Sadly, the 2300 Club has today decided that the 2020 Andy Mort Tour will not run. We were confident that the changes that we had made for 2020 would allow the safe running of the event. The new restrictions that become law on Monday, regarding larger gaterings, mean that we now see continuing with our plans as being irresponsible. We apologise to all our many friends who were looking forward to the October 17th. We hope to see you in 2021 when the work that we have done in 2020 will bear fruit.
2300 Club, 9th September 2020.
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MullMurmurs – Chapter 1
Well, hullawrerrchinasanhowzyerschockiesshooglintheday? If ye huvny goat guid suspension, go home now! Otherwise let me bid you a warm and tastiferous welcome to the 38th running of the annual Tour of Mull Rally sponsored by the best thing to hit the tastebuds since Adam reached for that apple! – St Tunnock’s of Biscuitry, sponsors of ‘the best rally in the world.’
As usual, the tee-shirts were flying in the Aros Hall last night when that awfy nice big chap, John Fife hosted the annual Tunnock’s Rally Forum with special guests Neil MacKinnon, Paul Kirtley, Alick Kerr, Chris Paton and Dave Cabena. A fun filled frolicsome time was had by all with Quiz prizes kindly donated by Dunlop, Kumho, Nissan and Volkswagen.
Earlier on this week, Dougi Hall was up to his usual tricks. Last year he cycled the full length of the 22 miler in1 hour 7 minutes 33 seconds and averaged 19.94 mph. This year it was wetter and slippier and he ‘only’ managed 1hr 8m 22s for the trip, so he’s set himself a target for next year – under an hour. Gaun yersel Dougi! And it’s all in aid of raising funds for the Bear Cubs, Steve Davies’ rallying apprentices. So if you see Dougi, give generously. And Rod Brereton continued his RNLI fund raising activities with support from Tony Tyres and Kumho raising £300 at his Music Quiz in the Mishnish on Tuesday.
And no, you’re not seeing things. Buzz Lightyear is not on the island! It’s only Rally Director Neil Molyneux zipping around on a Scooter with L Plates. At least the nickname Buzz Lightyear is better than the other one we came up with, Mr Blobby’s mate, Mr Wobbly – give him a wide berth!
And just before the rally gets underway, make sure you get ‘tooled up’ for the weekend, the 2300 Club girls are selling Tunnock’s Tour of Mull gear in the Aros Hall. Rally programmes are also on sale there and at various shops and garages around the island so look out for them, they are essential reading with full rally timetable and Road Closure details. Also tune in to Oban FM over the weekend on 103.3 to enjoy (?) the dulcet tones of Campbell Cameron with all the latest rally gossip.
But back to the rally, Scrutineering opened for business at Tobermory Distillery where first through was Neil MacKinnon’s (1) Mull machine, and lucky to be here at all. Two weeks ago the Kenny McKinstry car he was planning to use was crashed on an Irish event (not by Neil!) prompting the guys to have to get another Subaru ready for this weekend. They have spent the last week converting a Left Hand Drive car to RHD, but since no-one had a conversion kit in stock they had to make everything from scratch. A seriously big job. Then bringing the car up yesterday morning the tow truck blew its engine to bits and brought downtown Belfast rush hour traffic to a halt while the McKinstry lads emptied the truck and transferred everything to a spare and they arrived here on the last boat last night.
And whilst on the subject, here’s the ‘Tweak of the Week’. Spot the top-hinged front number plate. When the car is in full flight it blows back allowing more air through the radiator. Nice one bhoys.
James MacGillivray (6) has fitted last year’s 2.3 litre MkII with Proflex and used it on the Jim Clark., he says it has transformed the car, so he’s ready for tonight. Causing a stir last year was young Paul MacKinnon (9) up to 6th before the engine let go, but he’s back with a GrpN Subaru. He reckons it needs the full AP brake kit, but has only got the GrpN Brembos at present – but then boys like him don’t use brakes
Billy Bird (10) reckons “the calendar would be good, anything else is a bonus” referring to the annual Tunnock’s Tour of Mull Calendar which features the top 12 finishers on each of the monthly pages. Calum Duffy’s car was next through and the MkII should be in an art gallery not out on a rally. The 2.4 John Reid engine is producing in the region of 300 bhp while the car itself was built by Den Sport in Ireland. The result is every bit as mouth watering as a caramel wafer. The car also features suspension built in Sweden by Sellholm which is cheaper than Reiger but just as good according to Den Sport, worth a chat anyone?
