MG Car Club
Cadwell Park Report and Photos
It doesn’t seem long since we were celebrating MG Live! at Silverstone, just a few weeks ago, and yet here we are at Cadwell Park for the fourth round of the MG Car Club Championships and Series’. A wet start to qualifying quickly gave way to blue skies and the sunshine, as we prepared for 10 action-packed races. Report by Leanne Fahy, photos courtesy of Dickon Siddall.
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MGCC Peter Best Insurance MG Cup
Invitation entrant Andy Spencer triumphed in the opening race of the day, to claim a dominant race win.
Spencer controlled the pace from the very start, to lead the way untroubled. Behind, Ashley Woodward slotted into second place, as championship leader Alan Brooke harassed him from third place.
The battle for second place was put on hold with a surprise appearance of the safety car. As the field weaved their way around the Lincolnshire circuit, Brooke suddenly slowed and pulled off, just before Hall Bends.
With the circuit cleared, the action resumed, to see Spencer immediately settle back into a dominant lead role.
In Brooke’s absence, Woodward engaged in battle with Richard Buckley, for a two lap dash to the flag. As the pair immersed themselves in battle, Buckley managed to cement himself in second place, as Woodward slipped to fourth, behind Ian Boulton. Buckley’s efforts also secured him the Driver of the Race award.
Matthew Simpson enjoyed a fantastic outing, to race his way from 20th on the grid to eighth place at the end.
Declared a wet race, race two saw Spencer double his success with another victory. Again chased by Woodward, the latter managed to hold onto his second place this time around.
Although Spencer’s and Woodward’s races were untroubled, it was certainly eventful further back. As some of the MG ZR fraternity fell foul of the wet conditions, Alan Brooke managed to steer his way to third place, and the Driver of the Race award.
A number of cars fell foul of the treacherous conditions, to skate across the grass. Despite the lack of control on wet grass, all managed to rejoin, albeit not without a reshuffle of the order.
Buckley held on for a fourth place finish, ahead of Burchill and Dave Nixon. Ian Boulton and Lewis Anderson looked set for a top six result, however, the pair collided out of the final corner, sending them both into the pits and out of the race.
MGCC WES BCV8 Championship
Neil Fowler claimed opening BCV8 Championship honours, after a frantic race. A pole position start gave him the edge he needed to lead the way into the first corner, ahead of nearest challengers Ian Prior, Russell McCarthy and Jonnie Wheeler.
Despite starting fourth on the grid, a fantastic getaway launched Prior into an immediate second place. As the lead quartet toured, McCarthy encountered trouble, forcing him to pull off the circuit and out of the race.
With vital championship points at stake, Fowler held on, despite immense pressure from Prior, to claim victory. Prior collected second place and Driver of the Race, for his outstanding start, ahead of Jonnie Wheeler in third.
Ollie Neaves steered to a fourth place finish, ahead of Le Mans racer Ben Barker, who switched his Porsche race car for an MGB Roadster this weekend. Babak Farsian completed the top six.
Barrier repairs from the penultimate race meant the final BCV8 race was delayed. With just 15 minutes available it was very much a splash to the flag for eventual winner?
Ignoring the treacherous conditions, Fowler and Wheeler battled profusely lap after lap, with the pair side by side and sideways for much of the outing. As Fowler jumped into the lead, the pair continued to scrap. As both fell foul of the conditions, Prior launched through and into the lead, chased by Ollie Neaves.
Despite Neaves’ best efforts, Prior held on for the race win. Neaves claimed second place, ahead of Ben Barker. Barker was also awarded Driver of the Race, whilst Prior was awarded the Driver of the Day. Wheeler and Fowler held on for fourth and fifth place finishes, respectively.
MGCC Lackford Engineering MG Midget & Sprite Challenge
Stephen Collier transferred his MG Midget and Sprite Challenge second place start into a race win, with a comfortable 22 second gap to protect him.
After claiming the race lead immediately from pole sitter Carl Chadwick, Collier was untroubled throughout.
Behind, Martin Morris slotted into a solitary second place, to finish ahead of Chadwick. Ed Reeve had a spectacular start, to see him weave his way from a seventh place start to land in a fourth place finish.
