Announcement: Scottish Motor Sports announce 2017 SMS Academy members at Ignition Festival
This morning saw the successful applicants to the inaugural Scottish Motor Sports Academy announced at the
Ignition Festival of Motoring, with the help of Formula One presenter Lee Mckenzie and 2001 World Rally Champion,
Robert Reid.
The SMS Academy was set up to support young riders and drivers (aged 14-20) who are showing potential to excel in
the sport. Since announcing this new talent development initiative back in June, we have been inundated with
applications and interest. This has made the job of the selection panel – which included three time Le Mans 24 hours
winner Allan McNish and three times British Superbike Champion Niall Mackenzie – extremely difficult but after
some deliberation, the following competitors have been selected:
Ben Dignan (Roybridge, SACU – Trials)
Ben Thomson (Kelso, SACU – Enduro)
Callum Grigor (Wishaw, SACU Road Race)
Cameron Evans (Renfrew, MSA – Kart)
Dexter Patterson (Glasgow, MSA – Kart)
Duncan MacColl (Lanarkshire, SACU – Trials)
Emily Glanvill (Penicuick, MSA – Race)
Gillian McGaw (Kilmarnock, SACU – Road Race)
Jack Davidson (Falkirk, MSA – Race)
Jack Gordon (Aberdeenshire, MSA -Kart)
James Coltart (Perthshire, MSA – Sprint)
Jamie Simpson (Ayrshire, SACU – Trials)
Jude Macdonald (Inverness, MSA – Jnr Rally)
Kyle Best (Cumbernauld, MSA – Kart)
Lewis Paterson (Perthshire, SACU – Road Race)
Malcolm Summers (Windygates, SACU – Trials)
Michael Macpherson (Black Isle, MSA – Race)
Peter Beaton (Ardersier, MSA – Jnr Rally)
Stuart Mack (East Lothian, SACU – Enduro)
The SACU have also selected an additional four riders from a younger age category (10-14) to receive some support
from the SMS Academy. These four riders will be supported through a slightly less comprehensive ‘Rising Stars’
programme. The selected rising stars are:
Christina Palmer (Dunbar, Motocross)
Jamie Galloway (Thornton, Trials)
Owen Paterson (Perthshire, Road Race)
Ross Galloway (Thornton, Trials)
The SMS Academy members will each be allocated a coach to offer remote support and advice when needed across
the year. Between now and August 2018, the members will take part in four development workshops, which will
support them in all aspects of their development, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to
maximise their performance.
The first SMS Academy workshop will be held on Wednesday 18th October at Knockhill, where the Academy
members will be developing their own performance profiles and learning about sponsorship, amongst other
subjects. The programme will be delivered by fully qualified MSA Level 2 coaches, Blair Brown and Malcolm McNab
who both have a diverse range of motorsport experience of their own; Blair is a former quad bike racer and British
Rally Championship driver whilst Malcolm is a former kart racer and experienced racing driver in the Scottish Mini
Cooper Championship. Both coaches will be supported throughout the programme by MSA level 4 Coach, James
Wozencroft, who also has experience on two and four wheels having competed up to junior world championship
level in rallying and having also taken part in Enduro events on two wheels.