Newsletter October, 2011

I am sad to inform you of the death of Tom Donald from Fenwick, Ayrshire. Tom passed away on 15th July. He had been a member of V.S.M.A. since March 2003. Our condolences go to his wife Kim and family.

We welcome another new member since the last Newsletter – Chris Paton from Lanark. Many of you I’m sure will remember Chris from your rallying days. He was a great Mini enthusiastic and competed in EVERY Tour of Mull from the second event in 1970 up until 2009 when he had to retire his Mini. Have a look at his page to get full details of his motorsport career to date.

Database Changes:

A couple of amendments to members’ details – Alan and Audrey Carlaw have recently moved although still within the Glasgow area, while Rusty Wilson, Jimmy and Arlene McInnes have just changed their email addresses. Each of these changes can be seen in the Members and Details pages. On a similar note, if you have any change in your own details would you please let me know so that our database is up-to-date.

Highland Tour Outcome:

Members will be interested, I’m sure, in the letter below which Bob Baillie received from Gordon Clendinning following this year’s Highland Tour to Grantown-on-Spey.

Knockhill Classic Speedfair, 31st July :

Three of our girls “Sorting out the World” while waiting for customers in the Media Centre!

The Media Centre was manned once again as a “Cafe” for members at the one day Knockhill Speedfair. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be as popular with members as it has been in the past – numbers were well down this year! Apart from the usual “Staff” (Bob and Margaret Baillie, Adele and Duncan Paterson, Andy and Fiona Watson, Stuart and Mairi Parker), there was only a handful of members turned up on the day. Next year?

Veterans still competing :

I am delighted to display a photo of a couple of our members who are still actively competing – and doing pretty well at it! At the famous Annual Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb on 23rd July, Alan Macvarish and Malcolm Wishart were both competing.

Malcolm Wishart and Allan MacVarish taken at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb on 23 July 2011. Allan was in a Modified Production up to 2 litres Class and was driving his Peugeot 205 Gti – best time 40.52 secs., while Malcolm was in the Racing Cars manufactured up to 1971 Class in a Cooper T65 FJ and his best time was 38.34 secs. Not bad for two of our veterans.

Also flying the VSMA flag were Olly Ross and Kenny Allen. Kenny was at the Knockhill Speedfair on 31st July. Despite being shunted off in an earlier race he was 4th in the 2nd race in his Lotus Elan , while Olly was 4th in his Lotus Europa in the Scottish Classic Sports & Saloon Classes A & B.

Documents from the Archive:

Gus Carnegie kindly sent a copy of his menu of the 1969 SMRC Annual Dinner Menu which will be of interest to our racing members.

Cover of 1969 SMRC Annual Dinner and Prezentation of Awards Programme

Inside of the 1969 SMRC Annual Dinner & Presentation of Awards Programme.

Additional photos :

Members are slowly sending in photos pertaining to their involvement with Motor Sport, some thankfully also sending recent photos of themselves (helps others not just to see who they are but to see how time has dealt with them)! I would love to receive more to display on members pages. I recently received three images of the late Stuart Brown and myself in the 1968 and 1971 Scottish Rallies. I’m afraid I don’t know the others in the photos apart from Stuart and myself – can anyone help?

Picture Puzzle:

These images below were sent to me by a Jake Butson (not a VSMA member) to use on our site if we wished. The only information he could provide was that they were from possibly the ’60s and taken at The Rest and Be Thankful and possibly at Gask. Can anyone give me any further info? The date or year? Which event? Who might be competing in what car? etc. If I had more information I might be able to put a couple in the Public Gallery.

Answers please to me – by email!!