Bob Wright wins MSA Marshal of the Year 2006

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.

Published October 9, 2009

2009 – Murmur Chapter 3

MullMurmurs – Chapter 3

(Very) Provisional Leaderboard after SS (of 17)

1 MacKinnon/MacGilivray 12 Mins 15 Secs
2 MacKinnon/Stayte 12m 33s
3 Hall/Hall 12m 33s
4 Cope/Fagg 12m 49s
5 Harper/Campbell 13m 01s
6 Pattison/Whittaker 13m 03s
7 MacGillivray/Fraser 13m 05s
8 Pye/Falconer 13m 10s
9 Bardy/Smith 13m 12s
10 Bonniwell/Ewing 13m 20s
11 O’Donnell/O’Donell 13m 26s
12 Duffy/Duffy 13m 56s
13 Biggerstaff/Wyllie 13m 59s
14 Kirtley/Jones 13m 59s

(Note: These positions may change as more Time Cards come in)

It’s dark, wet and cold out there. It must be Mull. After five years of remarkably docile weather I suppose it had to happen, but here we are on the 40th Tunnock’s Tour of Mull Rally and it’s business as usual. The route is different this year which has had an impact on the MullMurmurs Bulletin Service. We can’t get to where we usually like to be and distribution will be even more tricky than normal. However, we’ll do our best, so please bear with us. For those of you new to the MullMurmurs operation, his highly factual and informative gossip and scandal sheet will endeavour to keep you up to date during the rally so look out for it as Bulletin Bill runs ahead of the rally distributing this free newssheet.

Anyway, this year’s event started with a bang, reverbrating around the walls of Tobermory Bay with the first of two ‘city centre special stages’ in the city of Tobermory.

At the end of that opening blast, young Paul MacKinnon said: “That was the slippiest thing I’ve seen in my life. I nearly swapped ends at the hairpin when the handbrake seized on.” Slippiness was a point echoed by Dougi Hall: “Tyres cold, wet and slippy, but it was alright.” Neil MacKinnon added: “I thought it was so slippy that at first I didn’t think the diffs were working, and then I thought it was the tyres.” John Cope summed it up: “It is what it is, a bit of fun.”

Calum Duffy was a bit more succinct: “Cheeses (or words to that effect) there was no grip at all, it was wheelspin all the way up the hill.” Daniel Harper chipped in: “It was just a b it of fun, what else on cold tyres, wet weather and wet tarmac.” Tony Bardy was expecting the test to be a bit quicker: “It was slower than I thought it would be, but there was a lot of people there.” James MacGillivray enjoyed it too. “Slippy but good fun,” he reckoned.

Tristan Pye was a bit more realistic in the new shape Impreza: “There was everything to lose and nothing to gain in those onditions but it was good fun”. Dave Miller thought it was: “Smashing, just smashing.” Doug Weir was taking it seriously but co-driver Duncan Brown was tooting the horn all the way, so much for reading the Pace Notes then!

Dave Hopwood had a last minute panic: “The battery was flat at the start. We had to get a jump start at MacKay’s Garage and did the first stage without spotlights, but we were OK for the second run.” Paul Kirtley thought: “Going through Tobermory was a real hoot.” Tugs Sherrington said: “It was so slippy it was like driving a MkII, it was sideways everywhere,” and he’s driving a Lancer.

And the best quote of the night (so far!) came from the O’Donnell twins in car 15: “It wasn’t easy passing the MacDonald Arms without going in for a pint!”

STOP PRESS: Looks like John Cressey is out on SS3 with a broken gearbox in the MINI and heartbreakingly, young John MacCrone has gone off in SS3 in the Honda Civic, and it looks as though he is out too. Also in trouble, but not quite as bad as those two is Calum Duffy. The Escort picked up a puncture and he was passed by Dougi Hall in the stage.

That’s yer lot for now,
Yer Auld Pal, Jaggy Bunnet – Friday, 10.00 pm, At the foot of Glen Aros

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