The KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship and MG3 Challenge have come together to offer an exciting prize for a 17-year-old in their final year of the Ecosse J1000 Challenge to contest an SRC event in 2024.
A fully prepared MG3 Challenge specification car, provided and run by the Triple M Motorsport team of SRC front runner Mark McCulloch, is to be made available free of charge to the lucky winner.
The three selected candidates – Thurso’s Jack Ryan, Thomas Milne from Aberdeen and Dunbar’s Ruan Lowry – took part in a shoot-out driving their own J1000 cars at Kames Motorsport Complex in Muirkirk on Saturday 19th August.
The day was split into drivers’ assessments undertaken by SRC regulars Angus Lawrie, Johnnie Mackay and Archie Swinscoe, the latter 2 themselves graduates from the Ecosse J1000 series; followed by a session in front of an independent interview panel – comprising William Paterson of Asset Alliance Group, motoring journalist John Fife and John Mackay of ISS Aberdeen Ltd – to discuss their future plans and aspirations.
It’s safe to say that both sets of assessors were very impressed with the finalist’s confidence, enthusiasm, positivity and, of course, driving ability across the whole day.
The winner will be announced at the KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship Award Ceremony on the 27th of January at the Hilton Glasgow Hotel, where the Ecosse J1000 awards ceremony will also take place earlier in the day.
The successful candidate will then get a test drive in the MG3 before being let loose on an event of their choice in the 2024 Scottish Rally Championship financed by the SRC.
We are also delighted to be able to confirm that Paul Gribben – Angus Lawrie’s regular co-driver in their Mitsubishi Evo 9 – has offered to pay for the entry for the winner of the MG3 Drive through his PHG Safety Services Ltd business.
SRC and Ecosse J1000 Chairman Roy Campbell said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for a J1000 competitor to sample a well proven MG3 Challenge car. It’s a big step up for a J1000 graduate to contest a multi-venue event, but we hope that this prize will showcase one cost-effective and competitive route into senior rallying. We are extremely grateful to all those who have come together to assist the SRC in offering this prize drive and look forward to announcing the winner and watching their progress in 2024”.
