Bogie aims for winning hat-trickposted in SRC18 | 03 | 2011
DOUBLE SCOTS rally champ David Bogie is aiming for a hat-trick of wins when he lines up for tomorrow's Jedburgh-based Border Counties Rally, the second round of the Scottish Championship.
The Dumfries driver, who will again be partnered by Hawick co-driver Kevin Rae in their Mitsubishi Evo IX, started the season by winning the opening rounds in both the Scottish and British Championships.
"We've certainly started well," Bogie admitted today. "Winning the Snowman in Inverness, then winning the first round of the British in Bournemouth, has given us a lot of confidence.
"But we're not underestimating the challenge we face in the Border Counties. The rally uses the ultra-fast stages in Kielder Forest which are amongst the most challenging in the country.
"It's not only the speed which is a threat, but also the big, deep ditches which have a habit of swallowing cars if the driver just loses concentration for a split second. But we've won the opening two rallies, and we're determined to make it three-in-a-row."
Bogie though, who has won the Scottish Championship for the past two years but has never won the Border Counties, faces stiff competition from a posse of quick drivers all eager to dethrone the youngster.
While Jock Armstrong from Castle Douglas will be a threat in his Subaru Impreza, perhaps the biggest challenge will come from Duns-based Euan Thorburn. The Mitsubishi driver pushed Bogie close in the Inverness-based Snowman Rally before eventually backing-off to finish second.
On last year's Border Counties, Armstrong and former champion navigator Kirsty Riddick had to call it a day just a few miles into the first stage with gear-box failure, and Mike Faulkner from Kirtlebridge and Peter Foy retired with a broken diff on SS4.
"We have a solid result from the Snowman to build on," Faulkner, fourth in the Snowman, said, "but we have to push for a top two result if we are to have any championship aspirations".
Invernessian Andy Horne and Jim Howie (DAM 4100GTi) launched their 2011 campaign with fifth-overall on the Snowman, and will be out to better their sixth-place
finish on last year's Border Counties.
Reay Mackay and Robert Macdonald from Fort Augustus return to action in their Subaru Impreza WRC, while young Highland prospect David Wilson, co-driven by Jedburgh-based Dave Robson, will be hoping to put the disappointment of a DNF on the Snowman behind him as he sets out to kick-start his campaign.
The top ten seeds are rounded off by Border Counties sponsor John McCLory who, with navigator David Hood, will be hoping to capitalise on a 13th place overall on the Snowman in his Subaru Impreza N15.
The 107 entries will head into the Kielder Forest to tackle four gruelling stages covering 44 miles before heading back to Jedburgh for the winner's champagne-spraying.
Border Counties Rally — Top 10 Seeds;
1. David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) Mitsubishi Evo 9
2. Jock Armstrong(Castle Douglas)/Kirsty Riddick(Haugh of Urr) Subaru Impreza
3. Euan Thorburn (Duns)/Paul Beaton (Inverness) Mitsubishi Evo 9
4. Mike Faulkner (Kirtlebridge)/Peter Foy (Bingley) Mitsubishi Evo 6
5. Andy Horne (Inverness)/Jim Howie (Kilmarnock) DAM 4100 Gti
6. Paul Benn (Keswick)/Richard Cooke (Cockermouth) Ford Focus
7. Phillip Morrow (Lisburn)/Simon Morrow (Lisburn) Mitsubishi Evo 9
8. Reay Mackay(Fort Augustus)/Robert Macdonald(Fort Augustus)Subaru WRC
9. David Wilson (Alness)/Dave Robson (Jedburgh) Mitsubishi Evo 9
10. John McLory (Glasgow)/David Hood (Elderslie) Subaru Impreza N15
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Jim McGill
Photo: LindsayPhotoSport