The St John Masonic Club provided the venue for our 2023 prize giving and dinner. The 110 guests enjoyed a fantastic meal by Marty's Cartering team, many of whom were adding the recipe for Marty's soup to their Christmas list.
Larne Motor Club sucessfully organised nine events in 2023 and this was our night to celebrate not only the competitors but club members also.
The first awards presented were for Autotests, Steven Ferguson won the Ballygally Castle Cup in recognition of winning our round of the McMillan Specialist Cars NI Autotest Championship. Robert Robinson was recognised as our top clubman driver and won the Harkness Cup. Adam McMullan, won the Main Street Car Wash Autotest in Larne town centre and was awarded the Larne & District Trophy. The McCartney Motors Award goes to the best beginner of the year and seventeen year old Aaron Kennedy was this year's recipient.
The Autodock Laharna Lanes Rally was won by Robert Woodside Jnr and Bruce Drummond and they were awarded the Starlight and Navigators Trophies. The top mixed crew were Robert Robinson and Katherine Scott and they were presented with the Nutts Corner and Killen Cup.
There were eight and a half awards presented to the Cairncastle Hill Climb competitors. This year at the event some marshals and competitors "sprinted" the 0-64ft to see who would set the fastest time. Usain Bolt was certainly not losing any sleep about record breaking pace. However the fastest time was set by Rob Dwane who narrowly beat the other wannabe athletes. One our trophies from the 1950's was presented to Rob. However there were more important trophies, Rob was there to get his hands on. On his first time competing at Cairncastle he won both days and was awarded the Harte Cup and P&O Trophy. Other winners on the night were, Daniel Campbell, William Carey, Richard Munnis, Scott McMullan and Roger Gage.
Our round of the SW Adair Tyres NI Sprint Championship was held at Kirkistown in May. The overall winner was Gerard O'Connell who won the Cairn Trophy. Daniel Campbell won the Shields Trophy and an impressive drive on the day saw Michael Boyle take the Dublin Crystal bowl and the Bailie & Gawn Cup.
Our Ladies Award was presented to Courtney Ross for her navigational skills throughout the year, sitting beside Luke Creaney. Their best result with thrid in their class at the Laharna Lanes Rally.
Larne Motor Club are a strong, well knit club of members passionate about Motorsport and we like to recognise those who have helped organise our events to the high standards we pride ourselves on. The Ronnie McCartney Memorial bowl and the Sheugh Cup are the recognition awards we present each year and this year they were presented to Robert Ross and also Wallace and Lucinda McKee.
The Dublin Crystal club member or the year was presented to a young man who is always keen to learn, complete whatever tasks required and enjoys his Motorsport. This year the winner was Elliot Hayes.
Our top award of the evening was The Presidents Trophy, a trophy that has over 50 years of Motorsport history and our most prestigious award. This year it was presented to someone who enjoys his Motorsport especially his discipline of Autotest. He is always courteous to others and already at a young age is winning multiple awards. We were delighted to present the award to Adam McMullan.
