Messages

Have a good one everybody, and as usual thanks to the Orange Army.

Drivers - enjoy your race. Helpers - the drivers owe you a beer. Marshals - we couldn't do it without you, we all you beers!

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland

My first-ever race was the first race at Pembrey back in 1990 - and yes it's a 1000 mile round trip. Tip for anybody starting out in racing - start closer to home... Thruxton was another 1000-mile round trip, Brands Hatch was "only" 850 miles! The race at Spa in 2000 was about 1500 miles. Petrol companies made a big profit from me going racing!

Neil McD. Glenkinchie, Scotland

Good luck to everybody for the 24 hours next weekend, hope its a good race. As for Covid-19 restrictions, if all it takes to prevent you catching it is wearing a mask, then wear a mask. I spent 8 days on a ventilator/life support in 2017 and it was horrific - you don't want to go there. I still have problems caused by the plastic tube of the ventilator down my throat - I can't raise my voice above normal levels, you wouldn't hear me speak to you in the noisy pits. For the sake of £1 for a mask, please be careful.  Hope to catch up with everybody next year.

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland.

Well done to Nigel Hollis for taking "Wee Fiona" to a championship win, 29 years after she first won a championship (I was Scottish champion in 1990!).

If you are heading for the Mallory celebrations - enjoy yourselves!  Serious medical problems are preventing me from travelling just now so I won't be able to join you, but when I started racing (Pembrey 1990, the first official championship race!) the friendship shown to newbies was tremendously helpful. 1990 was also the first year of 2cv racing in Scotland, when I managed to win our championship against Graham Harper on a countback to the number of 3rd places. We always enjoyed our trips "down south", it was the camaraderie that made those trips worth it, so thank you to everybody who has organised the club and races over the years, and tuck in to the pie and mash!

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland.

I would bet on some of the panels on Derek Coghill's car being from that era as well...

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland

I know Graham Harper did some of those "experimental" races - I bought his car at the end of what we thought was that season only for the club to arrange an extra race at Donington later on. I got a panicked phone call from Graham asking if I had moved the seat mounting bolts to suit my longer legs yet, on hearing that I hadn't he said "see you in 2 hours" and turned up at the door with his trailer to borrow the car back!  He had a soft spot for Donington after racing there many times in assorted vintage cars and duly put the car on pole, only for the exhaust to fall off on the warm-up lap...  That car is "Wee Fiona" now with the Hollis team, are there any other cars as well as drivers from that first year still around too?

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland.

Has anybody got the entry list for that first race (or other races that year) - let's see who is still around!

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland

To everybody heading for Snetterton - Good Luck, and Enjoy Yourselves! I'm waiting to go into hospital again, so I will be following the race on the internet.

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland.

P.S. Remember to thank the Orange Army of marshals, we wouldn't have this fun if they didn't give up 24 hours of their time and a comfy nights sleep for us!!!

Francis - see http://www.pindas.com/photos/smr/Ingliston1990C.html some historics in a pic there, you? The red Porsche in the pic above it is Ken Thomson, a frequent 24hour driver with Graham and a British GT champion in the 1990's.

Neil McD. Glenkinchie, Scotland (now the proud owner of a 6-inch thick air cushion!).

My local circuit, I won the first ever 2cv race in Scotland there in 1990! It runs through the Royal Highland Showground, so the circuit is surrounded by trees and buildings!
Found these:

http://www.pindas.com/photos/smr/Ingliston1990A.html Nick Runcie in the yellow car, the late Graham Harper ahead of the pack in "Dylan".

http://www.pindas.com/photos/smr/Ingliston199091A.html Don't remember the drivers names.

http://www.ingliston.co.uk/revival/track/ an aerial view of the circuit layout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl4GN6jnfHY an onboard lap in a Vauxhall Lotus single seater. Note how close the trees and buildings are, and the lack of Armco in places!

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland. (just home after 6 weeks in isolation rooms in 3 different hospitals with "the flesh eating bug" and having had a fair bit of my backside removed. Can anybody recommend a comfy cushion, about 6 inches thick, and portable...).

Hope you all have a good one, but remember it's the unexpected things that make it memorable!
I hope to get back to the 24hours one day, and of course big thanks to the Orange Army of marshals without whom we wouldn't be racing.

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland.

Just noticed that when drivers are fined by the MSA for their misdemeanours, the money is donated to good causes by the MSA and last year about one-third of that went to the various air ambulances around the country to the tune of £2000 each. So it looks like the cost of Sammie's flight can be covered by a bit of bad behaviour! :o

Neil McD.

Thanks to people who have given advice since I first asked, but a recent "bleeding on the brain" scare has led my doctor to put the kybosh on any licence application. All the more annoying after I turned up at Croft and thanks to the Hollis family was reunited with "Wee Fiona" which rekindled my interest. Again, thanks to those who offered help. See you all again soon I hope!

Neil McDonald, Glenkinchie, Scotland.