Colin McRae Tragedy Strikes NZ Rally Talent

McRae Tragedy Strikes NZ Talent

The reported death in a helicopter crash of former World Rally Champion Colin McRae has come as a blow to New Zealand's emerging rallying talent.

McRae's connection to New Zealand's domestic scene was highlighted two weeks ago when younger brother Alister contested and won the penultimate Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship round.

Also entered to the championship and confirmed for the final round at the end of this month, American Ken Block was a close family friend of Colin McRae.

Hawke's Bay based Taylor Motorsport, who ran Alister at the recent championship round, also runs emerging talent Stewart Taylor:

"He has always been a legend as far as the drivers at the peak of their game go. I've always admired what he did with a car. Watching a top level driver like Colin was the inspiration - that was the dream to emulate what you saw them do - he was one of the ones you waited for on the side of the road. He pushed the boundaries of what I thought someone could do with a car," said Stewart Taylor.

"So it was a very big shock to hear that news. I think it made it more so the fact we had the association with Alister. Colin's name came up in discussion quite a lot at Rally New Zealand; we talked about things that helped Alister, right down to things like how he owned four helicopters and flew to testing all the time."

"Even his young son Johnny - the fact he was displaying all those attributes of being a young driver. Alister was recounting a story of Johnny where Colin had bought him a small bike to ride - and while they turned away Johnny got on the big 600cc bike out and was riding around doing jumps. It was something Alister said he'd never even attempt doing himself."

Currently leading the New Zealand championship standings by 20 points, Palmerston North's Sam Murray runs the Fram Racing Subaru team that Ken Block drives for:

"Colin was just one of those guys you watched, how flamboyant he was. I first saw him back in 1993 when he won Rally New Zealand; he was based on raw speed. Any rally driver would have loved to have the raw talent he showed - that's the inspiration. Really, to be honest, there won't be too many people in the world who could claim to have that."

"With Ken, they both met at the X Games 12 and again this year at X Games 13, so became quite good friends through that."

Wrapping up New Zealand's championship season, the final round heads for Nelson (0800 Boxman Rally of Nelson) - 30th September 2007.

ENDS

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