McRae Stages 3/10/09 - GMSC Stories (updated, and movies!)

The McRae gave us a lot more than just four seasons in one day - misty drizzle, howling gales, freezing rain, warm and sunny, pretty rainbows, in every combination. Stage conditions ranged from slidy through gey slidy to awfy slidy, with some coorse thrown in.
Classic Perthshire stages, and Blackcraigs.

All photos courtesy (c) Rally-Photo.com except car 71.

31 Ian and Kathryn Forgan, Escort Mk2 2.0 16v NA Cosworth

On last years McRae, our pace on the first stage was similar to Vatanens, however after watching the in-car footage on DVD from Kris Meeke’s car I decided that was more like the pace we should be on !

So the first few miles of the first stage were scruffy to say the least with us having the pace of Meeke on entry to the corners, but perhaps a lack of talent on the exit. We were in the ditch 2 or 3 times before I decided to calm it down a bit or there was no way we would finish. Shortly after this on a downhill right 9 the osf stub axle sheared clean off ripping the brake caliper off with it. We reversed back into an access road and thought that was the rally over for us. Then I had an idea of placing something under the car to lift the corner off the ground and driving onto the finish of the stage. With the help of a marshal and 3 beer swigging lads from Ayrshire we managed to ratchet strap a log to the bottom of the car like a skid on a sleigh and the 3 lads sat in the boot to take the weight off the front end. The stage was cancelled due to car 34 going off so after helping out with this we made it to the end of the stage where we met the service crew and fitted a standard strut so were able to continue the rally.

The caliper had been destroyed so we clamped the brake line and turned the bias completely to the rear which made the braking interesting !! With the delay we had dropped down to run amoungst the 4WDs so the stages were really bad, we got 2 front punctures, and my new exhaust, manifold and rear panel are now scrap as is the sump guard. It also meant the last stage was in total darkness for us with only the grill holding the headlamps in place and no map light, not surprising to see Andy Horne off 5 metres from the finish.

We did finish the rally in 45 overall and 7th in class winning the ‘Spirit of The Rally’ award for our efforts with the Escort-Robin Reliant-Tabogan Mk2. Maybe not our most impressive finish ever, but the sense of achievement was something I will never forget.

Can I send a huge thanks to all those who helped on SS1 (just in case they read this), and a get well soon to Fraser Wilson and Steven Broll who had to be cut out of the Nova (car34), I believe there was no permanent damage to them.

Ian Forgan

45th Overall and Spirit of the Rally Award.

5 Malcolm Buchanan, Pete Carstairs, Escort Mk2

38th, 6th in class. No details.

39 Colin Hay and Arlene Reid Escort Mk2 2.0 16v Vauxhall

Must have been a quiet drive in the countryside because we have heard no tales, finished 35th overall and 4th in class.

71 Jamie Watson, Duncan Gebbie, Peugeot 205 1600

Photo (C) Kryten Photography.

Beat hordes of experienced runners in the highly competitive Brick and Steel Ecosse 205 Challenge to finish 2nd 1.6 205, 46th overall on only their second event. Dunno about you, but I am impressed.
Nice video complete with some steering though the side windows and Woo-Hoo moments; in-car footage from stages 2,3,4 & 5, and external shots from stages 1,2 & 3.


81 Lachlan Cowan, Stuart Bell, Peugeot 106 1600 16v

Put it off on the Friday shakedown stage, which bent a wishbone and popped the shell open along the seams. Repaired it a bit for scrutineering, then a bit more for the rally so it drove straight-ish.

Maybe the off instilled a healthy respect for the Perthshire forests, anyway a subdued run by Lacky standards led to a 65th overall finish on his first forest rally.

217 John and Jim Rintoul, Evo 6

First stage cancelled before they got there, broke a shaft on the line in Drummond Hill and limped through in two wheel drive. Fixed at service, had a better run through Allean (or Errochty, to give it the proper name), then in Blackcraigs, a big rock in the middle of the road folded up the sumpguard, broke the gearbox and shoved the propshaft carrier back so it fouled the yoke.
End of rally, but no need for panic repairs before Mull, Johnny Three-Evos has the tarmac car prepped and ready to go. Rumours that the recce will be in the new Aston Martin Vantage are so far unconfirmed.