Our Secretary is Steve Bowra
Phone: 0417 829 864
Email: msportssec@gmail.com
Our Assistant Secretary is Bev Waters
Phone: 0402 262 156
Email: bev.waters@bigpond.com
Oh dear, it’s so hard to write this report without descending into the most awful pun, but what a Joy it was to be at Mallala Motorsport Park on August 11th for our hugely successful inaugural Ladies’ Day.
All eyes were on our very own 99-year-old motorsport veteran Joy Pearson, the star of the show as she was chauffeured around the track by grand-daughter Cara (who celebrated her birthday on the day) in the immaculate red 1966 MGB which sparked Joy’s love of the marque back in the 1970s. Read the full report Click Here
As you know our patron Peter Cundy is currently in the UK campaigning his NA Type in historic races and having a great time. His latest reports are from a track day at the famous Goodwood circuit and Cadwell Park a multi-purpose circuit established in 1934, the same year as the NA Type was released for sale. His full reports are available here – Goodwood and Cadwell Park. He’s also included links to video from these events: Goodwood and Cadwell Park.
A bitterly cold day greeted the intrepid band of competitor’s attending round 2 of the sprinting series, and included a Come and Try event which Adrian Akhurst’s grandson took part in driving an MGF with Adrian as his instructor. (Report next magazine)
The temperature hovered around 5 degrees with a light wind at the start and stayed cold, cloudy and windy all day. The day began with Jason Edwards having to perform an axle change ably assisted by Dick, Trevor and Tyler before his sprinting could even begin. A suspected thermostat failure cut short Dicks fun for the day after the 2nd round and the ever reliable yellow MGF was retired and trailered home early. For full report Click Here
Well what a night is was – a Friday night at the clubrooms late last year and full of members enjoying an entertaining evening with two past rally champions interviewing each other. First up we had Dick Manning interviewing Ed Ordynski our club Patron who talked about his early days of rallying, and like many at that time he had no funds to speak of and started with a car that cost him a few hundred dollars. Today not considered much, but back then a lot.
The pathway he had laid out to achieve his goals was discussed at length and all the things he considered to become a winner. We were told the challengers he had in damaging cars and finding sponsors to achieve his goals. We all knew that Ed ended up as a professional rally driver for many years, but the night was about his early days.
The second part of the night was Ed interviewing Dick, and we learnt about him buying his fist car at 13 or about that age, and the price was about 25 pounds. I’m sure he lost count of how many cars he owned for rallying, but there were many. We learnt about the great wins he had in the ex-taxi (Ford Falcon automatic) and how he went on to build a professional team with excellent sponsors. Ed spoke about the great car control that Dick displayed in handling a large car like the Falcon and why he achieved a state title. Both Ed and Dick have won the state rally championship.
A big thank you to them both as I know what efforts went into creating a great night with commentary and video screen shots of their exploits.
We must also thank the Ladies who provided a magnificent supper. It must have been good because the tables were cleared, well done.
Neil Williams
On Sunday 7 May 2023, a number of MGCC SA members were competing in the Peter Hall Memorial 6-hour Regularity Relay at Mallala. Trevor Dunford was racing his MGF, when it suddenly caught fire. I subsequently lent him my MGF to him do some more laps but, a short while later, I saw smoke coming from the engine bay of my car too. I called Trevor in and we later noticed that the driver’s side drive shaft boot on my car had a small nick in it, which had resulted in grease being flung around the engine bay and landing on the exhaust. A closer inspection of Trevor’s car identified the same drive shaft boot on his car had been burnt, suggesting the fire had caught hold on the drive shaft grease.
These two incidents suggest It might be time to check the drive shaft boots on MGFs for ‘dampness’ suggestive of a damaged boot. On both occasions at Mallala, the smoke was not evident to the driver.
Submitted by John Illingworth 0497 195 055
Date | Event | Venue | |
---|---|---|---|
** | Sun 18th Feb | Motorkhana SA Championships Rd 1 (MGCC) | Mallala |
* | Sun 25th Feb | Marque Sports Car Assoc. 50th Anniversary Club Display day & Presentations | Mt Barker |
2nd-3rd March | MG Racing South Australia Round 1 | The Bend | |
* | Sun 3rd March | MSCA Super Sprint Round 1 (Includes Driver Training Day) | Mallala |
* | Sat 30th March | Concours MG National Meeting | Tamworth |
** | Sun 31st March | Motorkhana MG National Meeting | Tamworth |
* | Sun 31st March | Kimber Run MG National Meeting | Tamworth |
** | Mon 1st April | Speed Event MG National Meeting | Tamworth |
* | Mon 1st April | NM Competition Touring Assembly | Tamworth |
Sun 6th April | Hillclimb Come n Try Day | Collingrove | |
** | Sun 7th April | Hillclimb Challenge Trophy Round 1 | Collingrove |
** | Sun 14th April | Motorkhana SA Championships Round 2 | Mallala |
4th-5th May | MG Racing South Australia Round 2 | The Bend | |
* | Sun 5th May | Peter Hall Memorial 6hr Relay (Teams Regularity event) | Mallala |
