MOTORSPORT competitors and fans are geared up for one of the most iconic events on the calendar as the Jim Clark Rally starts in the Borders tomorrow night.
More than 240 crews are set to tackle the closed public roads in Berwickshire as the Duns-based gathering hosts various championships over three days.
A dazzling list of entrants from across the UK and beyond will bring the sport into the heart of the community.
The British Rally Championship, UK Asphalt Rally series, Scottish Rally Championship and an impressive list of popular regional rally challenges are all part of the mix.
After a two-year break because of Covid, organisers of the Beatson’s Building Supplies-sponsored contest are promising a fresh, intriguing event.
There about 115 miles of special stages using classic tests from previous encounters, coupled with new twists to challenge the crews to the limit.
Top Scottish contenders to look out for include local ace and BRC competitor Garry Pearson, who has Dale Furniss in his Ford Fiesta Rally2 co-driver’s seat.
But the fight for bragging rights will be on between him and fellow Duns driver Euan Thorburn in his familiar Ford Focus WRC, with Paul Beaton on the notes.
Sunday’s Reivers Rally also sees a sensational entry thanks to the SRC, headed by 2011 rally winner David Bogie driving a MINI JCW WRC with co-pilot John Rowan.
They will no doubt be challenged by Cornhill’s Michael Binnie in his Mitsubishi Evo and Duns co-driver Claire Mole.
Adding to the local interest, Duns driver Dale Robertson tackles his first rally since 2019 and has World Rally Championship co-driver Stuart Loudon, from Lanarkshire, in the co-driver’s seat of their Fiesta R5.
Spectators will have plenty of opportunities to catch the action on the stages and get up close to the stars and their cars during event formalities.
Duns town centre will host the start and finish celebrations, with commentary by Knockhill’s Duncan Vincent and a big screen showing the action from the stages.
Visit the www.jimclarkrally.co.uk website for more information on the rally, spectating and more.
South of the Border, the British Touring Car Championship roars into the UK’s fastest circuit – Thruxton – with additional hybrid power likely to bring record-breaking speeds to the Hampshire venue this weekend.
Triple champion Gordon Shedden, based at Knockhill, has commenced his 2022 title challenge in encouraging fashion in his Honda Civic Type R.
Fellow Fifer Rory Butcher will aim to build on his recent success at Brands Hatch with his Toyota Corolla. And Scottish Laser Tools Infiniti Q50 duo Aiden Moffat and Dexter Patterson will hope to get among the points.
The British GT Championship title battles also ratchet up a notch this weekend at Donington Park in the Midlands, where more maximum points are on offer during the series’ second three-hour race.
Motherwell’s Ian Loggie will look to ensure that his RAM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 stays at the top of the leader board after an inquiry into the season-starter at Oulton Park decided he had earned the points.
Forfar’s Sandy Mitchell in his Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan will also hope to be in the mix after a hard-fought win at the Silverstone 500.
Aberdeen father and son duo Stewart and Lewis Proctor will be hunting further glory in the Silver-Am class after two recent podium successes in their Greystone GT McLaren 720S.
In the GT4 class, watch out for Dumfriesshire’s Ross Wylie in his Valluga Racing Porsche 718 Cayman. He currently lies third in the standings. Uddingston teenager Cian Shields will be in action in the supporting GB3 championship.
GB4 competitor Logan Hannah, from East Kilbride, will look to build on her success after a second-place finish at Silverstone last time out. Perth teenager Chloe Grant will no doubt be aiming to join her team-mate on the podium at Donington.
Also worth a watch will be round two of the array of races that make up the KMSC and Scottish Championship motorbike action at Knockhill.
Whetting the appetite for fans of two-wheeled motorsport, Perth’s Rory Skinner and Tarran Mackenzie, from Stirlingshire, both had encouraging performances in the British Superbike Championship last weekend.
FS-3 Kawasaki rider Skinner finished seventh, eighth and fourth, while reigning champion McAMS Yamaha rider Mackenzie, coming back from a pre-season injury, was a creditable 10th, sixth and 11th.
Overseas, Glasgow’s Stevan McAleer and team-mate Eric Filgeuiras dominated Pirelli GT4 America series at NOLA. They qualified on pole for both races in New Orleans in the RS1 Porsche 718 then took a brace of wins.
McAleer said: “That is now four wins out of four so far this season. It is a great car, and we love bringing the team more victories.”
