Rally rookie Gordon Shedden is being let loose on gravel for the first time.
The 2012 British Touring Car champion is the latest name to sign up for the McRae Rally Challenge at Knockhill, a two-day event celebrating the 20th anniversary of Colin McRae’s World Rally Championship win.
The May 16/17 motorsport spectacular will showcase some of McRae’s most iconic cars and feature a host of top names as well as legendary machinery.
Shedden claims never to have driven a ‘proper’ rally car but will be aiming to maximise home advantage over the stages at the Fife circuit where he is head of corporate sales and business development.
The driver, nicknamed Flash, has already given the new Team Yuasa Honda Civic Type R its first victory in the gladiatorial mayhem of the MSA British Touring Car Championship where he has forged a reputation as one of the nation’s leading tin-top racers.
“If ever I was going to do a rally, this is the one,” said Shedden of the Beatsons’ Building Supplies and EventScotland-supported event.
“This will be an iconic event for motorsport fans and it will be quite a challenge for me. I wouldn’t trust myself on a proper forest rally event_ there are too many trees!”
In the navigator’s hotseat alongside Shedden will be World Rally Championship co-driver Stuart Louden.
“I’ve been in scarier positions with worse drivers,” he said. “Gordon knows where he’s going so that will help me out.”
Tickets for the event can be pre-booked via the Knockhill website with weekend camping, special exhibits, parades and host of other activities lined up for motorsport fans.