The winner of the
usedcarparts.co.uk Solway Coast Rally last year did it again this year and
provided new co-driver Jim Haugh with his first ever rally victory, but it was
a close run thing.
David Hardie got off to the
best start, quickest over the first two stages. but suffered a huge spin on the
third, costing him a full minute. Thereafter it was a case of hunting down
McCulloch who had his own scare on the 7th test when the Subaru clattered a pot
hole and bent the steering. Hardie kept the pressure on taking seconds out of
him even over the final two stages: "I had to keep up the pressure, if
Mark had even a half spin, we would have been on him," said David.
Well aware of that, Mark was
going as hard as he dared: "I didn't like that," said Mark, "I'd
rather be pushing for the lead, than leading and watching my mirrors. My
intention before the start was to aim for a podium finish, so I did the first
two stages just to see where we were and took it from there."
In third place was Gary Adam
with the MkII who had his own near miss on the 7th test: "I had a massive
overshoot at a SqR. I missed my braking point and couldn't turn in, so I had to
straighten the car and get back on the brakes." He shot right through the
tapes and then had to spin it round to regain the road.
Fourth was Andrew Gallacher
in a borrowed 'almost' Group A Escort Cosworth getting faster as the day went
on but still managed to spin on the penultimate test - but without any damage
to the car. Phew!
Fifth was Steve Retchless in
his MkII ahead of Hamish Kinloch in his Honda powered MkII. Stuart Paterson
finished 7th after a diff change at lunch time and Stuart Baillie was eighth
first time out in the car after a recent illness - just don't tell his Doc!
Ninth was Ian Paterson after
a visit to the trees in the fourth test and rounding off the top ten was
Stephen Thompson in his MkII.
Winner of the 'Lucky White
Heather' award this weekend was Lee Hastings. He clattered a dray stane dyke at
Otterburn last weekend and then built another car from two for this weekend's
event - and retired on the first stage. He went for the brakes at the end of a
straight and the Subaru snapped sideways instantly and ended up in a field.
Alistair Inglis lasted a wee
bit longer going off backwards in the fourth stage and shortening the Lancer
against some trees. The Lancer was still (relatively) straight and running but
a fuel leak put him out. Jim Sharp had a turbo fire in the Lancer which damaged
the wiring loom and Richard Dickson's Subaru jammed in sixth gear.
What a day, what a rally and
what a venue. Gary Adam summed it up best: "We had a good meal in the
canteen last night and accommodation in the Officer's Mess for 60 quid - and an
excellent day's rallying.
And here's a thought. This
is the 34th Solway Coast Rally sponsored by usedcarparts.co.uk. Nice one
Richard and Nadine.
Top Ten:
1, Mark McCulloch/Jim Haugh
(Subaru Impreza) 61m 31s
2, David Hardie/John
McCulloch (Subaru Impreza) 61m 53s
3, Gary Adam/Gordon Adam
(Ford Escort MkII) 62m 54s
4, Andrew Gallacher/Jane
Nicol (Ford Escort Cosworth) 63m 07s
5, Steve Retchless/Iain
Tullie (Ford Escort MkII) 64m 24s
6, Hamish Kinloch/Jim Howie
(Ford Escort MkII) 64m 43s
7, Stuart Paterson/Allan
Paterson (Subaru Impreza) 64m 55s
8, Stuart Baillie/Chris
Hunter (Subaru Impreza) 65m 04s
9, Ian Paterson/Helen Brown
(Subaru Impreza) 65m 10s
10, Stephen Thomson/David
Crosbie (Ford Escort MkII) 65m 25s
