| 
Douglas Anderson, Tommy Bryce, Jimmy McRae and Scott Taylor
Tommy Bryce is sure they should head East. Jimmy doesn't look convinced!
Any colder and this rain will turn to snow!
No need for the fountain to keep it wet. Enough falling from the skies. 
Tommy Bryce in his 1928 Citreon which he drives on many classic car events, though not to Monte Carlo just yet..
| | |  | Monte Carlo Historique Glasgow
Start - Press Launch
Report
and photos Jim Paterson
 The world's Press
and Television turned out to Glasgow's People's Palace on
Thursday 20th December 2012 and were greeted
with typical Monte Carlo Rally, weather, wet, windy, and
cold. Not quite cold enough for snow but not far away.
Douglas
Anderson of CCHMSC, Tommy Bryce, Monte entrant in the 1954 event, Jimmy
McRae of world rallying fame, and Scott Taylor from the Glasgow
marketing bureau sat at the top table and gave the press an insight for
the 2013 Glasgow start event.
Douglas reported that Glasgow was
a unique start city for the event and had raised the bar on the 2011
event, coming up once again with a great start venue at the
Peoples Palace and Winter Garden on Glasgow Green. The cars will
start at 2.00pm on the Saturday afternoon and leave at one minute
intervals on the route to Monte Carlo heading initially for the ferry
crossing at Dover.
Douglas added that prior to the cars
departing over the start ramp they will be on show at Buchanan Street
from 10.00am to 1.00pm when they drive over to the Peoples Palace
for the start. The spectating public will have access to the cars and
crews and be able to ask questions and learn what cars and crews face
on the 2000 plus mile journey to Monte Carlo, a trip that will include
roads high in the snow covered Alps. Entertainment with the Kennedy Cup
Cake girls and musicians will also be there so make sure you visit
with the family.
 Tommy
Bryce told us how, as a young man, in 1954 he was the mechanic in
the crew of a Riley 2.5l litre. "In those days we had to take 'B' roads
the whole way" reported Tommy. "The Riley was fitted with 'double
tubed' tyres,where two tubes one inside the other was supposed to slow
the deflation of any punctures. Though 'tubeless tyres' had started to
appear nobody had any confidence in them". Tommy had to repair 6
punctutres by time they reached Shap, and that meant removing the tyre
with tyre levers and patching the tubes!
Jimmy and Tommy can't agree the way to Monte
No spare wheels there then! Perhaps they should have gambled on tubeless tyres after all!
Jimmy
McRae related his early days in rallying. Having started on motor
cycles he eventually got the bug for cars doing winter stage 'ice
notes' for crews. Though never having driven a full 'Monte' rally
himself, he has a wealth of other event wins in his trophy cabinet.
Scott
Taylor from the Glasgow marketing bureau reported that around 40
classic cars, including Porsches, Lancias, and two Holdens all the way
from Australia will join the main event. One of the Holden's ran in the
1953 rally and 2013 will mark the 60th anniversary of that great event.
Richard Davison, son of the 1953 driver Lex, will be joined by
the Australain V8 superstar racer Craig Lowndes and Gary Poole to
crew the car to Monte Carlo. Following the Monte cars will be a
further 60 Classic cars covering part of the route within the UK,
giving owners of classic cars a taste of rallying as it used to be.
Scott
added that between 15000 to 19000 spectators are expected to
visit Buchanan Street and the Peoples Palace start on the 26th, kick
starting Glasgow's events for 2013, and exceeding the 9000 who came to
the 2011 start. Lets hope the weather is kinder then than it was
today. But hey! snow and bad weather go hand in hand with the Monte
Carlo rally, doesn't it?
Tommy and Jimmy then took part in a photo event despite the heavy rains, smiling for the camera,as they always do.
So
remember the date in you diary now - Satuday 26th January from
10.00am at Buchanan Street and then to the People's Palace for the
Glasgow Start of the 16th Monte Carlo Rallye Historique.
Full Entry List is now
available from
the Automobile Club de Monaco
|
| Updated 20 December 2012
Webmaster
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