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Let me take turn at wheel before I turn 50


By Craig Christie

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Navigator Graham Kelman (right) will swap seats with driver Mike Grant for a one-off at the Speyside Stages rally. Picture: Daniel Forsyth
Navigator Graham Kelman (right) will swap seats with driver Mike Grant for a one-off at the Speyside Stages rally. Picture: Daniel Forsyth

Driver Mike Grant and co-driver Graham Kelman have taken part in the Scottish Rally Championship event – organised by Elgin's 63 Car Club – for at least a decade, but this weekend they will have a completely different perspective.

For Kelman will be behind the wheel of their self-built Subaru Impreza for the very first time and Grant debuts in the role of navigating his close pal around the stages against the best crews in the country.

"It was one of those things on my bucket list," Kelman explained. "Mike was 50 in February and I'm 50 in November so I said to him I'd like to drive the Speyside in the year of our 50th.

"I've never driven before, always been in the passenger seat so we are both well out of our comfort zone because he likes to be well in control.

"I think he is more nervous with the navigation side. I just hope he remembers his left from his right!

"My aim is simply to get from start to finish and keep the car going. Even if I just make it through the Cooper Park I'll be happy."

Garage owner Grant and Moray Council roads worker Kelman started off their rally career in a Ford Fiesta XR2i before building their own Subaru from scratch. "It was just a bare shell and boxes of nuts and bolts when we got it," said Kelman.

The pair's highest placing was ninth in the Scottish IRC, with a best of 24th in the Speyside Stages two years ago.

"I don't think I'll manage that," said Kelman. "First time we ever rallied Mike finished 54th so that would give me a benchmark if I could beat that.

"I'm used to being in the passenger's seat. A lot of people say I must be mad to sit aside him but I trust him more than anybody. We've known each other for about 42 years.

"We've had a few scary hairy moments over our time. We know we are never going to win it, it's just the enjoyment of taking part and its good craic."

Grant added: "I'll try to keep him right on the driving and stop him from doing anything silly. "It's an interesting swap, it's quite unique and definitely a one-off. If he wants to do it again he can find somebody else to co-drive because I don't think I could handle it more than once.

"If he gets too cocky I'll just stab him in the leg with a pen. That's what he does to me if I'm going too fast."

Archiestown co-driver Mike Hendry will be in car 7 along with Dumfries driver Mark McCulloch while Elgin navigator Daniel Forsyth is in a Evo 9 with Banchory's Martin Scott.

Alex Pirie (Keith) and Frazer Skene (Tomintoul) pair up in a Skoda Felicia, while Impreza crews Neil Philip (Alves) with John MacKenzie (Mosstodloch) and young Elgin pair Brett McKenzie and James Ralph also compete.

Lossiemouth's Graeme and Alan Harris take part in a Fiesta XR2i while New Elgin's Russell Kessack drives car 86, a Citroen C2.

The unique Cooper Park stage of the event begins at 9am on Saturday. Visit www.speyside-stages.co.uk for full details on all entries, stages and spectator information.


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