Kingdom Stages 2005

The Kingdom Stages Rally at Crail 2005

The Kingdom Stages 2005 has come and gone for yet another year. A full entry of 90 cars turned up at Crail for the final asphalt event of the season.

The event took place on Saturday 5th November and provided 44 miles in eight fast flowing stages on the roads and runways of Crail Airfield in Fife, the best preserved wartime airfield in the country.

The rally was a counter for the Beatsons Scottish Tarmack Championship, the Belmont Ecosse 205 Challenge and the Scottish Borders Championship.

The competition was as strong as ever, with three previous winners of the Kingdom taking the first three slots on the list.

John Marshall & David Hunter took the event win after being pushed hard throughout the day by the Rintoul brothers and Tom Morris. 2004 winner Morris retired his Metro 6R4 with gearbox trouble before the final loop of stages. And after the final test - run in the dark and variously popular and unpopular, the gap between Rintoul and Marshall was only eight seconds in favour of Marshall's Subaru.

Having chased the leading cars all day - and setting a phenominal time on the final, dark, stage, Ricky Wheeler took third place overall in his trusty Mk2 Escort.

George and Libby Miller confirmed their title as Scottish Tarmack Champions by winning the small car class. Class 2 went to Graham Bruce, with Graeme Noble the top 205 and winner of class 3.