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Viv Ayres Announced as Honorary 750 Motor Club Vice President
Fri 19 Jun 2020
750 Motor Club is delighted to announce Viv Ayres as a new Honorary Vice President. A 750MC competitor since the early 1980s, Ayres’ volunteering history as a Senior Official with the Club stretches back three decades, covering a period of significant growth within the 750MC portfolio of series and championships. Viv’s involvement at race meetings also overlapped with several stints on the Board of Directors, alongside membership of the British Women’s Racing Drivers Club since her initial role as BWRDC Speed Secretary in 1978.
Having competed since 1974, it was Viv’s success in Autocross that stood her in good stead when she qualified for Ford’s ‘Find a Lady Rally Driver’ competition in 1979. After making the cut as one of 15 from thousands of applicants, she was to compete against contemporaries of the era such as Louise Aitken in a season comprising six rallies and six circuit races. Driving ‘Faberge Kiku’-branded Mk1 Fiestas, it was on the rallying side that Ayres felt confident, yet it was the circuit racing side at which she excelled.
Following a brief stint with her own Fiesta on track in 1980, it was the club racer’s archetypal Lotus Seven with which she cut her 750 Motor Club teeth; initially racing her Series 4 in Roadsports before moving on to the new Kit Car formula at launch and promptly winning the 1984 Class B championship. A spell in a Ginetta G4 followed, until ties with Lee Noble saw Viv behind the wheel of a Shapecraft Lotus 15 replica in 1987 and duly securing a string of 12 class wins.
A move to Formula Junior followed, bringing with it the chance to race at the inaugural Goodwood Revival ahead of outings in an F3 Brabham BT21 in 1990, whilst Keith Messer offered new opportunities with a modified Lola in Castle Combe GTs. In 1992 she was awarded the prestigious BWRDC Lord Wakefield Trophy; presented annually in recognition of outstanding achievement by women in motorsport.
Having known 750MC’s former Competition Secretary Dave Bradley since 1983, it was during the 1987 season as acting Kit Car Formula Rep that Dave encouraged Viv to start Clerk training, alongside racing and a busy career in software publishing. Starting as a Club Steward in 1988, Viv qualified in 1989 and was the well-respected face of 750MC Race Control from 1990 until 2019, before assuming a new role as Club VP.
Speaking of the appointment, Ayres said: “I am delighted to be a nominated honorary Vice President of the 750 Motor Club. After experiencing various different disciplines and levels of motorsport in my early career, club-level circuit racing was always where it was at and where I felt at home in both my on and off-track activities. Nowhere is that more typified than 750MC.”