A piece of motorsport history with a unique connection to two Scottish World Rally Champions is going under the hammer.
And there are hopes the near 50-year-old Ford Escort could hit the heady heights of nearly £1/4 million pounds.
Colin McRae drove the 1976 Mk II to victory in the 1990 Hackle Rally through the forests of Perthshire.
It was just before the Lanark star’s rise to global fame which led to the world title in 1995 with Subaru.
But what adds extra provenance from a Scottish motorsport perspective is that his navigator for the event was Murthly farmer’s son Robert Reid – co-driver to Englishman Richard Burns when they became World Champions with Subaru in 2001.
£200,000-plus estimate
It was the only event the pals competed in together before taking their separate routes to rally stardom.
And next month the Escort will be sold at Silverstone Auctions – with an eye-watering estimate of £200,000-£240,000.
Tragically, McRae died at the age of 39 in a 2007 helicopter crash near his home which also claimed the lives of his five-year-old son and two family friends.
Reid endured heartbreak after Burns died from brain cancer in 2015 – exactly four years on from the day of the pair’s greatest achievement in securing the world crown.
Now 56, Robert is now one of the top officials in global motorsport as Deputy President for Sport in world governing body, the FIA.
If in doubt, flat out
In Monaco for the opening round of the 2023 World Rally Championship, he vividly recalls the Hackle outing.
And McRae’s swashbuckling style which became the driver’s hallmark.
“I remember the day well,” said Robert.
“I was in a potato field on the farm and the phone rang, it was McRae.
“What you doing this weekend Rab, fancy doing the Hackle?
“The rally was such a wet stormy day that by the time we got to the first stage the footwells were full of water.”
Having started fourth, the young guns were out front – against greater experience and superior four wheel-drive machinery – within a couple of stages.
Robert adds: “It was the Drummond Hill stage that afternoon I remember best though.
“It was still raining and we were on a quick, downhill in the middle of the stage.
“I was reading the maps and the next thing I’m aware of is Colin loosening his belts and leaning over to my side of the car whilst pretty much flat out.
“We got to the end of the stage and I asked him what he was doing.
“It turned out the wiper arm was lifting off the screen on his side and he couldn’t see where we were going, all flat in top!”
Dominant victory
McRae and Reid won the event by two and a half minutes in a portent of what was to come in their respective rallying careers.
Robert also navigated for Colin’s younger brother, Alister, in another event six weeks later, shortly before forging the partnership with Oxford’s Burns.
The Escort stayed with the McRae family for 30 years before becoming part of a private collection.
And it was on track at Knockhill last summer for the McRae Rally Challenge which brought 25 of Colin’s cars together for the biggest ever tribute to the star.
The red and white machine has been restored to pristine condition.
It has 24,000 miles on the clock.
Including those on the muddy stages of Highland Perthshire which helped set two motorsport pals on the road to success.
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