The death of Colin McRae, his son Johnny and his friend Ben, and Colin’s school friend Graeme Duncan in a helicopter accident last Saturday, has, like so many others, rocked us to the core. We knew him and his brothers as children, when they shared a bedroom with our own children in Newtownstewart’s Ernespie Hotel (re-named by the boys as Ernie’s Pie House). Colin was a live wire kid then, bursting with fun and pranks. That was when Jimmy was competing on the old Galloway Hills Rally. Then when Colin was a very young teenager we took him a flask of tea on a very windswept Slemish Mountain where he was competing in motor cycle trials. Colin however never wanted a fuss made. He was already showing the icy determination which was to become one of his hallmarks. Little did we know then that he was to become a World Rally Champion. His speed and charisma in a rally car made him a legend. In his early days in a Nova, his group N exploits, the gpA Sierras, he was obviously special. When he came and won the Circuit of Ireland and Ulster Rally it was obvious he was on a different level. His career then in World Championship rallying is well documented.

 

There is a chilling parallel in Colin’s accident to Bertie Fisher’s. When Bertie, along with Mark and Emma were killed, we managed to get Colin on the phone for a tribute. Colin was in a supermarket in Spain with baby Hollie when he answered. The main theme of his comment was that he admired Bertie because he competed to win, that he wasn’t a rich man playing about in rally cars. That was Colin, he was a winner. He developed a star quality over the years as well. When he walked into a crowded room or across a service area he had presence, a special aura. Away from the ‘big time’ scene he never lost his sense of fun. He was just a great guy, and he was full of character as well. Through all the fame and riches he saw true value in being with his family and friends, and he had a very private side. To lose him like this, at just 39 years of age, is just heartbreaking. It was a privilege to have known him and to have worked with him. What pain and grief his family and close friends are going through is very hard to imagine. Our thoughts are with them all.

 

Brian & Liz Patterson: Michael, Chris, Jonathan & David.

 

Following his victory on the Clare Stages, Tim McNulty reckons his Pierse backed Subaru needs little more than a checkover for the Cork ‘20’ and that he is “up for it”. Tim, who won Cork a couple of years ago, is certainly up against stiff opposition and all the top drivers, Loeb, Hirvonen, Sordo, Gareth MacHale, Mark Higgins, Eugene Donnelly, Eamonn Boland and so on are on course. There is still some doubt over Kris Meeke getting a run, and Austin MacHale is a little undecided, but otherwise it is all stations go. Kevin Lynch, supposedly on another rally retirement, is listed as No.1 reserve, but the Dungiven man is making strenuous efforts to get a Citroen for the rally, although he is entered in a Focus WRC, with David Moynihan co-driving. Colm Murphy is the top GpN seed, and as ever GpN should be hot and heavy with Alan Ring, Gary Jennings, James Cullen, Kevin O’Donoghue, Willie Fannin and Keith Cronin just some of the top names. Interestingly there is no entry from Seamus Leonard, and his ex works Lancer is reportedly going to a new home in West Cork. Roy White is also missing from the entry. The former GpN Tarmac Champion was in Belgium last week trying out a VW S2000, and arrived home in good time for his partner Ciara to give birth to healhy baby boy. Roy tells us that they are going to call him Colin.

 

Robbie McGurk is one of the favourites for this weekend’s Bushwhacker Rally. Robbie, who has Shaun Lafferty co-driving in one of Kenny McKinstry’s Subaru’s Robbie has won the Fivemiletown Clubmans Stages a couple of times, and the Bushwhacker has moved into that territory for this weekend. The rally HQ is still the Silver Birches in Omagh. Glenn Allen is still a doubtful starter as his Corolla WRC is still not repaired, and he was hoping to hire Charlie Donnelly’s Toyota, but it won’t be ready either following Charlie’s accident last Sunday in Ennis. Either way, Stephen Moore in his Focus WRC will be bidding to overhaul Allen in the NI points table. The rally has a massive 120 plus car entry.

 

Gordon Rogers is indeed the No.1 seed for this weekend’s Cavan MC Restricted Mini Stages at Bailieborough, with Paddy Boyle in a similar Escort at 2 and Mac McKenna at 3 in his RWD Peugeot. Pat Higgins in his Honda, Russell Woods and Paul Purtill both in Escorts, make up the top six.

 

Brian Patterson.