MGCC Silverstone June 13th-15th

[Tim Falce]

I was having a very good race, I got from 16th on the grid to 9th by the end of the first lap, second lap I got to 8th then noticed a grinding noise on accelerating out of Luffield, this was combined with a bit of a sideways moment so I put the grinding down to tryes rubbing or something.
I dropped a place to dtype38 coming out of Copse as I didn't change down from 5th and lost momentum
The grinding noise gradually got worse but I then thought it could be a gearbox problem, this went on until I was flat out along the start line but only had around 20-30psi oil pressure, after Copse I dipped the clutch and let the revs drop and so did the oil pressure, to a big fat zero.
I pulled off at Ireland and watched the rest of the race Al Weyman style.
Judging by the noises it's making and the fact it wont go into reverse I'd hazard a guess as at best it's done the mains and thrust bearings but I have a sneaky suspicion the crank has broken.
On top of this the clutch went on my Discovery less than a mile from my house on the way up

[Peter Mallett]

Oh dear. Makes my latest probs pale into insignificance. I hope its not what you think.

[midgetman]

Midgetmax(n) Racing didn't fare much better either. I snapped a halfshaft in first practice and they wouldn't let my co-driver race 'cos he hadn't done 3 laps (despite testing the day before), had water temp issues in the 30 min race but finished, after what seemed like 3 days solid work got it out for the 45 minuter when the co-driver (by now practiced) had a plug lead fall off (which we fixed) before calling it a day with another misfire and strange temp related issues.

No doubt MG David will tell you his woes, but he didn't do any better

Good to meet Terence and Redneck, but never ventured far from my garage to find Falcemob, although I did see his car on my frequent visits to the spares sales area!

[terence]

Likewise Max,shame about your weekend though,hope the next outting is better for you!
Anyone get some photos of the weekends events ??

[GBRM]

Good to meet and chat to a few people, especially now I can put a few faces to forum names and I have to say I didn't see a single bit of racing and from what I've read elsewhere there was great racing so damn!!
Was great seeing some of the MGs though, a few cars from my Dad's past and some lovely other bits too plus it was good to scare a few people in the Firenza - I even had the Shaw & Kilburn Service Manager from the 60s wait for me at my car!!
I did think £20 was steep for 1 days entry for the event but it seemed pretty well supported and luckily I managed to get in at a much reduced zero rate (cheers for the help Terry!!).

[terence]

Pleasure Gregor,was there any Racing on Saturday?

[GBRM]

Apparently so, not that I could tell!!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by GBRM

I did think £20 was steep for 1 days entry for the event but it seemed pretty well supported and luckily I managed to get in at a much reduced zero rate (cheers for the help Terry!!).

It was nice to meet you on Saturday, as for the entry, in future try blagging a freebie off here I had 3 spare.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Redneck Rocket

Had a great day at the meeting today. Met Max (midgetman), and was returning from Towcester in the spit where I'd gone to buy hammerite and caught up to a DTV car at the circuit entrance which turned out to be Gregor meeting up with Terry. Nice to meet you both and sorry I had to run off - I was halfway through painting and installing the roll cage that Ian Smythe had given me and needed to get it done as it was the only way to get it home from the circuit! Had to cut it to get it in in the end, but my friend Kevin from Zero Exhausts is going to help me slide some pipe inside and weld it up again.

Roll on Le Mans Classic!

Ah ! so we met too, without realising, in Westall's the motor shop where I was buying a rear wheel bearing for the Monty....

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by midgetman

........
No doubt MG David will tell you his woes, but he didn't do any better
.......

Well I'm going to be 'glass half full' on this one. Of the three 2-driver races entered we finished 2, I learnt a lot about driving on decent Yokos rather than FISC cheapo road tyres, my son gets 2 more sigs towards an upgrade, all our party (friends & family) seemed to enjoy themselves, and it didn't rain
#1 son and I had spent the month prepping the Montego from a stored road car and it was no surprise when a rear wheel bearing went in 1st practice. Then it just about finished race 1 with a completely shagged front bearing and driveshaft which took the upright with it. Dash home Sat evening for the spares, all nicely done for Sunday practice, come the race and the clutch failed leaving the assembly area (you may snigger). The Midget behaved itself impeccably until 10 minutes from the end of race 3 when it dropped onto 3 cyls, limped home to a finish and it now seems to have expired. Luckily I have a new engine waiting to go in. Lots of old faces dropped by but I seemed always to be too busy, decided that entering and running 2 cars, mechanicking and driving is hard work ! But all in all a great weekend.

[ChrisA]

As an Observer at Silverstone last weekend, one thing did appear to me and a few others.....on Saturday the Montego was sporting a ''novice X'' on the back. Sunday morning it was still there, but by the afternoon it had disappeared! An oversight, or did it just fall off? Great racing by the way. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend.

[midgetman]

Chris, I can answer that for David. 3 drivers, one on Saturday needed X, the two on Sunday didn't. QED.

Was a good fun weekend, just a shame the car went down and I saw nowt but the inside of the garage. Do you reckon Lewis will be saying "Ooh, this is where Max was working" in a couple of weekends time ;-)

[FISCracer]

I have posted some photos from Saturday on Flickr. Search for Silverstone MGCC 2008 and you should find them

Cheers

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Chris, I can answer that for David. 3 drivers, one on Saturday needed X, the two on Sunday didn't. QED.

