Coinciding once again with the Northern Fords Western Isles Tour, this year’s Run What Ya Brung drag had a lot of Classic Fords in the mix, predominantly Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts in varying states of tune, from showroom standard through to fire-breathing Tarmac rally spec and everything in between.
The opportunity to watch 37 cars getting pushed to the limit wasn’t to be missed, and the spectator car park was full to capacity quite early on in the evening. The gate collection will be split between the local charities nominated by HIAL, who we once again can’t thank enough for the assistance they provide in keeping this event running.
Local entries were quite low, but with plenty of variety, Japanese rally saloons were joined by family friendly Estates and 4x4s, and the Pier 1 contingent brought their hot-hatches to settle whose was fastest.
Has the Astra VXR had it’s day? None present, but the Corsa owners kept the Griffin flag flying. Apparently adding 1000cc and a turbo is only good for gaining a couple tenths of a second over the standard 1.0 3-pot… Traction was certainly an issue for the frantic hatches, perhaps there lies the answer?
BMW diesels are the proof you can have your cake and eat it, returning very fast times whilst maintaining 35+ MPG on the strip would have been unheard of only a few years ago. Paul Macaulay knocked his best time down by .269 seconds compared to last year, and is now running faster than he did in the M5. Michael Sutherland is another regular, making the journey over from Thurso in his very nice 330D this time, his 14.300 second quarter being very close to the 14.249 he set on his first trip over in the Escort Cosworth, which car will we see next year? Either way, it’s going to be a challenge to catch up with Callum in the Subaru, who will no doubt be trying to break the 12 second barrier next time.
Unfortunately the expected Metro 6R4 was in an all-too-common state, spread across the garage in need of repair, but the replacement Tarmac Spec Group 4 Escort more than made up for it. Running a 2.4 litre naturally aspirated Cosworth engine pushing out over 300hp, and a sequential gearbox, the ferocity with which this car covered the quarter mile was unbelievable!
The weather was definitely on our side, dry but just enough breeze to keep the dreaded midges away, this and the quick turn-arounds meant drivers got 7 runs over the evening, although by that stage several had remembered the long journey home, and decided to give the car a rest.
Our thanks goes to the dedicated volunteers without which this event wouldn’t run, and to the many companies that support our efforts each year, raising money for charity whilst having a great evening’s motorsport.
For more photos, visit the Colin Cameron and Innes Maclean albums on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ColinCameronPhotography/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1110116102360755
https://www.facebook.com/innesmacleanphotography/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1537143876593402
Run What Ya Brung is all about beating your own time, below are the evening’s results:
| Name | Car | Run 1 | Run 2 | Run 3 | Run 4 | Run 5 | Run 6 | Run 7 | Best Run |
| Kenny Adams | Escort Mk2 Tarmac | 13.447 | 13.211 | 13.566 | 13.348 | 13.249 | 13.203 | 12.991 | 12.991 |
| Callum Cameron | Subaru Impreza STI | 13.085 | 13.091 | 13.548 | 13.803 | 13.290 | 13.660 | 13.257 | 13.085 |
