October 11, 2022
This year’s Beatson's Building Supplies Mull Rally celebrates the 50th running of the event.
The 50th Mull Rally will run with a quality oversubscribed entry and a strong commitment to mitigating the event's environmental impact, as part of its long-term environmental plan.
Photo credit: Colin Smith
The 2022 event also sets new standards in the level of voluntary carbon offsetting, with an expected minimum of 46,000 kilograms of CO2e to be offset in the future. Over half the competitors have included carbon offsetting as part of their entry, and this level of support helps the event to be more sustainable for the future.
Throughout 2022 Carbon Positive Motorsport has worked with many competitors at all levels and in motorsport disciplines. Our ambassadors help promote the benefits to the sport by using our carbon offsetting services, based exclusively on high quality certified UK-based carbon offsetting projects, which use rewilding to bring greater environmental benefits than offsetting alone.
Our ambassadors support us not for any personal financial gain, but by their motivation to help to make motorsport sustainable for future generations to enjoy. There has been widespread media interest in this year's Mull Rally and the environmental action they have taken, which has largely been generated through the event organisers and our ambassadors – even those who are not competing this year! – such as triple British Rally Champion Matt Edwards and Scottish ladies rally champion Ashleigh Morris who have supported the event’s ambitions behind the scenes.
Matt Edwards and Ashleigh Morris have been Carbon Positive Motorsport brand ambassadors since our launch, and despite not competing this year have been supporting the event’s environmental ambitions.
Matt and Ashleigh’s involvement as brand ambassadors for Carbon Positive Motorsport since 2021 has led to Sky News coming to the event to film an article for their weekly Climate Show programme presented by Tom Heap.
Many will know Tom best as the presenter of BBC’s country file programme. As a property owner in Mull, Tom has a unique interest in what the event has been doing to inbuild sustainability.
Such media interest benefits not just the Mull Rally, but motorsport in general. We are very grateful to several competitors who this year have offered their support to promote Carbon Positive Motorsport and our purpose to help make motorsport and the environment more sustainable for future generations to enjoy.
Ahead of the rally we spoke to our ambassadors to learn more of their preparations for one of the toughest rallies in the UK, and their hopes for the event.
Photo credit: Colin Smith
Mull local and event winner Paul McKinnon will be co-driven by former SRC championship winning co driver Paul Beaton in car 2. This year Paul will be driving a Hyundai Rally2 for the first time. “We have not had a chance to test the car yet, so the main focus will be trying to get to the finish – hopefully the weather will be kind to us!” Paul has a special interest in sustainability, as his main sponsor Staffa Tours is also a successful eco-tourism business based on the island.
Photo credit: Colin Smith
Another Mull local favourite, and former winner, James MacGillivray will be competing with his daughter Kerrie MacGillivray at number 9 in his Escort Mk 2. “My last rally was the Argyll, but Kerrie has been competing more recently on Wexford. We are doing a few tweaks to the Carrprep run car for Mull and just hope to have a good clean competitive 50th Mull Rally. I’m delighted to be involved with Carbon Positive Motorsport this year.”
The importance of the environment is key for James and his family, who farm pedigree cattle and sheep on the island. In addition their Pennygowan Holiday Park hosts visitors to the island attracted by the spectacular beauty of Mull.
Photo credit: Colin Smith
Event sponsor John Marshall will be competing with Craig Wallace in his Beatson’s Group Fiesta R2 in car 29. As backers of the event, John and Ross Marshall have taken a great interest in the carbon offsetting initiative and the work being done to promote sustainability by the organisers. This is the second Beatsons sponsored event to work with Carbon Positive Motorsport, following this year’s McRae Rally Challenge which offset all their competitor event emissions.
John will be giving Sky Climate presenter Tom Heap a unique view of rallying from inside his R2 on the shakedown stage which will be filmed as part of the show. For the event John will be competing with updated Carbon Positive Motorsport livery, and we are very grateful to John and Ross for all their help and support this year.
