Well-known and respected motorsport journalist Patrick Vermaak was awarded with the coveted Motorsport South Africa (MSA) Golden Helmet Lifetime Achievement award last month.
The Strand resident was honoured with the accolade during the MSA National Awards Ceremony, which was held at Monte Casino in Johannesburg on Sunday 10 December.
Vermaak has come along way since the 1970s, when DistrictMail newspaper published two touching farewell messages late in 1979, bidding their motorsport correspondent, Vermaak, a fond farewell as he embarked on new career.
Two and a half years earlier he became DistrictMail’s motorsport correspondent at the age of 15, something which he thoroughly enjoyed. Vermaak celebrated his 18th birthday on 18 December 1979.
As a young scholar at Hoërskool Strand, Vermaak was introduced to then DistrictMail editor Peter Pullen as a potential motorsport correspondent by Danie van der Merwe of Joubert Motors in Strand.
However, few would have thought that this hobby for motorsport and reporting would become a lifelong passion that would see his passion and dedication acknowledged with most recent coveted award.
Vermaak retired from the South African Air Force on 31 December 2021 after a 42-year career, and now his 46-year career as freelance photo-journalist has been acknowledged.
“Thank you for taking a ‘gamble’ on an inexperienced, but super enthusiastic, scholar in 1977,” Vermaak shared on receipt of the award.
