MG Car Club
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.
Barry ‘Sideways’ Sidery-Smith passes away
The MG Car Club is deeply saddened to hear the news that longtime member and racing driver Barry Sidery-Smith has passed away at the age of 81. Everyone associated with the Club would like to pass on their condolences to Barry’s family at this most difficult time.
Barry had been an MGCC stalwart for over 50 years running a local natter, serving as a South East Centre committee member for many years and was a joint founder of the BCV8 Championship which started in 1974.
He was most famous for his racing which he’d been taking part in since 1959, initially driving an Austin Healey 100/4 before he started racing MGBs in the 1970s before going on to acquire the 1965 ex-works, ex Paddy Hopkirk, Le Mans MGB DRX 255C, a car that Barry raced for a number of years. As well as being renowned for his racing skill, he is well liked for his affable personality and for his generosity of spirit in helping others to get into the sport.
The following exert comes from Safety Fast! from May 2011 and was written by V8 Register Chairman Victor Smith.
“Barry Sidery-Smith’s life has been cars both as a well known MG trader with an uncanny knack for finding cars for fellow enthusiasts and as a very skilled motor racing competitor for over 50 years. Although known as “Sideways” to many, his racing style is, in fact, neat and quick, particularly in the wet. Barry’s interest in racing began as a boy when he helped out an amateur racing driver as his pit crew at race meetings. Barry had got chatting with him as he passed by on his paper round in Long Ditton and as soon as he was old enough to drive, talked the owner into letting him enter a race with the car, a Parker JAP Special. That uncanny knack has served Barry well over the years! In 1959 Barry bought a Healey 100/4 and his first race was at Goodwood with another at Brands Hatch all over the same weekend. He went on to race Healeys and TRs for many years until his first association with MGs when he bought and raced a former works MGB – 94 HJJ – in 1970.
On returning from National Service with the East Surrey Regiment in 1955, Barry joined his father running a successful small car hire and trading business in Surbiton near Kingston in Surrey. Barry had wanted to go into the REME so he would be involved in vehicles but as was frequently the case he was disappointed – instead he was packed off to an infantry regiment and posted to Germany. Nevertheless, he ended up running the motor transport section. But it was not all cars – Barry was a keen and able football player for many years. He trialled with Fulham and Queens Park Rangers and often played three times a week for various teams – the Surrey County team, the Old Kingstonians or a local team in Molsey.
Barry can reflect on many high points over a long motor racing career – racing in the early 1970s in the popular BRSCC Prodsports series in his semi-works MGB JYH 770 D with the TVRs, competing in the BCV8 Club events with the ex-Colin Cork and John Carter MGB prepared by Gerry Brown and supported by Brown & Gammons and participating in the annual classic car race meetings on European circuits like Zolder, Zandvoort and Spa-Francorchamps with the generous support of DAF. Barry is particularly proud of a Francorchamps trophy he received in 1980 for finishing third overall against some very powerful machinery in a race which suffered torrential rain throughout. Yet again the combination of the MGB handling and Barry’s skill of racing in the wet brought success and a presentation from Fangio who had come over at the invitation of the Belgian Automobile Racing Club to open the shorter 4.5-mile circuit for its first event. Barry has played a major part in taking a party of historic cars there each year since.
Another magical moment for Barry was taking his ex-Le Mans MGB to the 24 Heures du Mans in 2002 for a supporting eight lap Motor Racing Legends race before the main event starting later that Saturday afternoon. “It was a phenomenal experience thundering around that 8-mile circuit racing against a pre-1966 field of E-Types, Astons, Ferraris, Maseratis, Jaguar C and D-Types and of course Cobras. It was a race, not a parade as in earlier years, where the MGB touched almost 135mph at points around the Sarthe. Andrew Hedges, the driver who had raced the car with Paddy Hopkirk to a second in class and 11th overall in 1965, came into the pits to say hello and talk about the car.” Back in 1965, the car had a special nose for the Le Mans race which had to be removed for other races each season and was stored with Syd Enever. Barry says it has vanished after it was sold to the late Bill Nicholson and went to one of his customers.
