Scotland’s brightest young rally ace, Dumfries driver David Bogie, bids to take a crucial step towards winning his first County Saab Scottish Rally Championship when he starts tomorrow’s penultimate round, the Newton Stewart-based Merrick Forest Stages.
Tied on 116 points with former champ, veteran Jimmy Girvan, 21-year-old Bogie is the man in form having won three rounds of the championship this year, including the last round in Speyside.
“It’s going to be very difficult given the wet and slippery conditions,” Bogie, who will again drive his hired Toyota Corolla World Rally Car, admitted today. “But we have to go out determined to beat Jimmy and bag maximum points.”
Twelve months ago, Bogie secured the GpN title on the Merrick after finishing in a dead heat with Girvan, who was awarded the win under tie-break rules. And with 90 crews entered for the rally, Girvan is equally determined to repeat the result.
“We have to win at least the Merrick, or the final round, the McRae Stages, to have a good chance of the championship,” the 1990 champ from Inverness, who will again pilot his Subaru Impreza through the 70-mile event, said.
“We’ve led from the start of the year and to be equal with David with just two rallies remaining means that we all have to go flat out from here on in”.
JM