BRSCC AGM REPORT 2013
Good evening Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to our AGM and thank you for taking the time to attend tonight. Stuart Turner has sent his apologies as he is speaking at a dinner at the RAC in Pall Mall to honour MSA CEO, Colin Hilton, who is shortly to retire. It is fitting we thank Colin for the sterling work he has done to position the MSA as one of the leading ASNs in the world.
After a busy year, the BRSCC has once again returned a small loss, albeit smaller than last year, so it is evident that the Club is moving in the right direction. However, we are operating on very precarious margins, which was highlighted by the Donington Park Finals meeting in October, when we arrived at the circuit on the Sunday morning to be greeted by fog. Fortunately, after some delay, the scheduled races were able to go-ahead but if we had had to cancel the day’s activities the Club would have had to refund in excess of £30,000 in entry fees, while still liable for the circuit hire fee.
In addition to the regular ‘club’ meetings, the BRSCC acted as the ‘organising club’ for a number of promoters and clubs which included the WEC with our friends from the ACO/FIA, the European Lemans Series at Silverstone, International Superstars at Donington Park and of course the Britcar 24-hours at Silverstone.
Looking forward to this year, we were organisers of the WEC and ELMS at Silverstone last weekend. The weather was not too kind to us on Saturday but Sunday provided a stunning race – well done to Audi.
After the numerous and much publicised problems in 2012, I am pleased to say the BRSCC Mazda MX5 Championship was successfully launched at Rockingham earlier this month and I fully believe that it will again be one of our leading championships providing great racing at a level available to many.
Our very successful Porsche Championship continues to provide exciting racing with full grids as do the Caterham Motorsport championships. Likewise, the Fiesta Championship is still returning grids that showcases club racing at its best, as it has done for over 20 years. Another highlight is of course our British GT Championship, which now has with over 30 cars, including entries from overseas, and is now the envy of Europe. I am confident that these, along with all our other championships, will produce a better year in terms of numbers.
Again, I must thank our marshals and our race officials who give their time every weekend. With the rising cost of fuel, it is an ever-increasing expense to attend our race meetings so the Club is very fortunate and appreciative that they stand out in all weathers for us.
Those of you who attended our Awards Dinner will have heard me mention of the campaign that the Club launched to recruit new clerks of the course. We now have no less than 10 recruits and they will be visiting your race meetings during the coming year to learn their trade. Please make them welcome if you meet them.
In closing, I am sad to report on the loss of the friends of the Club in 2012. Sadly it is a longer list than usual and includes the North Western Centre Chief Marshal Alistair Garrett, South Eastern Centre Clerk Jim McGregor, MSA steward and trophy supplier Doug Jennings and his wife Pauline, Director and former competitor Les Leston, Donington Park’s Robert Fearnall, former FIA F1 Doctor Sid Watkins, the Midlands Centre’s former Chief Observer Dick Fraser and South Eastern Centre marshals, Phil Martin and Paul Weston.
Thank you once again for taking the time to attend.
Bernard Cottrell – BRSCC Chairman
