A CLUTCH OF THE leading rally drivers who will tackle next weekend's RACMSA Rally of Scotland, including newly-crowned British champ David Bogie from Dumfries, have thrown down the gauntlet to Scotland's leading motorsport writers.
Led by 24-year-old Bogie, who also won the Scottish Rally Championship for a third time this year, the rally stars will go head-to-head with the media team in a production car Autotest.
The winner-takes-all event, the perfect warm-up for the RACMSA Rally of Scotland, the penultimate round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) takes place at the Forthside Car Park beside VUE Cinema, in Stirling on Tuesday (Oct 4).
The action starts at 7.30pm and spectators can watch all the thrilling action free-of-charge.
"It's going to be a great, fun-filled evening for all the family," Bogie (pictured on his way to winning the BRC), who will again drive his Mitsubishi Evo IX in the RACMSA Rally of Scotland, said.
"We're used to working with the media guys, so it will be fun to see just how good they are behind the wheel of a car."
While the members of Bogie's all-action, highly-talented rally team are used to masterfully handling their cars at high speed in the world's most demanding forest stages, the media team have honed their skills on the keyboards of their laptops.
Led by Jim McGill, Scotland's leading motorsport writer and owner of Scotcars.co.uk, and Jon Doran, Scottish Sun Motors Deputy Editor, the media team is hoping the threat of a bad write-up for the rally stars may slow them down just a bit.
"Let's be honest, when it comes to driving talent, I think the rally guys might just have the edge," McGill smiled, "but I think between us the media guys will show we can handle more than just a keyboard.
"Plus we have a secret weapon, in the shape of fellow Scot, IRC Rally Radio presenter Colin Clark. If the rally guys are doing too well, we'll just get Colin to talk them into submission."
Oh, and don't forget you can download your free iRally App for iPhone, iPad and Android, which allows you to listen to Rally Radio wherever you are when you're watching the Rally of Scotland.
The autotest will see both teams drive standard cars round a series of coned-off obstacles in a series of manoeuvrability tests.
The professionals will each be teamed up with a member of the media and the total scores will decide the winners at the end of the evening.
Autotests are probably the cheapest form of motorsport to compete in, and a great entry into the sport.
Not only do you just need a standard car, but you rarely get above second gear; it is though a real test of driving skill to get a quick time whilst avoiding the cones, ‘parking’ correctly in the garages and reversing through a slalom.
The really dedicated have specially converted vehicles and incredible control of the handbrake, gearbox and ‘chuckability’ of their cars.
While the rally drivers are all looking forward to the event, the media team is jointly terrified at the prospect of tackling a 'driving test' while sitting next to a professional.
How will the teams fare? Pop along to the Forthside Car Park beside VUE Cinema, Stirling, at 7.30pm on Tuesday night and find out.
Drivers:
P-G Andersson, (Swe) Proton – former Junior World Rally Champion
Toni Gardemeister (Fin) Skoda – works driver for Ford WRC 2005
Harry Hunt (GBR) Citroen – 2010 IRC 2WD Champion
Jonny Greer (Irl) Skoda – 3rd overall 2011 British Rally Champion
David Bogie (Sco) Mitsubishi – 2011 British & Scottish Rally Champion
Media:
Jim McGill – Editor www.scotcars.co.uk
Jon Doran – Scottish Sun Motors Deputy Editor
Colin Clark – Presenter IRC Rally Radio
Julian Porter – WRC TV Presenter
