Rally - 50 Years of EACC

Keith and Jock

Well, that was a guid nicht oot. East Ayrshire Car Club held a special anniversary dinner in the transformed Dumfries Arms Hotel in Cumnock last night to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary.

Over 190 folks gathered for good food, good crack and good memories. The event was hosted by club President, Russell Fair and Ian Gemmell, ably assisted (hampered?) by the guest MC, some motor sporting journalist or other who managed to insult the principal guests and many others.

Amongst the guests were the 1983 Scottish Rally Champion, Jimmy Fleming, and in honour of the club's founding president, Sir Tom Hunter was there, as it was his Dad who was that first President. It also turned out that Sir Tom was quite handy behind the wheel himself as he actually beat Jimmy Fleming at a Turnberry Autotest in 1980! 

Naturally, and gallant as ever, Jimmy claimed that someone had let his tyres down and that was the only reason he finished second.

Also there were Ivor 'The Driver' Clark, Malcolm Wilson Motorsport's Workshop Manager, Arthur Gallacher, former Mitsubishi Ralliart car builder turned Touring Car fabricator, Willie Poole, and many, many more faces and names from the world of rallying, racing and speed events, and all former and current members of EACC.

The occasion was also used to launch the second volume of that historical epic 'A History of East Ayrshire Car Club amd Kames Motorsport Complex 1990-2012' collated and written by Robert Smith.

A really nice touch was provided with the youngest and oldest club members jointly cutting the celebratory cake (with butter icing in the middle) which was made by the President's wife, Lorna. Fourteen year old Keith Fair also won the club's 'Marshal of the Year' award from 2012 while the oldest member got an extra surprise when proceedings were interrupted by the arrival of a 'telegram'. He might be a few years short of an offical Queen's telegram, but Jock Millar is still competing, and still competitive, at four score years.