27th January 2015 – for immediate release
Motor Racing Legends Awards’ winners revealed
Historic motorsport competitors, car owners and preparers gathered at the Royal Automobile
Club in London last Wednesday (January 21st) for Motor Racing Legends’ annual Awards
Dinner. There was more than a sprinkling of names familiar to motorsport fans amongst the
guests, including 1988 Le Mans winner Andy Wallace, and the impressive collection of silverware and other trophies presented included the actual trophy that Stirling Moss received for his
first-ever GP victory, the 1955 British Grand Prix.
Keith Ahlers and Billy Bellinger drove away with that legendary cup, following a season of
spirited races in the Stirling Moss Trophy which saw their nimble little 1100cc Lola Mk1
Prototype mix it with the big boys at the front of the grid to achieve some superb results,
including a memorable fifth place overall at Spa. Derek Hood of series sponsor J D Classics
presented the very well-deserved award.
The inaugural Brian Lister Cup – awarded by Lister Cars for the best performance by a Lister
in the Stirling Moss Trophy series – had been hotly fought-over during the 2014 season. From
the first race, Chris Ward and Andrew Smith put down a very clear marker, with their dark
green Lister Costin taking the chequered flag at the Donington Historic Festival (and running
out of fuel as they crossed the line!), and they held firm throughout. The presentation by
Lister’s Laurence Whittaker was poignant, with a heartfelt tribute paid to Brian Lister, who
died in December.
MRL Chairman Duncan Wiltshire reminisced with enthusiasm about the 2014 Historic Touring
Car Challenge season, citing highlights such as seeing a podium consisting entirely of ex-works
British Leyland cars. Tony Dron – whose long and impressive racing career included not
inconsiderable success in Touring Cars in the 1970s – presented the awards, and among the
class winners were two names very familiar to BTCC fans, Robb Gravett and Steve Soper. But
the coveted trophy went to Richard Postins, who had his ex-works Rover TWR Vitesse straight
out on the track as soon as it emerged from restoration at the start of 2014.
The trio of Fred Wakeman, Patrick Blakeney-Edwards and Michael Grant Peterkin were the
proud recipients of the Pre-War Sports Cars Trophy, following a highly successful season in
Wakeman’s Frazer Nash Supersports. The trophy was presented by Damien Smith, editor of
Motor Sport magazine; a most appropriate presenter, as the Pre-War Sports Cars race at the
2014 Donington Historic Festival had celebrated Motor Sport’s 90th anniversary.
John Ure and Nick Wigley’s sterling efforts in the ex-Tony Crook Cooper Bristol T24/25 were
rewarded with the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy, presented by the Club’s Ben
Cussons. John drove solo for the first half of the season, but regular racing partner Nick was
sufficiently recovered from his 2013 accident to race at the 2014 Silverstone Classic – which
impressed all concerned, as he somehow also found time to organise the event itself.
The Motor Racing Legends Trophy was presented to MRL’s longest-standing entrant, Phil
Champion. Phil has raced with them since the very first Pre-War Sports Cars race in 2004 and
has subsequently rarely missed a race with his Frazer Nash Mille Miglia in the Woodcote
Trophy and his Lotus XI in the Stirling Moss Trophy.
Billy Bellinger was called up on stage again, this time to receive the Millers Oils Preparers
Trophy from Mark Berry of Millers Oils, in recognition of effort during race preparation.
Duncan Wiltshire commented on this most popular win, “This is an award for the ‘unsung
heroes’ of the sport. Billy’s workmanship and preparation are second to none, with cars such as
the ‘giant killing’ Lola Mk1 being pushed to the limit race after race.”
Finally, Motor Racing Legends’ grids are very much a family affair, with a number of father
and son, father and daughter, brother and brother etc. teams. The Traditional Oak & Timber
Company Family Trophy for 2014 was presented by Neil Peskett to husband and wife team
Jock and Helen Mackinnon, whose enthusiastic participation in the MRL Pre-War Sports Cars
extended to them driving their Bentley 3 Litre from Edinburgh to every race (quite often with a
tent in the back), racing it, and then driving it back home again! Duncan Wiltshire said that
Jock and Helen “Embody the spirit of everything we aspire to in our racing.”
Motor Racing Legends now looks forward to a busy 2015 season, with grids appearing at:
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Donington Historic Festival (May 2, 3, 4)
Brands Hatch GP Circuit (May 23, 24)
Le Mans 24 Hours (June 13, 14)
Silverstone Classic (July 24, 25, 26)
Spa Six Hours (September 18, 19, 20)
Algarve Classic Festival (October 23, 24, 25)
For further information please visit www.motorracinglegends.com.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
Print-res pictures to support this press release are downloadable from
http://www.motorracinglegends.com/index.html?subj=Media
Please credit Jim Houlgrave where possible.
For more pictures or further press information on Motor Racing Legends, please
contact:
Karen Coe Tel: +44 (0)1728 669185 Mob: +44 (0)7540 725821 Email:
karen@motorracinglegends.com