Paul Kirtley (5) appeared in the WRC Impreza which he first used in 2002, but which has recently been rallying in Holland (and winning) with Dirk Boers. MSP has sold Dirk a new S7 so the car is back here and since Paul’s car from last year is now up for sale, brother John Kirtley, who runs MSP, won’t let him use it! George MacDonald’s (26) wee Corsa looked a treat after it’s rebuild from the Speyside. Engine, gearbox and transmission have all been re built ready for this weekend. Top ten for ‘Chicken’ George?
Tristan Pye (19) has already clinched the GrpN BTRDA title this year so it’s a change of shock absorbers and brakes for Mull, John Marshall (29) blew a turbo on the first stage of this event last year so guess what’s brand new under the bonnet this time – and check out his tribute to Colin McRae on the back window. Dougi Hall (2) is well prepared – he bought a standard engine off E-Bay to replace the one which failed last year. Chris Tooze (34) has done 2 events in his new Lancer and had trouble on both. He hit a sheep on Epynt on the first one (and still finished 3rd) and somebody ran into the back of him on the second. Better luck this time, eh.
Stuart McQueen has upgraded his EVO7 to EVO9, but what do you made of Denis Biggerstaff (8)? Denis Smallerstaff more like. He’s taking this seriously, looking fitter and meaner than ever despite the fish supper I saw him sneakyly tucking into last night. And it’s a new car, but he’s having trouble with the paddle-shift, so fingers crossed for a trouble free run.
Barry Renwick (30) has spectated here before, but he’s a Mull Virgin “the roads look totally different from this angle”. Steve Davies (45) made it to Scrutineering, which is a tribute ton his preparation skills, only kidding, but hoping for better luck than last year when “the gearbox sh*t itself on the second last stage”. Another Mull virgin is young Alick Kerr (75) the John Easson Scholarship winner. You won’t mistake his Fiesta, it’s got gold door numbers. After two seasons in a Peugeot 205 this is his 3rd outing in the Fiesta, but first time in the dark and first time on tar with it.
Robert Davies (49) is in for a culture shock, he’s not out in his Lancer, but a Ford Fiesta “I’ll either do very badly or chuck it off” he said wistfully. Lyndon Barton (18) has a brand new engine in the Subaru which has still to be run in. He installed a new engine last Wednesday, which promptly failed and it was a rush to get another for this weekend. Tony Bardy’s (7) Hyundai Accent WRC is a similar spec to last year’s car but it’s brand new although the boys had a wee misfire this morning.
And if you hear a siren and see flashing lights just ahead of the rally to-night that could be Bulletin Bill with the ‘MullMurmurs’, so look out for the Flying Ford Focus and be ready at the road side to grab a Bulletin!
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Tobermory, Noon, Friday
The Final Instalment
Final Results after SS19 (of 19)
1 Neil MacKinnon/Mike Stayte (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2 Hr 21 Mins 53 Secs
2 Calum Duffy/Iain Duffy (Ford Escort Mk2) 2h 24m 23s
3 John Cope/Tony Cope (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 27m 13s
4 Paul Kirtley/David Jones (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 28m 37s
5 Denis Biggerstaff/Graham Thomson (Subaru Impreza) 2h 29m 40s
6 Tony Bardy/Reg Smith (Hyundai Accent WRC) 2h 30m 19s
7 John Price/Caroline Price (MG Metro 6R4) 2h 31m 14s
8 John Swinscoe/Bill Robertson (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9) 2h 33m 10s
9 Cameron MacLean/Alastair Fraser (Ford Escort Mk2) 2hr 34m 34s
10 Tristan Pye/Andrew Roughead (Subaru Impreza) 2h 35m 24s
12 Mike Storrar/Weazel Currie (Ford Anglia) 2hr 38m 05s – 1st 1600cc
28 Chris Woodcock/Heid Woodcock (Proton Satria) 2h 45m 40s – 1st 1400cc
There’s an old saying, ‘Beware the quiet man’. I never really knew what it meant – I do now. And anyone who witnessed the 37th Tunnock’s Tour of Mull Rally will too.
