Ross takes win by 15 seconds
Arran driver Ross Auld had to dig deep for victory in the Star Stage Rally last weekend.
East Ayrshire Car Club attracted a near-full entry list for their first rally of the season at the Kames Motorsport Complex in Muirkirk on Sunday. A large public gallery was treated to some spirited driving in both the main event and in the junior rally for under 17-yearolds.
The main rally saw a three-way struggle for honours between the Escorts of Ross from Whiting Bay, Allan McDowall of Tarbolton and Cumnock’s Willie Pollock. Going into the final of the 16 special stages the trio were covered by only 38 seconds and after some nail-biting runs, the Arran man held on to win by 15 seconds from McDowall who in turn had only 16 seconds in hand over Pollock. Marc Mc- Cubbin from Muirkirk was sixth in a Ford Focus.
The junior rally was even closer, with Peter Beaton from Ardisier working hard in his Peugeot 107 to hold on to a three second lead over Lewis Winder from New Galloway in a Nissan Micro. He too was under pressure as Andrew Blackwood from Stewarton closed his Citroen C1 to just nine seconds.
The juniors, who included three girls, were in cars limited to 1,000cc engine size but they all gave good accounts of themselves. Amy McCubbin from Muirkirk finished 11th as a result of two maximum scores which lost her several places.