BTRDA duo close to launching into WRC after impressing in DMACK shootout

Two BTRDA competitors were both close to winning a drive into the World Rally Championship next year, after impressing in the Drive DMACK Trophy Shootout.

BTRDA Fiesta ST Trophy winner Cameron Davies, and the Trophy frontrunner George Lepley (who entered the shootout as a wildcard chosen by the tyre firm) impressed DMACK’S Glenn Patterson.

“Two of the guys who impressed us the most in the Shootout were actually competitors from the ST Trophy in the UK,” Patterson told MN. “They both scored really well in the physical tests and driving assessments – and both had a really good plan for their future career progression when we interviewed them.”

Patterson – Kris Meeke’s former co-driver – believes the duo’s pace highlights the benefits of the ST Trophy.

“We need to try and get our young drivers in the UK to aim as high as they can,” he added. “The organisers of the ST Trophy have done a great job in getting a competitive grass-roots series up and running. Both Cameron and George were very close to making a step up from the BTRDA to the JWRC. And all they were lacking was experience. They performed extremely well against other young competitors with WRC events under their belts.”

The shootout took place last week, where drivers were invited to undergo media, fitness and in-car tests, with the eventual prize a part-funded season in the DDFT, which is expected to be announced as the new JWRC next week.

Nicolas Ciamin won the event, after finishing seventh in this year’s DDFT. The French driver beat a number of favourites including two-time DDFT 2016 event winner Jon Armstrong.

Bob Morland, Frazer Madder

MN is sad to report the loss of two figures from Scottish rallying that will be sorely missed. After a long fight with cancer, Bob Morland (1937-2016) – a navigator and latterly an engineer – passed away earlier this month.

After a successful co-driving career, for the past 12 years he acted as Team Supervisor and mentor to Mike Faulkner and Peter Foy in the BSW Rally Team and was a familiar figure at service areas throughout the UK, not just in Scotland.

Frazer Madder (1945-2016), one of the founders of the Scottish Motorsport Marshals’ Club, also died in hospital earlier this month.

Frazer was one of a number of regular motor sports marshals in the early 1970s who realised that motor sport was dangerous, more so for amateur and club racers and rallyists than the professionals at the sport’s top level.

Along with David Swinton, Mike Gascoigne, Iain Ralston and others, Frazer helped to found the Scottish Motorsports Marshals’ Club in 1973 and a previously unheard of activity was introduced to the volunteers – training.

He’ll be sorely missed by friends and colleagues, but his place and achievements amongst those early visionaries is assured.