Scots ace Alister McRae has promised to launch an all-out final day assault in his effort to close the gap on RallyScotland leader and newly-crowned Intercontinental Rally Championship winner, Kris Meeke.
While the 30-year-old from Dungannon heads into tomorrow’s final six stages — which wind their way though the Trossachs — with a 21.2-second lead over the Skoda of Darlington’s Guy Wilks. McRae is a further 57s adrift.
“Sure it’s a bit of a gap, but anything’s possible in rallying,” the 38-year-old former British champ said today as he clambered out of his bright yellow Proton S2000 after arriving back at the rally HQ in Stirling.
“We’ve took it pretty steady though a number of today’s stages and with hindsight possibly I backed off too much at times. I know we can go even faster and, to be honest, because of the treacherous conditions in today’s stages it was a case of survival.
“I know Saturday’s stages won’t be so muddy. They’ll be much, much faster and if we get our act together I’m confident we can close the gap on the two guys in front.”
But while McRae was quick, Meeke and Wilks were blindingly fast. Both drivers exchanged stage wins through yesterday’s gruelling five stages of the TW Steel-backed event which took the international field through the forests between Perth and Blair Atholl.
Meeke, fastest through Thursday’s two superspecial stages in his Peugeot S2000, continued by setting the quickest time through the opening 11-miler at Craigvinean to establish a 7s gap over Wilks.
The Englishman hit back immediately by being quickest through the seven-miler at Blackcraig. Not to be outdone, Meeke topped the timesheets at Errochty before Wilks was fastest through the notorious Drummond Hill.
“It’s been a real ding-dong right through the day,” a contented Meeke, quickest through the final stage, the second running through Craigvinean, reflected. “I always knew Guy would be quick, but I’m happy with where we are. To be leading after day one is ideal, and I’ll sleep happily tonight.”
One man though who is likely to relive his Friday nightmare is 2009 British champ Keith Cronin. The man from Cork, driving an Abarth Punto S2000 for the first time, finished his rally after rolling his car on the day’s penultimate stage.
It was a better day though Scottish Rally champ David Bogie. The 22-year-old from Dumfries heads into the final day fifth in his Mitsubishi Evo IX.
“I said before the rally started that my aim was to get through the first day, and that’s what we’ve done,” he said. “Now we can concentrate on pushing tomorrow and hopefully close in on getting on the podium at Stirling Castle.”
JM