To the Valued Members of the North Shore Sporting Car Club (NSSCC),

It is with immense pride and appreciation that I deliver my first annual report as your President. Stepping into this role at the end of 2024, I was committed to building upon the phenomenal foundation laid by my predecessor, Brett Middleton, while championing a clear set of goals focused on growth, sustainability, and community.

The club has continued to thrive in its core activities, proving once again that the passion and commitment of our members is our greatest asset.

📈 Growth and Development

Our focus on fostering an inclusive environment and actively seeking new members has yielded positive results. We have maintained a strong membership base, ensuring the club remains financially robust.

• Junior Development: This priority has been woven into our major events. The successful inclusion of the RD-Cup Regularity Rally as a key sub-event provided an accessible and affordable entry point into gravel rallying for new and junior competitors. This initiative, designed for road-registered vehicles, directly addresses the need to cultivate the next generation of drivers.
• Volunteer Recognition: We have continued to support improvements in recognising our officials and volunteers, the backbone of every NSSCC event. Their dedication is what makes our ambitious calendar achievable.

📍 Securing a Dedicated Event Area: A New Home for Grassroots 🏡

The pursuit of a long-term, sustainable dedicated area for club activities, such as Khanacross, has been a key strategic goal for many years. While securing dedicated club land within the Western Sydney Parklands remains a protracted challenge, I am thrilled to announce a significant breakthrough that delivers a new home for grassroots motorsport.

• In late 2025, NSSCC formally agreed to join forces with the Lithgow District Car Club (LDCC) at their Yvonne Martyn Memorial Motorsport Park in Portland.
• This partnership gives our club a defined base for our junior development and grassroots motorsport programs starting in 2026.
• This decisive action moves us beyond simply seeking an opportunity to actively creating one, securing a dedicated facility where we can grow our Khanacross and entry-level activities with a strong, regional club partner. More detailed news on the specific opportunities at the Yvonne Martyn Memorial Motorsport Park will be fleshed out early next year.

💻 Improving Club Systems: Member Jungle Implementation

A key goal for 2025 was the modernisation of our internal operations. I am pleased to provide a major update:

• The committee has selected Member Jungle as the club’s new membership management system.
• Implementation has already begun, marking critical progress toward streamlining administration, improving the member experience, and providing a stronger digital platform for event communication and registration. Expect further news early in the new year as we transition to this exciting new system.

🗓️ Event Successes and Challenges

2025 was a year of both spectacular success and significant operational difficulty for our cornerstone events, demonstrating the volatility of modern motorsport.

Tarmac Rallysprint Success: Reinvigorated and Commercially Sound

• The club’s commitment to Tarmac events proved vital. We successfully secured Prospeed Racing as our new naming rights partner and subsequently renamed and reinvigorated the event, which is now known as the Prospeed Racing Tarmac Rallysprint Series at Sydney Dragway.
• This strategic move confirms the commercial viability and long-term future of this key Tarmac discipline. The introduction of two track layouts and the inclusion of a new gravel class further enhanced participation and competitor engagement, making the series more dynamic than ever.

Rally of the Bay – An Existential Challenge

• This year brought a difficult reality: the Lazer Rally of the Bay 2025 was cancelled for the second consecutive year. Following the cancellation in 2024, the 2025 decision was necessary to ensure the safety of competitors, officials, and spectators amid unprecedented and relentless rain and difficult conditions.
• This unfortunate outcome highlights the existential threat facing gravel rallying in the current economic and climate environment. This persistent issue reinforces the club’s financial philosophy that events must stand on their own, and our prudent financial management ensured the club was able to absorb the impact of two years without this flagship event.

Community and Milestones

• Our Autobrunch events continued to be a vibrant and popular staple, strengthening the social fabric and camaraderie that Brett Middleton correctly identified as the heart of NSSCC. Despite having to cancel three months in a row, attendance continues to remain strong, a testament to the dedication of our members and the social value of this event.
• We successfully commenced planning for the club’s major milestone: the 75th Anniversary in 2027. This celebration will honour our rich history while setting the stage for the next chapter.

🔮 Conclusion and The Road Ahead

The year 2025 served as a powerful reminder of the external pressures on motorsport—weather, rising costs, and access to venues. However, the club’s overall health remains strong. The successful execution of our Tarmac events, the launch of our new grassroots base at Portland, and the implementation of Member Jungle show that NSSCC is proactive, resilient, and adaptable.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the entire committee for their ongoing support and hard work throughout the year. I also want to specifically recognise long term committee member Andrew Benefield, who has stepped up to take on the crucial role of Membership Secretary and to welcome Van Nguyen as Club Vice President.

My commitment to continued growth, junior development, and securing the club’s long-term event area remains absolute. We must now be prepared to look critically at how we support the rallying sector moving forward. I thank the committee, our sponsors  Prospeed Racing, Lazer Performance Lamps and club member Richie Dalton’s Shamrock Haulage and the continued support of Brett Middleton), and most importantly, every single member for your passion and belief in the North Shore Sporting Car Club.

Best regards,

Nigel Bland

President

North Shore Sporting Car Club

December 2025