His enthusiasm was contagious; he was a sponge for rallying. And when he finally got to drive himself, his gratitude was immeasurable.
Neil Thomas exemplified what makes rallying so special. The spirit, the camaraderie and sheer joy of indulging in a passion – Neil had it all in spades.
Nothing could ever replace a character as infectious as his, but commemorating him through an award is a fitting way to continue Neil’s legacy.
Created by the North Star Rally Alliance – a group created to share resources, knowledge and friendship, which Neil was proudly part of – the Neil Thomas Memorial Spirit of the Rally Award rewards the novice ARA Regional competitor who best embodies Neil’s compassionate, dedicated and devoted soul with $500 at the Ojibwe Forests Rally; the event Neil first drove in 2023.
“The award is for Ojibwe only and we plan to continue it for future Ojibwe events,” Greg Donovan, competitor and member of the North Star Rally Alliance, told DirtFish.
“Neil’s co-driver Tim Kohlmann was a big part of the award process. Last year the Alliance put together a rally calendar and the profits were used to fund the award. We will be putting together the 2025 calendar soon!”
Drake Willis, who drives a Ford Focus ZX3, was the first recipient of the award, and accepted it on-stage from an emotional Kohlmann.
“We all came to the conclusion we can see the spirit of Neil in Drake every time – his awesome, fun spirit and readiness to work,” Kohlmann said.
“Just be awesome like Neil and keep that spirit going, man. Congratulations.”
Rallying can give us all so much, but can take away from us too. It’s poetic justice that even when he’s not here, Neil is still playing his part in giving back to his fellow rallyists.
