Mistaken identity ... At the recent Snowman Rally, quite a few folk expressed
some confusion over the identity of one Mr J Bunnet Esq. Indeed some actually
wondered if Mr B was a pseudonym for someone else!
This followed on from an article on this very page a few weeks back where
it was revealed that Jaggy Bunnet did legally possess a valid and legitimate Competition
Licence as issued by the sport's governing body and actually competed with some
of the country's top drivers, including Murray Grierson and Alistair Brearley. Oddly
enough, a few folk still remain sceptical.
Sadly for those deluded conspiracy theorists, Mr B did actually
qualify, apply for and obtain an entirely legal Competition Licence which
entitled him to compete on a variety of Scottish events.
And yet to this day there are those who refuse to believe that Jaggy
and a certain Scottish motor sports journalist are two entirely separate
people.
Even the national press got it wrong. In its post-event report from the
1985 Galloway Hills Rally (see attached), 'Motoring News' compounded this
misconception trying to credit said journalist with second overall beside Mad
Murr instead of the actual co-driver, the esteemed Mr Bunnet himself. Naturally
this occasioned a furious response from the northern prickly one and he was so
incensed that he fired off a missive to the deep south (see second attachment).
It is further alleged that he actually pasted eight, highly valued and collectable, Green Shield stamps on to
his letter to ensure that it reached MN's ivory towers in Londonium, south
Englandshire.
This was indeed a heinous crime on MN's part. Despite the fact that 'Final
Results' had been declared and issued and which accurately recorded those who
took part in the event, they chose to 'amend' these official Results and insert
a certain journalist's name where in fact it was Mr Bunnet himself who should
have been credited with this feat of sporting success.
It is a fact of motor sporting life that when results are declared
final nothing can be changed except on appeal to the sport's governing body.
This is why there is a half hour period of 'Provisional Results' being declared
before they go Final. Apart from the usual timing or route queries, this period
can be used to correct class qualification, make and marque of car, and the
names and spelling of crew members should the original paperwork have got it
wrong.
Once declared Final, that's it. Like the Commandments etched in stone,
Final Results cannot be altered on the whim of a mere southern scribe who
doubted the rally organising team's efficiency and accuracy. If in fact an
error has crept into the Finals then there it must stay for all eternity,
unless subsequently successfully appealed against having forked out the
necessary coin to effect such an amendment.
I should add that a much more detailed report (see third clipping, top
of 3rd column from left) was then written for MN, submitted and published, but
yet again, this thoroughly disreputable scribe did himself no favours in again
casting doubt on the identity of Murr's navigator.
Despite all that, and still to this day, this self-same journalist is
often mistaken for the rogue who still frequents the rallying scene in
Scotland. So if you do see either party at any future event just be sure of
your facts before opening your gub. Get it wrong and the more genteel of the
two will politely set you right, while the other ruffian is more likely to
"gie ye a moothfae o' dandruff" if you get it wrong.
Note: You may also notice that in JB's letter to 'Motoring News'
reference was made to reports which appeared in both of Scotland's major daily
newspapers, 'The Glasgow Herald' and 'The Scotsman'. In fact both those papers not
only reported on rallies and race meetings, but had a weekly column on motor
sporting matters, each Friday. In those days, the 'Aberdeen Press &
Journal' also covered the major Scottish rallies. Changed days, eh?
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