There are also five nominees for the Colin Watling Award which recognises significant contributions and achievement by non-competitors in motorsport. The nominees, in alphabetical order, are:
Motor Sportsman of the Year
- David MacFadden, riding a Kawasaki, won the competitive South African Supersport Championship in 2011 in only his second year of competition.
- Cristiano Morgado won the Master category in the Rotax Max World Karting Finals, the biggest international karting event in the world, in Abu Dhabi. He beat drivers from 60 countries to win the world title.
- Sheridan Morias competed with distinction in the international FIM SuperStock 1000 Championship. Riding a Kawasaki for the Italian Lorenzini team, the three-time SA Superbike champion achieved a podium result and finished finished 10th overall. He also found time to compete in the national Superbike championship on a Kawasaki and finished runner-up, despite missing three of the eight rounds, winning eight out of 10 races.
- Leeroy Poulter's second season in the national rally championship and first in the premier S2000 class was sensational. Driving a factory Toyota Auris, he won his second event, the Sasol Rally, and went on to also win the MTN Polokwane Rally.
- Michael Stephen, who added the Bridgestone Production Car Championship to the numerous titles he has won in karting and saloon cars. He claimed the 2011 title in convincing fashion in a Class A Audi S4, with 10 race wins, 22 podium finishes, two pole positions and five fastest lap times.
- The marshals of the Kyalami Marshals Association, a small core of volunteers who tirelessly support motor sport in a most thankless and unglamorous way. It is not only at Kyalami where they are active. The same people work at other circuits and on rallies and off road races, helping out where they can for no other reason than dedication to motor sport.
- Yoshyiaki Nakamura, CEO of Honda South Africa, has promoted and supported the South African Motorcycle Riding Academy, a school that uses Honda's NSF100 for instruction and racing by youngsters of all races and genders from 8 to 13 years old. To allow riders to move up to more powerful machines, Nakamura has also imported 10 Honda CBR250R production bikes for regional racing this year.
- Mike Rowe, motor sport manager of Volkswagen, is responsible for the successful management of three separate national motor racing series supported by VW. His dedication and enthusiasm has seen these categories grow and make a significant contribution to local motor racing.
- Richard Schilling, president of the Motorsport South Africa Off-Road Car Racing Commission, was appointed in 2011 to represent South Africa on the FIA Cross-Country Rally Commission. A strong proponent of South African motor sport internationally, he has dedicated many hours to the successful management of off-roadracing. He also serves on the MSA Rally Commission.
- Clare Vale heads up MSA's Women in Motorsport initiative, which organised a highly successful Women's Day event at Zwartkops.
competitors to enter motor racing.
