Hangover
Archie Simmonds drove his rebuilt white MG Midget to a win at this years Hangover. Having just completed a rebuild of engine and gearbox and with only 4 miles on the clock since, it was an ideal opportunity to check out the car. Partnering Archie was Adrian Stewart all the way from Stonehaven (SDMC) who also brought his own mini for a shakedown. [more]

Tales from 2007

Trans Scottish Challenge
Sunshine blessed the crews of this years CCHMSC event on 25th and 26th August. Open top cars remained that way for the whole 350 mile event. New roads and new venues were an extra treat for this two day tour. The crews visited Glamis Castle, Loch Tummel and Kenknock on the way to Balloch on the first day and a challenging autotest in the Argyll Motor works starting a second day of sunshine fun, which included two runs up the Rest and be Thankful. [more]

Speedfair Rally
The Saltire Rally Club, Speedfair Rally on 21 and 22 July at the recent Scottish Classic Speedfair at Knockhill Circuit, attracted 40 cars for the Historic Rally. Cars from the 50’s through to the 80’s competed over the 9 Tests on the Saturday with the top 12 going forward to a Shoot out format on the Sunday. [more]

Border Counties
Sunshine treated competitors and spectators to the 2007 event on March 24th, a change from snow last year! Aberdeen’s Dave Weston finished as top County Saab MSA Scottish Rally Championship, and Steve Perez and local Berwickshire co-driver Claire Mole emerged victorious on the Nat A event [more]

Valentine
Derek Mclean was drafted in at two days’ notice to help out non-expert navigator Alan Maxwell. I’m not sure what the problem was, but I was happy to step in as a substitute. We had a major problem at the start. Alan was doing some map marking and suddenly he realised he had lost one of the maps. [more]

Nuit Blanche
Moved due to date clashes last year, the event promised to be again as unpredictable weather wise as a Scottish February can be and with potentially fiendish route clues as the collective academic minds of Edinburgh University could muster.  [more]

Saltire Classic Rally
HBCC member Scott Clements took his Imp on the Saltire on 25th February, learning a few lessons on the way. Plenty of sliding around on the muddier tests. Read about his exploits.  [more]

Hangover Autotest
Nine people had a good day’s fun at the Stobs venue, with 18 tests on offer. As predicted, Archie Simmonds (MG Midget) was fastest overall. But he didn’t have it all his own way. Tom Wilson, an autotest novice in his wife’s Citroen C2 GT, was actually leading for a short time after Archie struggled for traction [more].

Tales from 2006

Hill Rally Action Video
The newly formed Scottish Hill Rally Club event in Newcastleton Forest on 24 and 25 November had top names and exciting actions on the forest roads and quarries. For action video click here, and to see some of the shots taken by EUMSC member Oly McOllum, click here.

Autumn Rally
Derek McLean teamed up with Eamon Williams to run in the non ex class of Highland Car Clubs Autumn Rally. Ten entries took part, starting on September 2nd.  [more]

Trans Scottish Challenge
Celebrating the centenary of the Argyll Motor Works at Alexandria, the Caledonian Classic and Historic Motor Sport Club put together a classic tour on Sunday 27th August. Starting at the motor works, the tour took in tests at the Rest and be Thankful and Kenknock hillclimbs before  finishing at Scone Palace.See BBC footage at [CC&HMSC]

Jim Clark
Stuart Jones, together with his co-driver Craig Parry, won this weekend’s round two of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, the Jim Clark International Rally. He now leads the Championship by two points. [more]

Teviotdale
George Reid navigated Charlie Brown round the 2006 Teviotdale navigational event to take top place on Saturday 8 April. A total of twenty crews took part. Full story to follow. See photos of the event now at www.jethrocollins.co.uk  and download full results.

Border Counties 2006
A full range of competitor, and spectator information is now available together with Regs and Entry forms, and a regularly updated entry list.  During the event there will be a live results service. Bookmark now www.bordercountiesrally.co.uk
Once again our thanks to John McClory of Brick and Steel who once again is the main sponsor.

Hangover 2006
Ten stalwarts braved the frosty start to 2006 at the Haugh in Hawick for the annual Hangover autotest. Alistair Maxwell (Ancrum) has been a member longer than anyone can remember and he has tackled almost every form of motor sport that there is. He hasn’t done an autotest for a few years, but I reckon near-neighbour Rob Smith must have twisted his arm and offered him the use of a car, so he just couldn’t refuse, could he? [more]

Tales from 2005

Border Motorsport  loses Dave MacLellan
A great sadness was felt across all the border motorsport clubs following the loss of Dave Maclellan on Friday 8th December 2005. Dave worked tirelessly for the benefit of BECC, BDMC, and HBCC. He produced and organised much of the documentation for the Jim Clark Memorial, and Border Counties Rallies, as well as newsletters, flyers etc. With an artistic background he also coached others with muscular dystrophy in painting, woodworking, and desktop publication. Graham Galloway in his Anglia and Brian Middlemass in his Avenger provided a rally "flypast" roar for Dave at the funeral on Thursday 15th. Our condolences go out to his wife Janet and family.

