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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MULLMURMURSMULLMURMURSMULLMURMURS – Chapter 9
– published on the island, during the event by Jaggy Bunnet
2300 Club member Nigel Worswick has his first competitive outing of 2023 when he starts the East Riding Stages on Sunday. The […]
We need to make spectators aware of new MSA regulations regarding parking cars on live stages and the impact this could have on the running of stages. The MSA regulations to which we are bound are stringent in what is and is not allowed in terms of cars being parked in stages. Parking in lay-by’s is strictly not permitted, vehicles parked close to the road could jeopardise the running of the stage.
Provisional Top Ten after SS16 (of 19)
1 Neil MacKinnon/Mike Stayte (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1 Hr 58 Mins 30 Secs
2 Calum Duffy/Iain Duffy (Ford Escort Mk2) 2h 00m 31s
3 John Cope/Tony Cope (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 03m 02s
4 Paul Kirtley/David Jones (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 03m 57s
5 Denis Biggerstaff/Graham Thomson (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 05m 13s
6 John Price/Caroline Price (MG Metro 6R4) 2h 06m 18s
7 Tony Bardy/Reg Smith (Hyundai Accent WRC) 2h 06m 46s
8 John Swinscoe/Bill Robertson (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9) 2h 08m 22s
9 Cameron Maclean/Alastair Fraser (Ford Escort Mk2) 2hr 09m 20s
10 Tristan Pye/Andrew Roughead (Subaru Impreza) 2h 10m 11s
(Please Note: These times are provisional pending confirmation by Rally HQ)
This was the big one, the 23 miler Loch Tuath/Calgary Bay adrenaline charge. And like something out the ‘Charge of the Dark Brigade’ Neil MacKinnon sped down the valley and round the bay stopping the clocks on 20 mins 26 seconds – you couldn’t do it quicker even if strapped to an Exocet, but there is still cause for concern in the McKinstry camp. The gearbox Neil is using will have to spared, no full rev changes, there’s a long way to go. Calum Duffy is having to be careful too, 2nd gear is beginning to ‘crunch’. Paul Kirtley struck something and knocked the tracking out so the Subaru is a handful and according to Tony Cope brother John thought he was a tractor driver for 400 yards in Calgary – but they got away with it.
Up to an excellent 9th overall is yet another Muileach, Cameron MacLean (41), but he admitted to backing off a bit this afternoon when he saw Doug Weir’s accident … Tim Stell (40) was troubled with a sticking throttle which made his anti-lag interesting … Tristan Pye (36) had a puncture and the car’s not handling too well since … Pat Johnson (23) is troubled with his brakes, they keep snatching the left front and he thinks something is broken … Chris Chadwick (34) struggled through Calgary and the Lochs, the co-driver was changing gear while Ian was steering with one hand, and operating the throttle by the other hand out of the window using a boot lace. Oh, and by the way, some of our ‘foreign’ readers wonder what a ‘midge on a squib’ is, a phrase I used to describe Chadwick’s progress in an earlier bulletin. A ‘midge’ is a small biting gnat and a ‘squib’ is a firework. OK? … Alan Gardiner’s intercom has gone … Tugs Sherrington (35) is having steering problems and Curly Haigh (44) reckons he was setting some fantastic times – for this rally 10 years ago … class leading Mike Storrar (38) is having to hold the door shut with a bungee as the lock has failed and he’s annoyed – the 1600cc Anglia is ‘only just’ out of warranty by some 30 odd years … the politically incorrect Stuart McQueen (28) was spotted having a fly fag at the end of Calgary, just to calm his nerves … ex Land Rover pilot John Cockburn started the rally gently by not using the anti-lag first time out in a Subaru, but used it throughout the second Leg, so I wonder what he’ll do tonight – use the throttle maybe? … Brian MacLeod (71) has a leaking core plug … and Steve Davies (51) got a fright when both throttle cables broke simultaneously, and then the sumpguard fell off … and Chris Woodcock (54) is under serious pressure, he’s driving Harry Hockly’s Proton and he’s been told to bring it back in one piece – and he’s leading the 1400 class, so no pressure then …and Alistair Willis (110) has returned to Scotland to rally his old Nova run by Andrew Wood. He returned from Bucharest in Rumania where he runs a sandwich factory! … and here is a true tale, would I tell a fib? – Fooey the Fireman (118) went on fire! He was driving Alan Gardner’s old MkI on the basis that if he fixed it he could use it on Mull so the part-time fireman and full time mechanic at MacKay’s Garage was going well till the boot went on fire. It was spotted by other folk and Robert Mathieson (57) pulled over to help him with the merry blaze. But it was only the electrics and the paint which suffered, but I bet his mates will give him a ribbing next time he goes to work.
That’s yer lot for now,
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Riverside, Tobermory, 10.30 pm, Saturday