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Home News Moray

GALLERY: Crowds descend on Cooper Park for Speyside Stages Rally 2023

The McDonald and Munro Speyside Stages rally is a hugely anticipated event in Moray, with crowds always turning up to cheer on the drivers.

By Lauren Taylor
Crowds young and old turned out to watch as rally drivers navigated tight turns at Elgin's Cooper Park. Image: Jason Hedges.
Crowds young and old turned out to watch as rally drivers navigated tight turns at Elgin's Cooper Park. Image: Jason Hedges.

Spectators and motorsport enthusiasts gathered to watch as rally cars thundered across Moray.

The gleaming and finely-tuned cars raced across Elgin’s Cooper Park before navigating around the Moray and Aberdeenshire forests.

Fans gathered outside the Elgin Library and Grant Lodge, despite the grey skies, for a chance to glimpse the colourful motors as they dashed past and headed toward the cathedral.

The McDonald and Munro Speyside Stages Rally is now in its 25th year, and is always widely supported.

Scrutineering took place on the High Street last night before drivers took on the 45-mile track.

The 63 Car Club in Elgin organise the event, and to mark its 60th anniversary year, a new challenge was introduced on Friday night – two forest circuits in the dark.

Our photographer Jason Hedges managed to catch some of the action as the drivers set off from Cooper Park on Saturday.

Some of the best pictures of the day

Drivers checking over vehicles as crowds begin to gather. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Enthusiasts snapping up the action. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Spring has sprung in the Cooper Park. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Kicking up dust and gravel. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Drivers had to navigate tight corners around the park. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Rally cars sped through the park. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
It was a big thumbs up from spectators. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Spectators couldn’t take their eyes off the track. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.
Car tackling a tight corner on the circuit. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Local businesses welcomed the event as spectators took to the streets in Elgin. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
The course took drivers past the historic Elgin Cathedral. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Spectators lined the twisty circuit to catch a glimpse of the vehicles thundering past. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
The Cooper Park challenge has been a fixture of the event, which is organised by the local 63 Car Club, since 1999. Image: Jason Hedges / DC Thomson.
Drivers raced along 45 miles of track through Moray countryside and Elgin city. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.

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