Scotland’s most promising rally star, 22-year-old David Bogie from Dumfries, has been denied the opportunity to drive the championship-winning Peugeot S2000 in this month’s RallyScotland by a group of English motorsport journalists.
Newly-crowned Scottish Rally champ Bogie was one of two Scots — the other was Ellon’s Barry Clark — who on the shortlist of five drivers for the £75,000 prize, the opportunity to drive the Kronos/BF Goodrich-backed car in the three-day event.
The selection panel, comprising eight English-based journalists, two from Wales and one Scot — me, Jim McGill — met today at the Motor Sports Association (MSA) HQ in Colnbrook near Slough.
Despite Bogie being the only up-and-coming championship-winning driver in contention, the panel opted to give the cherished drive to Bristol 21-year-old Adam Gould. The Englishman received 10 votes while Bogie received just one.
“Crazy, just crazy,” was all a bitterly disappointed Bogie could say today.
The Scot had been widely tipped to receive the drive, which would have boosted his growing reputation and swelled the thousands of supporters expected to watch the three-day event starting on November 19 at Scone Palace.
Bogie also won the British Mitsubishi Championship in 2008 before contesting this year’s British Rally Championship. Englishman Gould meanwhile, yet to win a championship, intriguingly is a member of the MSA Rally Elite Squad.
JM