Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally 2009: Results: Higgins wins, Bogie clinches SRC title

Newly crowned Scottish rally champions David Bogie and Kevin Rae in action during the Colin McRae Forest Stages 2009. Photo credit: LindsayPhotoSport

SRC: BOGIE SEALS SCOTTISH TITLE

Two years on from his maiden SRC win, David Bogie clinched the 2009 Hankook MSA Scottish Rally Championship on the final round, the Colin McRae Forest Stages, after what he admitted had been a nerve-wracking and stressful day.

That victory in 2007 came just weeks after the death of his friend and mentor, and Saturday's achievement, on an event full of incident and drama, was no less emotional.

The 22-year-old Dumfries driver became the youngest champion since McRae himself won the crown in 1988 at the age of 20.

"The Scottish championship is something I've aimed for since I started in rallying, it's been a box I've wanted to tick, and I've been so close these past two years", said Bogie, whose seventh-place points finish, alongside co-driver Kevin Rae, was enough to secure them the title.

"You only have to look at some of the names on the trophy - among them Colin and Jimmy McRae – and that says it all. I'm over the moon".

Indeed the moon was well up by the time the 4-wheel drive cars started arriving back at Perth Racecourse in the gathering dusk, after what had been a day of attrition for many competitors.

The cancellation of the first stage, cars sliding off in treacherous conditions, and fallen trees all resulted in lengthy delays

Overall victory went to Mark Higgins who was fulfilling a promise to compete on the rally after missing last year's star-studded event.

The three-times British champion, and co-driver Rory Kennedy, turned in a consummate display, winning all four completed stages at the wheel of an ex-Carlos Sainz Subaru Impreza – the sister car to McRae's 1995 world title-winning machine.

Higgins and Kennedy finished 40 seconds ahead of 2008 BTRDA champions Hugh Hunter and Andy Marchbank, the pair making their second appearance on a Scottish round in their ex-McRae Ford Focus WRC 01.

Mike Faulkner and Peter Foy were third overall and first of the SRC-registered competitors in their Mitsubishi Evo 6 – the Kirtlebridge-based driver ruing the broken driveshaft which had led to an early exit on the previous round and effectively put paid to any championship ambitions.

“Merrick” winners Jock Armstrong and Kirsty Riddick finished second in the points and fourth overall in their Subaru Impreza, while Calum Mackenzie, with Alan Clark on the notes, powered his Escort Mk2 to a hugely impressive final SRC podium spot, and top two-wheel drive honours.

The Oban duo of Shaun Sinclair and Chris Hamill consolidated their second place in the Group N championship in a Mitsubishi Evo 9, finishing nine seconds ahead of the Subaru Impreza of Euan Thorburn, who had already secured the GpN title.

Like Faulkner, Thorburn, who was co-driven by Doug Redpath, had gone into the McRae with a mathematical chance of winning the championship, should Bogie hit problems.

Barry Groundwater and David Wilson both ended in the top ten in their respective Evos – the latter one of the six finalists shortlisted for the Hankook Junior Prize Drive..

Heavy squally showers greeted the crews as they drove north from Perth to the first stage, the 10.70 mile Craigvinean – the 2WD contenders leading the field.

Word soon filtered out of a major accident involving Fraser Wilson and Steven Broll – their Vauxhall Nova ramming a tree head-on before flipping over and landing heavily.

There followed a delicate operation to remove Broll from the wreckage before both were taken to hospital. It later transpired that they'd both had miraculously escaped injury, apart from sprains and bruising.

With SS1 cancelled, crews returned to service, collectively drew breath and headed out to what for most was the first competitive test of the day – the daunting Drummond Hill.

Motherwell's John Crawford – second into the stage - crashed out heavily in his Mk2 Escort, resulting in sixteen competitors following behind being awarded notional times, based on Mackenzie's benchmark.

Another notable retirement on SS2 was newly-crowned IRC champion Kris Meeke who was forced to call it a day when the engine of his Peugeot 207 S2000 expired.

It was a somewhat depleted and bewildered field which arrived back at second service with even the most experienced drivers describing the 8.40 stage miles as being among the most difficult they had ever encountered.

"It was absolutely horrendous, very muddy and slippery, big rocks all over the place, cars off left and right, I thought we were going to get caught ourselves", said Higgins.

"I didn't think you could get ice in October", mused Mackenzie, while Bogie opined: "At least you know where you are with ice".

Armstrong was also caught out: "Second corner in, we went wide and clipped a log pile – there was just no grippy line".

Of the front runners, Sinclair seemed to fare better than most: "It must suit my driving style, if I knew why, I'd bottle it and take it every morning!".

The remaining stages also posed problems for organisers, with several fallen trees having to be removed ahead of the cars, leading to further delays.

Hunter, Armstrong and Faulkner were second fastest to Higgins respectively through SS3 Allean, SS4 Kindrogan Wood and SS5 Blackcraig.

Bogie, meanwhile, had just one target in mind, his grip on the crown tightening with every completed stage mile.

Declared the jubilant new champion: "That last stage was butterflies the whole way. It's all been very tricky. We've had a burst exhaust, then a puncture on stage three. It's been such a stressful day, but it makes it all the better in the end".

For full results, go to www.flyingfinish.co.uk

SRC news and updates can be found at www.scottishrallychampionship.co.uk

Top Ten Finishers – with total times:

1st Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Subaru Impreza) 34 mins 38 secs

2nd Hugh Hunter/Andy Marchbank (Ford Focus WRC) 35.18

3rd Mike Faulkner/Peter Foy (Mitsubishi Evo 6) 35.33

4th Jock Armstrong/Kirsty Riddick (Subaru Impreza) 35.36

5th Calum Mackenzie/Alan Clark (Ford Escort Mk2) 35.45

6th Shaun Sinclair/Chris Hamill (Mitsubishi Evo 9) 35.50

7th Euan Thorburn/Doug Redpath (Subaru Impreza) 35.59

8th Barry Groundwater/Jude Wylie (Mitsubishi Evo 9) 36.09

9th David Bogie/Kevin Rae (Mitsubishi Evo 9) 36.40

10th David Wilson/Keir Beaton (Mitsubishi Evo 4) 37.06d

Class Winners

Class 1 – Peter Taylor/Paul Hughes (Ford Ka)
Class 2 – Craig Rutherford/Derek Forsyth (Vauxhall Nova)
Class 3 – Charlie Munro/Michael Baird (Ford Escort Mk2)
Class 4 – Alasdair Graham/Kenny McGuire (Vauxhall Corsa)
Class 5 – Rhona Mackin/Christine Brown (Ford Escort Mk2)
Class 6 – Colin Wilkinson/Ailie Donaldson (Hillman Avenger)
Class 7 – John Boyd/Fred Bell (Ford Fiesta ST)
Class 8 - Calum Mackenzie/Alan Clark (Ford Escort Mk2)
Class 9 – Ian Gwynne/Stan Quirk (Ford Escort Mk2)
Class 10 – Shaun Sinclair/Chris Hamill (Mitsubishi Evo 9)
Class 11 – No finishers
Class 12 – Jock Armstrong/Kirsty Riddick (Subaru Impreza)

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