Two former Formula 1 drivers and Le Mans 24 Hour winners are the latest BMMC Brand Ambassadors to be announced with Mark Blundell and Derek Warwick the latest to be announced by the club.
For more than three decades Mark Blundell has honed his expertise in the upper echelons of elite global sport, firstly as an athlete, then TV pundit and in more recent years, as an extremely successful talent manager.
Mark started his sporting career at just 14, and for nearly twenty years he competed at the very top of world motorsport, including Formula One, IndyCar and World Rally. His wins even include the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Endurance Race.
Mark returns to competitive action this weekend in his maiden Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season in 2019 driving an Audi S3 saloon for Trade Price Cars Racing.
Mark said: “I’m delighted to have been invited to become a BMMC Brand Ambassador, the men and women who volunteer trackside week in week out deserve our gratitude and support for the many hours they put in so we can all go racing.”
Derek Warwick also boasts an impressive CV as a veteran of 147 Grand Prix and a Le Mans 24 Hour winner in 1992. Derek has recently stepped down as President of the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) at Silverstone, he is currently a Vice President of the Club.
Derek is also a FIA Formula 1 Drivers Steward at Grand Prix’s and will be fulfilling that role next weekend for the 1,000 Grand Prix in China, while he also previously competed in BTCC in 1995 and 1998 with Alfa Romeo and Vauxhall respectively.
Derek said: “It really is an honour to be invited to become a BMMC Brand Ambassador and to help support the work of marshals and raise awareness of the dedication of so many. They really are the unsung heroes of motorsport, without them it’s very simple? There would be NO motorsport.”
BMMC National Chair Nadine Lewis said: “We’re delighted to welcome both Mark and Derek to growing team of BMMC Brand Ambassadors and the Orange Family! I’m sure in both their respective roles they will help raise the profile of the BMMC and the work our 2,400+ volunteer marshals do week in week out.”
Opportunities to get involved
Our aims and objectives as a club need your help and support. These are not just for Council and Committee members to achieve – they need all members involved to enable success. So is there anything you can do??
Yes absolutely!
You don’t need to be a committee member to be heard (anyone can go to a committee meeting). All committee members should be contactable to hear your concerns and ideas (email, phone, in person). We aren’t geniuses and able to think of everything. You may have a different perspective. Your day job or home life may give you opportunities that could cross over in to the marshalling family. Why not give it a go?
RECRUITMENT
- What got you interested? A friend of mine heard it being talked about on local radio!
- Are there opportunities in local newspapers or on line local groups that you could contact? Your local committee can help put articles together as well as the Brand team.
- Do your work / school / college colleagues know what you do at the weekend?
- Is there a local club group who’d like someone to talk to them about marshalling?
- Can you help out with a recruitment event already planned?
- Are there events you know about which we could attend?
This is your chance to introduce new blood in to our hobby. If you’re already involved in activities don’t forget to ask for leaflets etc – we are working on updating these too!
MAINTAIN MEMBERSHIP
What other items of kit should we be looking at? Especially for non circuit disciplines?
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Love it or hate it – it’s here to stay! But use it responsibly.
- Are you following our pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram?
- Use our handle @BMMCUK and #OrangeFamily to build our followers and support
- Get your friends and colleagues to follow us too – spread the word of what we do!
WEBSITE
- Our Brand Ambassadors are being announced in stages and if you want to learn more about them please look at our new page on the website. (https://www.marshals.co.uk/brand-ambassadors/)
- Also while you are there don’t forget to check if you are this months’ Prize Draw winner.
The racing season is well and truly under way so take care out there, remember your training, don’t do anything you are not sure of, ask lots of questions and help each other to gain experience. Together we can continue to raise the profile of our volunteer force for the good of all.
Race driver, Marshal and BMMC Brand Ambassador Dawn Boyd is planning a unique and innovative way to recognise and promote the work of the 2,400 plus volunteers who are vital to motorsports safety.
Dawn, who has been racing for 14 years and is also herself a keen marshal, is competing this season in the BRSCC Teekay Couplings Production GTI Championship. Dawn will race all 13 rounds in her Team B42’s Motorsport Golf GTi Mk5 prepared with an orange colour scheme with BMMC logos and characters adorning the car. Look out for the B42’s Motorsport/BMMC team clothing as well.
Dawn is looking forward to meeting marshals on duty at Silverstone this coming weekend (7th April 2019) for the first two rounds of the championship. Marshals who visit Dawn in the paddock this weekend will be welcomed with a hot drink and possibly even a goody bag of items donated by her commercial sponsors and supporters, just look for the orange windsock and chequered flag flying.
Speaking about her unique idea to promote BMMC Dawn said: “Marshals are the unsung heroes of motorsport, out in all weathers. I’m a marshal too and have asked supporters to offer donations, not for me, but for marshals. Donated items, like snacks, should be available at marshals sign on, but following some more valuable and exclusive donations, the only fair way to share them is in prize draws.
“So, I’ve created an exclusive BMMC “Peekaboo” sticker for sale (that I hope all drivers will buy for their race car) and any Marshal who buys a sticker will also be entered into ALL the B42’s prize draws ALL YEAR! Any profits from the stickers goes back into organising donations for the Orange Family, see dawnontrack.co.uk for more details”
BMMC Chair Nadine Lewis said: “We’re delighted with the support and brand awareness Dawn’s kind gesture will achieve for the BMMC and I’m sure all of the marshals at Silverstone this weekend will enjoy a welcome hot drink while hoping Dawn has a successful day on the track.”