Later Barry entered his Le Mans MGB for the 24-hour Classic Le Mans events and in 2002 met with an uncharacteristic accident when during a night session he was pounding down to Indianapolis from Arnage with a gaggle of cars ahead. A car clipped the edge of the track where there is a slight kink on the circuit and wobbled causing an E-Type on its tail to brake heavily and end up stationary across the circuit. Barry hit it broadside on and instinctively in a half daze turned off the ignition to avoid a fuel fire. Sitting there in pain his mind thought “without lights the next gaggle that came through Arnage in the pitch dark would see nothing of the accident until they are on top of us!” So he heaved himself out of the car and ran leaping over the Armco barrier into the trees – and passed out. He came round thinking he was in heaven with a buxom French lady marshal over him assessing his injuries – a broken sternum and more. The strong MGB structure had been his saviour. He was taken off in an ambulance for treatment and then taken home by Dr Rod Longton and others on a double bed in a motorhome. Julius Thurgood organised a campaign and raised £20,000 generously donated by supporters so the car could be rebuilt by Surrey Sports Cars at Ripley with support from the BMH Body Plant at Witney. Then with new aluminium wings found in Germany, it was back at the Classic Le Mans event in 2004.
The Goodwood Revival has been a favourite meeting for Barry – in recent years he raced Steve Dixon’s Le Mans MGA and then his Le Mans MGB in the Fordwater Trophy in a race with Stirling Moss who was driving the ex-Pat Moss Sebring Sprite. Meeting Barry was an enjoyable opportunity to learn more of a welcoming and most amusing Club personality with a passion for the marque and racing MGBs.”
#MGTrophyBigGrid Silverstone Review
MG Trophy Championship coordinator Pete Macwaters has put together the following review from the third round of the Championship that took place on the 17th & 18th June at Silverstone Circuit.
This was billed as #MGTrophyBigGrid and thanks to those who really helped to make this a very special event for me, you know who you are and you didn’t disappoint! I initially set a target of 40 cars but this soon looked too easy with 45 entered at one point and a few more that would have liked to attend but couldn’t for various reasons. 50 could have been possible, maybe next year what about #MGTrophyBigGrid2018? Considering the disaster we had at Brands to get 8 cars re-shelled in time was brilliant work by many of you, good job we had the 7-week gap! Welcome to new drivers Rob Griffiths and Sam Johnston, and guests Andy Mollison, Danie Van Niekerk, Alastair Rushforth, Julia Penfold, Dan Surridge and Jake Fraser-Burns.
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Photos courtesy of Dickon Siddall.
Testing
There was the usual test day on Friday and I counted 22 Trophy ZR’s on track at some point during the day. It was a very hot day with two 45 minute sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon, no times were noted due to the change in circuit configuration between the Friday and the race weekend, this caught a few drivers out and I usually remember to mention this, sorry. Excitement, if that’s the word, was there from the get-go with Ross Makar’s car on fire at Club in the first session due to an oil leak, the 4G team did a good job to get the car cleaned up and it was apparently none the worse for its fiery escapade! The Preptech team changed the exhaust on the Butler car due to a collapsed cat, not the first time we’ve had this happen. Gary Wetton’s rebuilt car was having the last details finished off, decals delivered courtesy of our supplier, driver Graham Ross, of “Write-on Sign & Display”. Newcomer Sam Johnston was having cooling issues (as were we all on this very hot day!). Andy Firth made a mess of his car as he introduced it to the tyre wall but set to in good spirits to get it straight again. The 4G team found the fire had caused more problems than originally anticipated and had to replace the front left damper.
Qualifying
In the end, 42 cars made it onto the track at 10:33 for the slightly earlier 4th qualifying session of the day. The early pole sitter was Wetton followed by Butler, Mollison, Roberts, Coles, Byrne and Hood. At the half way point, the order was Ross, Burgess, Roberts, Wetton, Luti, Mollison. Burgess then went top with Ross, Robertson, Wetton, Cole, Luti and Mollison next up. Ross & Burgess swapped places at the top and after the 8 laps, the order was Burgess with a 2:26.486, Ross, Robertson and Cole (D) the 190 cars taking the top 7 places as expected. The top 170 class cars were Luti, Mollison and Roberts and the 160 class was headed by championship leader Turnbull with Spencer and Croker next in line. The #164 two driver car saw Penfold out first before a quick driver change to allow Surridge to do his mandatory 3 laps. Johnston didn’t complete his 3 laps due to a buzzed engine, the head was changed and he qualified out of session on Sunday morning. I spotted a few familiar faces changing the engine on the Fraser-Burns car. The 4G team decided to replace the wiring loom following the earlier fire on the Makar car due to a disappointing performance. Ross replaced his oil filter housing having discovered a crack.
Race 1
The Saturday race commenced at 15:20 just 5 minutes adrift of the timetable, conditions reported as bright/dry. 41 cars started the race, Johnston sitting it out until he could qualify tomorrow.
