SAMSC Statement on SMS

It is with considerable sadness that I am sharing the news with you that today sees the end of the Scottish Motor Sport (SMS) project. Please see attached the formal notification of this issued by Motorsport UK today. Also attached is a note from Kevin Ferguson, the SMS partnership manager at sportscotland giving a little more background.

Kevin was due to speak to us at our meeting on 17^th March before it was cancelled.

SMS was established in 2011 as a project vehicle through which to approach the Scottish Government, via Sportscotland, to secure an investment of public funds to help develop motorsport in the same way that such funding supports many other sports. Since then, SMS has been a collaboration between the governing body of two-wheel motorsport in Scotland, the Scottish Auto Cycle Union, and the governing body of four-wheel motorsport in the UK, Motorsport UK.

sportscotland and SMS statement

23rd March 2020
Mr Peter Weall
Chairman
Scottish Association of Motor Sports Clubs

Dear Peter

I wanted to provide a clear update to you and your associate clubs on how sportscotland, as
the national agency for sport, is investing in motorsport in Scotland.

Over the past six years, we have chosen to invest in Scottish Motor Sports (SMS). SMS is a
strategic partnership between Motorsport UK and Scottish Auto Cycle Union (SACU). Our
investment has always been for the development of grassroots two- and four-wheel
motorsport.

Scottish Auto Cycle Union and Motorsport UK Conclude SMS Partnership

31 March 2020

The Scottish Auto Cycle Union (SACU) and Motorsport UK today announced the conclusion of the Scottish Motor Sports (SMS) partnership.

The partnership was established in 2011 as a collaboration between the governing body of two-wheel
motorsport in Scotland, the SACU, and the governing body of four-wheel motorsport in the UK, Motorsport UK.

The collaboration benefited from historic funding from the Scottish Government through sportscotland which has allowed it to focus on a number of grassroots sports and club development initiatives.

Motorsport On Closed Public Roads - Consultation

Some of you will have seen this before I got to my keyboard but this is the announcement we have been waiting for. 

See announcement on Transport Scotland website 

or go straight to the Consultation - eight questions here.  

You all have 8 weeks - till 28th January - to respond. 

Scottish Road Car Series - New for 2018

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Scottish Road Car Series for 2018, which is intended to act as an accessible new entry point into motorsport in Scotland. Anyone with a valid driving licence and a road going vehicle will be eligible to enter the series - which will run over 10 rounds at various locations in Scotland - making it accessible to a broad range of people across the country.

A NEW BEGINNING FOR MOTORSPORT IN SCOTLAND

F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart joined representatives from sportscotland, the Motor Sports Association, and the Scottish Auto Cycle Union at Ingliston on 10th May, to announce a new partnership to grow motor sport in Scotland. 

Scotland has produced a procession of champions on two, three, and four wheels from motorcycling legends Jimmy Guthrie and Jock Taylor to Jim Clark, Colin McRae, and ‘The Flying Scot’ Sir Jackie himself. 

This new agreement, backed by £360,000 investment over four years from sportscotland, will support the development of the sport and provide more opportunities for people from all across Scotland to get involved at every level.

GoMotorsport Open Day at Knockhill

GoMotorsport and Scottish Motor Sports, will this summer be co-ordinating a motor sport open day at Knockhill, during the mid-season Scottish Motor Racing Championship race day on 16th August. The event will be a great opportunity for members of the public to get their first taste of club motor sport and find out how easy it is to get involved. We are now looking for a selection of clubs to be involved in the day.

Guide to Social Media for Clubs

Rory Bryant of Scottish Motor Sports has produced the SMS Guide to Social Media for motor sports clubs and your copy can be downloaded here in pdf form.  

Motor Sport Club Funding Guide

The SMS guide to sources of funding that may be available to motor sports clubs in Scotland, and how to go about getting some, has been updated for 2015. 

See our Scottish Motor Sports page for more. 

A pdf copy of the  Club Funding Guide  may be downloaded there.

Scottish Motor Sports Strategic Plan

After a considerable amount of work and research, the SMS Strategic Plan has been completed and submitted to Sportscotland for review. 

This high level document takes a collaborative approach to the development of 2 and 4 wheel motor sport in Scotland, spanning the period 2015 – 2019. The plan will now go to the Sportscotland Investment Panel and over the next couple of months we will begin to learn what level of investment motor sport will receive for development in 2015. 

Regardless of the outcome, this process itself marks an exciting new opportunity for motor sport to finally gain the recognition it deserves in Scottish sport. 

SMS would like to thank all the contributors for their help and support in completing this plan and we look forward to reporting back on it’s progress soon. 

The plan can be viewed in full here:  SMS Strategic Plan