Speyside Stages Rally 09 August 2008

[Melv]

Howdy all,

9th August 2008 sees the 12th running of the Speyside Stages, with continued support from Gleaner Oil and Gas. The event has grown from a small non-championship event to its current status as a well respected round of the County Saab MSA Scottish Rally Championship. Based in Elgin in the North East of Scotland, it has become one of the areas major sporting occasions. The event is a major undertaking by the organisers, The 63 Car Club (Elgin) Ltd. It is just one of the many different events that the club organises, which you can find out more about by visiting www.63carclub.com

The event uses some of Speyside’s finest forests for stages. Forests used in the past include Clashindarroch, Bin, Whiteash, Ordiquish, Rosarie, Teinland, and Monaughty. The event also uses a super special stage in the Cooper Park, right in the centre of Elgin. The 0.7 mile tarmac stage provides an interesting challenge for drivers and easy access for spectators, just a minutes walk away from the town centre.

More history - http://www.speyside-stages.co.uk/History.html

Entry List so far - http://www.speyside-stages.co.uk/EntrySoFar.pdf


I fancy going to this so if anyone else is interested please let me know. My thoughts are to meet at Tesco carpark in Elgin at 8.30 / 9am to have enough time to wander over to Cooper park and get a decent spot then once the cars have been through take a trip to one of the forest stages (which one will depend on which route is announced).

Attending :

1. Melv - Martin Lawson
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Please read the safety info if you do plan to attend as you will be responsible for your own safety - http://www.speyside-stages.co.uk/Spectator%20Safety.pdf

[Dexy]

1. Melv - Martin Lawson
2. Dexy - Derek Mackinnon
3.
4.
5.
6.


Count me in Melv, ill have my new camera by then too. good times.

[P20 ELE]

1. Melv - Martin Lawson
2. Dexy - Derek Mackinnon
3.
4.
5.
6.

[Melv]

any more for any more?

[Murray]

1. Melv - Martin Lawson
2. Dexy - Derek Mackinnon
3. Murray - John Murray
4.
5.
6.

[Dexy]

hope i make this fecking work.

[GaryVaux]

dammit, working that sat, grrrr!!!

[Melv]

I have just ordered a programme from the site so should have all the spectator stage information pretty soon.

[Dexy]

Im out i think
i drunkenly paid for a tiesto ticked for edinburgh for this weekend, so ill be oot for now, may change plans though.

[GaryVaux]

Originally Posted by Dexy

Im out i think
i drunkenly paid for a tiesto ticked for edinburgh for this weekend, so ill be oot for now, may change plans though.

If u go u wont regret that, went to see him there last year, AMAZING! Just get pissed b4 u go, bar que's were a joke!

[Dexy]

Originally Posted by GaryVaux

If u go u wont regret that, went to see him there last year, AMAZING! Just get pissed b4 u go, bar que's were a joke!

i will indeed, its on from 6pm till 6am

[Melv]

1. Melv - Martin Lawson
2. Dexy - Derek Mackinnon
3. Murray - John Murray
4. P69Ellie - The Mrs!
5.
6.

My programme for the rally should be through today. I will have to formulate a plan of where to go after the Cooper park stages.

The event organisers have only advertised the following stages

Originally Posted by Speyside Stages website

Car Parking Information

SS1/2 – Gleaner Oil & Gas Cooper Park 1/2 First car due 09:35

Where to park

There are big public car parks available at Lossie Green, a two-minute walk from the Cooper Park. These are easily accessed and
signposted from the main A96 through the town. Please park within the bays, and pay & display where applicable to avoid the wrath
of the local traffic wardens!! Please note that the car park nearest the Cooper Park is reserved for rally cars and no spectator
parking will be allowed here.

SS3 – Grove Motors Whiteash First car due 10:30

Where to park

The car park is situated on the unclassified road between the A96 and the B9016 that runs alongside the south-western side of the
forest. To serve this purpose the road will be closed in one direction and cars will only by allowed to travel from the A96 to the
B9016. Parking is on the roadside, so please park sensibly and allow plenty of room for other vehicles to pass. The entrance to the
stage is approximately one mile from the junction at the A96. On exiting the stage head towards the B9016, turning right at the
junction will take you towards Keith and later stages in the rally. Turning left will take you back towards Elgin.
NO PARKING OR ACCESS IS AVAILABLE AT THE STAGE FINISH.

SS5 - A McKerron & Son Gartly Moor 1 First car due 12:50
SS8 – Campbell Joinery Services Gartly Moor 2 First car due 15:25

Where to park

The car park for the stage is accessed, and will be arrowed from the public road off the A96 at the top of the crawler lane after the
Glens of Foundland. After approx 2 miles turn right into the forest and follow the arrows to the car park adjacent to the stage. The car
park will be run by a local organisation who will take the proceeds, and parking is £3 per car.

My thoughts are to watch both runs around Cooper Park and leave there at about 1030 / 11am and head to Gartly moor for stage 5 and stay there making our own entertainment until they go through again on stage 8. I can take the gazeebo I aquired from Dad as its a decent size and that way we can all stay dry if it does decide to rain.

They are going up the balloch wood beside Keith which was one of the fastest stages in the UK but its not advertised because spectator access and parking is ****. I'm going up there tonight to have a spy though but i'm sure they have signs up to say that access to the wood is only for participants and rally organisers.

[Melv]

I know we are all responsible and sensible people most of the time but please be warned as this is on the Speyside Stages website:

Originally Posted by Speyside Stages site

WARNING

Safety is paramount both on and off the rally stages, and the 63 Car Club (Elgin) Ltd relies on co-operation from Grampian Police
Force to make the event happen. As such, the police have advised the organisers that they will be monitoring & recording the
behaviour of the spectating public as well as competitors. Therefore, please do not drive irresponsibly, it won’t do any good and may
well end up in an accident and/or an endorsement. Car parks are provided not only for your convenience but also for your safety. No
parking will be allowed on any of the main roads, especially the A95 at Rosarie, and Police vehicles will be on duty on strictly
enforce this. Please help the event keep it’s good reputation.

[Dexy]

Ive lost my internets access, bt have cut me off till the 14th till my new account starts, text me melv where to meet on sat and when. cheers dude,

[Melv]

OK dokey. Fancy taking that interior to mine for Ivan? I can give you the cash on Sat and get it back from him.

[Melv]

Balloch stage looks good (went round it last night) but there is strictly no spectator access to it.

heres the plan :::

Meet at tesco Elgin at 9am
Watch Cooper Park SS1 and SS2 (1st car due at 0935 then they go round again)

Leave there at about 1030 and head to Gartly Moor (They are doing it as SS5 and SS8 so its a chance to see the cars go through it twice)
SS5 Gartly moor 1 - First car due 1250
SS8 Gartly Moor 2 - First Car due 1525

Probably leave the forest at 1630 the FO home.

What does everyone think?

[P20 ELE]

Up at 7.30am on my wkend off, I rarely get up that early for work!

[Melv]

my weekend off too dear!

[Dexy]

sounds good to me. Ill load the car up with the interior and make room for the boy's to fit in the car ha ha should be fun.

[Melv]

Was just away to text you. Do you have shat nav? I will give you my post code and you can pop round at about 815 / 830. We can then offload the interior and head through.

I'm taking the gazebo as the forecast is a bit crap.

[P20 ELE]

Ivan's headin round to ours for about quarter past 8 too

[Melv]

cool. Im away home now.

[B3KAN]

Mite head to this

[rickisgrate]

get photees

[Melv]

Dexy was official photographer as my Camera phone was kack Think there was more pics of everyone than cars though.