Tributes as rally ace who inspired McRae dies, 82
AMONG the motor racing elite he is lauded as one of the all-time greats.
A childhood friend of Jim Clark, he was an influential figure who helped to inspire rally legend Colin McRae.
Now tributes have been paid to former rally ace and ‘true Scot’ Andrew Cowan who has died at the age of 82.
Despite never becoming a household name, Mr Cowan was widely regarded as one of the ‘best that ever lived’.
He grew up in Duns, Berwickshire, on a farm close to the one where Jim Clark – who was six months older than him – lived. The two often went head to head in local races. .
But while Clark shot to fame in Formula One, Mr Cowan chose instead to focus on rallying.
In a career spanning more than 30 years, he won a series of international titles, including the world’s longest rally leg – 20,000 miles around South America as part of the 1978 World Rally Championship season.
He later went on to lead the European operation for Japanese car maker Mitsubishi until his retirement in 2005 aged 69.
After hanging up his racing gloves, Mr Cowan took over a 700-acre farm in Berwick-onTweed, Northumberland. There he grew barley for the whisky industry with Linda, 62, his wife of 38 years.
Mr Cowan died peacefully at Borders General Hospital on October 15 following ill health and a stroke.
Three-times F1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart said: ‘Andrew was a charming man with enormous skills as a rally driver, winning the London to Sydney Marathon in great style twice. He was a true Scot and carried our country with great pride and recognition. I was very sad to hear of his passing, as I’d only seen him a few weeks ago at the official opening of the Jim Clark Museum in Duns.
‘A great loss to Scotland and to motor sport.’
Paying tribute to her late husband, Mrs Cowan said: ‘Andrew never chased accolades. He would just work away and ended up achieving wonderful things. He was the most generous person you could ever meet and had an incredible love of life.’
Tragic motor racing legend Clark was killed in a Formula Two race in April 1968, at the Hockenheimring in what was then West Germany.
His death hit Mr Cowan hard but he continued to compete on the rally circuit establishing himself as one of the greats.
He won two Scottish rally titles, five consecutive Southern Cross Rallies and competed in the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally. Mr Cowan was a recipient of the British Guild of Motoring Writers Driver of the Year and was twice winner of the Jim Clark Memorial Trophy for ‘outstanding achievement’. He also won the British Racing Drivers Club John Cobb Trophy.