Motorsport UK was delighted to announce Dukeries Motor Club as its Club of the Year winners in December. In recognition of their outreach programme to inspire the next generation of motor racing enthusiasts and recover from the effects of the global pandemic, the Club was honoured at the Motorsport UK Night of Champions celebrations on Saturday, 22 January. Here is a look into why Dukeries Motor Club was our winner.

For over 65 years, the Nottinghamshire club has followed its founding value of organising events for its members and other motor club associations. Just before winning 2021 Club of the Year, Dukeries Motor Club successfully organised the 62^nd consecutive Dukeries Rally at Donington Park on 5 December. Overcoming the difficulties of running a single venue stage rally in limited daylight and adverse weather, the Club attracted MAXUS as its new title sponsor. They opted to use some of the gravel roads on the circuit in-field, with its volunteers carrying a considerable amount of stage furniture to set up for a strict 9am start time alongside the Donington Park team.

But it is not just car clubs that Dukeries Motor Club collaborates with on events. Mansfield Rugby Union Football Club has been the home to the Club of the Year for 31 years and faces similar challenges with membership recruitment and retention. By working together on available resources and campaigns, including its local Scout Group, not only is their approach to safeguarding aligned, new ideas for club and local community events are in the pipeline. It has also supported the BAFRT through some of its military personnel members and competed in their 2021 Conningham Cup Championship, which the Club Membership Secretary won! Dukeries Motor Club facilitated several BAFRT entries into the Nottinghamshire 2021 Flying Fortress Stages Rally to help them prepare for the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The long-standing club continues to push itself and has a solid calendar of events planned this year. It starts by hosting its Members Track Day the day after Night of Champions. Two club nights are organised every month, with the second event hosting an activity, from supporting members through the Motorsport UK Marshal Accreditation process or inviting Clubman Motorsport to give a presentation on safety equipment and the new requirements for Fire Extinguishers in Rally Cars. In addition to its established Donington Rally in March, the Flying Fortress Stages in June and the Dukeries Rally at the end of the year, the motor club is also planning its first-ever Targa Rally in July by collaborating with another local car club that has more experience in organising Targa Rallies.

Dukeries Motor Club welcomes non-members to come along to its club night to find out more and talk to its experienced members who can offer advice and guidance on areas that might be of interest. It welcomes new members to go out and marshal on events by ‘buddying’ up with those with more experience.

For more information on the Dukeries Motor Club, visit its website or follow them on Facebook.