Motorsport: Rally round for Brick and Steel

Sep 26 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

SUPERSTAR drivers past and present may be coming from all over the world to pay homage to Colin McRae at tomorrow’s weekend’s Perth-based Colin McRae Forest Stages.

But Big County competitors Jamie Stewart and Scott Murray have more pressing things on their mind.

For them, the McRae is their local rally and, more importantly, the sixth round in the ultra-competitive Brick and Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge.

Both competitors are in serious contention for top prizes in the closely-fought one-make rally series, and will be going all out to keep their hand in the title fight after a disappointing day last time out.

Scott and Jamie both failed to finish the Speyside Stages at the start of August, but with championship rules stating that drivers and navigators must discard their lowest two scores from the season, they are still in with a serious chance of scooping some silverware.

When things have been going well for Blair Atholl fencer Jamie Stewart, he has been right up there with the fastest Challenge competitors, but a holed fuel tank halted his progress on the Speyside Stages six weeks ago.

Perth lift engineer Scott Murray is equally upbeat about the rest of the season despite the misfortunes that have masked his true pace so far.

A minor drivetrain issue was enough to put Scott and co-driver Dave O’Brien from Duns out of the Speyside, however they bounced back with a fine drive to second in class on the non-Challenge Merrick Forest Stages a few weeks ago.

Meanwhile, it’s going to be a busy day in the service park for the Big County 205 Challenge.

Blairgowrie’s Ian Rae, who looks after both Jamie and Scott’s cars in-between events, is preparing to return to the stages himself in his Talbot Sunbeam.

Rae’s car will go directly up against the Murray and Stewart machines – and there’s a possibility of a Perthshire one-two-three in their class.