Category: Latest News

The build-up to this year’s Jim Clark Rally gets underway in style this Saturday with a special promotional event in Duns Market Square.

Running from 09:00 until approximately 12:30–13:00, the event offers fans a chance to experience rallying up close, with an impressive display of machinery set to take centre stage. Among the highlights is Jim Clark’s iconic 1966 RAC Rally car, alongside a striking Aston Martin and a formidable desert rally vehicle.

Visitors can also explore a fully equipped rally rescue vehicle, providing a fascinating insight into the safety operations behind the sport. A variety of stands will be on hand offering rally merchandise, giveaways, stickers and programmes, as well as information from the Jim Clark Museum and the Muscular Dystrophy charity, which is being supported by the event this year.

Organisers will also be present throughout the morning, giving attendees the opportunity to learn more about the 2026 rally route and ask any questions ahead of the main event.

The promotional day promises to be a relaxed and engaging start to rally week, bringing fans, competitors and the local community together in the heart of Duns.

Regulations are now available to view and download for the 2026 Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally and Borders Competitions Reivers Rally.
Entries open for the Jim Clark Rally on 6th April at 19:00, with Reivers entries opening on the 9th April at 19:00.

The Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally will return to the Scottish Borders from 22–24 May 2026, with an all-new format designed to keep the event fresh and competitive.

Based once again in Duns, the 2026 edition will feature around 100 competitive miles across the two-day rally. The action begins on Friday evening with four special stages, ensuring the much-loved night-time tradition remains a core part of the event. Saturday’s second leg will pack in around 65 miles across six demanding stages, offering an intense day of competition.

Sunday’s Jim Clark Reivers Rally will provide a fitting finale to the Scottish motorsport weekend, with around 58 stage miles over eight stages, ensuring another day of fast, flowing Border tarmac for crews and fans alike.

Next year’s rally will also take time to remember co-driver Dai Roberts, who tragically lost his life on the event in May.

More information will be released in the coming months….

When the Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club launched its Targa Rally Support Grant earlier this year, the aim was simple: to give local clubs a boost in keeping grassroots motorsport alive and thriving.

One of the first clubs to benefit was Spadeadam Motor Club Ltd., who used the grant to help safeguard the running of their long-established Blue Streak Targa Rally in August 2025.

Spadeadam MC has been a cornerstone of the northern rallying scene since 1959, with members marshalling, competing, and supporting events from the Malcolm Wilson Rally to the Roger Albert Clark Rally. Like many grassroots clubs, however, they faced a significant hurdle when their regular test venue at Carlisle Airport was suddenly withdrawn by new owners.

Combined with the loss of another long-standing venue, the future of the Blue Streak Targa Rally looked uncertain. Without new ground to run on, there was a real risk that the 2025 edition simply couldn’t happen.

That’s when perseverance, and a little help from the JCMMC grant, turned the tide. Thanks to support from landowner Roly Webster, Spadeadam secured three new tests near Haltwhistle, Northumberland, totalling five miles of competitive mileage. Though this came at a cost to the club, the grant eased the pressure and gave the organising team the confidence to press ahead.

The event grew from strength to strength, relocating its start to Haltwhistle East Industrial Estate and expanding to feature 16 tests over 20 competitive miles, with venues including Plenmeller Common, Kingswood Common, Plumpe Farm in Gretna, Hallburn Airfield, and even the brand-new Junction 45 Lorry Park at Gretna.

From a near cancellation, the 2025 Blue Streak Targa Rally became one of the club’s most successful editions yet. Over 80 marshals, blistering summer weather, and enthusiastic competitors combined to create an event that was widely praised by all involved.

What began as a year of uncertainty ended with a rally that demonstrated the strength of teamwork, volunteer spirit, and the difference a small grant can make to grassroots motorsport.

For the Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club, this was exactly the purpose of the grant scheme: to help clubs face the challenges of venues, costs, and logistics, and to ensure motorsport remains accessible for organisers and competitors alike.

The Blue Streak Targa Rally continues its legacy into the future, and the JCMMC remains committed to backing local clubs who are the heartbeat of British motorsport.

The British Rally Championship have issued this kind tribute to Dai Roberts, which we would like to share with you all.


The British Rally Championship and the entire rallying community are mourning the loss of Dai Roberts, a hugely respected co-driver whose life was tragically cut short during the 2025 Jim Clark Rally. 

