Johnnie Mackay made an impressive Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship debut on the Nigel Ferguson Fabricators Tour of Epynt, taking the class N3 win after a faultless drive in his ISS/Kewtech Ford Fiesta ST.
The 20-year old from Aberdeen never put a foot wrong and finished 41st overall in his ex-Finlay Retson Fiesta Trophy spec car, which runs on Pirelli tyres.
Johnnie started rallying in the Junior Formula 1000 Championship at the age of 14 and last year became Scottish Junior rally champion.
He’s now looking forward to his ‘home’ closed road Protyre Asphalt rounds, this weekend’s Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally (27/28 May) and the Argyll Rally (24/25 June) – even though both are a five-hour drive away from where he lives!
Johnnie’s contested both events before, the Jim Clark in 2019 when it was run in winter and the Argyll last he when he rolled out of 35th position overall, having been seeded at number 101.
“I made a list of all the events I fancied doing in 2022 and when the Protyre Asphalt Championship announced its calendar for this year it was pretty much the same thing, so I registered for the series,” says Johnnie.
“Epynt’s a long way from home, but I’ve heard so much about it that I had to come and do – and we ended up with a good result.
“The next two rounds are in Scotland, but I wouldn’t say the Jim Clark and Argyll are local as each are a five-hour drive away!”