Guild member and Daily Mail motoring editor Ray Massey, who has been covering the motor industry for the title for nearly three decades, has now officially been confirmed as the newspaper’s longest serving motoring correspondent since the Mail itself was founded in 1896.

Ray took over the Daily Mail motoring role in 1995, after five years as the newspaper’s education correspondent, combining the role between 2000 and 2015 with rail and aviation when he was transport editor.

He succeeded his immediate predecessor Michael Kemp (who held the post at the Mail from 1971) in a line of illustrious correspondents going back to 1896 whose number included (in the 1930s) land speed record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell.

Ray said: “The Daily Mail was launched in 1896, at the very dawn of the original motoring revolution, and has been a champion of the motorist ever since.

“It’s my privilege to be reporting on the key issues facing drivers, families and consumers today as we enter a new 21st century mobility revolution – the drive to electrification – along with all the benefits and challenges that this presents, not least the shortage of charging points and the seemingly endless war on the motorist by some of those in power.

“And rest assured, despite a lifetime of motoring up to this point, there’s still plenty of tread left on my tyres for many miles more to come.”

The roll call of Mail motoring correspondents includes several Guild members, including 1954 chair Courtenay Edwards.

Mail motoring correspondents through the decades

• Major C.G. Matson: 1905 to 1907
• John Prioleau: 1911 ­to circa 1920-22
• Jack Frost: 1931
• Roger Fuller: 1932
• Sir Malcolm Campbell, Motoring Editor:  September 4, 1931 to circa 1937
• W.A. McKenzie: circa 1936 to 1940 and 1945 to 1947
• F.J.C. Pignon: 1940 to 1944
• Courtenay Edwards: 1948 to 1960
• Denis Holmes: 1960 to 1967
• Brian Groves: 1968 to 1971
• Michael Kemp: 1971 to 1995 
• Ray Massey: 1995 –

#24forLM24 is back for the BIG one, says Guild member, photographer and artist Jayson Fong.

“For the duration of the 24hrs of Le Mans I’ll be once again staying up with a livestream, creating a unique artwork every hour, depicting the race as it happens,” said Jayson.

“As in previous editions, all artworks will be for sale  on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis (but be quick to secure one, they go fast!).

“This year, I’m very happy to say that £25.00 of each sale will be going to @racingdementia – Race Against Dementia is a global charity, founded by Sir Jackie Stewart, OBE, to fund pioneering research into the prevention and cure of dementia.

“Wishing you all a very happy 100th Le Mans!”

Be sure to let us know if you buy one of Jayson’s unique artworks!

Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire was again the venue on Wednesday 26th April for one of the Guild’s most popular events of the year, the ‘Big Day Out’ which allows members to take on the fast and challenging race track in their own cars.

The day, which again proved a big success, was organised by Guild committee member John Griffiths and again kindly sponsored by long-time friends of the Guild Suzuki, who along with Honda brought along some cars for members to try on the local roads when they weren’t on the track. 

The close to 60 different cars that were put to the test on the circuit were certainly eclectic, varying from current models from the likes of BMW, Jaguar and particularly Mazda MX-5s to a host of period race cars – plucky member Kim Henson even circulated in his 1938 Standard Flying 14.

Perhaps bravest of all, however, was member Tom Scanlon, with his huge 1979-built Mercury Cougar – at the start of the day marshals warned members of the tight entry into the paddock, suggesting some drivers would need three-point turns, “or that Mercury an eight-point turn…”

Sadly the Cougar cried enough early on with a failed fuel pump, but not before Tom suggested he had set a new record; “In my 15-minute session I was lapped twice, by a Citroën C1…” He then made use of the Guild’s new benefit partner, Start Rescue, to recover the car to his home, later commenting; “Very happy with Start Rescue, from first contact on the phone to the finish.”  

Following the day’s action attendees were treated to afternoon tea, again kindly provided by our President Nick Mason at his home close to the circuit. As a thank-you Nick was presented with a photo from the archives of resident photographer Jeff Bloxham, showing our President competing in a Dorset Lola at the 1980 Le Mans 24 Hours, in which he finished 22nd overall and third in class.  

