MIA And MSA Join Forces To Grow National Motorsports Week

Birmingham, Jan. 16, 2011: Thanks to an exciting new partnership between the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), the Motor Sports Association (MSA) and Goodwood Motorsport, the week now has a far better position in the calendar (25 June to 3 July), a much greater level of guaranteed support, and a climax at one of the world's top motorsport events - the Goodwood Festival of Speed (FoS).

The new date allows this unique initiative to coincide with numerous UK motorsport events and activities, including the build-up to the British Grand Prix. However, there can surely be no better event to close National Motorsport Week than the universally admired FoS, with its 150,000 visitors. The MSA has supported the MIA in this project since day one. However, National Motorsport Week will now become part of the MSA Go Motorsport initiative, the primary purpose of which is to encourage more people into the sport.

National Motorsport Week, the brainchild of the MIA, has run each year since 2006, with the valued backing of the MSA's affiliated clubs. Its aim is to attract wider media coverage, which in turn introduces new fans, competitors, spectators, organisers, engineers, journalists, photographers and much-needed marshals to the planet's most thrilling sport.

Said the MIA's CEO Chris Aylett: "This is great news. We are excited by our new partnership that will vault National Motorsport Week to a new level. Incorporating it into Go Motorsport makes enormous sense, as does being able to crown nine days of nationwide promotional activities with access to 150,000 of the most ardent follows of motorsport."

Commented Colin Hilton, Chief Executive of the MSA, "The MSA has always supported the concept of National Motorsport Week and, indeed, the objectives of the year-round Go Motorsport campaign are very similar - let's get more people involved in motorsport. I am confident that by combining our resources, we can put considerably more weight behind this worthy programme. It should be a great week."

MIA/MOTORSPORT FOUNDATION AWARD FOR 2010

Each year, the MIA and the Motorsport Foundation makes an award to the organisation whose activity, during the week, best captures the spirit of National Motorsport Week. For their very well-promoted initiative to introduce newcomers to karting, the 2010 award of £500 has been won by Shenington Kart Racing Club.

It will be presented to the club secretary, Graham Smith, by MIA Chairman Alistair Fergusson on the main stage at 13.40, during Autosport International on Thursday 13 January.