The McRae Gathering Raises More Than £50,000

The McRae Gathering was a total success this year, as it was confirmed it raised no less than 53,000 pounds (sterling) for the Colin McRae Vision charity. The funds raised by the aforementioned event were personally handed to Colin's father Jimmy – representative of the Colin McRae Vision charity – at Chester Racecourse, during the course of Sunday.

“We would like to extend our thanks to everyone that attended and supported the event and helped make it into a one-of-kind tribute. We are still surprised at how successful and widespread it got and how many of you the weekend had touched. We are also extremely grateful for the money that has been raised for the Colin McRae Vision charity and we couldn’t have done it without your generosity,” said a statement of the McRae Gathering on the event's official site.

The UK-based celebration of Colin McRae is actually comprised of a drive linking the former WRC champion's birthplace in Lanark to the Prodrive factory (until recently, home of the Subaru operations in the WRC). This year, the drive was made via 1086 Subaru Imprezas (road car versions of the Prodrive-prepared rally car).

Despite the incredible success and worldwide support of the event, Jimmy McRae revealed that he will no longer allow these kind of celebrations to take place in honor of his son.

“It's been great to see this support and to meet up with friends again, it's been an incredible day, but we can't keep these things going,” said McRae, according to the British magazine Autosport.

“It's the the same with the Colin McRae Forest Stages. Last year, we ran a very special event with world champions coming and an incredible entry, but we can't do that again and we shouldn't try to. It was a special, a one-off,” added McRae.