Elgin set to host top drivers from across Scotland for Speyside Stages Rally in Scottish Rally Championship
Top rally drivers from the Highlands and across the country are set to take part in the Speyside Stages in Moray on Saturday.
Around 90 cars are entered to compete across eight stages in the region in the opening round of the Scottish Rally Championship.
Defending Speyside Stages champion David Bogie from Dumfries will be going for an incredible 12th title at the event as he partners up with co-driver John Rowan in a Skoda Fabia RS.
Among the leading contenders who are looking to challenge for the title include John Wink from Huntly in a Hyundai i20 R5, Jock Armstrong from Castle Douglas in a Skoda Fabia R5 and Mark McCulloch in a Proton Satria Evo.
Muir of Ord driver Scott MacBeth along with Elgin co-driver Daniel Forsyth, who finished third at last year’s Snowman Rally in Ross-shire, are also considered contenders for the title with their Skoda Fabia R5.
Drivers from Inverness taking part include Jamie Edward in a Peugeot 205, Andrew Grant from in a Subaru Impreza, Adam Horne in a Mini Cooper, Donnie Macdonald in a Ford Fiesta R5, Kenny Wood from Inverness in a BMW E30.
Craig Martin from Drumnadrochit in a Skoda Felicia and Rhuraidh Campbell from Glenmoriston in a Chrysler Sunbeam are also taking part.
Other drivers from Ross-shire taking part are David Wilson from Alness in a BMW E36 M3, Fraser Macdougall from Ardross in a Skoda Favorit, Ross Jarrett from Dingwall in a Ford Escort MK2, Ross Macdonald from Muir of Ord in a Peugeot 208 Rally 4, Owen Macleod from Muir of Ord in a Peugeot 205. and Paddy Munro from Kyle driving a Ford Escort Mk2.
Clerk of the course Neil Shanks says it promises to be a competitive field to start the Scottish Rally Championship season.
He said: “Teams have been out throughout this week to prepare the course in the forests for this weekend.
“It is a really competitive field for the rally which will be under 90 cars and we are happy with that level.
“Quality wise it looks like it will be really competitive again.”
The safety scrutineering event takes place on the High Street in Elgin on Friday as cars will undergo their final safety checks.
The rally will start as tradition around the perimeter roads at Cooper Park in Elgin on Saturday at 9am.
The forest stages this year will take place between Elgin, Fochabers and Keith.
Competitors will stop twice at the service area at Keith Showground during the day before heading back towards Elgin.
There is also a spectators area at Whiteash outside Fochabers for people to watch the cars in action.
The winners ceremony will take place at Moray College in Elgin at around 4pm.
Shanks says the start of the event at Cooper Park is always well attended by spectators and is a major part of what makes the rally so special.
He said: “We always try and make the Speyside Stages more than just a motorsport event.
“We want to make an occasion for the town and the communities where the rally takes place.
“The scrutineering event on Friday and spectator events at Cooper Park is ideal for people to get their first experience of rally driving.
“Hopefully we get nice weather for the event and a chance for people in Elgin to experience something which they might see only once a year.”