The 2026 Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) switches to Tarmac for back-to-back events, beginning with this week’s Jim Clark Reivers Rally (Sunday May 24).
After two rallies in the forests of the Highlands and the Scottish Borders, the Jim Clark Reivers offers competitors their first chance to compete on the closed public roads of Scotland in 2026.
Four different stages, repeated in the afternoon, comprise a 57-mile rally in the Berwickshire lanes, based out of Duns – the town that hosts the museum dedicated to two-time Formula 1 world champion Jim Clark.
The SRC has been as competitive as ever this season with two different winners from the first two events, the Snowman Rally and Border Counties Rally. Garry Pearson and co-driver Hannah McKillop took top honours on the latter in their M-Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta Rally2, and are favourites for a repeat result on their local Tarmac stages.
However it’s Scott Macbeth and Andrew Falconer who currently lead the championship in their Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. The Muir of Ord driver claimed his first ever SRC victory at February’s season opener and followed that up with a runner-up finish at round two. Benefiting from extra seat time in the British Rally Championship, like Pearson Macbeth will be match fit when round three gets underway.
Their challengers come from all quarters, in various different Rally2 cars. Icelandic duo Daniel Sigurðarson / Ásta Sigurdardottir represent Škoda in their state-of-the-art Fabia RS Rally2, and although they’re not known for their Tarmac prowess, they have podium form having claimed second at the Snowman on their championship debut.
The SRC also welcomes Northern Irishman Alan Carmichael to the championship for the Jim Clark, as he competes in a newly-acquired Fabia RS alongside co-driver Antony Nestor.
Hugh Brunton and co-driver Drew Sturrock are another crew to make their first start of the season, debuting the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 in the SRC. Brunton is a regular podium finisher and known for his Tarmac speed, so is expected to fight at the very front.
In the Ford camp are Dale Robertson / Keir Beaton, who also make their first start of 2026 in a Fiesta Rally2. Joining the local driver in M-Sport-built cars are Stephen Petch / Michael Wilkinson whose consistency sees them third in the championship after two rounds, round one podium finishers Alexander Vassallo / Chris Lees and Ian Forgan / Ewan Lees.
And don’t discount Mark McCulloch and Michael Hendry, whose season is in need of a restart after a tricky couple of opening events in their Proton Satria Evo.
Mike Stuart / Clare Fraser lead both the Oakbank Challengers Championship and G&M Mechanical Services 2WD Championship into the Jim Clark, sitting an incredible fifth in the overall championship in their historic Ford Escort Mk1.
In the 2WDs, the Highlanders face stiff opposition from the likes of David Wilson / Ross Mackay (BMW M3), Craig Rutherford / Richard Simmonds (Ford Escort Mk2), Ross Jarratt / David Robson (Ford Escort Mk2), Callum Atkinson / Nikki Addison (Peugeot 208 Rally4) and Alan Scott / Dan Forsyth (MG ZR) among many others.
Contenders in the Challengers – for drivers without an overall top-seven result in the last decade competing in non-Rally2 cars – include many of the aforementioned 2WD names alongside four-wheel-drive rivals like Martyn Erskine / Peter Carstairs’s Mitsubishi Evo and Jordan Anderson / Simon Mills’ Subaru Impreza.
Natalie Robinon has won both rounds of the Questmead SRC Juniors so far in 2026, but won’t make the trip to Duns. That opens the door for Robbie Wood who debuts a Peugoet 208 Rally4 this weekend, and Fraser MacDougall (Škoda Felicia), to catch back points on their 208 Rally4 rival.
In the Haddo Energy Super Seniors, John Rintoul switches car for the Tarmac but aims to repeat his two victories from 2026’s first pair of events. Rintoul jumps out of his Escort Mk2 and into a Subaru Legacy for the Jim Clark. Ernie Lee is among his rivals in his BMW M3.
Jordan Anderson is chasing a hattrick of his own in the Groundwater Lift Trucks Subaru Cup battling rivals like Martin Lock across the eight special stages.
SRC chairwoman Fiona Moir is excited for the competition to commence after a long two months without championship action.
“As ever, the Jim Clark Reivers Rally is an incredibly difficult event to call. We welcome back some familiar faces to the championship in some exciting new cars, who hope to take the fight to this year’s frontrunners,” Moir said.
“The SRC is the only domestic championship to offer a mixture of both Tarmac and gravel stages, offering our competitors a real challenge across the season. The Jim Clark is the first of those Tarmac events and is steeped in history, with many legendary drivers competing on these roads over the years.
“We wish everybody a safe and enjoyable day of rallying, and eagerly await the competition kicking off again for the first time since March.”