Photo credit Archie Swinscoe Rallying
Archie Swinscoe will be competing this year in his Rallytech/Asset Alliance Group Vauxhall Adam 1600 with former SRC champion co-driver Jane Nicol stepping in for regular co-driver Barry Young. Archie, entered at car 44, won the Junior 1000 series last year, and is undoubtably one of the country’s hottest rising rally talents.
His recent drive to 3rd overall and first in class at the Memorial Garden Stages led Jane who was co-driving for him for the first time to comment “watch out rally girls and boys – this lad can seriously pedal a car!” Archie heads to Mull after being crowned 1st newcomer and 1400-1600 class champion in this year’s North of England Tarmacadam Rally Championship.
Archie commented, “I’m really excited to be competing in the 50th Mull rally this year. One of my earliest rallying memories is of watching my parents on this rally, so to be taking part myself, 27 years after they first competed is an overwhelming feeling, but I’m fully prepared and ready to give it my best shot.”
Archie’s regular co-driver Barry Young will also be on the island hoping his entry on the reserve list will result in a last-minute run. Barry has been a great support to Carbon Positive Motorsport this year, helping us to develop the end-to-end event carbon offsetting package that the Mull Rally is working with this year. Barry has also been providing help to make the Sky Climate Show filming possible. Thank you, Barry!
Photo credit: Colin Smith
Niall Cowan Jnr will compete this year in his class winning MG ZR, co-driven by Callum Shanks in car 84. After a successful class winning campaign in the Scottish Rally Championship last year, Niall has limited his outings to selected favourite events this year, as he has been working on building and preparing his MG3 challenge cars for several customers.
Speaking ahead of the rally, he said: “I’m looking forward to one of my biggest, if not the biggest challenge since I started rallying in 2014. I’m far from being a tarmac expert, so this will be a learning curve for me. The car’s had some extensive repreparation following the Armstrong Group Galloway Hills rally, and then went over to Angus Lawrie Motorsport for the geometry and final set up. Thanks in advance to all my sponsors for their support – I’m proud to be carrying the Carbon Positive Motorsport logo on the car and to be offsetting my carbon throughout the weekend.”
Photo credit: Colin Smith
Tom Howie will be competing in his Highland Rievers Racing Talbot Sunbeam, co-driven by Mike Mackenzie in car 133. Tom has been a supporter of Carbon Positive Motorsport since its launch and competed in last year’s Mull Rally with his event emissions carbon offset. Tom had a disappointing retirement last year and has prepared for the event with a comprehensive car rebuild. Widely recognised as a rapid driver, Tom will be aiming to use the adjustments to his car to show his speed and talent. One to watch!
Photo credit: Colin Smith
Cameron Fair is exchanging his usual co-driver seat at the side of Carbon Positive Motorsport ambassador Jock Armstrong to compete as a driver in his own right with his new Nova. Starting at car 150 and co-driven by Jonathan MacDonald, he will be hoping that local knowledge will help with a great result. Camy already takes sustainability seriously as proprietor of the Fisherman’s Pier Fresh Fish & Chips in Tobermory, working with such initiatives as recycling cooking oil and the use of sustainable vegware products and local sourcing of products with a low carbon footprint.
Carbon Positive Motorsport director Steve Smith said ahead of the event, “It’s been a great privilege to support the event and the organisers. The Mull Rally is a truly iconic event with a unique place in UK motorsport history. We are very grateful to everyone who has got supported us and got involved and we wish all competitors a safe and enjoyable event.
“We would also like to thank Highland Carbon and Greenville Energy for their help and support given to us for the Mull Rally. Working with them will help to develop future carbon offsetting projects for motorsport’s benefit.”
Carbon Positive Motorsport are offering a discount for all competitors and spectators to carbon offset their event related travel.
Anyone using the discount code will also have the chance to win an exclusive signed art print of Matt Edwards competing on last year's event.
Use code MR22CS on Carbon Positive Motorsport’s website carbonpositivemotorsport.com
It only costs a little to make a big difference for the sport, so whether you're a competitor or spectator, why not join with us to help make motorsport sustainable. To become Carbon Positive yourself, visit our website www.carbonpositivemotorsport.com