MG Live! June 24-26th

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Well guys I am trotting up this pm for a test, qually tomorrow am race at 1315ish tea and cake thereafter. Anyone else up this pm? ...........

car in bits :-( had a couple of plates made yesterday for the suspension, fit tonight, be there Sat pm. Luckily we are not playing until Sunday
green ZS #54

[DaveGT6]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Well guys I am trotting up this pm for a test, qually tomorrow am race at 1315ish tea and cake thereafter. Anyone else up this pm? Green MBG black top No. 66., novice sticker etc Pop over and say hi.

Anyone driven the new layout yet?

I'm on my way this evening as soon as I can escape from work! Light blue TVR Grantura #64. Will be over for tea and cake!!

Raced on the new layout with the HSCC a few weeks back. Thought it was really good - was concerned that the arena section might be a bit poor but actually it is great.

[Evo AL]

It it the same layout as last year because that was GREAT!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Evo AL

It it the same layout as last year because that was GREAT!

Nope, it's this

[midgetman]

No, you're on the brand new Arena circuit. No Bridge, but a quick corner just after the new pit complex. Should be flat in the 180 But you'll burn the brakes out trying to get it stopped for the next corner. At least your co-driver will, I know what he's like for late braking

Do you realise that despite the number of attendees on this thread you're only the third MG? Enjoy "Other Makes Live!"

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Off topic, but Tag hit the market, Heuer made half decent watches, I guess there's an analogy there somewhere.

Or an "anologe-ey".

[Brian A]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Do you realise that despite the number of attendees on this thread you're only the third MG? Enjoy "Other Makes Live!"

My WSM is based on a Midget rather than the other 9 that were Sprite based, so I must be in the right place - for a change.

I'm out in the HRDC combined race on Sunday and also in the Equipe GTS race in the Elite. Took the cars up this morning to sign on and get scrutineered, all very civilised.

Forecast is sunshine all the way.........we'll see.

[midgetman]

My memory of MG International Weekend goes a long way back, to the days of the High Speed Trial which in those days was the only non-MG race. My love affair with B8 Chevron and Lotus Europa started there, they were the only other makes and they looked so beautiful compared to the stuffy square riggers.

IIRC it was the boss of Apollo Racewear (neat rounding of the circle for me!) Alan Eisner in the B8, can't remember the Europa pilot. It was JPS colours and looked gorgeous to this 10-ish year old

Fast forward a decade or more to MG Donington, and my only race win in a car. I overtook a JPS Europa on the last lap to take the flag. Mixed emotions, beating a dream car in an old Midget.

Sorry. OT by a misty eyed old fool.

[Nick JM]

Well, my day's racing is over... Gearbox went in a blaze of glory yesterday in testing just before the Complex and locked the back wheels while going lickety spickers. Martin was behind the wheel and I do believe he may have had a change of pants moment. Nice No. 11's on that straight now just before the left hander!

To be honest the gearbox was one which was lent to me as a test unit so we always knew it may be a bit dodge...moral of the story is pay the money for the right bit of kit in the first place...or take up another hobby such as knitting...

Still popping up there today and will keep an eye out for blue TVR No 64

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Well, my day's racing is over...

Tough luck, Nick. I entered the GTS race at same meeting in 2007 and a big end bearing failed on the friday! Like your failure, using unit that hadn't built myself or at least checked over.

One year later, same race, same event, had a great qualifying but on warm up lap for race itself the clutch hydraulics pressurised and stopped the clutch from releasing, so no drive!

Needless to say havn't entered last two years.....

[Nick JM]

Good to hear you experienced boys have yer problems as well!

Best of luck to all who are there and have a great time. I saw blue TVR 64 racing and going very well too but i was with a load of surprise guests and did not get a chance to wander over.

Have to go to Wicken Toys near Buckingham today so owill see if I can sidle opver to watch Equipe GTS and green ZS. Will be v. .hot today

[Tim Falce]

Just got home and I was pleasantly surprised at how the day went, more or less to time table despite at least two serious accidents. Hope the MG trophy race driver is OK.

[Peter Mallett]

What happened? There is generally always a clash in the "moderns".

[Tim Falce]

One was in our practice where the driver of an MGA got on some of the artificial grass by the new pits and ended up in the pit wall, he spent the afternoon in Northampton hospital but was back at the track last night for the BBQ albeit very sore. The other accident was just after the bridge on Wellington Straight, I don't know what happened with that one.

