Motorsport by Tony Brunskill

Last updated 08:26, Friday, 03 October 2008

Using the awesome power of his Stobart/VK Ford Focus World Rally Car, Matthew Wilson, with Scott Martin on the notes, stormed home in the fabulous Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally based in Perth last weekend.

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Colin McRae (left) and Nicky Grist, Ford Martini World Rally team

It is estimated that the rally attracted 20,000 spectators for the start and as many in the forest stages to watch some of the most famous rally drivers of the past and from when Colin was multiple World Champion.

These included Bjorn Waldergaard (Porsche 911), Ari Vatanen (Escort Mk2), Hannu Mikkola (Escort M2)), Malcolm Wilson (Escort Mk2) and Andrew Cowan (Hillman Imp) plus 11 times USA Rally Champion John Buffum (Porsche 911) and previous British Champions Russell Brookes and Jimmy McRae.

But the rally was not so much a competitive event but rather a tribute to memory of a truly inspirational and international sporting hero, Colin  McRae, pictured below, who not only did so much to popularise rallying round the world, he also supported up-and-coming drivers and even created a specially designed of rally car for them.

Among the locals who took part were David Bogie (5th), Mike Faulkner (6th), Steven Clark (7th) and Kriss Hall (18th) who all helped commemorate the death of Colin, his son and family friends in a tragic helicopter accident a year ago.

Such an event on this scale had never been tried before anywhere in the UK but the Coltness Car Club are to be congratulated for the excellence of the organisation and it is hoped it will be repeated.

The rally was actually the last round of the County Saab MSA Scottish Rally Championship and it was second place man Andy Horne for Inverness with co-driver Jim Howie from Kilmarnock who won the crown,

The one-day rally was due to have five stages but the last was cancelled when veteran, Jimmy McRae, Colin’s father, crashed his Escort M2 though thankfully neither or his co-driver were injured.

Shaking off the Scottish dust, Matthew and Scott are now on their ways for sun, sand and speed on the next round of the World Rally Championship, the Rally RAAC Cataluña, the Spanish Rally taking place on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, the Costa Daurada where they pair will hope to add to the tally of points for the Stobart squad.

Also out for points will be Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Antila who joins the team and as the 23-year-old showed impressive speed on tarmac on the Rally Ireland, the Finn will be hoping to advance his placing in the Driver’s Championship.

As Matthew says, “It will be nice to go back to a consistent tarmac event and with my lucky number 7 I am looking forward to it.”

If you are free this weekend and want a bit of race action, then head to the Kames Classic in Scotland (details from Graeme@gtforrester.freeserve.co.uk) tomorrow, Sunday as it will be a battle royal between the contenders, including Penrith's Colin Birkbeck in his Caterham who will be out to steal the class crown from current leader Peter Garforth. Already decided are the two classic classes with C1 won by the Spitfire of Colin Sunderland and C2 was won my Peter Sewell in his MBG.

From single seaters to family saloons, the day will be one of great sporting competition, so grab the end of summer at Kames!

However, if you are not a hearty who will not risk a possible shower, then the next Spadeadam Motor Club Night on October 2 is for you as there will be a Scalextric race or two to enter or watch.

If it is as gripping at last year’s from the reports I have received it will have cars like the highly tuned Seat Cordoba powered by the TecniToy RX81 motor and details can be got by logging on to www.spadeadammotorclub.co.uk

 With November being crammed with superb rallies coming into our area such as the Lombard and Roger Albert Clark rallies, all car clubs are anxious for volunteers to help run the stages, so if you are free and want a marshal’s badge for your efforts, get in touch with your club secretary who will welcome you with open arms!