Local star David Bogie knows he must win next weekend's RSAC Scottish Rally if he is to have any chance of catching championship leader Jimmy Girvan with four rounds remaining.
The first half of the season has proved frustrating for the young Dumfries driver who was widely tipped to take the title in 2008 after recording his maiden County Saab Scottish Championship win on last September's McRae Stages.
While setting fastest stage times, the 20-year-old has been dogged by punctures, gearbox problems and other mishaps.
He is currently ninth in the points after a fourth place on the Snowman; 26th on the Border Counties; a 1st on the Granite City and a non-finish on last month's
Jim Clark Reivers.
“I'm really hoping my luck will change during the second half of the year”, said Bogie. “It needs to start on the Scottish - I've got to go for the win and get maximum point. I just need a bit of luck on my side and hopefully it can still be done”.
Bogie will start third on Saturday at the wheel of the hired Toyota Corolla WRC in which he suffered gearbox trouble on the Reivers.
However, he is confident that the problems have been ironed out, and says he is more than happy with the reliability of the car.
Reliability - and consistency - have been the key features of Girvan's campaign. Maximum points on the Snowman and Border Counties; second on the Granite; third on the Jim Clark Reivers
However, the 1990 title-holder knows that with the championship decided on six out of eight rounds, he cannot miss a beat as he faces up to the famed gravel stages of Ae, Greskine and Kinharvie in his Subaru Impreza.
As co-driver Kirsty Riddick put it: “We have to win two of the remaining four rounds, if we're to secure the championship. Certainly we expected it to be much closer – but if David strings together four great results from now on in, it could be the last round, the McRae, before we know who's champion”.
![David Bogie. Toyota Corolla WRC. Granite City. County Saab Scottish Rally Championship. [Pic credit: RALLY-PHOTO.COM]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/439118.jpg)