Early Winter
Early entries hinted at a field well above 20, which actually peaked at 28, by far the largest entry in an ESACC event this year. With Derek Mclean taking the role of CofC Jason Ferry teamed up with EUMSC's James Stewart. Read how the pair got on.  [more]

Nuit Blanche
More stories from the navigators seat. Car 7 driven by Derek Mclean with Jason Ferry navigating tells the story. Will the number 7 be lucky for Jason? Read on  [more]

Nuit Blanche
Eighteen cars tackled Ewan Leeming’s ninety-mile route, starting on the familiar yellows around Raceland before winding south and finishing with a flat-out blast along farm tracks to Oxton. Alongside the usual October hazards of wet leaves and badgers racing into hibernation, Nuit Blanche crews had to deal with the threat of black cows on the last farm section.    [more]

EUMSC Training Rally
This event was staged on the evening of 14th October 2005 as the annual event to introduce novices within the University to the challenge of navigational rallying. The route was set at just over 51 miles starting at Raceland karting, East Lothian and due to finish just North of the Fordel services on the A68.   [more]

Inter Association - Oxford MC
Derek Mclean and Ewan Leeming joined forces for the "cotswolds challenge", this years inter association navigational event organised by Oxford MC. Aimed at experienced crews the event is always tough but a few local sayings went over the heads of most of the Scottish and Northern Irish crews, leading to a disappointing first half.  [more]

La Carrera Caledonia
Jim McGuiness pulled together his biggest entry in this the third running of the Carrera Caledonia, for historic and sporting marques. 40 entries included Simon Paterson in his Healey Sprite, and myself in more modern kit with the Lotus Elise. (not historic, but certainly sporting). A simple follow the marked up map event, the Carrera took us over some of the most spectacular roads in Scotland, offering views that take the breath away, be it rain or shine. [more]

Brown and Turner on a roll with Teviotdale
Charlie Brown and Neil Turner continued their recent run of form in navigational events by winning the Teviotdale Rally on Saturday night. Turner, the top navigator in last week’s Moonbeam Rally, navigated for Gropers Rally winner Brown, and the pair brought their Volkswagen Lupo home well clear of rivals Robin Scott and Ewan Leeming. [more]

Mid March Madness
Ewan Leeming wins a navigational event. Now there’s a surprise. Despite the best efforts of driver Stewart Anderson to hit two deer, a double-decker bus and a drunk in Mayfield, the Borders pair finished in first place in the Mid-March Madness Scatter, beating closest rivals Harry Elwin and Oly McCollum by three points.  [more]

Hangover Autotest
Nineteen entries braved the early new year autotest at Hawick Haugh on Sunday 2nd January. Richard Pinkney collected first prize on the 9 test event, Ian Maxwell in his Ibiza topped the HBCC entries with last years winner, Robert Smith in a BMW 318 no less, chasing him. Niki Cleland brought brother Jamie along but their Seicento expired after the first three tests. [more]

Tales from 2004

East Lothian Safari Rally
Oly McCollum and Iain Craven followed up their terrific performances at the Dawnbreaker Inter-Association event with an overall win in the East Lothian Safari, held on Saturday night in sub-zero temperatures. However, they only won by virtue of a tiebreaker with Graeme Sherry and Peter Weall, Craven being the faster of the two co-pilots to answer a mathematical question based on windmills on the map. [more]

Inter Association - Dawnbreaker Rally
The Inter-Association rally is an annual event, in theory. It didn’t run last year, but this year it was run by Northern Ireland Motor Club on behalf of the Association of NI Motor Clubs. Read "the Maestro's", Derek Mcleans report [more]

SRC Update
WORLD Rally Cars will be eligible to challenge for next year’s County Saab Scottish Rally Championship title following a meeting of the General Committee on Monday, November 8. Organisers took into account the opinions and views of competitors and events alike and agreed to look at alternative measures to reduce speed and control costs. Regulations will remain the same for next year, however it looks likely there will be changes in 2006. [more]

Angus Classic
Thirty seven starters took off from Edzell. A regular in the historic rallying calendar drawing competitors from all over the country. This years event was slightly different. Caledonian Classic and Historic Motor sport Club teamed up with the 750 club on the Saturday for a few tests and an overnight navigational event. [more]

