Colin McRae tribute award winner Stevie Brown suffered from terminal gearbox problems on last weekends Colin McRae Stages. The final round of the County Saab Scottish Rally Championship, and the penultimate round of the VK Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy, had been billed as the event of the centaury as rally heroes from around the world gathered to pay respect for Colin McRae, who was tragically killed in an air accident one year ago.

Stevie had planned a flat out charge in the Five Mile Garage backed Ford Fiesta ST, but the young rally ace faced problems right from the start. “When we drove off the start line of the first stage I knew straight away that something was wrong” explained Stevie.

He continues, “When we arrived at a hairpin I went to select second gear and couldn’t get it, then the clutch started slipping.” Having nursed the car through the first stage the MSA British Rally Academy member found that most of the gearbox oil was now lying on the sump guard, and believed that an internal seal had burst in the gearbox, causing oil to drip on the clutch making it slip.

Determined to carry on the Nicolson Maps supported driver struggled through the longest stage of the rally. "That stage was a real struggle, the car takes so long to get up to speed as the clutch is slipping very badly, you can rev the engine in any gear and its like your in neutral” said Stevie at the end of the second test of the day.

With one final stage before the main service halt, Stevie and co-driver Stan Quirk nursed the car through the 8 mile test stopping the clocks just 19 seconds behind the top UK Fiesta Sporting Trophy championship driver, and 16-seconds faster than fellow Scottish Fiesta driver Alick Kerr, a fantastic time for a car with no second gear, and a badly slipping clutch.

Having nursed the car to the main service stop of the day, it soon became apparent that the damage to the gearbox was too sever to continue, and to save damaging the car further the team made the difficult decision to pull out of the event.

What had promised to be a fantastic event for Stevie had in actual fact been a crushing blow. “I came here wanting to win the VK Fiesta Sporting Trophy round, and win our class in the Scottish Rally Championship. It meant a lot to me to do well in this event as having won the Colin McRae tribute award there was certainly an emotional element to it. We tried our best but it wasn’t to be, for sure it’s a huge disappointment” admitted Stevie.

This year’s Colin McRae Stages meant many things to different people. To some it was an opportunity to chase championship points, or to compete alongside rally greats. But for others it was a chance to remember an inspiration, a hero and a friend. Colin McRae MBE.