The 2016 Gold Cup didn’t just mark 50 years of the event, it also turned into a special celebration for one of our very own marshals. Just a few days before the event Don Hall celebrated his 90th Birthday, which makes him possibly the oldest marshal in the world, and showed his passion and desire for Motorsport by attending the weekends meeting.
After 54 years, Don still enjoys coming to the track, as he said “I’ve got quite a family amongst them, which I didn’t have before”. It shows that the marshals really do stick together to create one big orange family as he added, “Since going to Anglesey in particular, I have a whole family of friends, real friends, not just those I see in passing on the day.”
Whilst Don is now a flag marshal at every meeting, which he now does so from the safety of a flag point behind the barriers instead of his preferred spot at the edge of the track right in the drivers eye line, he did spend time in other roles. He spoke of the days when he was a Fire Marshal and watched a car slalom between the trees that used to line the Avenue straight and even what he dubs his ‘Five minutes of fame’. When Aryton Senna and Martin Brundle were racing at Oulton Park, he was the Observer at Fosters. The pair tangled after Senna took a look down the inside, the pair did three, 360 degree spins, to which Don gave them “ten out of ten for parking”!
Before he took to marshalling, Don watched the very first race at Oulton Park back in the August of 1953, however in his earlier years before Motorsport he was a keen and avid cyclist. Don would often compete in time trials which would either last for 12 or 24 hours, or a distance trial of 25, 50 or 100 miles. Don has always been a man who puts others first and so it is no surprise that he was part of the Home Guard during the Second World War.
I think all that is left to be said, is that seeing Don at the track is a true inspiration. He shows that despite the fact he is 90, he shows he’s willing to go out in all weathers to make the sport we all love safe and enjoyable for everyone. After all to quote Don himself; “I am only 21!” But if I’m half the marshal that he is at 90, then I would be pretty pleased with that.
Don you are a truly great marshal, a true gentleman and I look forward to spending more time with you at the track. Cheers.
#ThanksMarshal
Written by – Robert Lee (@RobLee559 – Twitter/Instagram)
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