| RSAC Scottish Rally | |
| Status: | Active |
| Genre: | Rallying |
| Frequency: | Annual |
| Venue: | Dumfries and Galloway[1] |
| Location: | Scotland |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| First: | 1932, |
| Last: | 2021 Scottish Rally |
| Website: | http://www.scottishrally.co.uk/ |
The Royal Scottish Automobile Club (RSAC) Scottish Rally is the highlight of the Scottish Rally Championship and the longest-standing rally event in Scotland, having been first contested in 1932. The event takes place in May or June of every year and the organisation claims that the warm weather and unique forest stages draw competitors from around the world.[2] The rally has previously hosted a round of the World Rally Championship, enjoying the status of being a round of the Rally Championship for Drivers in 1978, and it also spent 26 years on the calendar of the European Rally Championship but in recent years it has been limited to being a round of the Scottish Rally Championship.
The first Scottish rally took place from 4 to 9 July 1932 on a route of approximately through Scotland and England and consisted of six days of competition with participants beginning the rally at one of six start points in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, London, Harrogate and Droitwich. The first day involved competitors travelling from their chosen starting point before all rendezvousing in Scotland later in the event and finally ending in Edinburgh.[3] Unlike in modern rallies where the object is to complete the course in as short a time as possible, competitors were set an average speed that they were expected to maintain on each stage. Points were awarded for meeting this target, the condition of the car at the end of the stage, and even for the number of occupants of each vehicle. There were also tests of driver and vehicle such as accelerating and braking challenges and "kerb driving" (driving as close as possible to the kerb without touching it). There were even dances organised in the evenings to allow drivers to socialise.[4]
There was no single overall winner of the rally but G.F. Dennison (driving a Riley) was crowned champion of the small car category, while the large car category was won by J.S. Couldrey in a Hudson. There were also control prizes awarded for the best performer from each of the six starting points.[5]
It was not until 1961 that a driver was awarded the overall winner's title, John Melvin being the first driver to receive that honour. The event used to enjoy International status, however since 1988, as the World Rally Championship moved to include only one event per country, it has been reduced to a National event in favour of the RAC Rally in Wales. Over the years, the event has been based in towns and cities throughout Scotland including Glasgow, Perth, Inverness and Dunoon. However, since 1997 it has been centered in Dumfries in South West Scotland.[6]
The Scottish Rally formed part of the European Rally Championship from 1970 until 1996,[6] but arguably its biggest moment came in 1978 when it formed part of the Cup for Rally Drivers. There was no World Championship title for rally drivers at this point,[7] but the title was the precursor to today's World Rally Championship drivers' champion.[8]
Notable winners of the Scottish Rally include Roger Clark, Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, Ari Vatanen, Tony Pond, Malcolm Wilson, Richard Burns and Colin McRae.[6] The most successful drivers in the event's history are Roger Clark and David Bogie, who tied Clark's record of six wins in 2019.[9]
A full list of rally winners from the first time a single overall winner was recognised in 1961 until the present day is shown in the table below, along with their co-drivers and the car being driven.[10]
| Year | Driver | Co-Driver | Car | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Michael Binnie | Claire Mole | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | |
