm Wilson.

It’s also worth noting that Louise Aitken-Walker and Ellen Morgan finished 6th in the Nissan 240RS while the only other Scot in the top ten was George Marshall, with Lyn Jenkins, in the private Nissan 240RS finishing 10th.

This weekend the RSAC Scottish Rally once again takes to the woods, but this time, the one day event on Saturday 18th July will be contained entirely in and around the motor sporting hotbed of Dalbeattie in the south west corner of Scotland.

Situated just to the south of the town, the expansive yard of the agricultural and forestry machinery manufacturing company of ‘Jas P Wilson’ will once again host the arrival and Scrutineering of cars on Friday and provide home to the rally service crews as they set up ‘camp’ to tend their charges on Saturday. Along with the stages the service area is always well worth a visit but just don’t get too close to the crews if they’re busy – you might inadvertently learn some new adjectives!

Spectator Info and Entry List:
https://www.scottishrally.co.uk/spectator-viewing-areas/
https://www.scottishrally.co.uk/entry-list/

That top ten looks pretty fierce but don’t just concentrate on them. If the number 11 seed local driver Martyn Erskine his has dayglo orange crocs in ‘sports’ mode he’ll be worth a watch as will the number 12 seed, Mike Stuart in the Mk1, and he’s followed by “they don’t make the roads wide enough” Chris Collie and he’ll be chased by ex motor cycle racing champ John Crawford – now on 4 wheels! In other words, spectators will be spoiled for choice this Saturday.

Also making an appearance at the 'Jas P Wilson' yard will be the mobile ‘Book-tique’ so if you want more tales and pics from the past, get yourself a book, or three! And if you can’t make it in person, the books are available on-line:
https://fife-motor-sports-agency.square.site/