Bogie and McRae vying for supremacyposted in RSCOT06 | 10 | 2011
WHILE THE WORLD'S leading Super 2000 rally drivers prepare to test themselves on 15 of the country's toughest gravel stages, David Bogie, the 24-year-old from Dumfries, starts RallyScotland tomorrow aiming to put himself in the 'shop window'.
Bogie (pictured) has been the dominant driver on the domestic scene for the last few years. Not only did he complete a hat-trick of Scottish Rally Championship titles this year, but he also became the first Scot to win the British Rally Championship since Alister McRae in 1995.
Today though he leaves the ceremonial start of RallyScotland, the penultimate round of the Intercontinental Rally Championship (IRC), accepting he has no hope of outright victory.
"That's just not going to happen," the confident, quietly-spoken Scot smiled today as he oversaw the finishing preparation to his Mitsubishi Evo IX.
That statement though shouldn't be viewed as a concession of defeat; instead it's based on reality.
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The IRC is based primarily round Super 2000 cars, lightweight, powerful custom-built point-and-squirt models loosely based on production models. Hence the fact the entry-list is dominated by Skoda Fabia and Peugeot 207 models.
Bogie's Evo IX, the car he has powered to both the SRC and BRC titles, is a Group N car; it's much closer to a showroom model than an S2000 car. Comparisons equate to the old 'apples and pears' debate.
"I'll not outpace the S2000 cars, so my aim is to finish top GpN car," Bogie, who achieved that very goal 12 months ago when he also finished a highly creditable fourth overall, continued.
"If I can beat a few S2000 cars along the way, I'll be well chuffed. But primarily I'm out to have a bit of fun, do my best and hopefully use it as a stepping stone to another move up the career ladder."
In addition to Bogie, McRae will be the focus of the majority of Scots' attention. The Lanark-born driver, now based in Perth, Australia, will again pilot his Proton Satria S2000.
"It's great to be back rallying in Scotland," McRae, battling to cope with the combination of a bitterly cold, biting wind and just eight degrees, shivered from within his cocoon of bright yellow fleeces.
"Nothing beats competing on your home soil and seeing the thousands of supporters out on the stages flying the Saltire. Hopefully we can challenge for the win this weekend, but we know it's going to be tough."
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McRae does indeed face a stiff challenge, with a posse of Skodas and Peugeots likely to battle it out for supremacy.
The man to beat is last year's IRC champ and 2010 RallyScotland winner Juho Hanninen. The Finn though, while retaining a mathematical possibility of retaining his title, has vowed to do everything he can to help his Skoda team-mate, championship leader Jan Kopecky.
The Czech, 25 points clear of Belgian Peugeot driver Thierry Neuville, is one of six drivers who heads into the closing two rallies — the final round is in Cyprus in four weeks — still with hopes of the championship.
"For sure I can still win the title," Hanninen, 30 points behind Kopecky, with 37 points available to the winner this weekend, said, "but I'm here to do a job for the team."
The rally gets underway this evening when the cars roll away from the ceremonial start at Stirling Castle, before heading into the night gloom for two 5.2-miles tests in the Carron Valley.
The action restarts on Saturday with a further six stages, before the final seven stages on Sunday.
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Jim McGill