National ‘Scottish’ Book Day

The UK’s National Book Day is usually held on the first Thursday of March each year, but I was awfy busy so ignored it. That’s because I was struggling with my latest tome documenting the Scottish Rally Championship (2010-2019), so I have my own ‘book day’ -  every day!

People may think that rallying is on its last legs (wheels?) but that has been thought and feared before although those concerns are still with us today for different reasons. Mind you things came awfy close ten years or so ago. Following a fatality on a Scottish event in 2013 and three more in 2014, the whole sport had to sit down and take stock of itself. And it could so easily have gone the wrong way for its future. Not only that the Scottish Government wanted answers.

Immediately after the 2014 accident the Scottish Government established a ‘Motorsport Event Safety Review’ working with the Motor Sport Association which culminated in the publication of the ‘2015 Multi-Venue Stage Rally Safety Requirements’ guide. It contained not just guidance and advice but more regulation, restrictions and of course costs! And while much of the focus was on spectator management and control, wider issues took in the controversial ‘life-ing’ of safety equipment. What was already a difficult task for an amateur team organising a rally suddenly became more difficult and complicated incurring additional expense.

That was followed by a Scottish Government instigated ‘Fatal Accident Inquiry’ and the sport was indeed fortunate that it was Sheriff Kenneth Maciver QC who chaired the investigation. Although not really a fan as such, he did have an interest in motor sport and a basic understanding. Had it been someone else who had no interest and no knowledge the outcome could have taken a quite different turn.

Oddly enough, there was another organisation involved called ‘Scottish Motor Sports’ (SMS). This body had been created two years previously by the MSA and the Scottish Sports Council ahead of the proposed Scottish national devolution debate and referendum. Had Scotland voted for independence, that would have created some jeopardy for any sport which didn’t have a separate Scottish governing body, and that included motor sport. The new body was initially tasked with the creation of a long term plan for the sport on both four and two wheels.

Looking back on that long and tortuous procedure it was indeed fortunate for the sport that those professionals who were tasked with looking into the proposed safety requirements actually listened to the experienced and knowledgeable amateurs who were asked to contribute to the process.

Which leaves me with a dilemma, does this affair require a whole chapter documenting those past events, or merely a summary? The outcome could so easily have gone either way!

Earlier books are available here:

https://fife-motor-sports-agency.square.site/