CLUB NEWS 2005
The November/December issue of The Middlesex Magazine is now available from our Club Mag page - see side bar. Also, as noted in the magazine, the death of club member Adrian Nicholas in a sky-diving accident was recently announced and and we have an expanded account of his life. Our thoughts are, of course, with his partner Katarina and baby Ella.
Bets are being taken at Club on the likelihood of Mad Max turning up at Rockingham in his shorts.
Championship Secretary Kevin Dawson has posted the Championship Tables, as at 22nd November, on the website. He asks anyone who has made a claim to check their points tallies so that any errors can be corrected prior to issuing the final results.
Apparently, the BBC are filming a series with Hants Police called "Traffic Cops" for seven weeks from 26th September. The series will be based along the M3/M27 and the Southampton ring road. No doubt auditions will follow for budding TV Stars!
The Route Card for Andy Greenland/Rob Brook's recent 12 Car Rally is now available on the 12 Car Event page for anyone who wants to attempt the route in the comfort of an Armchair G&T.
Congratulations go to Paul Brown who has volunteered to be the Club's new Regalia Officer and will be proposed for election to the Council at the October meeting. Paul has been allocated the following email address - paulb@mcac.co.uk.
The September/October issue of The Middlesex Magazine is now available from our Club Mag page - see side bar.
Hazel Hopkinson has reluctantly decided that her new business venture dictates that she needs to resign from the Council and the post of Regalia Officer - we wish Hazel the very best with her Bluehaze Arts & Hobby Craft Shop in Chesham (how's that for a plug?). Obviously this leaves a vacancy on the Council, so if anyone has time to make one extra meeting a month at Gerrards Cross please contact any Council member (not necessarily to take on the Regalia Officer role).
Vic Sitch has become the first recipient of a years free membership under our Centenary Marshals Offer (see Members page). Congratulations Vic and welcome to the Club.
Apologies for the delay but we now have the latest Championship Tables (5th September 2005) on the website.
Following Graham Samuel and Tony Phillips fine second in class on the recent Conister Trust Manx Historic Rally, we now have a short report and some photos by Mike Hally. Click on the link.
We now have a 'Sell & Buy' page so if you have something to sell or you need something then send me an email at malcf@mcac.co.uk and I will post the details on the web (Rob please note; only sensible adverts will be posted).
We have set up a discount scheme with the Mini Model Shop where members can purchase die-cast and remote control model cars and bikes at 10% off of their normal price. They have thousands of model cars and bikes in the shop ready to be sent out. Access their site from this link (or from the links on our Members/Links page) to qualify for the MCAC discount.
The July/August issue of The Middlesex Magazine is now available from our Club Mag page -see side bar.
Congratulations and best wishes go to Dave and Diane Taylor who tied the knot in July.
Just a quick note to let everyone know that Pete Farmer has at last been able to relinquished his duties as 'stand in' Championship Secretary. With Kevin Dawson completing his term of jury service, he has at last been able to slip into the hot seat. Please ensure all future claims and enquires are directed to Kevin please.
Centenary
Nurburgring Trip 13/14/15/16th May: Read Andrew Stacey's report on his
visit to the Nurburgring together with a selection of photographs showing some
of the machinery and atmosphere around the place.
Keith Chamberlain's long awaited report on the 1971 RAC Rally has now been published both here on our Centenary webpage and The Middlesex Magazine which should arrive on your doormat shortly. When you read it you will see that it was well worth the wait and, as an added bonus, Don Caisey's notes from the same event are also recorded. Pete Farmer's final Championship Report missed the magazine deadline so it is reproduced in all it's finery below.
Pete’s Patch – The Final Frontier. The Championship Report May 2005.
