September 2022 News

GRASS AUTOTEST – 4th SEPTEMBER

Our sixth Grass Autotest of the year took place on Sunday 4th September, with 13 entries, returning to Redfield near Twynholm with the kind permission of the Armstrong family. Well done to our winner, Thomas McCarney, finishing 17+ seconds ahead of Rab Henderson, with Karen McCarney taking 3rd & first Lady. Niall Cowan Jnr was Top Novice.

The full Event Report can be read here.

CAR TREASURE HUNT – 18th SEPTEMBER

Thank you to everyone who came along to take part in this weekend’s Family Car Treasure Hunt, & thanks to Isobel for organising.

Well done to our winners, Keith, Jane & Katie Davidson & Family, who were not ‘Defeated!’ as their team name suggested!  They will be awarded with the ‘Anne Robertson Memorial Squirrel’ at the Dinner Dance in early 2023.

MR & MRS CUNNINGHAM – 24th SEPTEMBER

Our Committee Member Glen Cunningham married Leah Gowans, the daughter of Solway Car Club Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, Norman & May Gowans on Saturday 24th September. Congratulations to you both from everyone at Solway Car Club.

GRASS AUTOTEST – 25th SEPTEMBER

Our seventh and final Grass Autotest of the year took place on Sunday 25th September, with 17 entries, returning to Southerness with the kind permission of the McKeand family. Well done to our winner, Thomas McCarney, finishing 11.1seconds ahead of Richard Dickson, with Rab Henderson another 3.1seconds back. First Lady was Karen McCarney, with Niall Cowan Jnr taking Top Novice.

The full Event Report can be read here.

MEMBERS IN ACTION

Woodpecker Rally (3rd September): Round 6 of 8 in the BTRDA series took place near Ludlow in Shropshire with a capacity entry of 170 cars. Jamie Edwards, co-driving for Neil Weaver, finished 16th Overall and 1st in Class B10 in their Opel Corsa S1600. The Sloan twins Scott & David had a difficult day, unfortunately rolling their Peugeot 208 R2 on the first stage and then having to stop before SS3.

Armstrong Galloway Hills Rally (10th September): our three-way collaboration with Machars and East Ayrshire Car Clubs, took place on Saturday 10th September. After receiving a lower entry than they were hoping for (just 58 starters in the end) the Committee were left with no option but to shorten the route and do 3 runs of the two stages in Cairn Edward and Fleet only, omitting Black Loch completely. Kudos to them for finding a way round the problem, and also a huge thank you to everyone from Solway Car Club who came along on the day to Marshal.

The Scottish Rally Championship headed south for the penultimate round, with all to play for. Top finisher was event sponsor, Jock Armstrong, and Cammy Fair in the Subaru Impreza. They struggled a bit with car issues but finished on the podium in 3rd. Taking what is probably their best result to date, Angus Lawrie & Paul Gribben finished a fantastic 4th Overall in the ALM Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, with Paul also taking the Lawrance Clark Memorial Award for first co-driver from the DG Postal district in memory of the 1987 winner.

Mark McCulloch and Michael Hendry finished in 6th in the home-build Proton Satria Evo, just ahead of Drew Sturrock, who finished 7th Overall co-driving for Hugh Brunton in the eye-catching Ford Fiesta R5. Making a rare outing on gravel, Andy Scott wheeled out the Ford Fiesta S2000 Turbo, and under the guiding supervision of BRC Champion Patrick Walsh, he finished 10th.

First front-wheel-drive was Peter Stewart & Harry Marchbank in 11th Overall and first in class, ahead of the MG ZR of Keith Riddick & Mairi Riddick who finished 15th Overall and 3rd in class. Hot on their heels was The Captain, as Scott Peacock & Craig Wallace finished 16th and 1st in class on their debut outing in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8.

Robert Proudlock and stand-in Andrew Falconer brought their Vauxhall Adam home in 22nd Overall, which was enough to secure the 2022 Scottish Junior Championship – well done, Robert! Niall Cowan Jnr & Callum Shanks finished 26th Overall in the MG ZR on a pre-Mull Rally shakedown, ahead of the Ford Escort MK II of David Hardie & John McCulloch who had not been on gravel for 10+ years. Chris Rankin & Alex Knight were 29th in the BMW Compact.

Richard Stewart had a great day in the Peugeot 208 Rally4 to finish 37th this time co-driven by Colin Maxwell, and Alan Edwards guided Ron Horne in the Subaru Impreza round to finish 42nd. The only Solway retiree was young Lewis Haining, who suffered a mechanical failure within touching distance of the end of the final stage, resulting in his Vauxhall Corsa slipping off the road.

A special thank you once again to everyone involved in putting on the excellent event.

Cheviot Stages (18th September): the Father and Son team of Murray Grierson & Mark Grierson were out in their new Ford Fiesta R5 for the only the second time, finishing 10th Overall. The day started badly for Joe McKeand & Ian Murray in the Subaru Impreza, lying dead last after a maximum time on SS1. They clawed back to 31st after the day’s 11 stages, which seals Joe 3rd Overall Driver in the North of England Tarmac Championship for 2022 – well done!

Trackrod Rally (24th September): Jamie Edwards, co-driving for Arron Newby in a Skoda R5+, finished 5th Overall, taking the place from fellow Solway member Drew Sturrock (alongside Hugh Brunton in a Ford Fiesta R5) on the final stage! Paul Gribben alongside Chris Lawson in the Vauxhall Corsa Kit Car sadly did not finish.

Memorial Garden Stages (24th September: the penultimate round of the Scottish J1000 series for drivers 14-17 years old took place at RM Condor near Arbroath, and Ollie Forrester and George Myatt finished 7th in their Nissan Micra, on what was only Ollie’s second event behind the wheel. Well done.

Chris Kelly Memorial Manx Stages (30th September – 1st October): the Father and Son team of Willie Nelson & Craig Nelson took their immaculate Ford Escort Mk II over to the Isle of Man for the first time. A boat might’ve been better for Friday’s two short Legs as the rain and standing water was quite torrential, but they got round on their first visit to the island in 45th Overall, and by all accounts, they loved it!

WRC Rally New Zealand (30th September – 2nd October): The WRC headed back to New Zealand for the first time since 2012, so this was a new rally for most of the drivers. Elliot Edmondson and driver Oliver Solberg finished a fantastic 5th overall in their Hyundai i20 N Rally1.

Well done, everyone!

📸 Alan Scott Photography: The Captain & Craig Wallace on The Hills.

MEMBERSHIP

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COMING EVENTS IN OCTOBER

Committee Meeting – 4th October
Tour of Mull – 14th-15th October
SCC Tarmac Autotest – 16th October
Carlisle Stages – 22nd October
SCC Tarmac Autotest – 30th October