Berwick Classic
A top entry for this annual favourite in the "Classic" calendar. Seventy four entries enjoyed a glorious weekend of motoring, and almost wall to wall sunshine. Read your webmasters story of escapades with son and Sprite.  [more]

Teviotdale
Twentythree entries including eight historic crews, turned out for a rather wet and windy evening. The day had been dry and the late showers made things a bit slippy for some, including the opening car... oops  [more]

Charterhall
April showers, and some real soakers, kept the route alive and slippy for some. Andy Renwick kept borderers Jock Threadgall and Willie Mallen at bay to win the overall prize. [more]

Border Counties - Local Hero's
Read how the local teams faired at the BCR on Sat 20th March, from the pen of Dave Maclellan. Top Border finisher was Doug Redpath from Duns, co-driving for Ayr’s Neale Dougan aboard his Ford Escort WRC. The pair finished 5th overall. Doug was presented with the Richard Paterson award for the highest finishing Border co-driver. [more]

Gropers and Perth Autoross
SA busy weekend for the Maestro. Derek McLean tells how he handled the dilema of fitting in two events in the one weekend, his new partner on navigational rallies, and how they got on at SDMC's Gropers navigational rally and 55CC's Autocross at Perth. [more]

Nuit Blanche
Starting at Kartland, this years Nuit Blanche on Saturday 28th Feb explored the 4 corners of map 66 taking in a full 150 miles. Ewan Leeming guided Monty Pearson to win the event. 24 competitors, including 6 historic crews, took up the challenge which finished at Oxton village hall. [more].

Hangover Autotest
HBCC's annual introduction to the new year ran this year from Hawick, a change from the usual Selkirk swimming pool location. Ten hardy souls brought a selection of cars to complete. See how they got on [more]

Tales from 2003

Williamson - 29 Nov
Monty Pearson, with Ewan Leeming navigating won this years Williamson on a tie-break (2 clean sheets). Derek Mclean took novice, Andrew Brougham, from Dunfermline for a third time. [more]

55CC Autocross
Derek takes a "new" Maestro up to Errol for another 55CC Autocross.  Lots of action and a tight moment for Derek as well. If your a dab hand with a welding kit you will be in great demand. [more]

Early Winter
Mud on road, new type of tyre, new routes from Monty, and a bit too much speed on the downhill, put Derek and navigator Ewan Leeming in the nearest field. A quick reaction only dug the Accord a bit deeper than Derek would have liked [more]

SSCC Caledonia
Ewan Leeming guided Derek McLean to a win on the 25th October. This is the second win on this event for Derek. 19 year old student Ewan also picks up the "Junior" navigator award as well!  [more]

Fife Circle - 12 Car
Derek McLean once again takes new blood under his wing as he heads over to Fife for a Glenrothes Motor Club event. Club members Douglas Smith joined Derek in this Alan Cowan event  [more]

Pothunter
Derek McLean teams up with Peter Weall, returning to motorsport after many years. Derek is always ready to site behind novice or expert and the pair got on famously on this "Neil Turner" special. Read how it all turns out.  [more]

New Tank for Derek
Derek McLean heads for 55 CC's autocross on July 27th at Dalcrue, just outside Perth. A new tank on the 214 made for interesting handling. Neil Morrison and Peter Humphrey joined in Derek's old Montego [more]

New Rules
New rules applying to navigational rallies next year. Licence holders will have seen this in the MSA magazine, but those who don’t have Licences may not know about lots of changes taking place next year, many of which will affect navigational rallies. Derek McLean gives a précis of them here.  [more]

Teviotdale
Nineteen entries started from Clelands Volvo, at Galashiels for a jaunt round 97 miles of Border roads. The showery weather made it a bit slippy in places, with a few visiting the hedges! [more]

Charterhall
Michael Glendinning  repeated his win of 2002, by storming home in first place on Saturday 29th March. Of 80 starters 28 came to grief on the "tar" stages... BECC member Des Campbell took most of the silver away in a spectacular performance in his Swift Nova [more]

Border Counties 2003
Raymond Munro and Neil Ewing won this years event, 2 seconds ahead of Barry Johnson and Stewart Merry. Tragedy however struck the event with the death of Roy Herron following an accident on stage 5 while co-driving for Alan Doncaster in a Peugeot 206. [more]

Hangover
Jock Hislop made it a hat trick, with another win at Selkirk swimming pool car park for the 2nd January opener for the season. A battle royal for the top places. [more]

Updated 3 Janury 2008
Webmaster - Jim Paterson