Rally of Scotland

IRC - Rally Scotland - Marshal's Newsletter

What are you doing during the Tattie Holidays this year?

The 2010 RACMSA Rally of Scotland takes place over the weekend of 15th - 17th October, the traditional school October break; or the 'Tattie Holidays' as they known to the generations before easyJet, Playstation 3 and PSP's.

This was the time where you headed to the field to help with the Potato Harvest and to earn some extra pennies for Irn Bru and the McCowan's Highland Toffee bar.

Following a rather wet, but successful first running in 2009 there have been tweaks to the projected route but the awesome challenge of the Perthshire stages and the mammoth Trossach tracks will still test the skills of the very best the Intercontinental Rally Challenge has to offer. But to enable us to put on this sporting occasion that will be beamed to over 180 million households worldwide, we need your assistance, experience and enthusiasm as a volunteer marshal. We need Stage Commanders, Service Park co-ordinators, radio controllers, radio operators, spectator marshals, regroup marshals, results people, the list goes on and on...

Week format

With the event moving to a weekend format for 2010, we can reduce the amount of time required away from home for competitors and as importantly you, the marshal. Reconnaissance will take place on Thursday and Friday, with the competitive action getting underway later on the Friday night, before everything concludes late on Sunday afternoon.

We require the stages to be manned for the reconnaissance days to ensure the safety of the crews and general public. This really means being on the stage for a couple of hours, but it is a prime opportunity to meet the crews when they are not under the pressure of competition.

All the Special Stages will be run twice so it means that you get to see the full action throughout each day from your post. As a marshal you are guaranteed to be the closest to the action, fully informed of what is happening and in receipt of your Rally of Scotland souvenirs as a 'thank you' from us the organisers.

For 2010 it is our intention to have one central service point for the event and this will require careful planning and coordination to ensure that the cars can be refettled and back out to the stages on time. Many marshals will be require for this area alone.

How to join us?

If you feel you have the time, the dedication and the experience to assist us with welcoming the international competitors and spectators to Scotland, please contact either of our Chief Marshals:

Andy Straube – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Colin Christie – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Calling all MSA Licensed Radio Marshals

As well as requiring marshals to run the time controls, assist the spectators and keep the service area ticking over, the event needs to recruit a large number of licensed radio marshals to provide a high level of safety and administration communications. As with 2009 we will again be using three communication networks:

A System. This is the management system. Controlled from Rally Control, operators will be located at each stage start and finish. Mobile officials, Rescue Units and Recovery Units will all be equipped with A System sets.
B System. This is the system used to track competitors through the stages. B System operators work in teams, located at start, finish and every 5k (or thereabouts) through the stage. They report to a Controller for that particular stage. The Controller sweeps crews in their stage, collecting details of competitive cars passed the operators location. Details of any missing cars are reported to Rally Control and a search instigated through C System.
C System. This is the stage operations system, aka ‘81’ being the MSA Safety and Administration Frequency. Crews are at start, finish, spectator areas and at a maximum distance of 5k.

A large number of radio marshals are required to operate these three systems, with associated Controllers on stage and in Rally Control. If you are a MSA licensed radio marshal and are available for the event, or part of it, we would like to hear from you.

You are assured of a warm (and hopefully drier than 2009) Scottish welcome, ‘double runs’ each day including a National B field on Sunday, and a goody bag.

If you can help, or just want more information, please contact either:

Garry Headridge, Communications Co-ordinator, on 07780 602480 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Craig Webster, Asst. Communications Co-ordinator, 07766 093871 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Alternatively, complete the attached registration form and we will be in touch.

Accommodation availability

The middle of October is the Scottish autumn school holiday period. Traditionally known as the ‘tattie holidays’, school children left the classroom to help get the potato crop in. Okay, mechanical harvesters have done away with this way of earning some spare cash and, if you were lucky, getting to play around on a forklift, but it does still feature in the holiday calendar for a large number of families.

Accommodation may be harder to find than it was for the November date in 2009 so you are advised to think about your travel plans sooner rather than later.

Attachments:
Radio Registration.doc	[ ]	66 Kb
$Download this file (Rally of Scotland - Marshal\'s Newsletter No.1.pdf)$ Rally of Scotland - Marshal\'s Newsletter No.1.pdf	[ ]	228 Kb

Rally of Scotland 2009 Final Update

RALLY OF SCOTLAND BOSSES PROUD OF IRC DEBUT ... AND OTHER NEWS FROM THE IRC

Organisers of RACMSA Rally of Scotland believe they have a lot to be proud about after the country hosted its first Intercontinental Rally Challenge event earlier this month.

The gravel rally, which enjoyed live television coverage on Eurosport, brought the curtain down on the IRC season and received glowing praise from competitors.

Iain Campbell, the clerk of the course, said: "It's been a team that has put this all together and I'm proud of the whole team. It's been a steep learning curve but all stages started on time despite the difficult weather conditions. Also, the battle for the lead was nip and tuck to the finish and that made it very exciting."

Rally of Scotland will return to the IRC calendar in 2010 when it forms the 11th and penultimate round of the series from October 14-16. Before then, Campbell plans to have introduced several improvements.

"We're looking mainly for sunshine but we will be making some tweaks to the format," he said.

WILKS DECLARED SCOTTISH WINNER

Skoda UK driver Guy Wilks has been declared the winner of the Rally of Scotland after a stewards' hearing found that the front subframe of Kris Meeke's Peugeot 207 S2000 was 150 grams lighter than it should have been. There was however no intention to break the rules on Peugeot's part, as Meeke's car was actually heavier than the Skoda when it was weighed prior to the rally start.

