Speyside Stages 2025: All you need to know

David Bogie is aiming to make it back-to-back McDonald and Munro Speyside Stages triumphs in this weekend’s Scottish Rally Championship opener.

Leading seed Bogie, a six-time Scottish champion, is aiming to rack up a 12th Speyside Stages victory alongside co-driver John Rowan in their Skoda Fabia RS, following his victory last year.

Among his closest competitors could be Castle Douglas’ Jock Armstrong – himself a two-time Scottish rally champion. Armstrong holds the record for the fastest time through the Cooper Park, which hosts the opening two stages, and will return alongside co-driver Owen Paterson in their Skoda Fabia.

After signing off the 2024 campaign in style by winning the Caledonian Rally, Aberlour co-driver Michael Hendry will be targeting a home victory to help Dumfries’ Mark McCulloch pick up from where he left off.

Another home contender will be Huntly’s John Wink, who secured his first SRC victory at last year’s Snowman Rally. Wink will be accompanied by Will Atkins, who is deputising for regular co-driver Neil Shanks – the Speyside Stages clerk of the course.

The traditional champagne shower at the end of the 2023 Snowman Rally, with winners Jock Armstrong and Hannah McKillop in the centre while on the left are runners up John Wink and Neil Shanks and on the right third placed Michael Binnie and Claire Mole. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Muir of Ord’s Scott Macbeth and co-driver Dan Forsyth are seeded fifth, in their Skoda Fabia R5.

Among the other north contenders are Alford’s Scott Beattie (seeded sixth), Banchory’s Bruce McCombie (11th), Aberdeen’s Chris Collie (19th) and Paddy Munro from Kyle of Lochalsh, who is seeded 20th.

The opening two stages take place at Cooper Park in Elgin, with the first car due from 9am. Spectators can park at Lossie Green.

The only spectator stage beyond this is Whiteash, with the first cars due at 12.45pm – however spectators must be in place by 12.15pm. The car park is situated on an unclassified road between the A96 and B9016 which runs alongside the south-western side of the forest – with parking costing £5 per car which will be donated to the Riding for the Disabled charity.

Bruce McCombie and co-driver Michael Coutts in action in their lime green Ford Focus at the 2022 Grampian Forrest Rally — Bruce McCombie and co-driver Michael Coutts in action at the 2022 Grampian Forrest Rally. Image: Chris Sumner/DC Thomson.

Cars will also stop twice at Keith Showground for a service, which will be available for spectators to watch from 11.16am and 1.18pm.

The rally will come to a conclusion at UHI Moray in Elgin, where the first cars are due to return from 3.45pm – after which the presentation and champagne spray will take place.