Wilson Security GRM’s Scott McLaughlin has been named Motor Sport Personality of the Year at the 2014 Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) Motor Sport Awards in Sydney this evening.
The 21-year old kiwi, who raced a Volvo S60 for the first time last year in V8 Supercars, soared in popularity last season after showing his genuine enthusiasm for motor racing throughout the year.
The award adds to his stellar 2014, during which he finishing the year in the top five, won four Championship races, equaled six-time champ Jamie Whincup’s efforts with 10 ARMOR ALL Pole Positions, and earned the V8 Supercars Barry Sheene Medal for fairest and best.
This year, McLaughlin is looking to build on his list of achievements and challenge for the Championship.
“We’ve got top five now, there’s not really much else to aim for apart from the Championship,” McLaughlin told v8supercars.com.au earlier this year.
“We’ve got to go in there with the mentality we’ve got to do well and get up the front. We know we can do it, just a matter of putting everything together. For me – if we don’t, we don’t – but we’ve got to give it our best shot.”
Whincup was also acknowledged at the awards, given the CAMS Australian Touring Car Championship Trophy after his record-breaking 2014 effort.
Others recognised include Jim Richards, earning the CAMS Peter Brock Medal, awarded annually to a driver who has shown similar characteristics to the late Peter Brock; and Australian Formula One Driver and CAMS Ambassador Daniel Ricciardo, as winner of The Jack Brabham Award, which recognises outstanding achievement and success by an Australian motor sport competitor at the international level.
CAMS announced the establishment of the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame, which is dedicated to honouring those who have contributed the most to motorsport as a administrator, driver, owner, developer or engineer. It will first be given as part of the 2015 awards.
