Golden year at Mull Rally
The weekend of the October 11 and 12 saw an important date in the national rally calendar – some may even say world calendar – re-instated with the long-awaited and greatly anticipated 50th running of the Mull Rally.
Insurance issues had caused the cancellation of the 2017 and 2018 rallies, while closed roads rallying in the UK went through a major transition.
Some 150 crews arrived in Tobermory from Thursday afternoon to get through scrutineering. Many of the cars that went through early were looking to get some last-minute seat time and set up opportunity at the Shakedown stage on the Friday morning.
Friday saw the remaining cars through the safety and noise checks and ready for the ceremonial start that evening in Tobermory. Among these excited, nervous, eager competitors were a number of Mid-Argyll residents. No debutants but some new partnerships and some rekindled teams.
Innes Mochrie returned to the island with the Mighty Metro looking to continue his blistering form in the Mull Rally. The car is in constant development throughout the other 51 weeks of the year with other events entered around the UK all counted as prep for Mull.
This year saw a plea to the masses for a suitably qualified co-driver, as Innes’s daughter, who has well and truly caught the rally bug, fell just short of the minimum age requirement. Lewis Griffiths travelled all the way from Wales to sit in the vacant hot seat for the world-famous event in the only-slightly-less-worldfamous Metro.
Next level
Also returning to the island with his newly rebuilt class B Peugeot 106 GTi was Duncan MacLean, once more teaming up with Ian Parker who has taken his co-driving to the next level, being one of this year’s Motorsport UK Academy Co-Driver programme candidates.
Duncan and Ian were seeded 135 and again this gave them ample opportunity to show higher seeded cars that the wee 106 was more than capable of getting around the tight and twisty roads of Mull just as quickly as the bigger, more powerful four-wheeldrive entrants.
Alister MacArthur finished building the M R Motorsport Talbot Sunbeam with about a week to spare, before he headed to the island to do some important recce with brand new co-driver Claire Tilley, a native of the island, who has competed in the event before but not in a tail happy Sunbeam.
The new livery looked great and Alister was well warned about rubbing chicanes before heading out on the stages.
The final Mid Argyll crew entered was the father-son partnership of Craig and Ross Callander. The pair hadn’t been in the same car since 2015, on Mull, which they both insist is down to Craig working offshore and Ross being based in Aberdeen now but mum Audrey tells a different story.
Gathering dust
The tarmac car used in 2015 was not going to be ready and the Callanders were determined to compete in the extra special 50th running of the rally, so the gravel car, which has been gathering dust somewhat, was wheeled to the front of the workshop, mildly converted to tarmac spec and given a wash.
All four crews were happy to see daylight for leg two although the weather was still as changeable with heavy showers and even a few hailstones thrown in for good measure.
Two short stages in the south of the island to start then a loop of three famous stages run twice in the afternoon.
Innes and Lewis continued to push hard but with some mechanical issues as the oil filter housing had become damaged in the previous night’s efforts. Still making very quick progress across the island with Lewis possibly able to judge just how quick now that he could see the Mull countryside pass his window so swiftly. Leg two completed with no significant damage and now lying 46th overall, 16 seconds in front of a Focus WRC.
Duncan and Ian had a wee bit more adventure in the daylight with a half spin seeing the 106 lightened a wee bit, leaving the front bumper to be returned to service on its own. Perhaps fortunate not to damage the radiator, they carried on with the passenger headlight grimly holding on over the jumps on the hill road. Leg two finished in 76th overall, now sporting a yellow bumper. Ian’s road car was spotted entirely intact earlier in the day – I’m not so sure it finished that way.
Alister and Claire really got the bit between their teeth and the times were significantly better that the previous night’s efforts with only a few ‘moments’ in the car, causing no more than a bit of confusion and not just a bit of laughter.
Bridge
Claire lost the notes, not uncommon on bumpy fast stages and was urged by Alister to look for a bridge in the notes as they were approaching one, and then catch up form there.
Craig and Ross, having taken a brave decision to switch to slick tyres all round, and gambling a little with the weather, were setting good times and pushing hard, maybe too hard in places, with Ross reminding Craig after a couple of very hard landings on the Ensay jumps that they were ‘there for a finish’. Leg two completed in 77th place only 11 seconds behind Alister and Claire. All to play for in the final loop of stages in leg three later that night.
The final night stages in the Mull Rally are among the most atmospheric in Stage Rallying in the UK and further afield. The ‘Big One’ starts the proceedings with a 22 mile stage around Calgary bay and down Loch Tuath, testing both man, woman and machine in equal measures.