News Rallying

“The Scottish Rally Championship 1980-1989”

The ideal Christmas Present for any fan of Scottish rallying…

Written by famed motorsport journalist John Fife, this the first of six planned books documenting the history of Scotland’s premier national motor sporting competition, the ‘Scottish Rally Championship’. What started as a single volume history during lockdown quickly evolved into a series of six books – one for each decade since 1960.

John Fife has been writing about the sport and reporting on it for over fifty years for numerous daily and local newspapers, specialist magazines, radio stations and motor sports websites. The principal idea behind the books is to provide a permanent record of the impact that Scottish rallying and its star drivers and co-drivers have had on the sport not just UK-wide, but world-wide.

Scotland’s four world rally champions, Louise Aitken-Walker, Colin McRae, Derek Ringer and Robert Reid all started their careers through this national competition, as did the likes of Andrew Cowan, Jim McRae, Alister McRae, Andrew Wood and Robbie Head who also competed with international success on the world stage.

As John explained: “I simply couldn’t fit everything into one book, so it had to be six, and even now I’m still having to leave out information and stories. Who knows, there may yet be a seventh book containing all the scandalous bits which have had to be left out! By that time I’ll be past caring getting sued anyway!”

The first book covers the decade 1980-1989 and despite the fact that many books have already been written about Colin McRae, this book features previously unpublished information and photographs from his early years in the sport – written and photographed by someone who was there at the time! As such this book will appeal not just to Scottish rally fans but to a wider audience.

Work has already commenced on the next book, covering the 1990-1999 period, and will include more previously unpublished material.

The first A4 format hardbacked book is on sale NOW. The 216 page volume includes 101 individual rally reports, over 350 photographs and costs £35 – or £40 incl P&P – from https://fife-motor-sports-agency.square.site

Sadly no one person, club or championship has kept complete records since the sport of stage rallying began in 1961 hence John’s ongoing search for sets of rally results from the 1960s and 1970s. So if anyone has a pile of old rallying paperwork in the loft that is not yet completely mouse eaten, John may well be interested.

About the author

Avatar photo

Jon Bolton

Jon is our Regional Training Coordinator, and also our Communications and Publicity Manager.
 
He went on his first rally at the age of 5 when his uncle was marshalling the Cropton Forest stage on the Lombard RAC Rally. That was in the days of Roger Clark and the all-conquering Escorts. The sounds and smells of rally cars have never lost their appeal. As an adult, working on an ambulance crew covering Cadwell Park in the mid 90s, he frequently encountered drivers who had come to an abrupt stop somewhat sooner than they had anticipated. Jon is a licensed rescue team member and Motorsport UK Trainer. He sits on Motorsport UK's Training Working Group and their Rescue and Recovery Working Group, as well as being a member of Motorsport UK's national training team for Safeguarding.

He is a STEM Ambassador and a Scottish Regional and UK National Judge for F1 in Schools, a not-for-profit social enterprise aiming to change the perception of STEM-related subjects through global competition.

jon.bolton@motorsport.scot