ADMC publishes a club magazine called PACE that contains news about forthcoming events, event results, members exploits and motorsport information of general interest. We try to put out a PACE magazine about once a quarter but it depends on having material to publish..... we are always on the lookout for relevant motorsport material to include in the magazine so if you have something you think may be newsworthy please send an email to the PACE Editor..... this is free media coverage so come on get writing !!

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Road Rallies

•  What is a road rally?

• Does anyone still run them?

• They must be slow and boring.

Only a few of the questions and comments I have heard over the years mainly from people who have never tried road rallying.

I agree that road rallying does have it’s down sides, you don’t get a chance to pose in your fireproof romper suit in front of thousands of admiring spectators, don’t need a competition licence or spend vast amounts of money on a four wheel drive fire breathing monster which could easily have cost more than your house.

You can enter in anything as long as it is road legal, the first event I entered was won by Willie and Michael Stuart driving one of the works vans and Bob Watson and I were teamed up in an old SAAB 9000 with my dog in the back as I had originally volunteered to marshal. At around £30 per event including insurance ( £20.50 0n the ADMC training series ) motor sport doesn’t come any cheaper.

 True MSA Regulations dictate that road rallies cannot be planned at more than 30mph average speed but this does not mean they are slow and boring. Next time you can get more than 10 miles away fromAberdeen and the east coast on a road with only two lanes, or better still no lanes marked at all, then try a little experiment and see how fast you have to drive to cover every mile in two minutes. The further you go from civilisation the harder this becomes.

 Driver Ian Shiells, Co-Driver ADMC President Graham Bruce                               at the start of the Groper's 2007

   (Photograph courtesy of Rae Osborne) (click the image to enlarge)

.....cont

When you add in that you have to decipher a load of clues to find where you are going then a fairly enthusiastic driving style is required. Our corner of Scotland is blessed with some fantastic single track roads, some with grass growing down the middle and tree roots bulging the tarmac while others are liberally covered with farmyard waste products, all helping to concentrate the mind behind the wheel.

Don’t think that life in the other seat is any easier as this is where you earn the title of navigator rather than pace note reader. You only have to work out the clues, plot the route on the map after fighting to fold it into a manageable size, tell the psycho in the other seat where to go and when to slow for severe corners (preferably before you get to them) note down route check code boards as you pass them, keep an eye on the time and deal with control marshals all while resisting the urge to regurgitate the fish supper you had just before the start (done that, not a good idea!!). 

Passage Control on Longest Day Rally 2006

                   (Photograph courtesy of Rae Osborne) (click the image to enlarge)

The next round in the ADMC Novice Rally Championship takes place on Saturday 20th October starting from Cullerlie Farm Park, just behind McKenzie Plant Hire on the Garlogie to Banchory road, start times will be published on the ADMC website. These events are designed to be a very gentle, sociable but above all enjoyable introduction to motorsport and full instructions will be given from navigation and how to work out the clues to a map with the complete route marked on for first timers. What else could be better on a wet (probably or should I say hopefully as they are more fun) Saturday night in October, why not bring the wife/partner and settle that old argument that men really are better navigators and drivers. It’s well worth coming just for the soup and sarnies at the end, hope to see you then.

 Ian Shiells, Navigation Rally Training Series Co ordinator

Garry McDonald's Mercury Stages 2007

It all started in 2004 when we bought the car as a shell with engine and suspension. We have been building it ever since doing various track days from then till 8 weeks before the mercury stages then we decided last minute to up grade the car to rally spec. We had to replace the belts to 3" 6 point belts, get 2 fire extinguishers fitted, a tank guard made, get the car mot'd and MSA logged booked, etc all jobs that take time and a fair bit of our hard earned cash.

All of this was as I said done in the 8 weeks we had to get ready for the event. Just when we thought all was ready and car going fine, Gary was putting the car on the ramp (one week before the rally) and the gear box packed in. No Gears!  PANIC time! Aw Autotech took out the box and we managed to get a box from KD motorsport from Carlisle and fitted on the Tuesday and the car was MSA log booked on the Wednesday all ready to go at last.