Guild Chairman Richard Aucock described the event as “a wonderful Guild tradition”, commenting; “I’m delighted once again Suzuki was our headline sponsor – Alun and Adrian help make it happen, and it’s great we all get to spend the day with them, driving their cars when not out on track. 

“This year, it was exciting to have Honda at the event too, with a very vivid new Civic Type R. Castle Combe, as always, did us proud, and the tireless organisational work by John Griffiths paid off in delivering a fantastically successful event. 

“Tea at Guild president Nick’s was the icing on the (delicious) cake – and the presentation of the print arranged by vice chair Simon Harris was the perfect way to end the day.” 

Your Editor, a keen observer at his first BDO, will now be searching avidly for a suitable car to get on track at next year’s event – if not the family Suzuki Ignis will get a workout like it’s never had…

All photos: Jeff Bloxham

Students on the Guild-supported Masters degree course in Automotive Journalism at Coventry University have published their own car magazine as part of their course work.

“This year the students have concentrated on generating as much as possible themselves,” says course director and Guild member Andrew Noakes. “All the words are theirs, they’ve originated their own story ideas, created all the page layouts from scratch, and shot the vast majority of the images themselves after securing access to events and loans of press cars.”

The six students have produced a 40-page magazine with wide-ranging content including road tests of the Citroën Ami and Hyundai Ioniq 6, an in-depth look at PHEVs, F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel’s comments on the Race of Champions and sustainability, a behind-the-scenes analysis of the success of the Bremen classic car show and much more.

The Automotive Journalism MA course, the only one of its kind in the world, was established in 2004 at the urging of Guild member Steve Cropley, who remains closely involved as a visiting professor. Of the 120 graduates of the course since then around 90 per cent have gone into automotive media or motor industry jobs – an extraordinary success rate in such a competitive field.

Some notable graduates include Guild members James Taylor and Joe Breeze, Top Gear magazine editor Jack Rix and sub-editor Sam Burnett, Youtuber Alex Kersten and motor industry PRs Sophie Middleton (Cosworth), Mark Griffiths (Hyundai), John O’Brien (Honda) and David Kirby (loop).

The digital edition of the magazine can be read here and previous student magazines are also free to read here. 

More details of the automotive journalism course are available here.

Members still wondering whether to take up our new breakdown cover benefit with Start Rescue might be interested to read of the experiences of Roy Smith, possibly the first Guild member to make use of the new benefit.

“I had the misfortune to break down in my 1970 Porsche 914-6 on leaving the Race Retro Show at Stoneleigh, at around 1pm,” he told us. “A gear linkage failed leaving me without gears – oh, the indignity!

“Never mind, I turned to our new partners Start Rescue, with some trepidation, but apart from the rigmarole of answering an interminable number of questions in the app, the service, once the correct details had been given in the exact format they required, was excellent.

“A quick talk with the operator ensured that a low loader arrived directly, not first a roadside mechanic for assessment, they accepted my description of the problem at my word.

“The local operator contracted to Start Rescue arrived within an hour, and took me and the car straight to the agreed address – Greatworth Classics near Banbury.

“Luckily good friends were also at Race Retro and on being informed, came via Greatworth to pick me up, and take me home. Result, by 4.30 pm we were drinking tea at home.

“Start Rescue… a good choice for the Guild. They delivered fast, efficient service. So fellow members, no need to fear a breakdown anymore.”

Responding the positive feedback, Start Rescue MD Lee Puffett said: “I think it demonstrates why we have been a Which? recommended provider for so many years.

“The questions in the app or whilst making a call to us can be lengthy, but they do enable us to determine the best service for our customers and it clearly provided the best outcome for Roy and his Porsche.

“We are delighted that Roy is pleased with the service he received!”

All Full Guild members receive a FREE Start Rescue three-star breakdown assistance package as part of their membership.