GOLDSTAR AWARD FOR ROCKINGHAM’S DOUBLE-RALLY CHAMPION
ROCKINGHAM’S Head of Operations was the star of last Saturday’s (January 15) Autosport International Show after collecting the coveted British Women Racing Drivers’ Club (BWRDC) GoldStar Award.
Cat Lund was presented with the prestigious GoldStar Club Award by BBC Sports Presenter and Formula One anchorman Jake Humphrey, at a special ceremony held at the BWRDC Stand.
With only one of these accolades presented annually to club competitors, Cat received the judges’ votes over BWRDC racing driver members, BRSCC Mighty Mini Champion Louise Inch and BWRDC Championship runner-up Amy Barker.
The 39-year-old was nominated following her double rally championship season together with driver Andy Rowe. The rally co-driver was crowned both the Flanders International Rally Challenge (FIRC) and BWRDC Rally Co-driver champion.
Cat, who joined Rockingham in 2007, enjoyed her most successful season to date co-driving for Andy in the pair’s Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3, contesting the five FIRC rounds in Belgium and winning two rallies outright in the UK.
Winning the award has rounded off a fantastic season. Cat said: “I was terrifically surprised to win ahead of Louise and Amy, who have both had a really successful racing season, but I’m just so pleased someone in rallying can win this prestigious award.
“To have Jake Humphrey present the award was amazing! He has experienced co-driving himself recently and so I felt like he could relate to my achievements. The prizes are fantastic and to have Liz Halliday as my mentor is just brilliant!
“To be presented with this honour from my peers in the BWRDC is the perfect end to an incredible 2010 season and a great start to 2011.”
The GoldStars are the BWRDC’s way of flagging up talent within motorsport and the winner of the club award receives mentoring from international sportswoman and broadcaster Liz Halliday.
Liz added: “It’s brilliant. Cat looked very surprised but she has earned it; they’ve had a tough but a very successful year. I think it’s kind of cool that we’ve given the award to a champion rally co-driver. It just goes to show how much a co-driver’s talents are genuinely recognised. I know she’s got a few questions to ask me, so I hope she will find me useful this year.”
Cat and Andy will be contesting the FIRC again in their EVO 3 in 2011, with the challenge kicking-off at the end of May with the ORC Canal Rally in West Flanders, Belgium.
