MASTERFUL MEEKE IN CHARGE OF RALLYSCOTLAND

By Jim McGill

Headlights blazing, newly-crowned champ Kris Meeke emerged from the dank gloom of the final stage of the opening day of RallyScotland having emphasised his supremacy in the Intercontinental Rally Championship by delivering a masterful drive.

While others struggled to find any semblance of grip in the 11-mile forest stage of Craigvinean, made treacherously slippery by almost six inches of rain in 24-hours, the 30-year-old made his Peugeot S2000 look as though it was on rails.

And despite stopping the clock 15.1-seconds quicker than the rest of the field, Meeke, who enters Saturday’s final six stages leading the Skoda of Darlington’s Guy Wilks by 21.1s, admitted he could have gone faster.

“We had a problem with the headlights which were set too low and and I couldn’t see into the distance,” Meeke, a four-time winner already this season, explained when he returned to rally HQ in Stirling.

“Still, we were fast enough to increase our lead. Sure there’s still six stages to be negotiated tomorrow, but I’ll certainly sleep well tonight.”

Wilks MASTERFUL MEEKE IN CHARGE OF RALLYSCOTLAND

Wilks too was content with his performance in the Skoda. Driving the car for the first time in anger after signing a last-minute deal, the double British champ posted two fastest times during the day despite getting to grips with his new machinery.

“Considering it’s my first time in the car, I’m more than happy with the performance,” Wilks, who was only 0.5s slower through the final stage than the Proton S2000 of Lanark’s Alister McRae — who lines up today third overall, 57s behind Wilks — admitted.

“I feel we’ve still got Kris in our sights and tomorrow’s stages are going to be very demanding and slippery. All it will take is one simple mistake by Kris and I’ll be ready to pounce. But tomorrow’s going to be tough for everyone.”

The gruelling Scottish forest stages have already claimed some notable scalps, including 2009 British champ Keith Cronin. The Cork driver, piloting an Abarth Punto S2000 for the first time, finished his rally after rolling his car on the day’s penultimate stage.

Al11a MASTERFUL MEEKE IN CHARGE OF RALLYSCOTLAND

And while Bristolian 22-year-old Adam Gould was forced to retire when the water pump on his Peugeot expired, Scottish rally champ David Bogie climbed to fifth in his GpN 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,” the 22-year-old said. “Now we can concentrate on pushing tomorrow and hopefully close in on getting on the podium at the closing ceremony at Stirling Castle.”