The Dunoon Presents… Argyll Rally once again cemented it’s reputation as one of the biggest challenges on the Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship calender with its mix of incredibly tough roads combined with changeable weather. 18 stages over 1 and a half days of competition would decide the event.
Friday
The Friday night belonged to Michael Binnie & Claire Mole, the Fiesta crew enjoying a good run after a difficult start to season to top the SRC standings by 27 seconds despite the difficult weather conditions.
Championship leaders Euan Thorburn & Paul Beaton were a late entry to Argyll, and it was proving to be a good decision. Despite a puncture and losing a headlight the Polo crew were 2nd overnight.
Hugh Brunton & Drew Sturrock once again lead the rally overall after the 2 stages through Dunoon town centre in their Skoda Fabia. The rest of the night was about survival as they were on slicks in the wet conditions, slipping back to 3rd by the end of play, 9 seconds up on Rory Young & Allan Cathers. The Polo crew ending their night stuck in 4th gear.
Saturday
On to the Saturday and the weather was less difficult although there were still showers keeping things interesting.
Once they could see where they were going, Thorburn & Beaton were turning things up. The Polo closing in on the lead despite a spirited defence from Binnie & Mole. Eventually Thorburn & Beaton would hit the front after stage 16 and pull away by the finish to take a 2nd win of the year by 51 seconds at the finish.
Brunton & Sturrock were the 1st of the other podium contenders to hit trouble, the Fabia blighted first by a puncture and then getting stuck in 3rd gear. They salvaged 4th but it was another frustrating event in 2024.
That just left 2nd and 3rd. Binnie & Mole eventually slipped behind Thorburn & Beaton but had driven solidly all day, taking time back from the Polo on a couple of stages. That left them 42 seconds clear of Young & Cathers with just 2 stages remaining. Rory & Allan swapping times with the Fiesta crew on the Saturday now that they had a full complement of gears.
Then the decisive moment in stage 17, the Fiesta’s engine cutting after a heavy landing and dropping 55 seconds to the Polo. That gave Young & Cathers 2nd and they pulled a further 3 seconds clear over the final stage to record another good Argyll finish.
For Binnie & Mole it was a good finish despite the late drama and a good confidence boost after a difficult start to 2024. Hopefully it bodes well for the rest of their season.
8th SRC, top G&M Mechanical Services 2wd and 1st in the Albyn Garage Challengers standings all went to the same crew. Gordon Morrison & Ian Parker hadn’t really enjoyed the Friday, feeling they were on the wrong tyres. It was better on the 1st loop of Saturday, despite still not being 100% happy with the tyres. The final loop everything came together, and they were in the right place to inherit the 2wd win when Greg McKnight & Harry Marchbank retired. A special moment in particular for Ian, getting the win on his home event.
In the Groundwater Lift Trucks Subaru Cup there was a nice battle developing between Jordan Anderson & Barry Young and Rob Cotton & Ethan Kidd. Unfortunately, Anderson & Young would roll out of the event on the Saturday morning, leaving Cotton & Kidd as last crew standing. They didn’t make it easy for themselves, a heavy landing damaging the exhaust, causing a coolant leak and damaging the wiring loom. They managed to seal the radiator with a mixture of eggs, Lucozade and witchcraft and Rob bent the exhaust back to protect the loom from further damage. The car didn’t sound great by the finish but it survived to take a 2nd Cup win of the season.
Gordon Murray & Peter Carstairs took a 3rd Haddo Energy Super Seniors win of the year. After a good run on the Friday, they saved all their issues for the Saturday morning. A flat battery and a wire parting company with the starter motor saw them running quite far back on the road and catching cars on every stage of the final loop. Despite it all they stil managed 40th overall.
Taking their 1st Moates Offshore Junior win of the year, Christopher Smith & Amy McCubbin put their tarmac expertise to good use, charging to an excellent 49th overall in their 1400 Corsa. Their Mull experience really helping them in the tricky conditions. In contrast to a lot of crews they had a very clean run, really enjoying the challenge of these roads.
With Ladies leader Aileen Forrest not in attendance, it was left to Meghan O’Kane to take maximum points in the Ladies. It was a frustrating event for Meghan & her Dad John, no intercom on Friday night set them back and they were also having issues with the gearbox. The final loop was the cleanest they managed although it did include a big moment when they landed on the grass verge after a jump.
images courtesy of AF Motorsport Media