Aged 39, he was more than just an experienced name in the co-driver’s seat. A standout driver in his own right, Dai had a quiet, calming presence along with a kindness and astounding knowledge that touched everyone who had the privilege of working alongside him.

Hailing from his beloved Carmarthen, he was a man deeply rooted in the sport, with a career spanning over 22 years at both national and international levels. His partnership with several talented drivers, including James Williams in recent seasons, was built not only on skill but on unwavering trust. Drivers and teams knew they could count on him, his timing was meticulous, his notes delivered with unshakeable calm, and his attention to detail was second to none.

But beyond the stages, it was Dai’s character that made him special. He was gentle, humble, and unfailingly generous with his time, whether helping a newcomer find their feet or checking in quietly on a teammate after a tough day. To many, he was the soul of a service park: never loud, but always present when it mattered.

Dai knew all too well the fragility of life in motorsport, yet, despite such heartbreak, he continued, his love for rallying never dimmed, and neither did his strength.

He is survived by his family, including his wife Louise and children, who were the centre of his world. They and the wider rallying community continue to grieve not only for a competitor, but a man who lived with fire in his belly, gave generously, and left the sport better than he found it.

Dai Roberts was, simply put, one of rallying’s good souls. His ferocious passion on the stages and quick wit and humour away from them will live on with his incredible legacy that will roll out the service park with every car for years to come.

The British Rally Championship extends its deepest condolences to Dai’s family and friends. The series aims to honour Dai’s legacy in the upcoming events. We also continue to support James Williams in his fight for recovery.

The 2025 Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally is shaping up to be one of the most exciting editions in over a decade as an expanded route, top-tier entries from across Europe, and a refreshed format bring renewed interest to the Duns-based event, which takes place from 23-25 May.

Centred in the heart of the Scottish Borders, the Jim Clark Rally is widely regarded as one of the premier stage rallies in the UK and has been a cornerstone of the national motorsport calendar for more than half a century. The 2025 edition continues that proud tradition, drawing an impressive 260 competitors from the Probite Motorsport UK British Rally Championship, the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship, and the Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship for an action-packed weekend

Backed for the first time by leading online competition business and local firm Borders Competitions, this year’s rally boasts over 100 stage miles across Friday and Saturday, the longest since its heyday, with Sunday’s Jim Clark Reivers Rally offering almost 60 competitive miles, reflecting the event’s commitment to progress and innovation.

Following the now-customary ceremonial start in the heart of Duns Square on Friday evening, the rally kicks off with the fan-favourite Langton Mill stage, setting the tone for an action-packed weekend. Adding a twist, the crews will then tackle a reversed version of the Fogo stage before facing the return of a classic Jim Clark test – Bothwell – which hasn’t featured since 2012.

This challenging 14-mile stage is the standout feature of the opening leg, which covers 46 competitive miles in total. Each of the three stages will be run twice, with the crews returning to Duns just before 11pm for the overnight halt.

Saturday’s action begins with another run through Langton, followed by revised versions of the Edrom and Blackadder stages. The loop concludes with a fresh test at Polwarth, before service in Duns around midday and a repeat of the loop in the afternoon. After a demanding 55-mile day, the finish celebrations and champagne spray will return to Duns Square in the mid-afternoon.

Sunday’s Jim Clark Reivers Rally, taking place on 25 May, also starts from Duns Square and features several iconic stages, including Westruther, Macks Mill, Scott’s View and Eccles. With extended mileage across these tests, Sunday’s route totals 60 stage miles. The winners will return to Duns for a mid-afternoon finish and champagne celebration.

The entry list is packed with championship contenders and local heroes, all eyeing victory across the Scottish asphalt.

Leading the field on Friday and Saturday is Estonian driver Romet Jürgenson. The young ace is the reigning Junior World Rally Champion and FIA Rally Star winner, and after dominating the Carlisle Stages, carries huge momentum into the Jim Clark. Co-driven by Siim Oja, Jürgenson’s M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 could well be the car to beat.

A major shift in the BRC title race adds extra spice. Points leader William Creighton and last year’s Jim Clark Rally winner Keith Cronin are both missing — Creighton due to family commitments, and Cronin after a heavy crash at the Rally of the Lakes. Their absence leaves the door wide open for a new winner on the top step.

