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The idea of competing in the Scottish Hillrally came after a night out of drinking and deciding what I wanted to do for my Stag do! After a quick think I came up with the idea of The Scottish - It went down a treat and every one agreed that it would make an excellent Stag Do with a difference.
The lads went one step further and spoke with the local newspaper before the event and they liked the idea too! Here’s what was written.
Image: Harrogate Advertiser
DRUNKEN pranks, strippers and gallons of beer may be the staple ingredients of many a stag night, but a group of lads from Harrogate will be celebrating with a V8 engine, a tool kit and gallons of petrol.
Off-road die-hard Ted Leahy will be treated to a stag ‘do’ that stands out from the crowd as his mates enroll him and his pride and joy – a 1986 Land Rover – in this year’s 300-mile Scottish Hill Rally.
Ted’s best man, Matt Brookes, will sit beside him as his navigator at the event this weekend while his three best friends – Simon Roberts, Mike Hemmingway and Richard Leedham – have volunteered to up tools and act as the pit crew.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime stag do,” said Matt.
“Land Rovers are in his blood. It’s believed he’s got a birthmark in the shape of a Land Rover badge on his back!” he joked.
Simon added: “He’s a complete Land Rover enthusiast so this is his ideal stag ‘do’.”
“It’s a big event that attracts all the top drivers around the country and it combines his two favorite things – Land Rovers and partying. It’s an alternative stag ‘do’ for someone who’s absolutely addicted to off-road vehicles.”
The friends met through the Northern Off-Road Club, through which they regularly compete in rallies, so an off-road stag weekend was the only way to celebrate Ted’s final moments of freedom before he weds fiancée, Nicole Gill.
“Even though there’s a bit of competition on the course, everybody helps out and it’s certainly a friendly sport, so we’ll have an amazing weekend,” said Matt.
Simon agreed: “It doesn’t matter where we are or what we do, when we get together we always have a great laugh.”
Like all the best ideas, this spark of inspiration was fuelled by ale, but the next day as hangovers lifted, the group realized they could be onto something.
“We just got talking down the pub and it all started from there really,” said Simon. “In my drunken state I said we could be his pit crew and Newnham Street Garage, where I work, would sponsored him and prepare his Land Rover. It all seemed like a good idea when we’d had a few beers that Saturday night.”
And they’ll be plenty of time to knock back a few more pints after the race as Saturday night is devoted to more “traditional” stag-night pursuits.
So which podium place do the lads from Harrogate have their eye on? Bronze? Silver? Even Gold?
”If he finishes the event without smashing the motor up, it’s quite an achievement,” said Simon. “He’d best keep it shiny side up or we’ll be breaking it up and selling it for salvage when we get home!”
Image: National 'B' Winner
Image: Scottish Hillrally National B Winners
Image: Forth Road Bridge
We set off up to Perth on the Thursday morning. We arrived at Perth auction market around 4pm and set up camp. Here is a picture of us crossing the Forth Road Bridge.
Image: Set up Camp
Needing a Beer and BBQ after setting up the tent etc.
Image: Scrutineering
Scrutineering (Safety Check). We had to pass a soundness check and other safety things checked by an MSA official.
Image: Bowler Wildcat - The Competition!
Checking out the competition!
Image: Hard Landing
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On the first special stage we passed our first competitor and then caught another. Due to the dust from following the other motor we didn’t see a hidden hole until the last minute! - The hole caused us to launch the 90 5ft into the air before landing hard on the front offside corner. The hard landing broke both engine mountings. We did not know this until our 2nd special stage when we heard the banging shortly followed by water and steam coming from under the bonnet. Because there was nothing holding the engine in place it jumped around allowing the fan to jump up and cut the top hose putting us out the running in the National 'A' group.
Image: The coolest Land Rover Mechanic around!
The coolest Land Rover Mechanic around! - Mike soon had the new engine mounts and top hose fitted so we could sign on for the National 'B' group.
Image: Cornering
Coming in towards the finish of special stage 7 after the nine mile stage.
Image: Rutted climb
A rutted climb before a 20 minute service interval.
Image: Entering the Tunnel
Entering the Tunnel on special stage 8. There was a 1-mile straight down a hard gravel track before the entrance enabling some fast speeds!
Image: Service crew
The service crew earning their money!
Image: Service crew not earning their money!
It all got too much for the service crew so they had a sleep!
Image: The Finish Line
Clocking in at the Finish Line after the Big 25 mile special stage plus road miles home!
MADE IT!!!
Image: Trophy's
Guess who's happy about the result... First over all in the National 'B' group and The Saturday Cup winner!
Image: Champaign
Champaign celebrations!
Image: The Trophy's
A Big Thanks must go to my trusted Pit Crew for the fast repairs, running around locating parts and keeping me going! The cups yours next time slim - If you're fast enough!
Cheers Boys!
Image: news paper follow up...
WHEN Land Rover fanatic Ted Leahy and his friends entered a national off-road rally for his stag 'do' recently, they doubted they'd even finish the event. However, the quintet from Harrogate surprised everybody - not least themselves - when they came away from the Scottish National Hill rally clutching a gold trophy. "It was an absolutely fantastic result," said Ted, whose friends acted as his pit crew and navigator for the stag celebration. "I couldn't have wished for any better. Nobody I spoke to expected us to win it, so to come back with a trophy is just fantastic. We were astonished." The groom-to-be beat vehicles worth ten times the value of his 1986 Land Rover to scoop gold in the National B class of the event - a one day, 25-mile circuit and the second most difficult race in the rally. "The Scottish National's the best off-road racing event in the country and we did really well and beat some of the top boys who were spending big money," Ted added. "My navigator, Matt, did an absolutely fantastic job getting us round it and Simon, Richard and Mike were a brilliant pit crew so I'd like to thank them all." 2005 will certainly prove a year to remember for the prize-winning petrol-head. "All the first half of the year I was looking forward to the rally and the second half I'll be looking forward to getting married to Nicole in December," said Ted. "But I'd rank her higher than Land Rovers, and that's saying something!"
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