The MGA With An Attitude
Mac Spears Founder's Award, NAMGAR (June 2011)
Bestowed by NAMGAR in 2011. For more information visit the NAMGAR web site.
Mac Spears was a good old boy from Tennessee and one of the founders of NAMGAR in 1975. I caught up with him at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, in late June 1989 during my six week trip around the country on the way to GT-14 in Indianapolis. In fact I borrowed his garage long enough to change a head gasket. It was 108 degrees in the shade that day (if you could find shade in Arizona). His first comment was, "What are you doing out in the sun"? Apparently civilized people in Arizona only come out after dark in the summer time.
Mac couldn't decide if he wanted to drink coffee to stay cool or drink beer to stay warm. I caught him right in character sitting on his MGA with a can of beer in one hand and and a can of WD40 in the other hand. When the sun was low you might catch him watering his cactus. I'm sure I bumped into him almost a year earlier at GT-13 in Marietta, Ohio. Our paths were certainly destined to cross many more times, mostly at the NAMGAR annual GT's.
Then on 6/20/2011, I received this email from Bruce Woodson. Chairman of North American MGA Register"
"Barney,
On behalf of the NAMGAR Board and entire NAMGAR membership, I would like to congratulate you on being honored as the recipient of the 2011 Mac Spears Award.
I'm not sure if you ever met Mac, but he was a leader in forming NAMGAR, and had a vision of bringing together the MGA community to promote the restoration, maintenance, and enjoyment of the MGA and Magnette. You are recognized as a person who, like Mac Spears, has contributed to the maintenance and restoration of these automobiles through your extensive website, participation in e-groups, forums, and live tech sessions.
This award was formally announced during the MG2011 (GT-36) awards banquet last week. We wish you could have been present. The award itself will be sent directly to you and you should receive it sometime next week.
Barney, I know you do not do what you do for prestige or recognition. You do it for the love of the car and the people who share an enthusiasm for them. And that is exactly why you are deserving of NAMGAR's highest honor.
Thank you for all you do, and congratulations".
Bruce Woodson
Chairman - North American MGA Register.
www.NAMGAR.com
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