Flying the flag for local honours are three Duns-based drivers – Euan Thorburn, Garry Pearson, and Dale Robertson – all competing in cutting-edge Rally2 machinery. Thorburn, behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, scored the Reivers Rally win in 2024 after a tense final stage shootout, but hasn’t been out on a sealed surface for some time.

Pearson, another past Jim Clark podium finisher, will be a serious contender too, driving the latest-spec Ford Fiesta Rally2 prepared by the factory M-Sport team. Meanwhile, Robertson also lines up in a Fiesta. While always quick on home soil, Robertson enters the event with less recent seat time, having not competed since last year’s edition.

Scottish hopes are also pinned on Max McRae, the latest rising star from the legendary McRae rallying dynasty. Max, son of 1995 BRC champion Alister, is hunting for his first BRC finish of the season in his Citroen C3 Rally2 after a promising but luckless start to his campaign.

James Williams (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) seeks redemption after a difficult Carlisle round. The Welshman previously showed strong asphalt form with a podium on the BRC opener. Also in the mix is James Ford, who steps up to the BRC in a Citroen C3 Rally2. Ford was a standout performer at last year’s Jim Clark and will be aiming to build on that experience.

Another major threat is Callum Black, fourth in the standings, piloting a Fiesta Rally2. He’ll be joined in the top pack by Meirion Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2), who arrives off the back of a second-place finish at the non-championship Rally of the Lakes in Ireland. Both are aiming to exploit the opportunity left by the absence of Creighton and Cronin.

The Reivers Rally on Sunday is no less competitive and over 120 cars will line up to tackle the event. Thorburn aims to take a record tally of wins with four in a row, but he’ll be pushed by Robertson and Pearson, which could make it a Duns 1-2-3 on the road. Hugh Brunton and Elliot Payne add some BRC flavour to Sunday, whilst multiple Scottish Rally Champion David Bogie steps back into Rally2 machinery for his Jim Clark Rally return.

Fans will be treated to plenty of accessible viewing points and centralised activity in Duns across all three days of the rally, including mid-day regroups and start/finish ceremonies. A large screen in the town will also broadcast live stage footage and results, enhancing the atmosphere across the weekend.

Many stages offer spectacular viewing spots for spectators, including the iconic Langton watersplash [run four times] stage, Fogo, Polwarth, Westruther, Mack’s Mill and Scott’s View. Full spectator information is available in the Rally Programme, stocked at a wide range of outlets across the region.

Full spectator information is available on the Jim Clark Rally website HERE where the entry lists for both events can also be viewed.

-Ends

In the high-speed, high-pressure world of rallying, most competitors spend years mastering either the driver’s seat or the co-driver’s pacenote book — but rarely both. That’s what makes Nikki Addison’s upcoming weekend at the Jim Clark Rally so impressive.

The Scottish talent is already making waves as co-driver to Meghan O’Kane in the British Rally Championship’s BRC4 class. The all-female crew head into this weekend leading the category, an achievement that speaks volumes about their pace, consistency, and teamwork. But Nikki isn’t just stopping there.

After completing her BRC duties on Friday and Saturday, Addison will switch roles — and seats — to drive in Sunday’s Reivers Rally, piloting her own car on the closed roads of the Scottish Borders. It’s a remarkable display of commitment, and one that sets her apart in British rallying.

While many rally fans know Addison for her work on the notes, she’s a seasoned driver in her own right, with past experience in the Protyre National Asphalt Championship and various Scottish events behind the wheel of her Honda Civic. This weekend, though, demands a whole new level of focus — transitioning from a navigator’s mindset to a driver’s rhythm with little time to reset.

“It’s not something you see very often,” she says. “Most people dedicate all their preparation to either co-driving or driving — to do both in one weekend, especially on such challenging roads, is a serious feat, but the event is fantastic and I wanted to get behind the wheel at least in part of the weekend.”

And the challenge is real. The Jim Clark Rally’s stages are notoriously fast and unforgiving, with narrow margins for error and changeable conditions. After completing two full days alongside O’Kane in a championship fight, Nikki will barely have time to decompress before refocusing for Reivers.

“I love driving too and am always looking for the opportunity to compete in events. But this year’s focus has been the BRC and co-driving with Megan, which I equally enjoy. It’s a big challenge but I’m up for it”.