For such a small country Scotland certainly punches well above its weight.

A new exhibition at Perth Museum and Art Gallery lifts the lid on the prowess which Scottish drivers have shown in the world of motor sports and sets the scene for Perth & Kinross Council’s success in attracting the prestigious Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association Rally of Scotland to the area later in the year.

SPEEDSTERS (on show from 12 June through to 5 December 2009) features 47 portraits and action shots, courtesy of the LAT Photographic archive, of some of Scotland’s many motor sports legends, triumphs, and tragedies.

It is now 40 years since Sir Jackie Stewart took the first of his 3 World Racing Championships in Formula 1. Twenty years earlier Peter Mitchell-Thomson was victorious at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. And as early as 1906 Scotsman Andrew Fletcher competed in the French Grand Prix.

Their successes were a few of many achieved by Scottish drivers. Scottish drivers have now won every major motor racing and motor rallying championship around the world.

SPEEDSTERS contains images relating to both Sir Jackie Stewart and his elder brother, the late Jimmie Stewart, as well as Jim Clark, Colin McRae, Alan McNish, Dario Franchitti, Lousie Aitken-Walker, Ninian Sanderson, Ron Flockhart, Innes Ireland, Andrew Cowan, David Leslie, “Johnny Dumfries”, David Murray and Peter Mitchell-Thomson and David Coulthard.

The photographs put faces to names and show key moments from their careers. Additionally they reflect the changes, even over a fairly short time, to motor vehicle design as well as to drivers’ dress.

They serve as reminders of the great team work that lies behind every successful driver, with armies of engineers, mechanics, technicians and other specialists. They also give cause for reflection on the dangers that participants in the sport, and those who follow it, expose themselves to.

Despite the fascination of fast cars and the glamour of the race, safety is paramount. Sir Jackie Stewart, in particular, has been a major champion of driver safety ever since he was involved in a near fatal crash in 1966. Indeed many of the safety features which we take for granted in today’s motor cars have their roots in accidents experienced by racing and rally drivers.

The exhibition is presented as part of the Homecoming Scotland celebrations and to coincide with the Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association Rally of Scotland, the only British leg of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which sets off from nearby Scone Palace in November.


SPEEDSTERS is at Perth Museum and Art Gallery (Upper Round Gallery) from Friday 12 June until Saturday 5 December 2009 (inclusive). Open Monday- Saturday 10.00- 17.00 (plus Sunday afternoons 13.00 – 16.30 until 30 August inclusive). Admission Free.