Colin McRae

Colin with Ray 1986

1986 Scottish Rally Championship saw  a young seventeen year old make his rally debut in a Talbot Sunbeam. 

Having only driven on a single venue event (Kames) in 1985 in a  borrowed car (Hillman Avenger) Colin started out supported by his father ( rally driver Jimmy Mc Rae) and mother Margaret  and young brother Alister.

As a local to Lanarkshire, Colin and family were members of Coltness Car club who had an enthusiastic group of rally drivers based in around Hamilton at that time.

So on a cold and wet Saturday morning in February  1986 (usual rally weather) this picture was taken outside the front door of the Treetops Hotel in Aberdeen before the start of the Granite City Rally.  ( Also features Ray Tulloch in his Lotus twincam 1600 Escort)

From the start of his rally days Colin had the full support of a service crew and backup with no need to spend late nights in the garage preparing cars and putting them back together again ready for the next rally like the rest of the car club drivers. 

Being “totally wild” both in and out of the car and with no mechanical sympathy Colin set out on what was to be a  very successful career.  Driving his Talbot Sunbeam in Group 1  Colin finshed the rally in the mid 20’s out of around 100 cars that day and as we recall he was in the top 3 of his Group. 

The Scottish Championship in 1986 saw Ken Wood in his MG Metro 6R4 lift the overall chamionship.

Coltness Car club have continued to support Colin’s legacy  by organising the McRae Stages which was sponsored by Colin before he was tragically killed in his helicopter in 2007.

Thanks to Sheila Munro Tulloch for the feature. Great picture girl