This weekend, Aberdeen will play host to the third round of the Scottish Rally Championship.
The Granite City Rally is a highlight of any petrolhead’s motoring calendar and will kick off on Saturday.
Organised by the Aberdeen and District Motor Club, the event returns to its heartland stages in Kincardineshire.
Competitors will cover more than 44 competitive stage miles and 85 stage miles with the first car setting off at 9.01am. All cars should be back at The Thistle Altens by 5pm.
Among them will be Chris Collie, a drilling engineer by day, who first took to rally driving in 2008.
He recorded his best-ever result in the Scottish Rally Championship last year, finishing eighth overall, with his biggest achievement at the Granite City Rally, where he secured second place.
However, the remainder of his season was plagued with problems in each rally due to mechanical issues. Nevertheless, his hard work and determination did not go unnoticed and he was awarded the Douglas Wood Press On and Preserve trophy, which has made him even more motivated for this year.
The 33-year-old said: “I had a good start to the season last year, with a podium position at the Granite City Rally, but that was followed by a few problems, meaning I didn’t finish where I wanted. I am really looking forward to this weekend, and hopefully it will all go smoothly on the day. It would be incredible to get on the podium again, but it will be tough with so many great competitors taking part. There is a little extra pressure, with thousands of rally fans in attendance, and so many people I know, but I just use that as motivation to do well.”
Chris, who works for Aberdeen-based well management firm Zenith Energy, which is sponsoring stage four at the rally, has spent the off-season preparing his Mitsubishi Evo 6 with DMC Performance to ensure it is ready to tackle the country roads and forest bends.
“You don’t really get the chance to practise, so it is a case of getting behind the wheel and seeing what happens, so it is essential to ensure the car is in its best-possible condition. I am heavily involved with rebuild of the car and looking forward to the adrenalin rush this weekend.”
Chris, who has improved his placing each year since taking up the sport, has already shown promising results and has been recognised with various awards, including the Colin McRae “If in doubt, flat out” trophy in 2011, in recognition of his achievements and driving style. This year, Chris is hoping to secure his best result yet.
“Over the years, I have gained an amazing amount of experience, and even the crashes have taught me some valuable lessons and skills to make me a better driver. I know this event is hugely competitive, so I am just looking to go out and give it my best and, hopefully, I can gain some good positions this season, with my aim for top-five placing in the championship.”