MG Car Club Marque of Friendship Award

From left to right: Noel Lindford, Pam Wright, Brian Wright and Lyn Ebdon. Credit: Matthew Alexander 

The Marque of Friendship award was conceived to recognise outstanding contributions by members within the MG Car Club. With only a small number of awards being presented each year, the first of the Marque of Friendship awards was recently presented to Brian Wright at his local natter, The Ridley Arms in Stannington.

Brian has been involved with MG Car Club motorsport for nearly sixty years, with over twenty years as a club member, starting in the days when Gordon Cobban ran most events via his office in Ilford. Brian relates that often he would be involved in a rally on the Saturday and a sprint or another event on the Sunday, in some instances many miles apart.

Brian progressed from marshalling and ‘being on the bank’ to be Chief Flag Marshal and Chief Observer at race meetings and then to being a fully fledged Clerk of Course and being responsible for the Clubs major race meeting at Silverstone and at other circuits as well.

More recently Brian has been one of the Club’s permanent Stewards responsible for contributing to decisions on any matters being brought before the MSA Steward at race meetings.

Brian, along with his wife Pam, moved to Tyne Tees area to be closer to family and both have attended many of the Centre’s events, thoroughly enjoying being part of the MG scene in the north of the country.

Brian has very reluctantly decided that the day has come to call a halt on his fulltime involvement in the motor racing side which now tends to be some distance from their home. Brian and Pam will both be much missed by the racing team, but welcome visitors to any event they come to. It is difficult to think of any other two people who, over such an extended period of time who have contributed so much to our Club, selflessly giving of their time so that others could partake and have fun.