Forest success forrally starFinlay
Blairgowrie rally driver Finlay Retson was in action at the Grampian Forest Rally at the weekend.
The east Perthshire teenager – accompanied by co-driver Tom Hynd – went into the event seeded 55th out of a field of 85.
Describing the first stage, undertaken in his left-hand drive M-Sport specification Fiesta ST, Finlay said: “We had the car ‘maxed out’ in fifth gear a few times – that’s the best fun I’ve had in ages!”
The pair increased their pace all day and had jumped up to 35th position overall – and first in their class, opening up a two-minute gap between their closest championship rival – by the second service station.
There was also a close battle with Gina Walker from Duns in her Citroen C2 for the overall Junior honours but, at the end of stage six, it was Finlay who took the first place in the SRC Junior category by 22 seconds from Walker.
He was also first in his class, Class 6 – finishing three minutes and five seconds ahead of nearest competitor Scott Burns.
Finlay and Tom finished 33rd overall in a competition which pits drivers against each other in a whole host of different categories.
The local youngster’s team is heading south of the border again in three weeks’ time to mix it with the Dmack Fiesta ST Trophy crews for the Woodpecker Stages .
Finlay will be pushing hard to improve on his current fourth place in the championship, with two rounds still to compete in. Amateur football results for Saturday were as follows: Smith League Cup: Section 4 - Blair Thistle 3, Strathearn Grove 1. Section 5 - Vale of Atholl AFC 3, Coupar Angus 6. Section 6 - Letham Community 1, Balmoral United 6. Section 8 - Dunkeld and Birnam 0, Alyth 6.
Fixtures for Thursday this week (kick-off 6.30pm); Section 1 Luncarty ASC v Burrelton Rovers. Section 2 - Kinrossie v Kettins, Rattray v Scone Thistle. Section 4 - Breadalbane v Scone Thistle. Section 5 - Ballinluig v Coupar Angus. Section 8 - Alyth v Bridgeton Utd. League fixtures for Saturday (kick-off 2pm): Division 2 - Burrelton Rovers v Bridgeton Utd. Division 3 - Letham CFC v Rattray.