Teekay Couplings Production GTi Championship dates
7th April 2019
Round 1&2 Silverstone
5th May 2019
Round 3 & 4 – Croft
8th & 9th June 2019
Rounds 5, 6 & 7 – Anglesey
30th June 2019
Round 8 & 9 – Snetterton
18th August 2019
Round 10 & 11 – Donington Park
The BARC North West season opener at Oulton Park provided the opportunity for BMMC Chair Nadine Lewis to present two more Brand Ambassadors with their official insignia.
Helen Allen has over 20 years’ experience as a racing driver and is currently the Vice Chair and Secretary of the British Women Racing Drivers’ Club, while Ben Kasperczak is competing in his second year in the Junior Saloon Car Championship.
Speaking after receiving her insignia Helen Allen said: “The BMMC means a lot to me because without them I wouldn’t be able to have so much fun and be so well looked after when things don’t go quite the way they should.
Ben Kasperczak added: “I feel proud to be part of the BMMC by becoming a Brand Ambassador, I look forward to working with the team of members and marshals of the BMMC that help to keep us safe on the circuit!”
BMMC National Chair Nadine Lewis said: “We’re delighted to welcome Helen and Ben into the ranks of BMMC Brand Ambassadors and the Orange Family! I’m sure in both their respective roles they will help raise the profile of the BMMC and the work our 2,400+ volunteer marshals do week in week out.”
At its annual awards dinner dance evening the Classic Touring Cars Racing Club (CTCRC) raised a magnificent £1195 which was donated to the British Motorsports Marshals’ Club (BMMC) in recognition of the marshals support for the sport.
BMMC National Chair Nadine Lewis welcomed the very kind and generous donation and said: “I was delighted to receive this very generous donation from Stuart Caie and the members of CTCRC on behalf of the BMMC.
“It is a very kind gesture and will be much appreciated by all the 2,400 volunteer BMMC marshals that work tirelessly all year round in rain and shine to play their part to ensure our sport is enjoyed as safely as possible at every level.”
CTCRC Vice Chair Stuart Caie added: “The club recognises just how important our friends in the BMMC are. They enable us to enjoy our sport in a safe controlled environment, Marshalls up and down the country, give up time and money so we can race and as a club, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you.
“We raise funds each year at our awards evening and look forward to giving the next donation at the 2020 Autosport awards.”
The British Motorsports Marshals’ Club has announced the winner of the inaugural Barrie “Whizzo” Williams BMMC Racing Marshal of the Year Trophy is North West marshal and Regional training co-ordinator Bill Gray.
This year, the BMMC Racing Marshal of the Year Trophy honours a prolific racing driver and Club President Barrie “Whizzo” Williams who retired after a 60-year career in 2018 before passing away after a fall.
A much-respected Post Chief and an Examining Speed Marshal, Bill has also been Chief Marshal for Liverpool Motor Club at Aintree for many years.
In his nomination North West Chair Mike Broadbent also cited Bill’s work as North West training co-ordinator where he has enhanced our training with his quietly efficient way of working, and his proven organisation skills.
It is also worth noting Bill narrowly missed out on the accolade of Motorsport UK Marshal of the Year.
The inaugural Barrie Williams Trophy was also sponsored this year for the first time by Cataclean who are providing an exclusive British Motorsport Marshals Club (BMMC) racing jacket recognising Bill’s achievements, a British Touring Car Championship official merchandise kit as worn by the Rowbottom team and a free set of BMMC overalls.
Speaking on behalf of the BMMC, Chair Nadine Lewis said: “Bill is a very deserving winner of the inaugural Barrie Williams Trophy and a much-respected marshal.
“His quietly spoken manner belies his unflappable, calm and pragmatic approach to the various roles he undertakes, and I am delighted Bill has been recognised for his many years of service and sterling work.”
Speaking after Cataclean Sales Manager Zach Baigent presented him with the Barrie Williams Trophy, Bill said: “I am extremely proud to be the inaugural winner of the Barrie Williams Trophy as the BMMC Marshal of the Year and thank the North West Committee and National Council for the award.
“The award reflects the training, mentoring and support from the members of the Orange Family that I’ve had during my time as a marshal.”
British GT4 driver Martin Plowman was the first of the new BMMC Brand Ambassadors to receive their official insignia when he attended the North West marshals training weekend at Oulton Park this month.
Martin, who will race again with team mate Kelvin Fletcher this season, has joined Beechdean AMR in a fully liveried ‘Imagine Cruising’ GT4 Aston Martin, received his insignia from BMMC Chair Nadine Lewis.
Martin has a wealth of experience spanning over two decades and has shown himself to be an incredibly successful racing driver, becoming both a Le Mans class winner in LMP2 and WEC World Champion in 2013.
On accepting his invitation to become a Brand Ambassador for BMMC Martin said: “I was delighted to be invited to become a Brand Ambassador, marshals the length and breadth of the UK do a fantastic job supporting motorsport at all levels. While I hope not to meet too many of them on the side of the track this season, I’m extremely grateful for their support when needed!”
BMMC National Chair Nadine Lewis said: “We’re pleased that Martin accepted our invitation and look forward to working with him to help raise the profile of the club, especially within the British GT circles. We wish him and Kelvin a successful season ahead with their new Beechdean AMR team.”