[Peter Mallett]

That (the MGA thing) happened to an E Type last year at the Classic.

[midgetman]

Reading on a Facebook post, the ZR driver was seen wlkng in the paddock afterwards, so all seems OK. MGDavid and EvoAl had a good time with the ZS by all accounts.

The MG Trophy has more than its fair share of accidents.

[Colin Parkinson]

Well I have just got back! Where were all the spectators? £25 a head, bit dear I think?

Also the trade village was a total nightmare compared with previous years. So badly organised!.

The HRDC race was pretty interesting. Good assortment of cars.
Well done Julius!!

CP

[zefarelly]

HRDC was great

I thought the atmosphere of the whole event was good.

I'm currently f*cking furious, another (thanks Burton) oil pump failure cause instant pressure loss, (I stopped the engine immediately as I was actually on Hangar straight and looking at it!) its absolutely gutting for me, and Simon the car owner after all the build woes we've ironed out of the car (lots) the 2 practice sessions and first 30 minutes of the race where going fantastically well, the cars a hoot to drive and from 24th we where closing in on a respectable finish. Ed's 100E suffered a similar fate before the race started. Chinese **** is not the way forward.

a British made dry sump pump is the way forward, **** the rules. I'm not putting wet sup pumps on any mnore engines I build, its suicide.

[LAK]

Back last night after a cracking day yesterday. Jason and I arrived Saturday evening and despite concerns that George the truck wouldn't find a spot in the HRDC area, our mate Zef came to the rescue and we spent a really lovely evening with the Zef family.

Sunday dawned very hot. No issues at scrutineering for the Aurelia although it always makes me amused that they say no race engines before 8.30 then demand you rev your engine for the noise test with a cold engine. Ho hum. I have to say that the MG car club are extremely organised - never had to wait at signing on and everybody is very pleasant.

With 2 drivers Julius had arranged that second drivers could practice in the preceeding (and first of the day) practice so that both drivers got 20 mins. This on the whole worked well - I went out with the fast MGBs and other than being nose swiped several times out of corners (as I guess the MGs couldn't get past me around the corners... ) I endeavered to keep out of the way (the MGs were qualfying whereas the first drivers were getting our time) and learn the circuit.

I quite like the new bits - not as great as Bridge but the 2 sweeping corners after the new pit straight are challenging. I don't mind the fairly tight right hander but the horrible and tight left was clearly not designed for the older car - worse corner on the circuit and it makes me weep to think of Silverstone with a 2nd gear corner.

What was a little annoying is that second drivers were supposed to hand over the car to the first driver in the pit lane and then they could start their practice from the pits. However a last minute change to the proceedings (h&s allegedly) meant all these cars being told to go to the assembly area - big delay and by the time Jason got out he'd missed about 4/5 mins of practice. Still Jason had a super practice and we were pretty happy with our time and position - 25th out of 50 - 3rd in class. More importantly Jason's new swirl pot system seems to have cured the Silverstone fuel woes that have plaugued us for quite some time. A lovely breakfast with friends who arrived in their new restored Lancia Aurelia B22 saloon was a real highlight.

With very little fettling (general check and more fuel) we were ready. A long wait for the lights but Jason had another stonking start and made up loads of places at the start to lose some of them over the course of the first lap. He settled in well and did our fastest lap of the race on the second lap but on lap 4 someone put down oil through Becketts and times went up.

A good hand over and I was on - the oil pretty much gone from the track but brakes and tyres feeling hot. As was the car and oh yes me!! However the Aurelia is an absolute joy - grunt out of the corners, fabulous handling and a total joyous feeling as you hoon around - really what did I do to deserve all this fun?! I did a couple of racing laps and the front leading Zephyr lapped me to lose a wheel/suspension break right in front of me just before Luffield. Bit concerning but as a friend in the stands said " you looked incredibly calm as you avoided him" - I obviously put on a good show! After that the safety car came out for 2 laps and they stopped the race under safety car conditions which was sensible.

Pretty happy all over. I personally didn't drive that well (very different from Mallory when I felt right on it) but Jason went extremely well and thanks to his great driving and the car performing well we got a 19th overall and 2nd in class (our class winner won the Touring Greats race!). More trophies and huge fun at the award ceremony.

