Bruce McCombie hopes to continue his fine McDonald and Munro Speyside Stages record when the event celebrates its 25th anniversary this weekend.
Banchory driver McCombie is taking part in his first event of 2023, after opting to sell his Ford Focus WRC at the end of last season.
While he anticipates he will participate in a reduced Scottish Rally Championship schedule this year, McCombie insists the lure of the Speyside Stages was too much to resist.
McCombie is seeded eighth along with co-driver Michael Coutts, with the pair having not finished outwith the top 10 in the event since 2012.
He said: “We missed the Snowman Rally this year – we ended up selling the Focus.
“It was a good car, but it’s getting expensive and it was just getting to the age where we decided it was time to move it on.
“I’ve got a Ford Fiesta R5 which will be an interesting baptism of fire.
“At the moment it’s a one-off – we will pick and choose our events this year.
“I’m planning to do the Reivers Rally later in the season, and we will definitely do the Grampian Rally.
“Until then, it’s very much up in the air.”
Friday night action to mark 25-year anniversary
As part of the Speyside Stages 25-year celebrations, the event will start with a Friday night stage in the darkness.
A parc expose will take place at Fochabers square from 8pm until 10.15pm, where spectators will be able to see the cars before the action begins.
The second stage will be open for spectators at Whiteash on Friday night, with parking on the unclassified road between the A96 and B9016. Floodlighting will be in place, with the first car due at 9.30pm.
Come Saturday, stages three and four will take place at Cooper Park in Elgin, with the first car due at 9am.
Keith Showfield will host the service at two points in the day, with cars due from 10.40am and 1.25pm.
Stages seven and nine will be at Gartly Moor, with cars due at 11.50am and 2.35pm.
A regroup will take place at Huntly square from 12.15pm, with the rally finish and traditional champagne spray at UHI Moray College, where the first car is expected from 4.30pm.
McCombie is relishing the occasion, adding: “We enjoy the Speyside Stages. It’s a bit like our local event.
“I did it as a course car in the very first year back in 1997.
“It missed a year because of Covid, but I have always done it, so I didn’t want to miss it.
“I’m not predicting anything because there are a lot of quick drivers out there.
“I’m looking forward to it. The Friday night stage is going to be different – the last time we were in the dark must have been the Jim Clark rally, which would have been a few years ago.
“That was on tarmac, so the gravel in the forest in the dark will be quite interesting.
“I’m sure it will throw up a few different scenarios and catch a few of us out.”
Event has come a long way since 1997
Clerk of the course Neil Shanks says the anniversary is a proud achievement for the 63 Car Club (Elgin).
Shanks said: “We were quite a small club when we took the decision to run the event, encouraged by some members who were competing in forest rallies.
“We made the decision to go for it, despite maybe not realising how much work was involved in the very first one.
“Over the years it’s probably the thing that has saved the car club. When it started we had about 40 active members, and we are now up to 150.
“We are one of the most active clubs in Scotland with the events we run, along with providing marshals and social events.
“It’s important to state the impact the rally had on the club in the wider term.
“One of the keys is that it’s a really strong core team, and the majority of the team have been involved right from the start.
“That means we are all 25 years older than we were when we started this carry on, so we have grown that experience together.
“I’m really proud of the reputation and standing the event has – even beyond Scotland.”
McDonald & Munro Speyside Stages – Top 10 seeds
1 Jock Armstrong (Castle Douglas) and Hannah McKillop (Melrose) – Subaru Impreza
2 Michael Binnie (Cornhill on Tweed) and Claire Mole (Duns) – Ford Fiesta R5
3 Freddie Milne (Aberdeen) and Patrick Walsh (Aberystwyth) – Skoda Fabia R5
4 David Henderson (Oakenshaw) and Chris Lees (Glasgow) – Ford Fiesta Rally2
5 John Wink (Huntly) and Will Atkins (Whitchurch) – Hyundai i20 R5
6 Hugh Brunton (Arbroath) and Drew Sturrock (Brechin) – Skoda Rally2 Evo
7 Stephen Petch (Hamsterley) and Michael Wilkinson (Tow law) – Skoda Fabia rally2 evo
8 Bruce Mccombie (Banchory) and Michael Coutts (Torphins) – Ford Fiesta R5
9 Angus Lawrie (Castle Douglas) and Paul Gribben (Annan) – Mitsubishi Evo 9
10 Scott Beattie (Alford) and Peredur Davies (Pwllheli) – Mitsubishi Evo 7
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