Rally crews are set to head to the Stewartry next month after all.
The cancellation of the Galloway Hills Rally looked to put paid to any chance of motorsport fans seeing cars being driven in anger this year.
But a new event – the Armstrong Group Rally Time Trial – is set to take place on Saturday, October 17 if coronavirus restrictions allow.
It’s the first ever event being organised by SRC Car Club and will take place at the Armstrong Group Quarry in Dalbeattie.
Double Scottish Rally Champion Jock Armstrong and his family are helping to organise the time trial and entries are now open, with 40 spots available.
Armstrong said: “I had originally hoped this could be a warm-up for the Galloway Hills Rally, but it’ll still be a good local event. Niall Cowan Jr has had a lot to do with it, pushing on and getting it organised. It’s just to give a bit back into it and help keep our sport going.
“I’m kind of thinking would it be unfair for me to enter it and if I win it they’ll go ‘Oh well, he’s bound to win it’ and be more cruel on myself if I didn't win it and it would be ‘Jock’s lost it’ so there’s a bit of fear factor as well. But everybody’s welcome to come and beat me!”
The cancellation of the Scottish Rally Championship means this will be one of the few chances for competitors to tackle loose surface rallying this year.
Organisers are aiming for at least six stages - three run in each direction - with the possibility to extend that to eight timed tests, with the best two runs in each direction being dropped from a competitor’s final total.
There are two events available with competitors electing whether to compete with a co-driver or not. Spectators will not be permitted due to the coronavirus pandemic but the SRC is hoping to deliver live coverage so that the action can be enjoyed at home.
Assistant clerk of the course, Robert Beck, said: “With forest rallying currently off limits across the country, the SRC management committee took the decision to explore the possibility of running a single venue loose road rally to offer competitors some motorsport competition in these uncertain times.
"Inevitably things will feel a bit different but we hope that competitors will nevertheless have an enjoyable day’s sport.”
