The Motor Sports Association (MSA) is pleased to announce that Omagh Motor Club is the 2011 JLT MSA Club of the Year.
The JLT MSA Club of the Year award is designed to recognise excellence among the MSA’s registered clubs, which number almost 750. Those that enter are judged in areas such as marketing and promotion, initiatives to attract and retain volunteer officials and young members, and projects that improve road safety or benefit local communities.
The Awards Panel selected Omagh MC as the winner following its nomination by the Association of Northern Ireland Car Clubs.
Omagh Motor Club has approximately 250 members and ran Autotests, Navigational and Stage Rallies and a Hill Climb in 2011, its 75th Anniversary year. The club has gained strong promotional coverage in its local and regional press, and has engaged well with councillors and the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is also a founder member of the highly successful Motorsport Marshalling Partnership in Northern Ireland, and attended this year’s Omagh Motor Show in a bid to recruit new marshals.
The club organised a championship Autotest event in support of this year’s National Motorsport Week, and has a range of development programmes and initiatives to train and mentor younger event officials. It also engaged successfully with a cross section of local charities this year, and was ranked ‘Club of the Year’ at the Ulster Herald’s Sports Personality Awards.
Omagh MC’s Gary Milligan said: “We are delighted to receive this award. We strive to run competitor-friendly events and to encourage young people into the sport. The award is a reflection of the hard work put in by all our volunteers and is particularly welcome as we have just celebrated our 75th anniversary.”
A representative of Omagh MC will be presented with £1000 and a JLT Rose Bowl Trophy at the MSA Night of Champions ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club in London on 20 January 2012.
Midland Automobile Club was awarded second place and will receive £500 and a trophy.
In 2011 the club ran its first Concours d’elegance, in which over 80 cars were professionally judged, and its introduction of monthly Breakfast Club meetings has also proved very popular. The club worked with Go Motorsport to host former F1 driver David Coulthard at Shelsley Walsh, where he filmed a BBC feature in support of National Motorsport Week, and the venue was also used as a location for the BBC’s Countryfile, the presenters of which were featured in action on the famous hill climb.
The club actively promoted motor sport throughout 2011, and the continuing infrastructure development of the Shelsley Walsh ‘village’ was considered exemplary. The club is very active in Officials and Marshals Training, and its modern and fully equipped MSA Rescue Units regularly attend a range of events in the wider Midlands area.
Kirkby Lonsdale Motor Club was awarded third place and will receive £250 and a trophy.
Formed in 1955, Kirkby Lonsdale Motor Club continuously reviews what it can offer its increasing membership, which currently numbers 170. The club offers free membership for those aged 21 and under, and promotes events from novice level road rallies to the BTRDA Malcolm Wilson Rally, which it co-promotes. It also runs promotional ‘motor sport awareness’ events, and based on the success of the 2011 session is already planning a repeat for 2012. The club actively supports local charities and motor sport safety organisations.
JLT MSA Club of the Year past winners:2010: Cramlington and District Motor Club2009: Chelmsford Motor Club2008: Rathfriland Motor Club2007: Aberdeen & DMC2006: Cumbria Kart Racing Club2005: Wigton MC2004: Jersey MC & LCC2003: Dukeries MC2002: Scottish Rootes EC2001: Magherafelt & DMC2000: North Devon MC1998: Woolbridge MC1997: Torbay MC1996: Port Talbot MC1995 & ’99: Ilkley & DMC1994: Aberdeen & DMC1993: Knutsford & DMC