Peugeot Sport director Olivier Quesnel stated: "We acknowledge the stewards' decision. We're responsible for what happened, but not guilty of anything. This was down to an administrative mistake, which we intend to rectify. The mistake had no influence on the performance of the 207 Super 2000 and we must apologise to Kris Meeke, whose talent and championship title this year are beyond question."

INDYCAR STAR FRANCHITTI SAVOURS RIDE WITH IRC CHAMPION

Kris Meeke interrupted his preparations for RACMSA Rally of Scotland by giving his friend, the IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, a high-speed ride in his Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

Meeke, who clinched the Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers' crown earlier this season, was testing for the IRC season finale at a site close to where Franchitti owns a house.

"I know Dario from my days when Colin McRae was helping me," said Meeke. "I got chatting to him recently and found out the test was two miles from his home so I invited him along and he had two runs in the car later in the day. It was dark and the stage we were using in the forest was slippery but I think he enjoyed the experience."

Franchitti's younger brother Marino was among a 3,500-strong crowd for the event's opening superspecial stages at Scone Palace near Perth, where Meeke set the fastest time on both runs.

PROTON TEAM PLANS TWO-CAR IRC ASSAULT

The British-based works Proton squad is set to field a two-car team in next year's Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

With backing from the Malaysian car giant, the team made its IRC debut on the Belgium Ypres Rally last June. Although it expanded to running two cars on Barum Czech Rally Zlin in August, it concentrated on fielding a single entry on all other events it has contested.

"Next year is going to be a busy year for us with two cars in the IRC," said team principal Chris Mellors.

Alister McRae, who scored Proton's first IRC podium on Rally of Scotland, is likely to continue with the team in 2010 although several other drivers are also under consideration.

"We hope Alister will be involved with the programme next year but there are a lot of drivers we're talking to," said Mellors. "We're going to be testing the car in December with some very interesting people. We're very excited."

KOITLA AIMS FOR MORE IRC OUTINGS IN 2010

Kaspar Koitla celebrated finishing third in the final IRC 2WD Cup standings by revealing plans to contest more rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge next season.

The Estonian driver took his Honda Civic Type-R to the 2WD category laurels in sixth overall on RACMSA Rally of Scotland earlier this month. He now wants to return to the series in 2010.

"I came to Scotland to try to finish third in the IRC 2WD Cup and I achieved my objective by winning," said Koitla. "It was my first time in the UK so I am very pleased because it was a difficult rally. It is all down to finding the sponsorship but I would like to do some more rallies in the IRC next year and come back to Scotland."

Koitla, 20, won the 2WD Cup on Rally Russia in July. He finished third behind Denis Millet and Manuel Villa in the final standings.

COUNTDOWN TO MONTE CARLO: MINUS 53 DAYS

With less than two months to go before the start of the Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the IRC next year, preparations are well underway.

With entries open since November 16, the first competitors are already adding their names to the entry list. The recce for the event will take place from Saturday 16 January to Monday 18 January, allowing teams to concentrate the whole rally within a week. The rally's ceremonial start will take place at 17:00 on Tuesday 19 January, at the Champs de Mars in Valence.

Entry fees for amateur drivers remain unchanged from last year and competitors will be able to supply their own tyres and fuel. For more information, please visit www.acm.mc

Monte Carlo is getting closer and closer

Rally of Scotland

The countdown is on to Scotland’s first round of the IRC

Win a pair of day passes to the event

Kris-Meeke-at-Chatsworth-in-front-of-arch-2 For those of you who aren’t yet aware, this November from the 19^th-21^st, Scotland will host the inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland, the thrilling final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC). The Scottish Sporting Car Club is supporting this prestigious event and is responsible for organising special stages nine and twelve, Fairy Knowe. To celebrate, the rally organisers have given us a pair of day passes for Friday 20^th November to give away. The passes include access to all stages, car parks and the Service Park on the day as well as copies of the official programme.

The Rally of Scotland brings back into action some of Scotland’s most famous motorsport stages. Highlights include Errochty, near Pitlochry, which has been used in the past as part of the RAC Rally and Drummond Hill near Kenmore, a stage of the Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally. A real highlight is the stage the club is supporting, Fairy Knowe in Aberfoyle, which hasn’t been used competitively for almost two decades. Historically, Fairy Knowe has been the setting of exploits from some of rallying’s most iconic figures, including McRaes Jimmy and Colin.

Some of the country’s most iconic historic locations will also be used as the event’s backdrop. Scone Palace will host special stages one and two and the free-of-charge Ceremonial Start and Blair Castle will be home to the Service Park on Friday 20^th November. On Saturday 21^st November, Stirling city centre will play host to the rally’s other Service Park.

WILKS_272 Fans can buy tickets now, starting at just £5, with the best value for money being the three day pass at £50 for adults and £25 for children, giving a saving of up to £40 on adult tickets purchased on the day. This includes access to all stages, including Thursday evening’s special stages and the Ceremonial Start, as well as all car parks and Service Parks.

For more information on tickets and to keep up to date with all the latest news on the event, visit http://www.rallyofscotland.com/. Tickets can also be booked by calling the ticket hotline on 0844 847 2488 or purchased in person at Barrhead Travel in Edinburgh, Glasgow (Oswald Street), Stirling and Dundee.

To enter our competition for the two free passes just send your answer A, B or C to the following question to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 31.10.09

What type of car won the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon

ANSWER A - Lotus Cortina
ANSWER B - Hillman Hunter
ANSWER C - Austin 1800

If you want to avoid paying to watch the rally, why not get involved and marshal. Alistair Reid is stage commander for the club’s handling of SS 9 & 12, Fairy Knowe. If anyone is interested in marshalling on these stages please call 07757 124324 on 01236 720819 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .