The recent post about Marshals generated a lot of
discussion but the intention always was to follow up publication of the short
version in today's 'Motorsport News' with the full version in the on-line mag a
few days after, and that will follow shortly. However, the inducement/threat to
'mollycoddle a Marshal' was intended as a bit of fun with regard to an
otherwise serious concern. And yes we should be thankful to these volunteers
who stand out there in the wind, rain, sleet, hail, snow and midges, up to
their ankles in mud and glaur, but we must temper such generosity and kindness,
in case it is taken to excess.
In fact, there was a notorious case of such generosity being carried too
far way back in the mid 1970s when a pair of young scallywags took to the
forests. The driver was a well known dealer in the motor trade and the
co-driver was in the whisky trade, working in the Publicity Dept of Glasgow
based White Horse Distillers.
Strong rumours persist to this day that the co-driver used to carry a stock
of White Horse Whisky miniatures in the rally car and would dish them out to
Marshals at Stage Controls. Of course this had nothing to do with bribery in
the quest for more clock readings or overlooking Lateness, it was all about
thanking the volunteers. On another occasion it was reputed that when the car
had gone off mid-stage, miniatures were chucked out of the window to encourage spectators
to come down off the bankings and push. It worked like a charm!
During that time White Horse also sponsored Gavin Waugh and Peter Handy
in the White Horse Whisky Avenger. Mike and Jim Little prepared the car in
Carlisle and serviced on events from an identically liveried Hillman Avenger
estate. Anyway, the young co-driver referred to above also carried a stock of
such miniatures for promotional purposes and ran 'Chase Car' duties at the
bigger events whereupon the same gifts were used to introduce 'foreign folks'
to the 'water of life'.
Furthermore, rumours abound that this naturally enriched and distilled
beverage was distributed widely on the early Tour of Mull rallies as prizes and
when White Horse supported Chris Coburn and Rodney Spokes in the Vauxhall
Magnum with White Horse personnel again in full product promotional assistance
mode. If the MSA ever found out what was going on, they'd have had a fit. Oh,
happy days.
Anyway, I'll let you know when the full article on Marshalling is
published
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