I was saddened to hear this morning that the Scottish Rally Driver and former WRC Champion, Colin McRae, had been killed in a helicopter accident. For as small a country as we are, we don't half seem to do well at producing top class sportsmen, and anyone living in Scotland will tell you that we're at an immediate disadvantage because of the lack of facilities and funding available.
I actually have something in common with Colin McRae, believe it or not. My own father was a rally driver back in the late 70's and through the 80's, just like Colin's father Jimmy McRae. I'm sure my father competed in several races in which Jimmy was also competing, although my father was more semi-pro while Jimmy was at the top of the tree so to speak, at that time.
Unfotrunately, rallying is a very expensive sport, as my father discovered, and even with sponsorship, which he had to go out and get himself, the costs of keeping a car racing were phenomenal, and eventually he had to pack it in. He did win a lot of races though, and also placed highly in many pro-events. His Co-driver/Navigator was actually a Primary School Headmaster, would you believe? I certainly don't have the same "Need For Speed" that my father had, but having had a few trips in his rally-car as a kid, I can telly you, that you do get a real adrenaline rush. The nearest thing I can acquaint it to is taking off in an aeroplane with a short runway, when they hold the brakes on until the engines are screaming. When they let the brakes off the acceleration is amazing. I'm talking about Aberedeen airport here in particular, but I'm sure it would apply to other small airports. Perhaps it's the actual need for the adrenaline rush which is addictive. I think I could understand that!