Neil MacKinnon and Mike Stayte never get excited and don’t have much to say. Never in the limelight and never controversial, their motto would appear to be ‘Actions speak louder than words’. And so it proved. They had their problems over the weekend, but the McKinstry lads were on the case. Never a word of complaint or criticism from the ‘MullMeisters’, it was simply taken on board with quiet acceptance.
Mind you I could be wrong. He could be quite different around the house for all I know, kicking the dog and leaving his clothes all over the floor, but there was nothing untidy about his drive into the record books. His 11th Tour victory.
“I enjoyed that, and I enjoyed the car,” said Neil, “There was never really a problem with the gearboxes, we could work round it. In fact the third one wasn’t a ‘new’ box, and we knew it wasn’t as good as the one we used on Friday night and the other on Saturday afternoon, but as long as I lifted off before changing up, it was fine. Having confidence in the car meant I could lift the pace whenever I needed, which was quite often, with the likes of Callum (Duffy) and John (Cope) behind me, but the suspension was good and so were the Michelin tyres – and so were the.McKinstry lads. Aye, this was good.”
In the face of such a force, Calum and Iain Duffy were always going to be looking at the tail end of a Subaru, but that didn’t stop them trying. It’s one of the great ‘sanity tests’ of life, seeing Calum in a MkII, your eyes see one thing but your brain refuses to absorb it. His speed and commitment are a revelation to be hold. “It was certainly the fastest rally I’ve ever done,” he said at the finish.
By darkness on Saturday the Copes were virtually resigned to their fate, third again. “We were pleased with our pace on Friday night,” said John, “but the puncture left us always coming from behind – and you don’t give them two a chance like that! But what was really good was just how few retirements there were, it was a good fight.”
Paul Kirtley was beaming at the finish despite a rock-clattering, track-splaying impact on the long penultimate test and did just enough to keep ahead of Denis Biggerstaff who had his own last minute dramas. A power failure towards the end of the penultimate stage and a puncture before the start of the last one saw him drop down the running order, but he finished. And finally getting to grips with the Hyundai was Tony Bardy, just doing enough over the closing stages to displace John Price for sixth. But was JP annoyed or upset? “It was another tough rally – but I absolutely enjoyed it.” And so too, did we who only watched.
But those were the lucky ones. Last year’s winner James MacGillivray crashed out of contention on Saturday night, Dougi Hall suffered engine failure and so too did the O’Donnell twins. So gutted were they, neither has yet had the energy or the desire to lift the bonnet to see what gave up. Willie Bonniwell broke a driveshaft and Daniel Harper broke his car. If he hadn’t lost a wheel on Friday night who knows where the MINI might have finished!
But this rally is not just about the top seeds, everyone who finished are heroes including the John Easson Scholarship winner, Ryan Borthwick: “I didn’t really enjoy it on Friday night, it was the first time I had rallied in the dark – but by the end it was good!” And the last I saw of Ryan he was badgering his Dad: “We need something quicker for next year Dad.” And what of the Bear Cubs, Heather MacCrone and Sarah Jayne Daly. They finished one place behind Ryan, in 55th place overall, a simply stunning and richly deserved result and one of which every one of the youngsters and teenagers involved in the project should be proud. And for once, Steve Davies has come up with a good idea and got a result out of it – unlike his own exploits! And a special word for 17 year old Drew Sturrock, son of Bulletin Bill, who was co-driving for Jonathan Mounsey. It was only his fourth rally and 1st Mull. He finished, and finished 34th – something his Dad never did on the island!
