Mark Higgins finally won in Scotland today [Saturday], when he took the victory on the RSAC Scottish International Rally - round three of the 2005 Kwik Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship.
Higgins beat Austin MacHale by over 2 minutes, winning 8 of the events 10 stages in his Stobart Motorsport Ford Focus - two were cancelled - to notch up his second win of the year, after triumphing last month on the Pirelli.
"At some point in the past ten years I have won every round of the British Rally Championship - except the Scottish Rally," said a delighted Higgins at the rally finish in Dumfries.
"The Scottish International has always been a funny rally for me, and I've nearly won it a few times before, but this is the first outright victory, but apart from a puncture early on it's been perfect all the way."
Higgins led from the off Friday, and apart from a scare on the fifth stage in Gentrool, when a tyre punctured, handing the lead to Barry Johnson, he was back in front by stage 8.
MacHale meanwhile, like Higgins, had to come from behind to secure the runners-up spot. A puzzling electrical failure in the Irishman's Ford Focus almost had him out early on Saturday morning.
"I thought we were finished then," said MacHale, "the paddle-shift gearchange failed, the car wouldn't start and the dashboard digital display was all gibberish." Fortunately he reached service where a faulty ECU was replaced and the car was restored to full health once again.
MacHale though had no answer to the pace set by Higgins. When asked if he could have had a go at the Manxman over the final three stages he grinned: "Maybe 20 years ago I could have had a go at Mark, but he's a lot younger than me!"
In third place, Welshman Sebastien Ling was content with his two days' work: "We had a few problems and a few punctures, but just to get to the finish is an achievement in itself."
