Scottish Malts gets underway 02 | 05 | 2012
THE FAMOUS SCOTTISH MALTS Rally got underway when more than 40 historic cars set off from Turnberry. And the competitors were welcomed in towns and villages along the way as they made their way to their first overnight stop at Kinloch Rannoch
The event, which is run by Hero, the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation every two years, has attracted drivers and co-drivers from all over the world driving a huge cross section of classic cars.
The teams were flagged off from Turnberry by Jaguar legend Norman Dewis who had regaled the drivers the night before with tales of how he and Sir Stirling Moss had driven on the Grand Prix circuit at Turnberry almost exactly 60 years before.
Among the cars taking part was the very first right-hand drive production Jaguar E-Type Fixed Head Coupe, supplied by Jaguar Cars in August 1961, a 1930 Riley Brooklands 9HP and two Jaguar SS100.
“We have attracted some amazing cars from all over the world to take part in this event,” Tomas de Vargas Machuca, managing director of the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation, said “and we want to make sure as many people in Scotland see them and enjoy them as possible.”
Your chance to cheer the Scottish Malts
It was a view supported by joint managing director Patrick Burke, who said: "Not only are we publishing the main stopping points on our route, but we really want people to come along, see the cars, meet the drivers and enjoy the spectacle, there are some amazing cars which will interest everyone.”
Day one saw the cars travel through Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Perthshire for the first over night stop at Kinloch Rannoch. Day two saw the cars heading for Blair Athol, Aberfeldy, Dunkeld, Braemar, Aviemore, for their second overnight stop in Inverness.
Hero is also inviting the Scottish public to take pictures of the cars and email them to the organisers as part of a major photographic competition split into two classes, children and young people up to the age of 18, and adults.
The winners will receive specially engraved cups and other goodies just as the drivers of the event do.
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“These cars are part of our motoring history and heritage," Burke continued. "Not everyone can take part but they can come along and get involved.
"We also hope that teachers will feel that the cars are part of our social and engineering history and that pupils might be given a few minutes to see the cars go through their local area.”
Tomas and his team at Hero are encouraging people to go to the Hero website (www.heroevents.eu) where updates will be given every day and where a full list of the cars can be seen and downloaded.
The event will come to a well-deserved rest back at the Turnberry tomorrow where the public will get a further chance to see the cars and take pictures for the competition.
Lord Steel of Aikwood, the Honorary Hero Club President, will be present at the Prizegiving Dinner where the drivers are not the only ones to receive a prize, but so too will the Trial-winning car that will be parked in the dining room alongside the guests.
The event is the first qualifying round of the much coveted Hero Cup.
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Jim McGill
Caption: The Hero Scottish Malts Rally 2012: Scot David Thomson and his co-driver Gareth Holding drive their 1936 Talbot 105 Alpine Sports through the Perthshire countryside.