Preview of Round 2: 75th Scottish Rally – 24th July (NON-SPECTATOR EVENT)
CROSS-BORDER SKIRMISH!.…
Hot on the heels of the Nicky Grist Stages in what is shaping up to be a crowded calendar for the rest of the year, the 75th Scottish Rally welcomes MRF BTRDA Rally Series contenders to Lockerbie on 24th July. What is also significant is that this will be the first time the BTRDA Series has ventured north of the border for nearly thirty years – the 1992 Border Rally being the last!… Indeed, the BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship trophy currently resides in the Scottish Borders as Euan Thorburn dominated the 2019 Series in his Fiesta, taking victory on each of the first five rounds.
So, to 2021 and, somewhat belatedly, the race for the various BTRDA titles has begun in earnest and, in Gold Star terms, it’s Elliot Payne who holds the early small advantage from Callum Black. On this occasion, in start order we have the Fiestas of Black and Payne, ahead of the Skoda Fabia’s of Garry Pearson/Niall Burns, Ian Bainbridge/Will Atkins and Dylan Davies/Mark Glennerster. Tom Llewellin makes the long journey up from deepest West Wales with his Mitsubishi Mirage, hoping to add to his 5th place points tally from the Nicky Grist and then, into the teens, we find John Wink’s Hyundai i20 and Charlie Payne, Elliot’s dad, in another Fiesta co-driven by Patrick Walsh.
<<<< MRF Tyres BTRDA Gold Star Championship Leader Elliot Payne (Fiesta)
Mitsubishi Lancers of various denominations hold sway in Class B13, with the odd Subaru Impreza thrown in for good measure! In the former we find George Lepley/Tom Woodburn, Russ Thompson/Peredur Davies, Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear and Richard Hill, while Ian Baumgart/Dave Robson will be hoping that the pendulum swings in their Impreza’s favour.
In the absence of Jason Pritchard, BTRDA Silver Star® Championship leaders after the Nicky Grist, Frank & Lauren Kelly lead the field away in their Escort Mk2, with the similar cars of Ashley Davies/Sam Fordham and Rob Wright/Mark Fisher in close attendance. Following a rare retirement in Wales, Andy Davison & Tom Murphy, 2019 Silver Star Runner-Up and Champion respectively, need to put their season back on track with a good run in their Talbot Sunbeam VXR.
Paul Street/Ian Jones (Escort) and Baz Jordan/Arwel Jenkins (Avenger) renew their friendly rivalry in the quest for JORDAN Road Surfacing BTRDA Historic Cup® points, while Steve Ward/Mike Crawford and David Dobson/Steve Pugh (both Escorts) will also be hoping to get in on the act! Tom Coughtrie (Mitsubishi Galant VR4) won his class (H4) last time out and a repeat performance wouldn’t do the Ayr driver any harm at all!
Somebody else facing a long drive to the start is BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup leader Ioan Lloyd. However, needs must if the Llandysul driver and co-driver Sion Williams (Peugeot 208) are to maintain their advantage. Opposition in the form of Tony Simpson/Ian Bevan, Ewan Tindall and Jonathan Jones (Fiestas) will also be present, obviously with other ideas on the subject!…
Ioan Lloyd/Sion Williams (Peugeot 208R2) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship contender Richard Jordan (MG ZR) starts the event just in front of his dad’s Avenger but, in 1400 terms, he and co-driver James Gratton-Smith will need to pay more attention to the car two minutes behind – the Suzuki Swift of Steve Black/Paul Morris which got the better of them on the Nicky Grist!…
<<<< Richard Jordan/James Gratton-Smith (MG ZR)
Meanwhile the MRF Tyres Mixed-Surface Challenge continues in Scotland with the second gravel event in its seven-round calendar. Brendan Wellman’s Fiesta holds 4th place after the opening encounter but, with the MRF Tyres-sponsored cars of Callum Black (Fiesta) and Pat Naylor/Ian Lawrence (Lancer EVO9) also bidding for glory, some fireworks can be expected!
Unfortunately, due to the current Covid restrictions, the 75th Scottish Rally is a NON-SPECTATOR event. Please respect this ruling – it is a MSUK and Scottish Government requirement – and follow the event online.
Registration for the 2021 BTRDA Rally Series & Motorsport UK 2021 English Rally Championship.
If you have not yet registered for the 2021 championships, you can still do so online at www.btrdamembership.com 2021 Regulations are in the Competitor section of this website
Please complete this registration A.S.A.P. if you wish to be eligible score points on the Scottish Rally. NB: Due to the prevailing Covid 19 restrictions we are not allowed a BTRDA signing on desk at the events. You must register online. Championship decals etc will be available at the events from the BTRDA Championship Co-ordinator Ian Arden. Tel: 07917 355169.
All photos © Kevin Money / Malcolm Almond AH/170721