Despite his best efforts, David Morrison was unable to unnerve Reeve and settled in a fifth place finish. The battle for sixth was a thrilling one, with Richard bridge getting the edge over Bruce Carter and Kim Dear.
Despite missing out on the win, Chadwick was awarded the Driver of the Race award.
MGCC Cockshoot Cup
Phil Standish scored a successful end to his Cockshoot Cup outing, to steal honours after early leader Ashley Woodward suffered a problem.
Although Woodward led the way from the start, his speedy launch was deemed to have been too eager, giving him a 10-second penalty.
Although Woodward was still ahead on the road, his position soon came under threat, when an apparent issue saw him pull out of the way. In his absence, Standish happily took over the prominent lead spot, to finish ahead of Mike Peters and Brian Butler. Mark Bellamy collected a fourth place finish, ahead of Philip Bowden in fifth and Peter Burchill in sixth.
It was a great race for the girls, with Maddy Maguire crossing the finish line just ahead of Helen Waddington, following an epic battle.
Standish’s efforts were also worthy of the prestigious Driver of the Race accolade.
MGCC Triple M Register “Baynton Jones Historic Motorsport” Challenge
Tom Hardman enjoyed victory in the Triple M Register outing. A spectacular 24 car grid, saw these fantastic machines thunder around the Cadwell Park circuit for 10 glorious laps.
Despite the best efforts of David Seber, it was Hardman who stole the lead from his rival, to sweep passed the chequered flag first in his MG Bellevue Special.
Seber held on for second place, just inches adrift, with Harry Painter and Mike Painter in third and fourth places. Charles Jones and Nick Hayward-Cook completed the top six. Hardman’s victorious efforts also deemed him worthy of the Driver of the Race award from our commentary team.
MGCC Drayton Manor Park MG Metro Cup
Lee Connell triumphed in a frenetic MG Metro Cup race, despite pressure from championship stalwart Mike Williams.
As championship pretenders Jack and Andrew Ashton seemingly entangled with one another, it was Connell who dictated the pace. Williams had looked primed to steal the lead spot with five minutes to go, however as the last few laps came into sight, the gap between him and leader Connell increased once more.
Despite the gap, a slide of his Metro into the Mountain section of the circuit, saw Williams fight hard for his second place finish.
Dick Trevett had sat comfortably in third place for much of the race, however as the recovering Ashton duo stormed back towards the front, they quickly sent him down to an eventual sixth place finish.
With championship points in their sights, Jack Ashton steered his way to third place, ahead of Andrew Ashton and Richard Garrard, who also claimed Driver of the Race.
MGCC Iconic 50s Series
Bruce Riches grasped the Iconic 50’s race victory, just 0.6 seconds ahead of nearest challenger Peter Edney. Despite a smaller grid, the action more than made up for the numbers.
Riches led the way from start to finish, in his Elva Mk 5 Sports machine, despite constant harassment throughout. Peter Hiscocks had followed in second place early on, however as Edney stormed through, the latter certainly made second place his own.
After losing second place, Hiscocks held on for third place, ahead of Graham Coles and pole sitter Bob Lines. Sadly, Andrew Cox missed out on a race finish.
Edney’s sterling performance deemed him worthy of the Driver of the Race accolade.
MSCC Aero Racing Morgan Challenge
It was a family tussle in the Aero Racing Morgan Challenge outing, as father and son duet, Russell and Elliot Paterson battled throughout.
Elliot had led the way early on, however as father Russell muscled his way ahead, he held on for a close race victory.
The pair had been separated by just over half a second for many laps, but as they navigated their way through a plethora of backmarkers, the gap stretched to over four seconds. As rain began to fall, a decrease in lap times demonstrated difficult conditions. However, as the chequered flag came into sight, Elliot was unfazed, to finish just over one second adrift of father Russell.
Behind, Tony Lees claimed third place, ahead of Andrew Thompson, Dominic House and Tony Hirst.
