MG Live 2018 Silverstone International

The MGCC’s flagship MG Live event once again provided fans of the MG brand with two days motor racing on the Silverstone International circuit in glorious sunny weather, also plenty of infield activity’s ranging from the ever present Russ Swift and his stunt show to car clubs with owners showing of their prides of joys from the more mordern Z’s, to the older MGB’s , T Type’s and more.

In the MGCC TN BCV8 Championship, Russell McCarthy took the class D win in the first of the weekends two races. McCarthy started from pole position but a bad start allowed Neil Fowler to take the lead until Spence took the lead from him at Brooklands three laps into the race. McCarthy passed Fowler a lap later then took the lead from Spencer on lap six. Spencer and Fowler were involved in an incident on the Wellington Straight on lap seven and Spencer spinning on oil at Abbey on the last lap. Andrew Young came away with a win in Class C, Simons Cripps in class B and Simon Tinkler winning class AB. The second of the weekends MGCC TN BCV8 Championship races Rob Spencer was back to his winning ways, taking the race lead at the start after another poor start from Russell McCarthy who also retired a little later with an oil cooler problem. Third sport was filed by Saturdays race one retiree Jonnie Wheeler to finish off the Class D podium. Once again Young, Cripps and Tinkler taking their class victories.

In The Millers Oils MG Trophy, all was looking good for Paul Luti, Enhanced Power Points table leader, but with brake problems throughout Saturday he lost out to Graham Ross who took the Championship lead and race win in race one. Andy Spencer 2nd and William Payne 3rd finished off the podium. Paul Luti was a DNF. Race two of The Millers Oils MG Trophy once again went to Graham Ross who was being chased hard by Andy Spencer with a well earned 2nd and 3rd this time taken by Doug Cole. Ryan Firth took both the wins in the 170 class and Taylor Ballard showed that he was made of sterner stuff, taking both the weekends 160 Class wins after his massive roll at Brands Hatch just over four weeks earlier.

Saturdays Equipe Pre 63 race was won by Jack Rawles in the Austin Healey 3000 he shares with father Bill Rawles, beating Martin Brewer by 13 seconds in the Aston Martin Project 214 Copy. Bob Binfied in an E-Type Jaguar taking the 3rd step on the podium. Sundays Equipe Pre 63 race, Rawles once again led from pole, opening a massive gap on his nearest rival Martin Brewer, another victory in hand. On track racing alongside the Pre 63’s was the Equipe MGB’s with David Keers-Trafford seeing double.

Jack Rawles Celebrates a Double Victory.

The MGCC Iconic 50’s was the only race to be shown a red flag throughout the weekend when the MG Dick Jacobs Special of Stuart Dean, while trying to avoid a slowing car, crashed into the pit wall at the start of the second lap.

Stuart Deans MG Dick Jacobs Special.

At the restart Stuart Dickinson in the MGA Twin Cam took the fight to Steve Watton in his Turner MkII, but on the final lap Dickinson lost control of the car at the Arena complex which allowed Watton through to take victory. Mark Ellis came home 3rd in his MGA Twin Cam after seeing off the MGA Roadster of Neil Cawthorn.

With over 50 entrants, the Equipe GTS was never going to be an easy slog. The TVR’s Grantura MkIIIs of Will Penrose (Paddock 42 contributer & racer !) and Mark Ashworth battled it out with Tom Smith’s MGB Roadster in Saturdays race one with Penrose taking the honors and Ashworth 2nd with Smith and the MGB Roadster 3rd. Sundays race two the three same protagonist did it all over again but this time round Mark Ashworth took the first step on the podium while Smith and Penrose 2nd and 3rd.

Equipe GTS. 50 Cars and Close Racing.

Alan Brooke took both the wins in the Pete Best Insurance MG Cup in his Rover Metro GTi and Stephen Collier flew to victory in the Lackford Engineering MG Midget and AH Sprite Challenge, keeping his championship points lead. In the Cockshoot Cup both race wins went to Ray Collier and Jonathan Harker winning the Church Square Autos MGCC MGF/TF Anniversary Challenge. In the All Comers Pit Stop Race, with only six cars on the grid, the win went to Dan Surridge in his MG ZR 170. Also featuring over the weekend there was races from the Porsche Club Championship and the Sports 2000’s.

A fantastic weekend was had by myself and those I chatted too, some making the return trip, others attending for the first time. If you can make the trip next year do so, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Results and Timing

MG Car Club

Words & Images by Gary Hand.