Huntly’s John Wink says favourable conditions will make for a competitive contest at this weekend’s McDonald and Munro Speyside Stages.
The event returns for the first time since 2019, having been cancelled in the last two years due to Covid.
Having finished fifth on that occasion, seventh-seed Wink is seeking to once again be among the challengers at his home event.
Wink said: “It’s fantastic to go to a rally, but having to drive six or seven hours each way to get to it can knock a bit of the fun out of it.
“The rally being only 40 minutes up the road is a huge advantage to me. I love this event and I’m really looking forward to it.
“The nature of the Speyside is that the stages are fast-flowing.
“In order to be competitive, you need to carry your speed around the corners. If it’s dry conditions, it just gives you a bit more confidence in doing that.
“When the conditions are slippier, you are always that bit more cautious. It gives us the opportunity to press on a wee bit and see what we can do.
“We are rallying against the best in the UK. With being seeded number seven out of 108, if we can maintain our seeded position and finish around there I will be delighted.
“I was fifth in 2019, and only three seconds off third place. First and second were a bit in front of us, but it was very close behind that.
“It was quite a battle, and I will no doubt be battling with a few folk around about us again this weekend.”
Sponsors event the perfect preparation for Huntly driver
Wink was among several drivers who took part in a sponsors event at Bin Forest on Thursday, which he felt was ideal preparation for this weekend.
He added: “I had a really good day. The conditions were pretty dry, which is something we haven’t had in the two rallies we have done this season.
“It was good to get the car set up for those types of stage conditions, which will be representative of what it will be this weekend.
“It was very worthwhile and great to see everybody, and it was also great to help the event to say thanks to their sponsors – as without that we wouldn’t be going rallying.”
Wink will be partnered by Welsh co-driver Will Atkins for the first time, in his Hyundai i20 R5.
His regular co-driver Neil Shanks is the clerk of the course at the Speyside Stages.
Wishing all the best to our friend John Wink as he competes in the McDonald & Munro Speyside Stages rally tomorrow.
Good luck from the NorDan team!#nordan #goodluck #johnwinkrallying pic.twitter.com/SnCZzVKOb6
— NorDan UK Ltd (@NorDanUK) April 22, 2022
Wink anticipates a smooth transition, adding: “Neil is tied up, which I knew would be the case for the Speyside Stages when I partnered up with him in 2019.
“I have got young Will sitting with me, who has done really well in the BTRDA series as well as some Welsh forest rallying.
“He was recommended to me by the British champion Mark Edwards and also Neil, who was in charge of fishing somebody out to take his seat.
“We have been speaking a lot on the phone and we have done the notes electronically, because he’s in Wales and I’m up here.
“I like his style and, although it will be different hearing another voice in my ear, I’m confident by the end of the day we will be competitive.”
McDonald and Munro Speyside Stages – top 10 seeds
1 David Bogie (Dumfries) and Barney Mitchell (Magherafelt) – Mini mJCW WRC
2 Michael Binnie (Cornhill-on-Tweed) and Claire Mole (Duns) – Mitsubishi Evo 9
3 Freddie Milne (Aberdeen) and Patrick Walsh (Aberystwyth) – Ford Fiesta R5
4 Jock Armstrong (Clarebrand) and Cameron Fair (Tobermory) – Subaru Impreza
5 Bruce McCombie (Banchory) and Michael Coutts (Torphins) – Ford Focus
6 Scott Beattie (Alford) and Paula Swinscoe (Withnell) – Mitsubishi Evo 7
7 John Wink (Huntly) and Will Atkins (Whitchurch) – Hyundai i20 R5
8 Scott Macbeth (Muir of Ord) and Daniel Forsyth (Elgin) – Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9
9 David Henderson (Oakenshaw ) and Chris Lees (Glasgow) – Ford Fiesta R5
10 Mark McCulloch (Dumfries) and Michael Hendry (Aberlour) – Proton Satria Evo
