Bogie starts SRC defence with winposted in SRC20 | 02 | 2011
DEFENDING SCOTTISH Rally champ David Bogie got his 2011 season off to the perfect start with his first win in the traditional season opener, the Inverness-based snowman Rally.
Co-driven by Hawick's Kevin Rae, the 23-year-old from Dumfries was fastest through three of the five stages in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX to win by 30 seconds, ahead of another Evo IX in the hands of Euan Thorburn (Duns). Last year's Snowman winner, Jock Armstrong from Castle Douglas, was third in his Subaru Impreza.
Bogie will now turn his attention to the opening round of the British Rally Championship, the Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth later this week, but the Scot — bidding to win a hat-trick of SRC titles — was delighted with his Highland performance.
"First round of the season, a high quality entry, a huge amount of spectator interest, it really was a rally I wanted to win, and I'm very happy with the way the day turned out", he said.
Although there was none of the deep snow which dominated last year's event, the stages in and around Tain and Lairg were still very slippery in stretches with a combination of ice and mud — particularly the opening 11.62-mile test at Strathrory.
Armstrong was one of a number of drivers who arrived at first service having experienced a "big moment" which caused him to drop five seconds to Bogie, with Borderer Thorburn breathing down his neck, just two seconds adrift.
The Duns driver took the initiative on the second test — Carbisdale — pipping Bogie by just one second over the 6.48 miles, with Mike Faulkner and Peter Foy showing intent, a further one second back.
Thorburn again dominated on the 8.71 mile Dalnessie test, running out a six-second advantage over Bogie.
It meant the two were neck-and-neck going into the penultimate stage, Dalchork, but try as he might, Thorburn could not repeat his earlier success.
"We were second on the road, and although the start was OK, it then went into a really soft muddy section and we just couldn't find any grip," Thorburn, who will also contest the opening BRC round, explained. "I lost my confidence after that and we dropped 12 seconds and there was no way we were going to get that back over an eight-mile stage.
"Going into the last stage we decided just to keep it steady and hold on to second, which I'm pretty pleased about after a five-month lay-off."
With much fairer conditions, Armstrong knew there would be little chance of dominating the event as he had in the snow and ice 12 months ago. Nevertheless, the Castle Douglas competitor was satisfied with third place, alongside an unwell Kirsty Riddick in the co-driver's seat.
"We've had some luck, and a bit of bad luck today, but we've stayed on the road and we've got a decent points haul", Armstrong said. "With the stages being so slippy and unpredictable, it was harder for me than being on snow and ice, but I'm happy to be on the podium. It gets the season off to a good start."
Faulkner and Foy had also been pushing for a podium spot in their Mitsubishi Evo VI, but had to settle for fourth.
"The first stage was a challenge and it dropped us some time, so I think fourth was the best we could hope for," the Kirtlebridge-based driver said. "But the rest of the day was enjoyable, and the car has performed well, so it's been a positive start to the season for us".
It was an equally positive result for local driver Andy Horne and long-time navigator Jim Howie as they took to the Highland forests once again in their popular DAM 4100 Gti — with its newly-installed automatic gearbox.
"It's been a brilliant day and the conditions have been very good to us," Horne, who found himself first on the road on the three middle stages, as other leading crews held back in the hope of gaining an advantage, explained.
"The first and last stages were very slippy, but I actually feel it was a benefit to be first on the road on the others; it certainly didn't affect our performance".
Fellow Inverness driver Donnie Macdonald, co-driven by Keir Beaton, bounced back from a very disappointing 2010 season, to end his home rally sixth overall in his Evo IX.
"I've really enjoyed the event — there were lots of things to watch out for — it was really slippy one moment, then loads of grip the next, you really had to concentrate, but I'm delighted with the outcome," he said.
Despite a broken brake-pipe, Bothwell's Robbie Head declared himself "reasonably happy" with his return to competition, alongside experienced Borders-based navigator Claire Mole, with the pair topping the DMACK Tyres Group N standings.