Class A
Pole sitter Burgess had a poor start and lost several places as Ross stormed into the lead from the inside of the front row, at the end of the first lap he was already over 3 seconds ahead of the 2nd place man Robertson with Makar already up to 3rd, Wetton 4th, Walker 5th and Cole down in 6th. Burgess started his recovery and was up to 5th at the end of his 2nd tour and 4th by lap 4 as Ross’s lead extended to 4.7s.
Cole retired on his 4th tour with gear linkage issues. Ross continued to increase his lead his car going better than ever, two laps from the end he was 5.4s in front of Robertson when he hit oil at Copse dropping him back to 2nd gifting the lead to fellow countryman Robertson who was missed by the Chief Flag at the race end but soon discovered the race was indeed over. Ross reluctantly accepted 2nd and the recovering Burgess got his just rewards with 3rd after clinching the fastest lap. Wetton claimed 4th just 0.7s ahead of Makar.
Class B
Class B pole sitter Luti lead the pack of 24 cars into Copse and held his lead despite enormous pressure from Rogerson and Roberts, Mollison and Van Niekerk not far behind. Butler who had been running in 7th was out on his 2nd tour with no brakes. Byrne was out with a blown engine on his 4th tour. The order at the halfway stage had changed with Hood joining the train in 5th slotting in between Mollison and Van Niekerk. Rushforth was out on lap 6 at Brooklands with a blown engine and Fraser-Burns a lap later with the same. The top 3 held station as Hood took another place on the last lap to clinch 4th as he passed Mollison, Van Niekerk calling it a day on lap 8.
Class C
Spencer made a good start to lead pole man Turnbull on their first tour and held onto the class C lead for 7 laps but championship leader Turnbull made his move on lap 8 to take the lead and the race win by just 0.3s. Behind them, Cruttenden and Croker swapped places several times in a tightly fought race for 3rd this eventually going to Croker with Cruttenden taking 4th and Jones 5th. Newcomer Griffiths was out at the Loop after completing 5 laps.
Fastest laps Class A was Burgess with a 2:27.061 on lap 4. Class B was Mollison with a 2:32.939 on lap 3 and Class C, Turnbull on lap 5 with 2:39.964.
Driver of the Race & Driver of the Day Paul Luti.
Overnight, Wetton replaced his fuel pump and Marsh did the same. Doug Cole’s problems were due to gear linkage issues which were rectified. On Sunday morning, Johnston qualified out of session so was able to start his first ever race.
Race 2
With Byrne and Fraser-Burns not able to race but with Johnston added, 40 cars took the Sunday race start at a slightly later time of 12.50. Conditions noted as bright/dry.
Class A
Pole sitter Ross made another good start with Robertson in close contention. Burgess was left stranded on the grid as the rest of the pack drove around the stationary car. At the end of lap 1, Cole, Makar, Wetton and Walker filled the remaining class A places. Lap 2 saw Robertson in trouble as he dropped back to 5th, his race over a lap later. A stricken class B car at the Wing brought out the safety car for two laps leaving a three lap dash to the flag. Cole got to within 0.2s of Ross but Ross held on to take the win he should have had in race 1, Cole taking 2nd, Makar 3rd.
Class B
Rushforth drove into the pit lane at the end of the green flag lap electing to start from the back. Payne was pushed off the grid with drive shaft failure. Mollison’s class B pole evaporated as Rogerson, Luti, Roberts and Jackson led the field. Rushforth and Butler joined the retirees on their third tour. Butler’s predicament at the Wing brought the safety car out which slowed down proceedings. At the restart the order was still the same but Hood joined the five car train and at one point was up to 2nd. Van Niekerk faltered on the last lap with fuel pump problems dropping back from 5th place. A fantastic recovery drive by Mollison saw him take 3rd at the flag behind Rogerson and Luti, Hood 4th, Jackson 5th.
Class C
Spencer made the better start from the class C front row and at the end of the first lap just lead Turnbull, Booth, Croker and Jones next in line. As the safety car intervened Ballard had worked his way up to 5th. Lap 7 saw the demise of Jones and Heasman, at the flag Spencer took a well deserved first class win with Turnbull less than half a second behind. Croker held on to 3rd, Booth and Ballard rounding out the top 5.
Fastest laps Class A was Ross 2:27.585 on lap 8, Class B, Van Niekerk 2:33.595 on lap 7, Class C, Turnbull 2:38.825 on lap 2.
Driver of the Race Andrew Rogerson