** | Sun 19th May | Motorkhana SA Championships Round 3 | Mallala |
** | Sun 26th May | Hillclimb Challenge Trophy Round 2 | Collingrove |
** | 8th June | MG Club Challenge Khanacross & M/khana | METEC Vic. |
** | 9th June | MG Club Challenge Hillclimb Victoria | Rob Roy Vic. |
** | 23rd June | MSCA Super Sprint Round 2 | Mallala |
** | Sun 7th July | Hillclimb Challenge Trophy Round 3 | Collingrove |
3rd-4th August | MG Racing South Australia Round 3 | Mallala | |
** | Sun 11th August | MSCA Super Sprint Round 3 | Mallala |
Sat 24th August | Hillclimb Come n Try Day | Collingrove | |
7th-8th Sept | MG Racing South Australia Round 4 | The Bend | |
** | Sun 8th Sept | Hillclimb Challenge Trophy Round 4 | Collingrove |
** | Sun 8th Sept | MSCA Super Sprint Round 4 | Mallala |
** | Sun 15th Sept | Motorkhana SA Championship Round 4 | Mallala |
** | Sun 20th Oct | MSCA Super Sprint Round 5 | The Bend |
23th-24th Nov | MG Racing South Australia Round 5 | The Bend | |
** | Sun 7th Dec | Motorkhana SA Championships Round 5 | Mt Gambier |
** Indicates points allocated for Club Member of the Year and MG Car Club Competition Championship – Best 10 results.
* Indicates points allocated for Club Member of the Year award.
Date | Event | Venue |
---|---|---|
16th-17th March | Adelaide Motorsport Festival | Victoria Park |
Sun 21st April | Hillclimb SCC Wintercup Series Round 1 | Collingrove |
Sun 16th June | Hillclimb SCC Wintercup Series Round 2 | Collingrove |
Sun 21st July | Hillclimb SCC Wintercup Series Round 3 | Collingrove |
Sun 25th Aug | Hillclimb SCC Wintercup Series Round 4 | Collingrove |
Sun 6th Oct | Barossa Valley Vintage Hillclimb | Collingrove |
11th-13th Oct | SCC SA Hillclimb Championships | Collingrove |
27th Oct | SCC Hillclimb season finale | |
8th-10th Nov | Legends of the Lake Hillclimb | Mt Gambier |
MG Car Clubs in Australia and worldwide have played a key part in motorsport since the beginnings of the clubs and the MG Car Club of South Australia is no exception.
Members are actively involved in all levels of the sport as competitors and officials. The MG Car Club of SA nominates a number of events each year where members can score points towards the Club Motorsport Championship.
These are mostly events run by other clubs and MGCCSA contributes officials to some of these events. The Championship also includes the National Meeting and the SA/Vic Interstate Club Challenge.
Motorsport Australia
MSCA (Marque Sports Car Association)
SCCSA (Sporting Car Club of SA)
Mallala Motorsport Park
The Bend Motorsport Park
Events generally fall into the following categories:
Motorkhana
Motorkhanas are run on a flat surface where courses are laid out to test the skill and judgement of the driver and the manoeuvrability of the car. A number of tests are set at each event and generally you have two runs at each test.
On arrival competitors are given a copy of the nominated tests, cars are inspected for general safety and compliance and a brief practice session is provided. Cars are run one at a time against the clock and the course must be completed in the correct direction before coming to a stop in the finish garage.
Cars are grouped into classes according to their wheelbase, and include classes for specials and all wheel drive cars. MGCCSA runs one of the five rounds of the SA Motorkhana Championship series each year and there is normally a Come and Try entry available for newcomers.
It’s also a great place for young drivers who can compete from twelve years of age and learn basic car control skills. It’s great fun, challenging and a very sociable day while you compete and watch others.
The Skid Pan at Mallala is the current venue being used for Motorkhanas close to Adelaide.
Hillclimb
A Hillclimb is a speed event, where one car and driver runs over a defined uphill winding course, from a standing start to a flying finish at the top of the hill, against the clock. In competition, cars are classified into categories so as to have cars of like potential performance competing against each other.
As with all motorsport events, the day starts with scrutineering of cars and a drivers’ briefing prior to competition starting.
Come and Try Hillclimb Events are also held during the year where newcomers can get a taste for the sport and test their skills in a non-competitive and fun environment.
Most Hillclimbs events in South Australia are run at Collingrove, a challenging track near Angaston, which has a long history in Australian motorsport.
The Sporting Car Club of SA run most Collingrove events and the MG Car Club use the three multi-club events each year as part of our Club Competition Championship.
Super Sprint
A Super Sprint involves a number of cars sprinting on a circuit at one time with each lap for each car individually timed. Cars are generally arranged in groups of similar performance and sent on track for either a standing or rolling start to complete a number of laps. It is not racing, as the cars are individually timed, but overtaking is permitted where safe.
It is an ideal introduction to circuit racing and can be entered with road going cars as well as modified vehicles. As with all motorsport, safety checks on vehicles are done before each event.
MGCCSA is a member club of the Marque Sports Car Association of SA (MSCA) which runs a series of Super Sprints and a Six Hour Relay each year. MSCA also run a Come and Try group at some Super Sprints to cater for newcomers where they are given classroom and in-car tuition by experienced competitors. Junior drivers can participate from the age of 14.
Mallala Motorsport Park is the most used venue by our club and ideal for club events. However as of 2018 a new Motorsport Park has been developed at Tailem Bend which is used occasionally.
Officials
Nothing happens without officials and MGCCSA members help out with these events and more. This can be as Scrutineers, Flag Marshals, Timing, Pit Marshals, Documentation, Race Control, etc.
Being an official allows you to be involved, enjoy the competition and help the sport to thrive at no cost to yourself. That involvement can develop from club level events to major events depending on your interest and available time.
Check the Club calendar, and come and have a look and get involved or contact the Motorsport Secretary or Assistant if you have any questions.