Dalbeattie came alive on July 19th as the 2025 RSAC Scottish Rally roared into action. Round 3 of the Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship promised a fierce contest — and that is exactly what unfolded between Garry Pearson in his MSport Fiesta Rally 2 and local favourite David Bogie in the Dom Buckley Fabia RS Rally 2.
Bogie, chasing what would have been a record ninth win on his home rally, made his intentions clear from the start. He attacked the opening Glengap stage, building an early lead of 11 seconds. Meanwhile, Pearson, partnered by Hannah McKillop in the Fiesta, started cautiously. Treating the event partly in preparation for the upcoming British Rally Championship round, they used the opening stages to bed the car in and try various setups rather than push flat out from the start.
The turning point came on stage 3, when Bogie spun and lost vital seconds. That mistake was all Pearson needed, and he emerged from Dalbeattie with a narrow lead. It was a closely fought contest over the remaining stages. Bogie kept the pressure on through the afternoon stages, but Pearson balanced speed with caution, staying clean through the rutted and dusty tracks to take the win.
The turning point came on stage 3, when Bogie spun and lost vital seconds. That mistake was all Pearson needed, and he emerged from Dalbeattie with a narrow lead. It was a closely fought contest over the remaining stages. Bogie kept the pressure on through the afternoon stages, but Pearson balanced speed with caution, staying clean through the rutted and dusty tracks to take the win.
Beyond the lead battle, the rally had the usual mix of two and four drive wheel cars, including historic’s. Uniquely, the two-wheel drives run in reverse order at the head of the field, all tackling the same demanding stages. The rally was also a round of the hotly contested MG3 rally challenge. Of the 79 starters, just 45 made it to the finish — a reminder of how punishing these forests can be.
The fan zone at Jas P Wilson proved popular with spectators, offering live timing screens and close-up views of the rally cars during service. Organisers had stuck to the traditional stage mileage despite rising costs, and the result was an event that felt as challenging and exciting as ever.
In the end, it was Pearson’s steady approach and Bogie’s costly spin on stage 3 that determined the outcome, ensuring Bogie will have to wait another year for a shot at that ninth win.