Despite a damp start to the day, the sun shone through, making it a fantastic day. With 10 races, comprising cars from across the decades, we had a spectacular array of action on circuit. We are now staring straight into the summer break, and look forward to the next round of the MG Car Club championships, at Oulton Park on Saturday 2nd September.
Cadwell Park Preview
The MG Car Club’s motorsport will be in action this Saturday 22nd July at Lincolnshire-based circuit Cadwell Park.
This will be the Club’s first visit to Cadwell Park since 2013 and it looks set to be another fantastic day out for drivers and spectators alike with packed grids throughout.
A range of MG’s from throughout the marque’s history will be on display – including 1930s Triple-M models racing at the circuit for the first time in over ten years. An impressive grid of 25 cars is expected to race for the second time this year after competing for the Mary Harris Trophy at Brands Hatch back in April.
Russell McCarthy, driving his MGBGT V8 will be looking to add to his 20-point lead over Andy Young’s MGC in the BCV8 Championship. In the Cockshoot Cup, Ashley Woodward leads the fully modified ‘Class C’ in his MG ZS after winning the second race at Silverstone by just one second over tied second place driver Ray Collier.
Just five points separate the top three drivers of the Drayton Manor MG Metro Cup going into the fourth of seven rounds at Cadwell this Saturday. Andrew Ashton sits at the top of the table with 86 points, just ahead of Mike Williams and younger brother Jack Ashton.
Paul Campfield is currently leading the Lackford Engineering Midget and Sprite Challenge driving in Class E –for cars with race modified engines and suspension but treaded tyres. The two Class A and fully modified cars of Edward Reeve and Richard Wildman will be hot on Paul’s toes this weekend as they attempt to get back into the title picture.
After three rounds of the Peter Best Insurance MG Cup, Alan Brooke leads the chase after scoring maximum points in both races at Snetterton. Brooke will be looking to add to his 21-point advantage in Lincolnshire and is hoping for a repeat performance of his last outing.
Alongside the above will be the Iconic ‘50s Series of which caters to 1950s MG T-Types, MGAs, and various other marques including Lotus and Austin Healey.
Race Competitions Secretary John Hutchison said: “We’re delighted to be back at Cadwell Park this weekend, and with such a diverse mix of cars we’re hoping for another successful day’s racing.
“We like to offer our drivers the opportunity of racing up and down the country, and this Saturday will be a fresh challenge for a number of our competitors who may not have visited Cadwell with us before.”
For those interested in going along, tickets can be purchased on the gate for £15. Children under 13 go free, and senior citizens are entitled to a £5 discount off the gate price.
For more information on race meetings and championships, please visit www.mgcc.co.uk/motorsport, or alternatively contact John Hutchison on 01235 849738 or johnh@mgcc.co.uk.
MG Trophy Silverstone highlights
Round three highlights of the MG Trophy Championship from Silverstone are now online and can be watched on the YouTube link above.
The highlights come courtesy of Digitex TV and Motorsport.tv – the rebranded version of Motors TV. The channel shows highlights of motorsport from around the world and once again in 2017, they’ll be broadcasting the MG Car Club’s MG Trophy Championship and Drayton Manor Park MG Metro Cup. The two Championships compete at a variety of circuits throughout the UK, and Motorsport.tv will be the only place to see exclusive highlights of each round.
Motorsport.tv is available on Sky TV channel 447 and Virgin Media channel 545.
Below is the MG Trophy Championship Round 3 report from Silverstone on Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th June courtesy of Leanne Fahy.
“Colin Robertson triumphed in the opening MG Trophy Championship race, from a record 42-car grid.
In a bid to make Pete Macwaters’, MG Trophy Championship Coordinator, final season in charge a memorable one, the club and drivers worked tirelessly to ensure a record entry for this weekend. Together with many of the regular competitors, it was great to see a number of familiar faces returning, as well as some new drivers, one of which travelled all the way from South Africa.
As the race began, it was Graham Ross who jumped into the lead, as pole sitter Jason Burgess fell by the wayside. Behind Ross, it was Colin Robertson and Ross Makar, as the Scottish trio set the pace.
