The Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship makes the switch from gravel to tarmac for round 2 of the 2024 season, the Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Reivers Rally.
The top 3 from the McDonald & Munro Speyside Stages are all in attendance, although the Beaton brothers have swapped seats. Paul stepping back alongside Euan Thorburn in their Volkswagon Polo R5, looking to make it 2 Reivers wins in a row on Euan’s home patch.
That means Keir is alongside the 2nd place driver from the Speyside: Finlay Retson. Out in another Polo on round 1, for this event Finlay steps back into a Fiesta Rally 2, a car he is very experienced with from last season. Last year’s Reivers was one to forget for Finlay, crashing out on the last loop while in a strong top 10 position.
Speyside winners David Bogie & John Rowan are back in their highly modified MK2 Escort, looking to get some mileage in before they launch an assault on Donegal. Last year they retired very early, before the car could show it’s potential, hopefully things are different in 2024.
Lining up to take the fight to the championship top 3 is an impressive list of top talent.
Reigning champion David Henderson makes his 1st SRC start of the year, the Fiesta pilot partnered by Chris Williams. David narrowly missed out on the Reivers win last year and will definitely be one to watch.
Hugh Brunton & Drew Sturrock were also on the Reivers podium in 2023. The Fabia crew will be looking to kickstart their 2024 season after a disappointing run at the Speyside.
2023 Argyll winners Rory Young & Allan Cathers make their 1st start of the season in a Polo R5. Rory & Allan fiercely battled Brunton & Sturrock at the Reivers last season.
One of the big headlines is the arrival of a new car for Jock Armstrong & Owen Paterson. After years of consideration, Jock has finally taken the plunge with a Skodaru, an Impreza based Fabia. Niall Cowan Jnr and the team have been “Jockifying” the car over the last month and everyone will be watching to see how it goes.
6th at round 1, Michael Binnie & Claire Mole are looking for a better run here in their Fiesta, the local crew are always quick at this event. They line up just in front of John Wink & Neil Shanks. The Hyundai was in the podium mix at round 1 before it retired with a damaged radiator.
Mark McCulloch & Michael Hendry struggled at round 1 but still managed a top 10. The Proton crew have been on the podium at this event in the past and were also on the Argyll podium in 2023, proving their pace on the tarmac.
Stephen Petch & Michael Wilkinson and Scott Beattie & Peredur Davies were strong contenders at round 1 as was the returning Ian Forgan & Chris Lees.
Also to watch out for Willie Paterson & Tom Hynd in the Asset Alliance Group Fabia and the 2 Citroen C3s of Peter Stewart & Kerrie MacGillivray and John Rintoul & Ross Hynd.
Round 1 G&M Mechanical Service 2wd winners Greg McKnight & Harry Marchbank line up 2nd in the 2wds behind Bogie & Rowan. Greg & Harry are known to be rapid on the tarmac but are being chased by a collection of very quick Ford Escorts.
Top Albyn Garage Challengers entry Gordon Morrison & Ian Parker are always very quick on the tar which is also a more familiar surface these days for Billy McLelland & Harry Stubbs in their eye-catching G3 Escort. Craig Rutherford & Ian Fraser are also highly experienced on the black stuff through their experience on their local Mull roads.
David Hardie & John McCulloch were leading the 2wds on the 2023 Reivers before problems forced them out. They’re followed by Bruce & Teri McCombie, Bruce swapping the Fiesta for his MK2 this time out.
Bruce will need to be on his toes, Paddy Munro & Andrew Stevenson will be keeping them very honest in their glorious sounding MK2.
David Wilson & Kyle Gordon are back to annoy the MK2s in their BMW Compact.
The 4wd Challengers contingent is topped by Johnnie Mackay & Rachel Matheson, keen to try out their new Evo on a closed public road event for the 1st time. They’ll also be looking to continue their rivalry with fellow Mitsubishi crew Scott Peacock & Craig Wallace.
They’ll be joined in the Evo ranks by Challengers sponsor Simon Hay & Callum Jaffray, tarmac not traditionally a surface Simon favours.
New to the SRC, Rob Cotton & Ethan Kidd top the Groundwater Lift Trucks Subaru Cup entry, Rd1 winner Jordan Anderson not on the entry list. The young English crew will have plenty of competition with Mike Moates & Gary McDonald chasing them down, Mike & Gary contesting the National event as well as the Reivers.
Graeme Sherry & Ewan Lees were 2nd in the Cup on round 1 and will be hoping to consolidate on that good start with Anderson not on the entry list. They’ll be pushed hard by Martin Burke & Alice Paterson.
The Haddo Energy Super Seniors is well represented with 4 drivers on the entry list. Round 1 winner Gordon Murray tops the seeding with Richard Stewart, Walter Henderson and Haddo Energy supremo Ernie Lee all chasing the big Escort.
Aileen Forrest tops the SRC Lady drivers entry after taking an excellent win at round 1. The Evo pilot joined for this round by the experienced Paul Gribben.
Her big Lady rival Meghan O’Kane has hopefully sorted the issues that plagued her Fiesta R2 at round 1. Meghan also tops the Moates Offshore Juniors in the absence of round 1 winner Lewis Haining.
Christopher Smith & Amy McCubbin are the other junior crew on the entry list, the Corsa pilot much more familiar with tarmac than gravel and will definitely be looking to push Meghan all the way.
There is also good interest in the historic ranks with the Firenza of Keith Robathan & Duncan Brown, Ernie & Patricia Lee’s BMW, the very tidy MK1 Escort of Robin Shuttleworth & Malcolm Smithson and the return of David McLeod & Eamonn Boyle, debuting their newly finished Hillman Avenger.
All the action takes place on Sunday the 26th of May, keep an eye out on bothe the Scottish Rally Championship and Jim Clark Rally Facebook pages for live coverage and updates throughout the day.
images courtesy of AF Motorsport Media