Was a good fun weekend, just a shame the car went down and I saw nowt but the inside of the garage. Do you reckon Lewis will be saying "Ooh, this is where Max was working" in a couple of weekends time ;-)

Thanks for that midgetman, we were wondering. Sorry things didn't work out for you on Sunday, better luck next time out.

[Derwent Motorsp]

An excellent weekend. I did three races (the GTS ones). Well organised and lots of other things to see as well as great racing!
One black mark was the number of cars and trailers in the paddock and garage area that should not have been there. After one practice session I could not get to the garage due to the cars parked that had no right to be there. Same on Sunday when I went to bring the trailer round to load up. Several cars in the way with no passes etc.

[Redneck Rocket]

Right, can post it on here now as the newsletter has gone out:


The MGCC’s annual international meeting at Silverstone is a perennial favourite amongst drivers and spectators alike, boasting full grids and offering an increasingly rare opportunity to race on the international circuit. This is obviously not lost on the owners and drivers of golden-era British sports cars as an astonishing 41 cars completed qualifying for the fourth round of the TSSC championship. The grid was full of the usual suspects, plus a few who’ve been missed of late. Roger Connell’s immaculate TVR Griffiths was a welcome return, and Russell McCarthy made a welcome ‘guest’ appearance in a Gulf-liveried MGA as he is currently concentrating on the Ginetta series.
It was also nice to see some more unusual cars turned out amongst the usual mix of Morgans, MGAs and TRs. Richard Ward turned up in one of Chapman’s finest Elan S4’s, very nicely turned out and quite nippy through the corners and under braking. Thomas Jones represented Austin-Healey in fine form with his 3000, sounding fantastic from the pit wall as only a straight six can.
Qualifying took place under optimal conditions – clear skies and enough sun to warm the track, but with cool dense air blowing in from the North to feed hungry engines. Some quick times were turned in by all, and the qualifying order suggested that an exciting race was in order.

Peter Henry’s Class D Morgan took pole with a time of 1:38.712, just 3 tenths in front of Chris Acklam in a similar steed. Defending Champion Mike Hazlewood’s 1:39.139 put him on the front of the second row, and Class C pole, with an interesting battle shaping up as Jon Ellison’s yellow TR lined up alongside him. Jon was clearly feeling the benefits of a full race manifold and exhaust system from series sponsor Zero Exhaust and a subsequent session on the rollers, having picked up some horsepower and an astonishing 55 ft/lbs of torque. Tim Burnett was the quickest Jaguar, setting a sub-1:40 lap, with Neil Cawthorn 9th quickest overall and on Class B pole. Peter Hiscocks was quickest of 3 Class A drivers (nice to see some Class A cars out there!) with a 1:49.778

The weather held nicely and although a little chilly it was clear and dry for the start of the race. With a couple of dropouts, the grid was down to 38, but as the commentator observed, with such a massive grid, the cars at the back would be lining up in Towcester. On the start, the front row of the grid got away cleanly, with Peter Henry leading Chris Acklam through copse, closely followed by the TR6 of Mike Hazlewood. Jon Ellison had a good start and utilised his new found grunt to fill Hazlewood’s mirrors during the opening phase of the race, until Hazlewood found a way past the Morgan of Chris Acklam and took second position.

As the race progressed there was action throughout the field, with a number of battles emerging and some exciting overtaking. An unfortunate retirement was the pretty Lotus Elan S4 of Richard Ward – a definite favourite with the spectators, as was the retirement of Tim Falce with engine problems. Tim Burnett and Colin Jones were both making up places, but not even close to the progress Jerry Knight was making in his D-type Jaguar. By the time the chequered fell Jerry had finished a full 10 places better than he qualified, up from 29th to 19th position. The battle for Class B was hotting up in mid-field as Neil Cawthorn was not far in front of a hard-charging Peter Samuels. Colin Jones was just a position adrift and making progress with Russell McCarthy hot on his tail when Barry Holmes locked up under braking at the hairpin and the two made contact. Peter Samuels pressed Neil right to the line but the experienced driver held on gamely to take Class B honours.

The Class A battle was no less exciting. Polesitter Peter Hiscocks made a poor start, allowing both Lewis and Playford to get past. He was forced to work hard to get the position back from Playford, but could not find enough to get past Lewis, who drove a tidy race and was kept honest right to the line, winning Class A by less than half a second.

Up at the sharp end of the grid it was a fast and furious affair for the entire duration of the race. Mike Hazlewood was pressing Peter Henry hard for first place, looking dangerous all the while, but had his mirrors full of Chris Ackam, who in turn was under pressure from Jon Ellison’s TR. As the race progressed Ellison began to struggle for traction and a couple of brief offs led to him losing 3rd place to Simon Orebi Gann. Chris Acklam timed his overtaking manouver to perfection and pipped Hazlewood for second on the last lap of the race, leaving Peter Henry as the overall victor in his Class D Morgan. Although he led from flag to flag and it looked like an easy victory on paper, he was pressured all the way and was forced to drive a near flawless race in order to claim a well-deserved victory.

All in all another highly successful round for the Championship and an overdue completion of the full race distance. A massive grid of Britain’s best classic sportscars, with plenty of entertaining action throughout the field, coupled with the usual friendly atmosphere in the paddock made for a great weekend for all involved.

[John Turner]

Excellent RR, sounds like a great race. I'm sorry I didn't make it to this meeting but has anyone got any pics?