Ross’ lead was suddenly disrupted, evaporating into Robertson’s hands. Oil on the circuit caught Ross off guard, handing position to Robertson. Once in control, Robertson held on for race victory, even completing an extra lap when officials missed him with the chequered flag.
Despite narrowly missing out, Ross finished second, ahead of the recovering Burgess in third, Gary Wetton in fourth place and Ross Makar in fifth place.
Class B was a hive of activity as ever, with Paul Luti once again at the helm. As he raced towards the chequered flag, he was hounded profusely by chief rivals Andrew Rogerson and Jack Roberts. Before long, Andy Mollison made it a four-way scrap, with Luti forced to work hard in the searing heat.
Despite fierce pressure in the form of a three-car train, Luti finished ahead of Rogerson, Roberts and Oli Hood. Luti was also awarded the Driver of the Race and Driver of the Day awards.
Matthew Turnbull added to his class victory tally with Class C honours in race one, ahead of Andy Spencer and Paul Croker. Spencer narrowly missed out on a class win, finishing just 0.3 seconds adrift of Turnbull.
Ross’ determination paid off the second time around, as he crossed the line to take the win, in what was an eventful outing.
As the 41 car field thundered towards Copse for the first time, a problem for Will Payne saw him left behind, unable to get away. Luckily missed by those behind him, officials quickly pushed him back into the pit lane, before the pack completed lap one.
Back at the front, Ross held onto his lead for the 20-minute duration, challenged by Robertson, Cole, Makar and Wetton, whilst Rogerson led a 14 car train in Class B.
As Robertson toured he suddenly began to slow, before dropping down the order. Despite managing to carry on for a short while, he was eventually forced into the pit lane and out of the race. Upon closer inspection, it was found Robertson’s MG ZR had dropped to two cylinders, a fault that appeared in the first race. Although it rectified itself in race one, it was a terminal issue second time around.
With a clear space between him and Ross, Cole slotted into second place, whilst Makar aligned himself third and Wetton in fourth place.
As the race entered the final 10 minutes, an unexpected safety car appeared, simmering the pace for a number of laps. With stricken cars rescued from the sidelines, the race resumed, for just two final laps.
With Class A decided, all eyes were on Class B, as Rogerson continued to lead from Luti and Roberts. With just two laps to settle the battle, it was a frantic dash to the flag. Despite Luti’s best efforts, Rogerson claimed the win this time around, with Luti second, Andy Mollison third and Hood fourth. Driver of the Race was awarded to Rogerson.
Andy Spencer was crowned victorious in Class C, narrowly ahead of Turnbull, whilst Paul Croker collected third place, and Tylor Ballard finished an impressive fourth.”
Triple-M Cadwell Park Preview
After the early season success at Brands Hatch, the Triple-M cars will be back in action at Cadwell Park on the 22nd and 23rd of July.
First up will be the 20minute MGCC Triple-M ‘Baynton Jones Historic Motorsport’ Challenge on Saturday afternoon. A bumper grid of pre-war cars is expected, with once again a varied range of sports and racing cars on show, with the picturesque Cadwell Park a perfect venue for the pre-war machinery. Thanks again to Baynton Jones who have supported the Triple-M racing season in 2017.
Just to make this an absolute bumper weekend, a near capacity grid is expected for the Vintage Sports Car Club Triple-M vs Austin Challenge on Sunday. Mike Painter in the Kayne Special took the honours for MG last year, but we expected some stiff opposition from the rapid Austin Monoposto specials.
John Gillet will be campaigning the Ex Bira K3 once again, alongside 2017 newcomer Roger Tushinghams N Special and Andy King will be back in the PB Cream Cracker. We’re very pleased to report that Duncan Potter (C Type) will be returning to Cadwell Park after exceptional work by him and his team of mechanics behind the scenes.
We will be looking to have all the Triple-M cars parked together in the paddock, so do please come and say hello.
The VSCC have also extended their advanced ticket sales offer for the Sunday to MGCC Members. Call the VSCC ticket hotline on 01608 644999. £12.50 reduced from £20.
Motorsport Magazine’s Ed Foster enjoys MGLive! weekend
Motorsport Magazine Digital Editor Ed Foster has recently published an article on the Motorsport website reviewing his MGLive! weekend racing in the Equipe GTS series.