In the classes, Mike Storrar scored an exceptional 12th place overall in the 1600cc winning Anglia, but is increasingly worried about sourcing parts for his car, apparently the doors are now made of ‘unobtainium’. Jim McKenna in the Toyota Starlet was 2nd in class while Donald Brown got third after a fire threatened to engulf the Sunbeam. Chris Woodock heaved a sigh of relief at the finish not just for winning the 1400 class, but because the Proton can now be returned to its owner in one piece, so the threat of banishment has been lifted. Only 17 seconds behind him at the finish was Alistair Willis in the Nova while Alan McLlaughlin was third in the Puma.
Yes, there were incidents but fortunately all are walking wounded, if not physically then certainly in the pocket, and only one casualty was detained overnight Friday, and our best wishes to them all. Lyndon Barton suffered transmission failure, Doug Weir crashed, Mark Jasper disappeared and Mark Durham left his Lancer in an awkward place in Mishnish last night. It’s nose was on the tarmac but the tail was on top of the Armco at Calgary.
Paul MacKinnon suffered engine failure (when knocking on the door of the top six!), John Cressey holed a piston, Iain Grubb broke a driveshaft, John Marshall blew a turbo and John Paterson converted a once pristine MkII into a badly collated box of constituent parts.
For the third year in a row, the backdrop to the rally looked like a Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer wrapper, red skies and golden rays of sunshine, while the islanders hospitality was as warm and squidgy as a tea cake – so here’s a plea to St Tunnock’s of Biscuitry – don’t ever make a water biscuit!
And here’s a thought. In 1993, Neil MacKinnon ran with the number 4 on the door after four years without a result. This year, he had number 4 on the door, after four years without a result. He won then, and won again for the next four years! Ominous or what?
As ever, our thanks go to an increasingly long list of rather special people, to all at Tunnock’s, and to all competitors, service crews, marshals and officials, and also to those nice folk at Volkswagen, Bulletin Bill and all those who gave prizes at the Rally forum, Subaru, Ford, Kumho, Dunlop and Mintex. We love you all.
And finally, I couldn’t resist this one. Apparently a certain journalist had borrowed a brand spanking new Volkswagen Transporter California camper van from VW’s Press office to cover the Tunnock’s Tour, although the ‘real’ object of the exercise was to appraise the vehicle for an article in ‘Professional Van & Light Truck’ magazine. Late on Friday evening, our hero was parked outside the Salen Hotel, admittedly on a wee bit of a slope, whereupon he stepped out of the vehicle. The electrically powered side door slid quietly shut as the van rocked on its suspension – with the keys sitting on the table inside, and so were his phones! The Polis were unable to offer any help due to the deadlock sophistication of the vehicle, the local garage was busy and every AA and RAC patrol person on the island was out servicing for someone on the rally. So what did our hero do? He smashed a window. As he later explained, he hadn’t locked himself out of the van, the van had locked the keys in. First on the scene was Gerry from the Salen Hotel with dustpan and brush in hand – so that our hero could sweep up all the broken glass in his Car Park – Thanks Gerry.
And I couldn’t resist this one either. Local man Bill Langford was unable to start the rally when his engine failed, but when he was asked how he was getting on with the Pace Notes, replied: “You’d be as well reading ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ to me!”
And finally, finally, what a grand night we had on Friday. Warm and gloriously bright. But I know where that came from, somebody upstairs had turned on the fire, put up his feet and switched on the light – all the better to see what we were up to down here. Thanks Brian.
That’s yer lot for 2006,
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Strongarbh, Tobermory, 12 Noon, Sunday
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4 thoughts on “Sad News: 2020 Andy Mort Tour Will Not Run”
Sorry to hear that it will not run this year as we were looking forward to the event. We will hopefully be there 2021.
So sad that all your hard work has had to be put on hold. Thanks for all you’ve done and look forward to the 2021 event.
It’s a shame, but probably the wisest move in the circumstances. Thanks for all the effort and we’ll see you next year.
Oh no, what a shame, looking like there’s no form of motorsport for the clubmen. Funny how anything that makes a revenue like F1 and football is ok, even going to the pub or restaurant, but not for us mere motoring enthusiasts. look forward to 2021.
Best wishes.
Phil