As usual a massive thanks to Julius and Natalie at HRDC, the MG Club and all the officials and marshals. This HRDC race series is gathering great momentum and the feeling of camardarie in the paddock is wonderful to be part of. A short break now and we will have 2 cars out for the next round at Thruxton on 30 July - I've allowed (!!) Jason to continue his great driving in the Aurelia while I get back to some Fiat Abarth fun. On second thoughts isn't Thruxton the fastest circuit in the UK so perhaps not suited to the smaller engine.... doh!!

[John Turner]

Sorry I missed you Louise; great account, as usual.

Great to meet up again Joe, even if you didn't recognise the new slimline Turner without beard! I saw Talisman pull off and dreaded to think it might be the pump again because I knew the air would be blue! Car looked great whilst running and lovely to see a different shape on the track. Enjoyed watching Autosport's Ben Anderson getting to grips with the Lenham Spitfire GT in the same race which had an incredible variety of cars. I'll put a few pics up of some of yesterday's races up sometime, but actually pretty busy this week so won't say when!

[Derwent Motorsp]

Another fantastic weekend! Certainly my "Event of the Year". I dropped the car off on Thursday and headed for our son's home at Tickford. Tested on Friday, hate the new slow right and hairpin on the new bit. Almost felt like adopting rally style handbrake to get round! Then had a look round and caught up with many old friends. The same on Friday with son and his pal. Paul is a design engineer with Red Bull and his pal the same at Team Lotus but their ideas for making MGs quicker are perhaps not within the spirit of the rules!
Practice and racing on Sunday in the heat and the car went really well. 12th in the race but only 5 seconds off 6th place. Just need a little more power!
Fantastic organisation from the MGCC. How many other clubs can put up that number of volunteers?
The only down side was the pit garages. All went well until Sunday morning when we arrived to find a bunch of Hooray Henrys with Morgans had arrived to share our garage area. Take over being more the description! Huge motor homes, 3 Shuttles etc etc. Could not get near our place to park and when I suggested they made a bit of space they said they needed their "workshops". LOL given they seemed to have very little knowledge of what they were doing. I remember when Morgan drivers drove their cars to events! These lot were typical HHs, lound voices and too much money!
I agree re the trade area, I felt it was better the way it used to be.
Re spectators. I don't think many folk come to watch the racing, it's the whole show with lots of elements.
I just hope the MGCC can keep it going giving the fee the BRDC want each year - some has to pay for the "Wing"!

[gary396]

An enjoyable event and good to see a decent number of 10-tenths drivers on circuit. Particularly enjoyed the mix of vehicles in the HRDC race which was closely fought as were other races. Good grids all round.

No pictures from me this year I'm afraid though - was timekeeping so I got very little chance to get outside!

[pauln]

Originally Posted by LAK

I did a couple of racing laps and the front leading Zephyr lapped me to lose a wheel/suspension break right in front of me just before Luffield. Bit concerning but as a friend in the stands said " you looked incredibly calm as you avoided him" - I obviously put on a good show!

From the viewpoint of the marshals' post at Luffield In you did very well indeed to avoid him. Shame you lost the last couple of laps - I was really enjoying watching you all.

[Nick JM]

Really good to hear you all having a good time - sorry to have not been racing.

Sorry too to hear your probs Zef, possibly the same factory which made the gearsets which locked up on the Friday testing

Great event which I have spectated at for a long time and will definitely be racing in next year

[DaveGT6]

I had a great weekend (mostly). Managed to have a brief chat to Zef who was trying to sort electrical gremlins. The car looked great on the circuit and a real shame you had the oil pump failure. Sorry I didn't get to meet you Nick - I was wondering why you weren't on track - bad luck.

I thought it was an extremely well run meeting and everyone was really friendly - and no fight in the paddock for space - although there wasn't much left when I arrived on Friday night, I managed to squeeze in near the scrutineering bay.

After the woes I had the other week at Spa it was a relief that I seem to have cured the fuel supply problem - I'm now hearing a lot about changes in petrol formulation (increased ethanol?) that is affecting pumps, fuel lines and fuel tank foam. At least I completed all qualifying sessions and races which was 100% improvement over Spa.

Nick - thanks for your comments re #64 blue Grantura - it was going well - the driver just needs to pedal faster - but I was happy with the results and came home with a couple of nice shiney dust traps for the mantlepiece.

Some mixed responses to the new track. Personally I like it but the big stop right hander follwed by the handbrake turn left hander are certainly a challenge for an old car - possibly not in keeping with the old style GP circuit but offer great overtaking opportunities.

Great and eclectic (to use Zef's term) range of cars which brought a smile as I wandered around the paddock. Highly recommended, roll on next year.