Clerk of Course wins MBE

Mervyn Whyte, Clerk of the Course of the North-West 200 road races in Ireland, has been awarded the MBE in the New Year Honours.

Whyte was first involved with the NW200 in 1971as a marshal and has worked on the event as chief marshal, race treasurer and then race secretary as well as being assistant clerk of the course. He then took over as Clerk of the Course in 2001, though the race was cancelled that year due to the foot and mouth restrictions.

 Whyte is recognised as the driving force behind the event which attracts over 100,000 spectators each year and has become Britain’s most successful pure road racing event attracting top class short circuit racers as well as the world’s leading ‘roads’ men.

Whyte said: “To receive the MBE is an honour for me personally but in reality it is really recognition of all those people within the Coleraine Motor Club who have the same objective as me to promote and safeguard the future of the North-West.”