Croft chief marshal wins coveted Alexander Forbes MSA Marshal of the Year Award 2006 Bob Wright, chief marshal at the Croft Circuit, has been voted the winner of prized Alexander Forbes MSA Marshal of the Year Award 2006 by the UK’s governing body of motor sport, the Motor Sports Association. As a member of the Darlington & District Motor Club as well as the Mull Car Club, Wright’s sterling contributions at race, rally and rallycross meetings at Croft are renowned but, driven on by his enthusiasm for all forms of motor sport, he’s also active in many other competitive fields and far-flung regions throughout the country. The Wales Rally GB, Jim Clark Rally, Ulster Rally, HERO Malts, Tour of Mull and Manx Rally as well as race meetings at Oulton Park and Knockhill are just some of the nationwide events that regularly benefit from his wealth of marshalling and training experience. Additionally during 2006, he has also been a keen supporter of the Volunteers on Motorsport initiative, offering advice and wisdom to many prospective new marshals across all disciplines of the sport. Leeds based Wright first started marshalling nearly 35 years ago and today spends more than 100 days a year attending around 70 different events right across the country. “My first experience was on the 1972 RAC Rally at the Esholt’s Sewage Works in Bradford but it was during the early eighties that I really became hooked,” he recalls. “It was then that I realised just how much fun you could have in motor sport with a great crowd of people.” More recently Wright has been keen to reinvest his knowledge and experience to the benefit of hundreds and hundreds of newcomers to marshalling. “About ten or 12 years ago I joined the team that trains new marshals. I’d hate to put a finite figure on the number of people I’ve trained. Initially we did two or three days a year but more recently we’ve been doing anything up to a dozen training days,” he continues. Wright will collect the prestigious Alexander Forbes MSA Marshal of the Year Award trophy – as well as a cheque for £250 – at the MSA’s annual Night of Champions ceremony held in London during January. The ceremony is attended each year by some of the most famous names in British motor sport. “Winning this award really hasn’t sunk in yet,” admits Wright. “I’ve put a lot of time and effort into all forms of motor sport but it’s still a terrific honour to be recognised by mypeers.” Allan Dean-Lewis, Head of External Affairs at the Motor Sports Association comments: “Wright is unique character, well known and liked throughout the UK. He has played a major role in the on-going success of Croft but he has an amazing habit of making notable contributions in the most unexpected places. There can surely be no more deserving person for this award.” The hard-working efforts of two further marshals also have been recognised by the MSA via the presentation of Highly Commended certificates. Paul Harris was singled out for his hard work promoting recruitment drives within the British Motorsport Marshals Club in the South Midlands while Liam Carton was acknowledged for his exceptional contributions to marshalling in Northern Ireland. Release MSA06-059: 10 November 2006.
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MullMurmurs – Chapter 5
Provisional Leaderboard after SS8 (of 19)
1 Neil MacKinnon/Daniel Barritt (Subaru Impreza WRC) 54 Minutes 35 Seconds
2 Dougi Hall/Andy Richardson (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) 55m 29s
3 John Cope/Robert Fagg (Subaru Impreza WRC) 55m 58s
4 Paul Kirtley/Jim Kitson (Subaru Impreza) 56m 34s
5 Daniel Harper/Chris Campbell (BMW MINI Cooper S) 56m 51s
6 James MacGillivray/Ian Fraser (Ford Escort Mk2) 57m 03s
7 John Swinscoe/Paula Swinscoe (Mitsubishi Lancer) 57m 32s
8 Tristan Pye/Kirsty Riddick (Subaru Impreza) 58m 09s
9 Tony Bardy/Reg Smith (Hyundai Accent WRC) 58m 41s
10 John Cressey/Stan Quirk (BMW MINI Cooper S) 59m 30s
The 38th Tunnock’s Tour of Mull could be renamed ‘Things that go bump in the night’ going by recent events, after a steady start, the scenery is now taking a pounding. But let me begin with an apology. Although I had the correct order in my previous top ten leaderboard, I mis-heard some times and it must have looked like amateur gibberish, but then again, I’m getting too old to be up this late at night or early in the morning depending on your point of view.
But the big news is that Calum Duffy is out. He made it through the third stage but it would appear that his earlier ignition and alternator problems were unable to be resolved. And just when it looked like MacKinnon Jnr was going to give the ol’man a hard time, Neil turned it up a notch, just one second off his own 2004 Calgary record and equalling John Cope’s 2004 record over Mishnish Lochs. Unbeknownst to him though, son Paul was in trouble in Calgary, two punctures dropping him out of the top ten. Pressure off, but this is such a cruel sport, is it not?
It’s also an unfair sport. Despite heroic efforts to get the car ready (again) for Mull, the O’Donnell twins are out. The Escort is parked well off the road in Calgary – through a hedge! Dougi Hall has leapt into 2nd place but John Cope is still there, so too is Paul Kirtley despite a big ‘off’ in Calgary, but just look at Harper in the MINI and now Cressey is in the top ten too despite a big spin in Calgary, and another at Dervaig. John Swinscoe is pleased, he’s just gone under 7 minutes over the Lochs for the first time and Lyndon Barton is just getting back up to speed after his recent big ‘off’ in Epynt. Willie Bonniwell punctured in Gribun and had a huge spin while Stuart McQueen was in serious trouble – he nearly ran out of cigarettes. And how’s this for a bit of luck? Mike Storrar’s clutch failed at the finish of the final stage, and it was downhill all the way to the Tobermory Control, so he made it, and lives to fight another day.
Further down the entry list, Ian Ackroyd (117) is out in SS2 after a bump in which he broke his arm so he was carted off to Salen Hospital …. Alan McLaughlin (78) is out too, after he parked his car on the beach – quite a few yards from the road in Calgary ….Derek Carless (85) has retired with mechanical problems …. Andrew Smith (94) crashed in the Lochs …. and Malcolm Davey (111) is out too which is a great pity. He was dedicating this event to the memory of Howard Turner who died in Yorkshire just a couple of months back …. Louise Thomas (131) is out too, so her charity fund raising efforts won’t be as great as they could have been …. Rod Brereton (154) has parked his new Clio off the road in the second stage …. Dave Dalgleish (124) retired with either gearbox or clutch failure …. Norman MacPhail (134) is off in SS4 ….and Shug Rutherford (122) lost all his oil pressure.
Time for a tea cake, Tunnock’s of course, and bed.
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Tobermory, 2.30 am, Saturday
This is the Entry List for the 2000 Tour of Mull