▁also ▁a ▁former ▁r ally ▁driver . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁Col in ▁Mc R ae ▁began ▁his ▁compet itive ▁career ▁in ▁mot ors port ▁r iding ▁trial ▁b ikes ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age , ▁despite ▁being ▁more ▁interested ▁in ▁four ▁whe e led ▁machines ▁rather ▁than ▁two ▁wheel ▁b ikes . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁six teen , ▁through ▁the ▁Col t ness ▁Car ▁Club , ▁Mc R ae ▁discovered ▁aut ot est ing , ▁he ▁soon ▁trad ed ▁his ▁bi ke ▁for ▁a ▁M ini ▁Cooper ▁and ▁started ▁compet ing . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁he ▁began ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁with ▁another ▁club ▁member ▁to ▁use ▁his ▁Hill man ▁Aven ger ▁for ▁the ▁K ames ▁St ages , ▁a ▁single - st aged ▁r ally ▁ven ue ▁not ▁far ▁from ▁Mc R ae ' s ▁home . ▁Mc R ae ▁finished ▁the ▁event ▁four teenth ; ▁first ▁in ▁his ▁class ▁although ▁he ▁had ▁run ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁event ▁in ▁a ▁higher ▁position . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁driving ▁a ▁Tal bot ▁Sun be am , ▁Mc R ae ▁entered ▁the ▁Scottish ▁R ally ▁Championship ▁and ▁soon ▁made ▁a ▁name ▁for ▁himself ▁with ▁his ▁speed ▁and ▁exc iting ▁style ▁of ▁driving . ▁His ▁driving ▁style ▁drew ▁many ▁compar isons ▁to ▁Finn ish ▁ex - World ▁R ally ▁Champion ▁Ari ▁V atan en , ▁whom ▁Mc R ae ▁had ▁always ▁id ol ised . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁he ▁performed ▁a ▁giant - k illing ▁act