All eyes on Perthshire for Rally of Scotland

Oct 15 2010 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

MOTORSPORT star Alister McRae will be among the racers revving-up at the Rally of Scotland start-line in Perthshire tonight.

McRae (39), from Lanark, who is the younger brother of the late Colin McRae, will be joined at Scone Palace by newly-crowned Scottish and British champions, David Bogie and Keith Cronin.

Finnish star Juho Hanninen, favourite to become the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) champion at the end of the hotly-contested 12-race series, will also feature in a strong field.

The showpiece gets underway with two floodlit runs through the grounds of the picturesque parkland on the outskirts of Perth city centre from approximately 8pm this evening, before moving into the forests of the Big County and beyond over the subsequent 48 hours.

A total of six high-octane stages will be held over sites in the Craigvinean, Drummond Hill and Errochty woodlands – near Dunkeld, Fortingall and Calvine respectively.

Competitors will then move through Stirlingshire before the winner is crowned at a ceremonial finish at Stirling Castle, the climax of the three-day extravaganza.

Proton team member McRae said: “I haven’t competed in front of the Scottish fans since last year’s rally, so it’s obviously going to be very special for me.

“It’s a massive sporting event for the whole country to come and enjoy, with a fantastic backdrop, great access for the public and some of the most demanding stages any rally driver will face.

“It’s going to be an awesome spectacle. I know most of the stages well from my earlier career which could be an advantage, particularly if we get a bit of drizzle – which is always a possibility at this time of year.”

Organisers have said that last year’s inaugural edition, which was beamed across the globe on satellite television, generated £1.2 million for the Scottish economy.

Councillor John Kellas, convener of the local authority’s enterprise and infrastructure committee, said the rally will once again bring “huge benefits” to the region.

“Staging events like this is part of a conscious strategy to try to maintain a high profile for Perth and Kinross on the world stage, even in the tough economic times we now find ourselves in,” Cllr Kellas said.

“The Rally of Scotland provides a huge boost to our tourism sector. It gets extensive courage on television and is a great showcase for the entire area.”

The event, presided over by the Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association, is the penultimate round of the high-profile IRC calendar.

The championship will conclude after its 12th installment, to be held in Cyprus early next month.

Clerk of the course Iain Campbell praised the condition of the 800km weekend stages, but admitted preparations could have been thrown into chaos.

He explained: “There was some concern that we might have to revise the opening stage in the grounds of Scone Palace after an historic 16th Century arch was recently destroyed by a contractor’s van.

“But I’m delighted we’ve been given clearance to run the section as originally planned.”

Spectators will be given the chance to donate to the Colin McRae Vision charity throughout the weekend.

A series of spin-off events and activities are also planned, including Perth-based car dealership Western Saab showcasing a limited edition Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson at the start.

The model bears the name of Scandinavian legend Erik Carlsson, who won the RAC British Rally in the Swedish vehicle 50 years ago.