KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championships get under way with Saturday's A.M.Phillip Trucktech Snowman Rally and there will be a large Moray contingent in the Highlands

MORAY will be well-represented when the Scottish Rally Championships rev into action on Saturday with the A.M.Phillip Trucktech Snowman Rally.

The event returns to Muir of Ord and Dingwall for the third consecutive year, based at Muir of Ord's Black Isle showground with Dingwall as civic hosts for the winners ceremony.

This year's championships comprises of eight events over six gravel and two tarmac rounds, with a new ingredient being that only the top five results will count towards the overall championship campaign.

Over 90 crews are taking part in the opening rally of the season, including two Elgin co-drivers in Pro4 vehicles.

Elgin's Daniel Forsyth once again navigates for Muir of Ord driver Scott Macbeth after a fine 2022 season. The pair compete in a right-hand drive Mckinstry-run Ford Fiesta R5 in car 8, and are one of a number of crews who won’t have a chance to try the car on gravel before stage one.

Representing Elgin's 63 Car Club is the Hyundai 120 R5 crew of John Wink (Huntly) and Neil Shanks (Elgin), who finished last season with a podium place.

Starting as car number seven on Saturday, Wink's vehicle has been completely rebuilt with a new engine and new eye-catching colour scheme, while navigator Shanks won a major rally event in New Zealand at the end of last year so goes into this year's championships high in confidence.

Aberlour's Michael Hendry once again teams up with Dumfries driver Mark McCulloch for their second season in a Proton Satria Evo. With lessons learned in 2022 some changes have been made to both the engine and running gear.

A number of Moray competitors will be behind the wheel or in the passenger seat of Ford Escort Mk 2 cars again this season.

Elgin's Iain Thorburn co-drives for experienced Inverness driver Keir Beaton in car 27, while former two-wheel drive champions Dougal Brown (Forres) and Lewis Rochford (Keith) are back for a full campaign. Their Mk 2 has been fully rewired over the closed season after they discovered some issues last year.

Brian Ross (Elgin) teams up with Workington-based navigator Mark Fisher in his 2.5 litre-engined Escort in car 42, with veteran campaigners Sandy and Ian Arbuthnott in car 57 and another Elgin Mk2 driver Colin Patterson in car 71.

Elgin driver Brett McKenzie makes his Mitsubishi Evo debut on the Snowman in car 61 after years of Impreza motoring with the experienced Barry Young (Navenby) navigating.

Sean Donnelly (Elgin) is co-driving for Kinneff's Brian Watson, making his Subaru Cup debut in an Impreza in car 32.

And another Elgin navigator John Shepheard teams up with Inverness driver Nikki Addison in her trusty Peugeot 106 at car 77.

Full race results will be available throughout Saturday.

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