I know that you will all be saddened to hear that this will be my last report as your Championship Secretary. Yes, I have finally managed to shrug of the mantle of Champ Sec and will, from hence forth, be known as Mr Equipment! (any comment on that Jen? - Malc.). Your new Championship Secretary is Kevin Dawson. This is quite apt really as it was he who gave me many sleepless nights sitting at my computer as yet another claims form arrived in my inbox. However, Kevin has been called up for jury service (if I am allowed to tell you that) and will not have the time to begin his duties until mid June. Claims forms should still be sent to me until that time. When Kevin takes over, I will get web man to put an announcement on the front page. Claims have begun to arrive on a regular basis now and all tables are showing a healthy number of entries. As usual, the marshals table is the most populous with a total of thirty seven people claiming for seventeen events (and the year is not half over yet!) Leading players to date are:-Road Rally Driver John Roseblade with 13 points from 2 events
Road Rally Co-driver Tom Ryan with 8 points from 1 event
Stage Rally Driver Steve Simpson with 28 points from 2 events
Stage Rally Co-driver Mark Booth with 28 points from 2 events
Organiser Rob Brook with 30 points from 5 events
Marshal Kathleen Dawson with 22 points from 9 events
Off Road Driver Rob Brook with 14 points from 1 event
Night Trial Driver Tony Phillips with 10 points from 1 event
Night Trial Navigator Gordon Phillips with 10 points from 1 event
Service Pip Carrotte with 4 points from 1 event
We also have 8 ‘Best MCAC awards reserved from 5 events. Special mention should also be given to new Council member Peter Nathan who has marshalled on no less than 11 events so far this year. The full tables can be found on our website www.mcac.co.uk if you do not have web access, drop me a letter and I will post you your very own copy of the current tables. If, on looking at the tables, you feel that there is some kind of error (surely not), please let either me or Kevin know as soon as possible. This change of responsibilities now means that if you want to hire borrow any of the club’s equipment, I’m your man. I am intending to fetch Donna back from Oakington in the near future and one of my aims is to list (and possible number) all of the club equipment. Once that has been done, the MCAC Hire Shop will be open for business. I have already transferred the Porta Power to my garage and, when time permits, I shall be checking / cleaning it ready for when all you competitors get it wrong. Obviously, as Equipment officer, my mutterings in this tome will not be as frequent as they have been in the past, but I shall still be submitting the occasional article to let you know of any new equipment that we have purchased or otherwise acquired and too send out begging letters for anything that we need. Of course, the occasional joke will still be forthcoming if I can find any that I think that Chris will deem fit to publish.
At the meeting on 9th May, the Council were informed that Tom Ryan had decided not to accept the nomination of Chairman due to his increasing business commitments. The Council elected Kathleen Dawson to the Chair who then paid tribute to the outstanding work that Tom had done for the Club in the 13 years he has spent as Chairman. This was endorsed by everyone present who were also delighted to know that Tom was still going to be a member of the Council, and play as active a role in the running of the Club as his commitments permitted.
The Club's AGM took place on Wednesday 20th April 2005 at Gerrards Cross Sports Club. Our thanks go to outgoing Competition Secretary Dave Taylor who has decided not to stand for re-election to the Council of Management. Congratulations go to new Competition Secretary Andy Stacey, returnee Martin Lush and Peter Nathan who joins the Council for the first time. Congratulations also go to Kathleen Dawson who was commended for her efforts in the organisation of the recent Centenary Awards Evening at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall.
Championship Secretary Pete Farmer confirms that he is now back from his happy holidays and that, as previously advised, the 1 month time limit for submission of claim forms will be extended until May 16th. A supply of claim forms together with a hard copy of the current tables will be on display at this week's AGM.
Rob Brook has sent over some information regarding TV broadcasts of the 2005 MSA National Gravel Rally Championship and the 2005 ANCRO Clubman’s Gravel Rally Championship. Unfortunately, some broadcasts have now been and gone but there is plenty still to be shown. Click here for the listing.
The March/April issue of The Middlesex Magazine is now available from our Club Mag page (see side bar). This issue is concentrating on articles arising from January's Centenary Awards Evening at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall. In addition, the printed version also has the annual accounts in readiness for the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (see note below). As a result, Keith Chamberlain's second instalment on the RAC Rally has now been rescheduled to the next issue.
Thanks go to Richard Field of Farnborough DMC who pointed out an incompatibility problem with non Microsoft internet browsers such as Mozilla. We have now introduced an alternative menu without buttons that, we hope, will alleviate this problem.
Official Photographs of the 2005 Dinner Awards Evening At the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall are now available on the Awards 2005 webpage. This is a revised webpage with enlarged versions now available.
Look out for the March/April issue of The Middlesex Magazine. Chris Keys is currently compiling this centenary issue which will have the addition of colour photos plus articles such as Keith Chamberlain's second instalment on the RAC Rally - the 1971 event where the club entered no less than three MCAC Imps.
The Club is delighted to have been the recipient of a message of congratulations from Daphne Davies, daughter of our former President, Neale Alexander. This, and other letters can be viewed via a link on the Centenary webpage.
We have recently changed the ISP that hosts the mcac.org.uk domain name. It now redirects to the primary mcac.co.uk domain without banner ads.
Mike Guiry, who used to compete under the MCAC banner back in the eighties, has sent us in some spectacular photos of an accident that befell him and co-driver Gary O'Conner in Wales in 1988. Check out the pictures here.
The January/February issue of The Middlesex Magazine is now available from our Club Mag page (see side bar).
Information from The Endurance Rally Association: On Motors, January 1st at 5.0pm there is a one hour program on the Lombard Revival Rally. Then, on Men and Motors, starting January 18th at 7.0pm, there is a new eight-part documentary series, being broadcast with a look back at the revival of World Cup Rallies....repeated on Monday at 13.00hrs, Wednesday at 19.00hrs, Thursday at 13.00hrs and again at 21.00hrs, and finally Friday at 16.00hrs, and its like that for the next eight weeks, with around 12 hours of coverage given over to the World Cup Rally and the 2nd Sahara Challenge for historics into Tunisia's Sahara Desert. Each Sunday sees a new instalment, repeated at these durations during the week.