| 2021 | David Bogie | John Rowan | Mini John Cooper Works WRC | |
| 2020 | Rally cancelled – COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2019 | David Bogie | John Rowan | Škoda Fabia R5 | |
| 2018 | David Bogie | Kevin Rae | Škoda Fabia R5 | |
| 2017 | Euan Thorburn | Paul Beaton | Ford Fiesta R5 | |
| 2016 | Elfyn Evans | Craig Perry | Ford Fiesta R5 | |
| 2015 | David Bogie | Kevin Rae | Ford Fiesta R5 | |
| 2014 | Daniel McKenna | Arthur Kierans | Citroën DS3 R3T | |
| 2013 | Alastair Fisher | Gordon Noble | Citroën DS3 R3T | |
| 2012 | David Bogie | Kevin Rae | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | |
| 2011 | Jock Armstrong | Kirsty Riddick | Subaru Impreza | |
| 2010 | David Bogie | Kevin Rae | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | |
| 2009 | Mike Faulkner | Peter Foy | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | |
| 2008 | Dave Weston | Dave Robson | Ford Focus RS WRC | |
| 2007 | Gary Adam | Gordon Adam | Subaru Impreza | |
| 2006 | Dave Weston | Dave Robson | Ford Focus RS WRC | |
| 2005 | Mark Higgins | Bryan Thomas | Ford Focus RS WRC | |
| 2004 | Jonny Milner | Nicky Beech | Subaru Impreza WRC | |
| 2003 | Jonny Milner | Nicky Beech | Toyota Corolla WRC | |
| 2002 | Jonny Milner | Nicky Beech | Toyota Corolla WRC | |
| 2001 | Dave Weston | Neil Shanks | Subaru Impreza WRC | |
| 2000 | Tapio Laukkanen | Kaj Lindstrom | VW Golf | |
| 1999 | Tapio Laukkanen | Kaj Lindstrom | Renault Maxi Mégane | |
| 1998 | Alister McRae | David Senior | VW Golf GTi Kit Car | |
| 1997 | Alister McRae | David Senior | VW Golf GTi Kit Car | |
| 1996 | Harri Rovanperä | Juha Repo | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | |
| 1995 | Tomas Abrahamsson | Mike Kidd | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | |
| 1994 | Malcolm Wilson | Bryan Thomas | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth | |
| 1993 | Richard Burns | Robert Reid | Subaru Legacy RS | |
| 1992 | Colin McRae | Derek Ringer | Subaru Legacy RS | |
| 1991 | Colin McRae | Derek Ringer | Subaru Legacy RS | |
| 1990 | David Llewellin | Phil Short | Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 | |
| 1989 | David Llewellin | Phil Short | Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 | |
| 1988 | Jimmy McRae | Rob Arthur | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth | |
| 1987 | David Llewellin | Phil Short | Audi Quattro | |
| 1986 | Mikael Sundstrom | Voitto Silander | Peugeot 205 T16 | |
| 1985 | Malcolm Wilson | Nigel Harris | Audi Quattro A1 | |
| 1984 | Hannu Mikkola | Phil Short | Audi Quattro A2 | |
| 1983 | Stig Blomqvist | Bjorn Cederberg | Audi Quattro | |
| 1982 | Hannu Mikkola | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro | |
| 1981 | Tony Pond | Mike Nicholson | Vauxhall Chevette | |
| 1980 | Hannu Mikkola | Arne Hertz | Ford Escort RS1800 | |
| 1979 | Pentti Airikkala | Risto Virtanen | Vauxhall Chevette | |
| 1978 | Hannu Mikkola | Arne Hertz | Ford Escort RS1800 | |
| 1977 | Ari Vatanen | Peter Bryant | Ford Escort RS1800 | |
| 1976 | Russell Brookes | John Brown | Ford Escort RS1800 | |
| 1975 | Roger Clark | Jim Porter | Ford Escort RS1600 | |
| 1974 | Rally cancelled – Tanker drivers' strike | |||
| 1973 | Roger Clark | Jim Porter | Ford Escort RS1600 | |
| 1972 | Hannu Mikkola | Hamish Cardno | Ford Escort RS1600 | |
| 1971 | Chris Sclater | John Davenport | Ford Escort RS1600 | |
| 1970 | Brian Culcheth | Johnstone Syer | Triumph 2.5 Pi | |
| 1969 | Simo Lampinen | Arne Hertz | Saab 96 | |
| 1968 | Roger Clark | Jim Porter | Ford Escort RS1600 | |
| 1967 | Roger Clark | Jim Porter | Ford Cortina GT | |
| 1966 | Tony Fall | Mike Wood | Mini Cooper S | |
| 1965 | Roger Clark | Jim Porter | Ford Cortina GT | |
| 1964 | Roger Clark | Jim Porter | Ford Cortina GT | |
| 1963 | Andrew Cowan | David Thomson | Sunbeam Rapier | |
| 1962 | Andrew Cowan | David Thomson | Sunbeam Rapier | |
| 1961 | John Melvin | Anne Melvin | Sunbeam Alpine |