Photo call - All ready to set off for the Annual Easter Run
| Ray's Ramblings! | At Last | Championship Racing | Rover Saved? |
Some time ago I was out walking the Dog and I saw an immaculate Mk 1 Escort, with a superb paint finish, a sort of light purple. It had halted at a pedestrian crossing so I got a good look at the car, and thought to myself what a wonderful job someone had done. Being into restorations myself I began to ponder, how much time and effort went into this particular car. Was it perhaps a concours job, it looked good enough to be. Today I parked next to the very same car in the village car park, to have another look at it, and to my alarm, it has after only a year developed a two tone paint job ! Yes you've guessed it, Rust in large patches . As I drove home even more pondering occurred, why would anyone waste so much time and effort restoring a car of this age and bodge the metalwork ? I'll let you drawer your own conclusions . No sign of rust on my Midget after six years, I wonder why !
The weather was kind to us during our Pentang (Boules) competition evening , also Joyce had prepared one of her mind bending competitions for those waiting to take part in the proceedings. The eventual winners of large metal sphere lobbing were Joyce and John. and the university fodder winners were Derek & Lesley. Well done all.
Coming up soon
Why not come along to the Haverhill Show on July 2nd, we have been invited again this year to show our MG's, pop to the club gazebo and have a glass or two, it has been a good show in the past plenty to see and do.
July 3rd is our Concours night, Spit and polish is the name of the game, at the Green Man.
On the 17th July we are having a Treasure hunt arranged by Jeremy and his assistant Sarah, should be a cracker. Time and place to be announced.
July 21/23rd Surrey 2000 Southern National event.
August 7th is a Natter and Raffle at The Green Man, it's surprising what topics crop up on these evenings.
Harrogate 2000 on 12th Aug.
Punting on the river Cam for those posers amongst you is on 21st August, usually a hilarious affair organised by Linda, bring your camera to record the goings on.
If you own an MG or are about to buy one, come and make yourself known and speak to the Experts at one of our club evenings or runs we will be pleased to see you.
Ray Bossom You can email me
Yes at last we have some images from this years Cambridge and District MGOC Easter Run, (back in April) in which a number of cars set off to Northamptonshire, via a very scenic route. The destination a meeting with our friends the Northants MGOC. Below are a few pictures which Ray Bossom took along the way.
Recently, I should have gone to Belgium to report on the MGOC racing at Zolder. Sadly I was unable to attend due to circumstances beyond my control. I was highly dissapointed at not being able to travel to Belgium, but 'oh joy' when I found that the MG Car Club were holding championship racing at my local circuit, Snetterton. So I packed my camera gear (and a raincoat)
and headed for Norfolk. When I arrived, the orgainsers & officals were most helpful and I soon had my press pass. Even though I do not go to many MGCC race meetings, I still know quite a few of the competitors, who are always willing to stop and have a chat.
The weather on this particular day (May 21st) was terrible, it rained for most of the day, and made for very very difficult driving conditions. There were several stoppages due to cars running off the circuit and into the tyre wall, but I am happy to report that all drivers involed were ok! Below you will find a selction of images and a short report from the days racing.
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Anglia Phoenix Championship
Rob Mears (MGF) proved to be the dominent force in both of the Anglia Phoenix races despite the several stoppages. Mears said later that he could have gone quicker had it not been for the slippery conditions. The first Phoenix race was brought to a halt when Blaine Neaves put his MGB into the pit wall. The second Phoenix race, at the end of the day was also halted when Kirk Botelle crashed out in his 1300 at Coram. The two race results were combined to give the following result.
( 7 + 10 Laps)
1 Rob Mears - MGF
2 Malcolm Gammons - MGF
3 David Brooke - MGB GTV8
4 Tony Howe - MG Metro
Drayton Manor Park Metro Cup
This race too was stopped. Brian Goodliffe had been leading but was unable to take the restart. On the restart it was Rob Perkins who stormed away and went on to win and it was his team mate Jason Burgess fought back from a poor start to take second.
(7 Laps)
1 Rob Perkins
2 Jason Burgess
3 Chris Huges
4 Mark Bellamy
Cockshoot Cup Championship
It was a despondent Andrew Storer who had to watch from alongside his smouldering Midget as John Hewitt coasted to victory!
(7 Laps)
1 John Hewit - Austin Healey Sprite
2 Ian Hodkinson - MGB
3 Arto Kesterlain - MGB
4 Mike Peters - MG Midget
MGF Abingdon Trophy & Hanks Trophy
From way back on the grid (10th) Malcolm Gammons soon made up enough places to put himself second behind Don Kettleborough, who then threw the laed away after a spin mid distance. In the Hanks Trophy the wiiner was David Clewley in a MGTB, who in fact nearly caught the MGF of Kettleborough for third.
(12 Laps)
1 Malcolm Gammons - MGF
2 John Dignan - MGF
3 Don Kettleborough - MGF
4 David Clewley - MGTB
Halfords Midget Challenge
Edward Reeve it was who won a fabulous 3 way battle for victory in the latest round of the Halfords Midget Challenge ahead of Richard Wildman and Chris Sibley who ended his race sadly in the pits.
(12 Laps)
1 Edward Reeve
2 Richard Wildman
3 Chris Ashby
4 David Ecob
Abingdon Classic Cup Pit Stop Race
Tim Hutchinson could have taken the victory in this race if his pitstop had not gone horribly wrong! It was Don Kettleborough in the MGF that went on to win.
(12 Laps)
1 Don Kettleborough - MGF
2 Tim Hutchinson - MG Midget
3 Stephen Cox - MGF
4 Stephen Kerridge - MGF
Above results courtesey of 'Motoring News'
Following last months news of the
Rover Sell Off the Longbidge plant, MG and thousands of jobs appear, (for the time being) to have been saved. The 'Phoenix' consortium purchased Rover from BMW for just £10, a bargain you might think, but the Longbridge plant in Birmingham was loosing BMW something like 2 million pounds a day, if Rover are to have a future these loses have to halted and turned to profit.
Other developments as a result of the Rover sell off mean that Land Rover too have new owners, Ford. The Ford Motor Company also are now the owners of the British Motor Heritage centre and the R&D facility at Gaydon. Watch this space for more news soon.
Have you read last months Newsletter?
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