Scottish Rally

The Royal Scottish Automobile Club (RSAC) Scottish Rally is the highlight of the Scottish Rally Championship and the longest-standing rally event in Scotland, having been first contested in 1932. The event takes place in May or June of every year and the organisation claims that the warm weather and unique forest stages draw competitors from around the world.[2] The rally has previously hosted a round of the World Rally Championship, enjoying the status of being a round of the Rally Championship for Drivers in 1978, and it also spent 26 years on the calendar of the European Rally Championship but in recent years it has been limited to being a round of the Scottish Rally Championship.

For the RAC MSA Rally of Scotland that first took place in 2009, see Rally Scotland.

RSAC Scottish Rally
Logo of the RSAC Scottish Rally
StatusActive
GenreRallying
FrequencyAnnual
VenueDumfries and Galloway[1]
Location(s)Scotland
CountryUnited Kingdom
Inaugurated1932, 89 years ago
Most recent2019 Scottish Rally
Websitehttp://www.scottishrally.co.uk/

History

The first Scottish rally took place from 4 to 9 July 1932 on a route of approximately 1,200 miles (1,900 km) through Scotland and England and consisted of six days of competition with participants beginning the rally at one of six start points in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, London, Harrogate and Droitwich. The first day involved competitors travelling from their chosen starting point before all rendezvousing in Scotland later in the event and finally ending in Edinburgh.[3] Unlike in modern rallies where the object is to complete the course in as short a time as possible, competitors were set an average speed that they were expected to maintain on each stage. Points were awarded for meeting this target, the condition of the car at the end of the stage, and even for the number of occupants of each vehicle. There were also tests of driver and vehicle such as accelerating and braking challenges and "kerb driving" (driving as close as possible to the kerb without touching it). There were even dances organised in the evenings to allow drivers to socialise.[4]

There was no single overall winner of the rally but G.F. Dennison (driving a Riley) was crowned champion of the small car category, while the large car category was won by J.S. Couldrey in a Hudson. There were also control prizes awarded for the best performer from each of the six starting points.[5]

It was not until 1961 that a driver was awarded the overall winner's title, John Melvin being the first driver to receive that honour. The event used to enjoy International status, however since 1988, as the World Rally Championship moved to include only one event per country, it has been reduced to a National event in favour of the RAC Rally in Wales. Over the years, the event has been based in towns and cities throughout Scotland including Glasgow, Perth, Inverness and Dunoon. However, since 1997 it has been centered in Dumfries in South West Scotland.[6]

The Scottish Rally formed part of the European Rally Championship from 1970 until 1996,[6] but arguably its biggest moment came in 1978 when it formed part of the Cup for Rally Drivers. There was no World Championship title for rally drivers at this point,[7] but the title was the precursor to today's World Rally Championship drivers' champion.[8]

Notable winners of the Scottish Rally include Roger Clark, Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, Ari Vatanen, Tony Pond, Malcolm Wilson, Richard Burns and Colin McRae.[6] The most successful drivers in the event's history are Roger Clark and David Bogie, who tied Clark's record of six wins in 2019.[9]

List of winners

A full list of rally winners from the first time a single overall winner was recognised in 1961 until the present day is shown in the table below, along with their co-drivers and the car being driven.[10]

