Miss Scotland revs-up rally crew at Gleneagles

Sep 17 2010 by Denis Brown, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Miss World revs up rally crew at Gleneagles

A RACY sight was the biggest head-turner at this week’s Rally of Scotland preview – but it wasn’t the hot cars or pro drivers.

Tottering and towering around in five-inch stilettos and a teeny-weeny kilt, the newly-crowned Miss Scotland, Nicola Mimnagh, was looking a tad chilly but raising temperatures.

The bronzed 5’11” stunner, who fell into modelling after uni at age 21 as she didn’t know what to do with her politics and business degree, was posing for cameras at the Gleneagles event.

“I did modelling for a couple of years, which was really good – okay money and lots of travel, so a feasible option for a job,” she explained.

“Otherwise I would have done, teaching or journalism, I don’t know – something boring!”

Watching our nation’s hottest talent being manhandled by rally drivers for a photo opportunity, however, was far from dull.

Rally fans might be rapt to learn that the sexy Ms Mimnagh, a non petrolhead who drives a Fiat Punto, may be attending the Perthshire Rally of Scotland stages, albeit not in a skimpy grid girl outfit.

“No, I don’t think I’ll be flagging the cars off, just watching,” she said.

“I don’t get to Perth too often but I did do a couple of modelling jobs at Scone Palace last year.”

Since being crowned Miss Scotland in June, succeeding Dunblane’s Katharine Brown, Ms Mimnagh, from Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire, says no day has been the same.

“It’s been fantastic, really interesting, meeting lots of nice people,” she said.

“I’ve done loads of different things; I got sent to a fire station one day, went to New York last weekend, and in two weeks’ time I’m off to China to represent Scotland in the Miss World contest.”

So how did she fancy her chances?

“I’m hopeful,” she said, giggling.

“Scotland’s never won a Miss World before but I’m going to do my best.”