Bogie No1 seed for BRC openerposted in BRC17 | 03 | 2017

    FORMER CHAMPION DAVID BOGIE will start the opening round of this year’s British Rally Championship, the Jedburgh-based Border Counties Rally, this evening as No1 seed.

    The 29-year-old from Dumfries, co-driven by Hawick’s Kevin Rae, will lead the field off the start ramp in his Skoda Fabia R5 before heading into the opening two stages in Craik forest in darkness.

    Tomorrow will see the 100-crews head deeper into the Borders forests to tackle the remaining seven stages and complete the 60-mile event. And five-times Scottish champ Bogie, who won the British title in 2011, is looking forward to the event.

    “It’s going to be a tough test for everyone,” the Scot, who won the opening round of the Scottish Championship, the Inverness-based Snowman Rally last month (main picture), as part of his build-up to his BRC campaign, admitted yesterday (Thurs).

    Euan-Thorburn-and-Paul-Beaton--Ford-Fiesta-R5--Lindsay-Photo-Sport-copy.jpg

    “There’s a lot of competition this year from a number of fast and talented drivers. And the forest stages in the Borders are some of the fastest and most demanding in the UK.

    “Hopefully I can take advantage of the opening round being in Scotland this year, and get my championship bid off to a winning start.”

    While Fabia R5 driver, Swede Fredrik Ahlin, and Welshman Tom Cave in his Ford Fiesta R5, both return to the championship this season, perhaps the biggest threat to Bogie’s campaign comes from fellow Scot Euan Thorburn.

    The Duns driver will pilot his new Fiesta R5 (pictured above), and is relishing going head-to-head with his old friend and adversary.

    “I’m looking forward to the battle in the forests,” 2014 Scottish champ Thorburn smiled. “David and I have had some great battles over the years, and I suspect this weekend will be no different.”

    Tomorrow will see the BRC field joined by the Scottish Rally Championship contenders as they contest the second round of the SRC.

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    Jim McGill

    Photos copyright of Lindsay Photo Sport

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