Friday scrutineering, as the nerves built up in Gary and Paul they made their way up to the scrutineers with the car. The car failed on a hose which needed tie-wrapped and a hole blocked off in the heater. Back to the service tent where we got that sorted and passed the scrutineering second time around.>>click here to read the full article

Garry McDonald

Chairmans' Review of 2007

It is often said that motor sport can be a roller-coaster ride.  2007 proved to be that, and more.  The year began with us losing our Autotest Organiser and struggling to find another.  It’s always the same.  We, like every other club in the world get used to the same person – doing the same job – year after year after year etc.  One day, and you can’t do it anymore and it’s game over!  Please tell us how we not only replace Organisers, but also find people to ‘shadow’ them in the first place so that when they do eventually decide to step down, we have a ready-made replacement.  £25 out of my own pocket for a workable answer!  Still, Autotests aside, we return to the age-old question; Was this, 2007, a good year for ADMC?  Well yes, it was; kinda.   We had plenty of highs to celebrate.  Right from the get-go. 

The MultiWage Granite City Rally was hugely successful, not least in the bumper entry, the best this century!  Ok, so 96 may not be a record breaker in itself, but it is very pleasing to have the entry increase, year-on year, for our Premier Event.   The Cansco Spectator Spectacular Stages proved popular with competitors (most of them) and spectators alike.  We had an immensely popular winner in Andy Horne.  Our Title Sponsor made a very significant ‘donation’ to the Cornerstone entered car, piloted by club member Tracey Louise Muir and co-piloted by former Miss Scotland,Nicola Jolly. 

 >> click here to read the full article

G Bruce - Associate in Motor Sport

It isn't really a Man's World

I thought I would put pen to paper and say just let your wives read this small paragraph as I know that most you that read PACE are men. Not that's a problem.  But do you want your other half to perhaps join you in your enthusiasm for Motorsport, so maybe you can have an easier life. 

Well where do I start? Ricky and I have been involved in the RS Owners Club for 16 years running our yearly event at various venues including the Aberdeen Exhibition Centre.

We have been involved with ADMC for nearly two years and although we have marshalled on the Granite for I don't know how long, Ricky is either reading Motorsport magazines, watching Motorsport Videos in between Eastenders or Coronation Street, (that's when I get hold of the remote control,) or out in the Garage sorting or polishing his cars. I have on numerous occasions threatened him with a single bed in there. The moral of the story is the Williamson Rally.  Ricky in his wisdom said we could do that, me read maps!! 

Ian Shiells said he would like to introduce a Novice Class, well I suppose I could give it a try.

>>click here to read the full article

Maureen Wood (Mo) March 2006

ALFORD DOUBLE HEADER SPRINT 7-8 OCTOBER 2006

What a weekend we had.  Running 65 entries on Saturday and 70 on Sunday, the weather holding out for us and Sunday being the final of the Scottish Sprint Championship we had a recipe for success. As you will read in David Bakers report it went to the wire and beyond.

The faces in the paddock said it all.  The emails and phone calls spoke volumes, "Superb event - ADMC should have done this years ago".Meeting so many new faces, and watching Colin Gartshore, George Coghill jnr and Louise Nowell both out for their first time was an honour.

So many "thank you's" to all my competitors, officials and marshals, RAF Rescue, Piper John, Dr John Tainsh who saved the events big time, G & M Whyte Catering for their generous donation, Methlick Scouts, Grampian Transport Museum, David Baker, Mark at Ferburn Graphics, AML Photography, The Forbes Arms Hotel, Ian Thompson, Paul & Sarah Walker, Darren, Callum & Tasha Kilgour, Owen Dunbar and Shaun Davidson for wearing out my name. Bill Amps for the tents, tables, and goodies for the marshals, Johnny Amps for taking charge of serving up the famous soup - which is now requested at all my sprints. >>click here to read the full article

Janet Dickson October 2006

PS  We raised £200.32 at Alford for gifts for Aberdeen Royal Sick Children's Hospital.