The UK Rally Challenge
The UK’s most exciting single venue motorsport event.
Sunday 17th July 2005
45 competitors took on the challenge of Knockhill again
for the UKRC 6 last weekend. The UKRC 6 was being run as
the Albar Memorial Rally and the overall winner of the day
would take home the Albar Memorial Trophy. Rumour said that
the main battle of the day would be between four top runners
who all had a very good chance of taking home the trophy.
Early on it was clear however that the race for the top
spot would be between two competitive drivers and the tension
throughout the day waiting to see who would finally do it
was thrilling. For ten of the eighteen stages John and Jim
Rintoul lead with only a few seconds to cushion them against
the onslaught of Jim McRae and Moira Barr. Those few seconds
were not quite enough and after a driver error by John Rintoul
on stage ten Jim McRae took the lead and held on to it until
the end. The final stage times showed there was not much
between the top two with only four seconds separating them
after eighteen fast and furious stages.
Further down the field another battle was being fought.
The 205 Border Ecosse Challenge saw the overall leader of
the championship so far, Paul McKinnon, take an early lead
only to be shuffled into second place by Bobby Mitchell.
Bobby maintained his lead and Paul gained second overall
in this round of the 205 Border Ecosse Challenge. Lorna
Smith was also out for a play with her dad in another 205
as this was her first time navigating she was really pleased
with their sixth in class. Lorna commented that she had
had a great day however she would not be swapping seats
in the near future returning to her favoured position in
the driver seat for the next round for the BRC on the Isle
on Man.
Overall every one had a brilliant day’s rallying.
The tight twisty stages of Knockhill lead to some interesting
manoeuvres with even the smaller cars such as the Peugeot
205 struggling to get round some of the chicanes. The day
ran smoothly and even the lack of marshals was not apparent
to the competitors who commented on how well the event had
been organised.
As the event was being run as the Albar Memorial Rally
fundraising was being carried out throughout he day. About
£500 was collected in buckets by Alan Barr’s
daughter and a further £120 was raised auctioning
off a model of Colin McRae’s Citroen Saxo. Angela
Luke of AML Photography donated all the money from sales
of signed photographs of Jim McRae which added to the grand
total for the day. All proceeds going to charities associated
with Alan’s rescue and subsequent hospital care in
Newcastle General Hospital.
The final prize giving saw an emotional end to the day
with Moira Barr saying a tearful thank you to all involved
in the day that had been a great tribute to her late husband
and his love for all things rallying. Having won the Albar
Memorial Trophy with Jim McRae she awarded it to John Marshall
who had donated an engine for Alan’s Subaru to allow
Moira and Jim to take it out for this event.
For
Final Results click here >
For
Stage Times click here >
For
Class Positions click here >
For
List of Awards click here >
(An Adobe PDF file will open in a new window,
or RIGHT click to "save as")
|