It was Ed’s first time competing in the series in his 1967 ex-works competition MGB (BRX 855B), describing it as a ‘breath of fresh air’. Racing in a record-breaking grid of 82 cars, Ed and his brother managed to complete three out of four races, enjoying a relatively stress-free weekend at Silverstone. You can check out his report below:
“For those that read about our last racing adventure, you could be forgiven for thinking that we had called it a day in the name of self-preservation. To the contrary, I was back out again on Silverstone’s flowing Grand Prix track for MGLive! recently.
Nick was watching a clubby somewhere near Le Mans in France so it was left to my brother and me to drive the MGB. After the trials of the last race I took the executive decision to get Alf Hughes along, the man who usually works on the car in Scotland. It’s not often that I make inspired decisions, but this was one. Not once did the bonnet flip up when exiting the pits and we didn’t nearly lose a wheel either. The car, despite doing so much track time, didn’t miss a beat.
This was also our first racing with Equipe GTS for a number of years and what a breath of fresh air it was. Many years ago my father competed in the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association at Silverstone in a 1948 Simca Gordini and while my overriding memory is of how cold it was in our tent (I woke to find my father quite happy in his full race suit plus balaclava), I also remember going to drinks organised by the club on Saturday night. It seemed like a group of friends who did some racing on the side rather than a hardened group of competitive drivers who barely exchanged words. Equipe GTS was just like the HGPCA that I remember. On Saturday evening organisers John and Rob put on a hog roast and even offered free beer. Yes, free! If I was a more cynical man I would put this down to them trying to get an edge in the racing the next day. Sadly they are far too decent for that and because they both compete themselves they know what like-minded racers want: lots of track time alongside pig and beer…
In fact, Equipe GTS was so popular at MGLive! that they had to double the number of races they held from two to four. Over the two double headers (the grid was split into an A group and a B depending on previous lap times/form) we got two half-hour races and a 20-minute qualifying session each. All of which was quite hard work on the hottest June day in the UK since 1976. Indeed, the track temperature was 47degC at one point. Alf had to return to Scotland looking like he had spent a week in the south of France. Alf, I hope your wife believed you when you said you had been to Silverstone…
John and Rob use a yellow/red card system whereby any on-track bad behaviour is ‘rewarded’ with a yellow card. Your every move is then watched and you risk getting a red card, which means you’re out, not to be invited back. Bar a few moments the standard of driving is fantastic as a result. They’re lucky that they have so many competitors as otherwise, such a system wouldn’t work. Perhaps it’s why they have so many.
But for a puncture in my brother’s first race, we finished all of them – him in seventh and me in 13th and then 14th. While we were one of the faster Bs we were nowhere near the front-runners, whose lap times were spectacular. A 2min 37sec lap around the GP circuit in an MGB is quite something and the best I could muster was a 2min 42. Carrera Cup champion of 2002, Mark Cole won both of the A group races in what can only be described as the world’s fastest FIA MGB. It’s beautifully prepared and any rumours of cheating are quickly quashed by Equipe GTS’s approach to checking engines. I think we need to enlist the help of Adrian Newey and Ross Brawn to give BRX 855B an overhaul. Meanwhile, Nick and I need to go and see Rob Wilson…
A successful weekend’s racing, then. Especially after John Hutchison of the MG Car Club helped us find a camping spot for our borrowed Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo. Not only did it tow the MGB, but it also provided some five-star luxury sleeping. It also prompted hours of discussion on what the perfect racing set-up was. A full-on campervan? Or a smaller one like the Marco Polo? Answers on a postcard, please…
We’ll be back on track next weekend at Snetterton, hopefully, and this time we’ll be back to the usual chaos with Alf staying in Scotland. Strap yourselves in, as they say.”
We’ve since spoken to Ed who’s keen on returning to the series after such an enjoyable time at Silverstone in his MGB which has been in the family since 1995. The car has a history of racing, being the ex-Roger Enever/Alec Poole Works car, which began life at MG’s Development Department in Abingdon. Check out the video below to see the car in action.