| John Curran | Ford Escort Mk2 | 13.666 | 13.448 | 13.563 | 13.303 | 13.788 | 13.181 | 15.137 | 13.181 |
| David Murray | Mitsubishi Evo X FQ360 | 13.227 | 13.694 | 13.227 | |||||
| Mark Reid | Subaru Impreza | 13.620 | 13.256 | 15.377 | 13.412 | 13.981 | 13.425 | 13.256 | |
| Paul Macaulay | BMW 535D | 13.268 | 13.813 | 13.462 | 13.500 | 13.433 | 13.500 | 13.341 | 13.268 |
| Murdo Macleod | VW Golf R | 13.809 | 13.444 | 14.499 | 13.963 | 13.480 | 13.391 | 14.627 | 13.391 |
| Kevin Ferguson | Subaru Impreza | 16.570 | 13.603 | 14.210 | 14.282 | 13.450 | 13.490 | 13.620 | 13.450 |
| Peter Melvin | Ford Escort Mk1 | 13.613 | 13.468 | 14.090 | 14.518 | 15.091 | 13.468 | ||
| Niall Doe | Subaru Impreza Wagon | 13.906 | 16.027 | 13.886 | 13.495 | 13.957 | 13.656 | 13.653 | 13.495 |
| Gerry McManus | Ford Escort RS2000 | 13.688 | 13.758 | 13.574 | 13.875 | 13.829 | 13.574 | ||
| John Adams | BMW 335D | 14.413 | 13.655 | 13.665 | 14.175 | 13.664 | 13.940 | 13.579 | 13.579 |
| Jim Balmain | Ford Escort 1600 Sport | 14.245 | 14.004 | 13.799 | 14.061 | 13.876 | 13.799 | ||
| Steve Gitsham | Ford Escort RS Mk2 | 14.327 | 14.096 | 14.204 | 13.957 | 14.103 | 14.084 | 13.907 | 13.907 |
| David Mathieson | Vauxhall Corsa Turbo | 14.299 | 14.267 | 14.142 | 14.426 | 14.520 | 14.397 | 14.142 | |
| Duncan Mackay | Ford Focus RS | 14.873 | 14.662 | 14.249 | 14.177 | 14.375 | 14.647 | 14.241 | 14.177 |
| Bryan Macleod | Vauxhall Corsa Sri | 14.434 | 14.381 | 14.390 | 14.379 | 14.515 | 14.544 | 14.207 | 14.207 |
| Craig Ewart | Ford Escort Mk1 | 15.648 | 15.126 | 14.906 | 14.316 | 14.251 | 14.789 | 14.251 | |
| Michael Sutherland | BMW 330D | 14.685 | 14.300 | 14.627 | 16.630 | 15.212 | 14.363 | 14.436 | 14.300 |
| Scott Matheson | Renault Megane | 14.312 | 15.102 | 14.869 | 14.404 | 14.949 | 14.427 | 14.613 | 14.312 |
| Donald Macdonald | Ford Focus RS | 14.453 | 17.679 | 14.410 | 14.478 | 14.695 | 15.363 | 14.410 | |
| Stevie Gitsham Jnr | Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 12V | 16.432 | 14.633 | 21.715 | 14.558 | 14.413 | 14.413 | ||
| Stuart Firth | Ford Escort | 14.935 | 14.748 | 14.850 | 14.818 | 14.748 | |||
| Graham Ferguson | BMW X5 | 15.365 | 14.854 | 14.854 | |||||
| Larry Burns | Ford Escort 2.0 | 15.481 | 15.311 | 14.971 | 15.224 | 15.119 | 14.971 | ||
| John Maclean | Honda Civic Type R | 15.756 | 23.176 | 15.169 | 15.282 | 15.372 | 15.140 | 15.445 | 15.140 |
| Daniel McGrath | Ford Fiesta ST | 15.444 | 15.390 | 15.344 | 15.900 | 15.233 | 15.898 | 15.233 | |
| Allan Farrell | VW Golf GTI | 19.277 | 15.272 | 15.368 | 15.697 | 15.233 | 16.147 | 17.929 | 15.233 |
| Martin Palmer | MG MGF Trophy | 15.699 | 16.004 | 15.867 | 15.651 | 15.763 | 15.879 | 16.260 | 15.651 |
| Iain Rose | Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800 | 16.181 | 16.060 | 15.693 | 15.987 | 16.385 | 16.583 | 16.510 | 15.693 |
| John Mackinnon | Ford Escort RS2000 | 16.156 | 59.999 | 16.156 | |||||
| Martin Crombie | Peugoet 106 GTI | 16.904 | 19.234 | 16.321 | 16.253 | 16.315 | 16.217 | 16.327 | 16.217 |
| Kevin Donnelly | Ford Capri 3.0S | 16.526 | 16.442 | 16.643 | 16.442 | ||||
| Janet Mackenzie | Ford Mondeo Estate | 21.865 | 17.154 | 16.652 | 16.792 | 16.842 | 16.936 | 16.652 | |
| Neil Maclean | Ford Escort Mk1 | 17.078 | 18.805 | 17.364 | 17.619 | 17.078 | |||
| Ryan Donnelly | Ford Fiesta Mk1 | 18.800 | 18.570 | 18.494 | 18.534 | 18.545 | 18.582 | 18.825 | 18.494 |
| Alex Davie | Ford Escort Mk2 | 31.445 | 31.445 |