"That problem on the fourth stage dropped us more than a minute, and put paid to any chance of a better result", Head, taking time out from his BRC TV pundit duties to contest his first rally since 2006, explained. "The pace was OK towards the end and we'll now go on to the Border Counties and see how we get on".
For Calum Mackenzie — usually seen wrestling the wheel of an Escort MkII at the sharp end of the two-wheel drive contingent — the Snowman was the first outing in an unfamiliar Mitsubishi Evo VIII. Although the Inverurie-based finished a creditable eighth overall alongside navigator Martin Forrest, he had some misgivings about the switch to 4WD.
"It's certainly very different, that's for sure, and the confidence and commitment is not there", Mackenzie said afterwards, "but we'll give it another go on the Border Counties, and see if we can improve".
The Inverness crew of Steven Ronaldson and Andrew Falconer were dogged by gearbox and exhaust problems in their distinctive yellow MG Metro 6R4, but Ronaldson ("I had to hold it in gear and steer with one hand") still managed to nurse the car home to ninth overall.
The top 10 was rounded off by Peterhead's Stevie Brown, making an impressive four-wheel drive debut in a Subaru Impreza, co-driven by Andrew Roughead from Newcastle.
In the two-wheel drive category, Malcolm Buchanan and Ian Nicoll were first home in their Escort MkII in 18th overall, while James Robertson and George Myatt won the 1600 class in a Citroen C2.
Among the notable retirements was former Snowman winner Reay Mackay, who never made it to the first stage after his Metro 6R4 cut out, and ex-Scottish champion Dave Weston who went off on the first stage in his hired Ford Focus WRC.
From a starting list of 98, there were 77 classified finishers and the attention now focuses on the next round, the Jedburgh-based Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally March 19.
CLICK HERE to see the pain of Stuart Walker's Mitsubishi enveloped by flames after the rear diff caught fire in the Snowman Rally.
Snowman Rally —Top 10 Result:
1. David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) Mitsubishi Evo IX 42 mins 50 secs;
2. Euan Thorburn (Duns)/Paul Beaton (Inverness) Mitsubishi Evo IX 43:20;
3. Jock Armstrong (Castle Douglas)/Kirsty Riddick (Castle Douglas) Subaru Impreza 43.23;
4. Mike Faulkner (Kirtlebridge)/Peter Foy (Bingley) Mitsubishi Evo VI 44:01;
5. Andy Horne (Inverness)/Jim Howie (Kilmarnock) DAM 4100 GTi 44:17;
6. Donnie Macdonald (Inverness)/Keir Beaton (Inverness) Mitsubishi Evo IX 45.07;
7. Robbie Head (Lanark)/Claire Mole (Paxton) Mitsubishi Evo IX 45:12;
8. Calum Mackenzie (Inverurie)/Martin Forrest () Mitsubishi Evo VIII 45:35;
9. Steven Ronaldson ()/Andrew Falconer () MG Metro 6R4 45:46;
10. Stevie Brown ()/Andrew Roughead () Subaru Impreza 46:14.
CLASS WINNERS
CLASS 2: Craig Smith/Colin Smith (Vauxhall Nova)
CLASS 3: Iain Haining/Mairi Riddick (Vauxhall Nova)
CLASS 4: James Robertson/George Myatt (Citroen C2)
CLASS 5: Duncan MacGregor/Fiona Morgan (Ford Capri)
CLASS 6: Historic Category - Andrew Morrison/Gavin Whiteside (Ford Escort Holbay)
CLASS 7: Peter Stewart/Phil Shortt (Ford Fiesta ST)
CLASS 8: Malcolm Buchanan/Ian Nicoll (Ford Escort MkII)
CLASS 9: Charlie Jarrett/Ann Marie Fraser (Ford Escort)
CLASS 10: Donnie Macdonald/Keir Beaton (Mitsubishi Evo IX)
CLASS 12: Calum Mackenzie/Martin Forrest (Mitsubishi Evo VIII)
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Jim McGill
Photo: LindsayPhotoSport