Entries for the 2009 RSAC Scottish Rally have topped the 130 mark - and with a week to go until the event gets underway we could be seeing a phenomenal entry for the fifth round of the Hankook Scottish Rally Championship. Despite all the doom-and-gloom predictions about dwindling entry lists before the start of the 2009 season, Scottish rally entry lists have been bursting at the seams this year, and it seems the Dumfries-based RSAC rally is no exception.

Thanks in no small part to the support of the Kick Energy Fiesta Sport Trophy, Brick and Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge, Motoscope Northern Historic Championship and the Armed Forces Rally team, the RSAC Scottish Rally looks on course for a massive entry. Local driver David Bogie heads the entry list at number 1 in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 with co-driver Kevin Rae, however he is sure to be pushed all the way by fellow locals Jock Armstrong and Kirsty Riddick in their Subaru Impreza N11 and reigning Scottish champion Jimmy Girvan partnered by Mike Ramsay in a similar Subaru.

The Scottish Rally has a long and illustrious history in international rallying, and competitors from all number of nations are on this year's entry list. Alongside Scottish, English, Welsh and Northern Irish competitors are drivers and co-drivers hailing from as far afield as the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Romania and Sri Lanka!

The rally itself may be on Satuday 27 June, but don't forget that on the evening of Thursday 25 June, a charity rally forum will be held in the James Haugh Subaru dealership in Dumfries. A number of stars from the Scottish, British and world rallying scenes will be fielding questions, and proceeds will go to Help for Heroes.

The latest entry list can be found on this site under Entry List

The programme for the 2009 RSAC Scottish Rally gets underway this Saturday in Dumfries town centre - and there's plenty more to come before and during the event itself on Saturday 27 June.

Rally organisers are bringing the rally to the centre of Dumfries this weekend with the now-traditional pre-rally preview day. All day on Saturday 13 June, a selection of rally cars, motorsport rescue units and trade displays will be out below the Mid Steeple to give punters a flavour of what Scotland's oldest stage rally is all about.  Programmes and rally merchandise will also be on sale.

Then, on the evening of Thursday 25 June some of the biggest names in Scottish rallying will field questions in a special rally forum held at the James Haugh Subaru showroom. Current Hankook Scottish Rally Championship leader Jock Armstrong heads the guest list, along with former Toyota World Rally team boss George Donaldson and current Scottish champion co-driver Kirsty Riddick. As with last year a charity raffle will follow, with a ride in a rally car on offer set to be the top prize.

Even on the day of the rally itself there's something else going on to keep everyone entertained. For 2009 Dumfries and Galloway Council are revamping the Heathhall service park and spectator stage to make the whole area more family-friendly. As well as the chance to see the cars in competitive action on the Heathhall stage itself, attractions such as a climbing wall, live news and results on a big screen and the chance to sample a variety of local produce will ensure there's more to the rally than just the cars.

With all this additional activity going on it would be easy to forget the small matter of the rally itself. As in previous years Dumfries High Street will host a ceremonial start and finish for the rally. The competitors will leave from 8.00am on the Saturday morning and return to the town for champagne spraying from 3.30pm.