Year Driver Co-Driver Car
2020 Rally cancelled – COVID-19 pandemic
2019 David Bogie John Rowan Škoda Fabia R5
2018 David Bogie Kevin Rae Škoda Fabia R5
2017 Euan Thorburn Paul Beaton Ford Fiesta R5
2016 Elfyn Evans Craig Perry Ford Fiesta R5
2015 David Bogie Kevin Rae Ford Fiesta R5
2014 Daniel McKenna Arthur Kierans Citroën DS3 R3T
2013 Alastair Fisher Gordon Noble Citroën DS3 R3T
2012 David Bogie Kevin Rae Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
2011 Jock Armstrong Kirsty Riddick Subaru Impreza
2010 David Bogie Kevin Rae Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
2009 Mike Faulkner Peter Foy Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI
2008 Dave Weston Dave Robson Ford Focus RS WRC
2007 Gary Adam Gordon Adam Subaru Impreza
2006 Dave Weston Dave Robson Ford Focus RS WRC
2005 Mark Higgins Bryan Thomas Ford Focus RS WRC
2004 Jonny Milner Nicky Beech Subaru Impreza WRC
2003 Jonny Milner Nicky Beech Toyota Corolla WRC
2002 Jonny Milner Nicky Beech Toyota Corolla WRC
2001 Dave Weston Neil Shanks Subaru Impreza WRC
2000 Tapio Laukkanen Kaj Lindstrom VW Golf
1999 Tapio Laukkanen Kaj Lindstrom Renault Maxi Mégane
1998 Alister McRae David Senior VW Golf GTi Kit Car
1997 Alister McRae David Senior VW Golf GTi Kit Car
1996 Harri Rovanperä Juha Repo Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
1995 Tomas Abrahamsson Mike Kidd Ford Escort RS Cosworth
1994 Malcolm Wilson Bryan Thomas Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
1993 Richard Burns Robert Reid Subaru Legacy RS
1992 Colin McRae Derek Ringer Subaru Legacy RS
1991 Colin McRae Derek Ringer Subaru Legacy RS
1990 David Llewellin Phil Short Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
1989 David Llewellin Phil Short Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
1988 Jimmy McRae Rob Arthur Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
1987 David Llewellin Phil Short Audi Quattro
1986 Mikael Sundstrom Voitto Silander Peugeot 205 T16
1985 Malcolm Wilson Nigel Harris Audi Quattro A1
1984 Hannu Mikkola Phil Short Audi Quattro A2
1983 Stig Blomqvist Bjorn Cederberg Audi Quattro
1982 Hannu Mikkola Arne Hertz Audi Quattro
1981 Tony Pond Mike Nicholson Vauxhall Chevette
1980 Hannu Mikkola Arne Hertz Ford Escort RS1800
1979 Pentti Airikkala Risto Virtanen Vauxhall Chevette
1978 Hannu Mikkola Arne Hertz Ford Escort RS1800
1977 Ari Vatanen Peter Bryant Ford Escort RS1800
1976 Russell Brookes John Brown Ford Escort RS1800
1975 Roger Clark Jim Porter Ford Escort RS1600
1974 Rally cancelled – Tanker drivers' strike
1973 Roger Clark Jim Porter Ford Escort RS1600
1972 Hannu Mikkola Hamish Cardno Ford Escort RS1600
1971 Chris Sclater John Davenport Ford Escort RS1600
1970 Brian Culcheth Johnstone Syer Triumph 2.5 Pi
1969 Simo Lampinen Arne Hertz Saab 96
1968 Roger Clark Jim Porter Ford Escort RS1600
1967 Roger Clark Jim Porter Ford Cortina GT
1966 Tony Fall Mike Wood Mini Cooper S
1965 Roger Clark Jim Porter Ford Cortina GT
1964 Roger Clark Jim Porter Ford Cortina GT
1963 Andrew Cowan David Thomson Sunbeam Rapier
1962 Andrew Cowan David Thomson Sunbeam Rapier
1961 John Melvin Anne Melvin Sunbeam Alpine

References
  1. "Scottish Rally returns to Dumfries and Galloway". ITV News. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  2. "Scottish rally homepage". Scottish Rally. Scottish Rally. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  3. "The Scottish Rally". Forfar Herald. 1 April 1932. Retrieved 1 March 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Scottish Rally". The Scotsman. 29 June 1932. Retrieved 1 March 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Gleanings on speed and motoring affairs". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 23 July 1932. Retrieved 1 March 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "eWRC Scottish rally". eWRC. eWRC. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  7. Phillips, Gerry (February 1978). "Rally review - Why not a World Rally Championship for drivers?". Motorsport Magazine. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  8. Hope-Frost, Henry; John Davenport (2004). The Complete Book of the World Rally Championship. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. p. 13. ISBN 0-7603-1954-5.
  9. Blair, Giles (22 May 2019). "Bogie claims historic win in the RSAC Scottish Rally". Daily Record. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  10. "Scottish Rally". ewrc.com. ewrc.com. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
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