From Flying Finns to Speeding Swedes, the McRae Rally Challenge in two weeks’ time will have something for everyone.
The latest rally star to sign-up for the challenge is Swedish former World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist.
The entry list is now pretty much finalised (and will be issued shortly) for the two-day ‘McRae Rally Challenge’ on 16/17 May which is being supported by Beatsons’ Building Supplies and EventScotland, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Colin McRae and Derek Ringer becoming the first Brits to win the FIA World Rally Championship.
Blomqvist will drive the original Group B Audi Quattro Sport in which long time rival Hannu Mikkola scored numerous outright rally wins in 1982. The car is now owned by the flamboyant English rally driver Steve Perez.
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Due to regulations, Stig will no longer compete in the Audi Quattro but will instead take to the wheel of a Ford Escort RS for the McRae Rally Challenge event. Stig will still spend some time during the event in the Audi, participating in multiple parade laps and demonstrations throughout the weekend. The car will also be on show at the event.
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In fact multiple British Rally Champion Perez will be bringing two cars to the event, the Audi for Blomqvist, and an ex-works Ford Focus WRC that he will drive himself. Like Blomqvist, the Chesterfield based driver has huge experience of rallying from the forests of the UK to the vast plains of central African Safari Rallies – so Knockhill will hold no fears!
Additional entries have come from even further abroad – the Isle of Mull, with the island’s top rallying exports, Calum Duffy and John MacCrone confirmed as entries! 8 times Mull Rally winner Calum Duffy will debut his new Subaru Impreza while M-Sport Ford test driver John MacCrone will have a Ford Fiesta – of some sort!
Of particular interest to Scottish rally fans will be the appearance of three times Scottish Rally Champion Ken Wood whose exploits over the years have endeared him to rally followers right across the nation. He has been loyal to British Leyland products ever since he started rallying in a Mini and was the envy of the works British Leyland rally team when he turned his own Triumph TR7 V8 and Rover SD1 into rally and championship winning cars when the professional ‘works’ team struggled. He was also the first privateer to score a rally win in an MG Metro 6R4.
Ken’s stubborn determination to stick with ‘British Leyland’ products has resulted in his most unusual rally car yet – a self-built, rear wheel drive, Triumph Dolomite with a V6 engine!
Another poignant entry has come from Quintin Milne which is very appropriate for this event. Quintin’s own style of flat-out driving has often been compared to that of the former World Champion. But perhaps there is an easy explanation for that.
Quintin’s father Donald Milne was a successful driver in the 1980s and was instrumental in the young McRae’s early success when he provided rally cars and sponsorship to enable the ambitious youngster to contest more events and broaden his experience.
When Quintin built his own Vauxhall Nova and set out on the road to rallying, Colin McRae was there to instruct and support. So when you see Milne’s Mitsubishi Lancer appear on the stage this weekend, take a couple of steps back, just in case!
Book tickets for the 16/17 May Rally event via the Knockhill website.
