Motorsport – the pursuit of the MG Car Club

Motorsport has always been the pursuit of the MG Car Club, since its creation by the MG factory 89 years ago.

Today, the Club is the biggest single brand group managing the championships and race meetings.

The 2019 season starts now (end of March) and continues until October. The two series and six championships cover every period of MG from the earliest to modern cars.

They look like this:

BCV8

The BCV8 Championship is the main series for MGC and MGB racing, with classes for road-going cars to modified V8s.

It started in 1977 and has been one of the most popular series, due to it offering low-cost close racing.

The MGB V8 has been a significant draw for spectators; however, it hasn’t overshadowed the 1800 – so modified MGB racing is as exciting as ever.

Cockshoot Cup

The Cockshoot Cup provides a chance for owners of MG saloon and sports cars to race their motors in the North West of England.

The Cup’s silver trophy was donated in the 1930s by former MG Dealers in Manchester. Since 1984 it has been presented to the victor of the race series organised by the MG Car Club North West Centre.

A National B-race licence is needed to compete in this event.

Drayton Manor Park MG Metro Cup

This Cup makes provision for the Rover 100 Metro and, of course, the MG Metro.

Started in 1992, the Championship has been effective at providing a straightforward way into racing for drivers on a tight budget.

The Championship offers spirited motor racing at major racing circuits. It also provides an opportunity to experience saloon car racing at an inexpensive level for experts and beginners alike.

Lackford Engineering Midget & Sprite Challenge

After 42 years, the MGCC Midget Challenge collaborated with the Sprites from the Austin Healey Club to form the Midget & Sprite Challenge – the only ‘Spridget’ race series in Britain.

The class structure mirrors the diverse specifications of Spridgets, and all historic body styles are allowed.

This Challenge is for novice and expert drivers who love a traditional rear-wheel-drive sports car.

MG Trophy

The MG Trophy is one of Britain’s best single-make club championships, offering quality close racing for the front-wheel-drive MG ZR.

The Trophy has produced drivers who have progressed to higher levels of saloon car racing. The most recent example is Clio Cup winner and BTCC racer, Jack Goff.

With regulations devised to keep costs down, the series is fitting for both experienced and novice drivers.

MG Cup

The MG Cup offers close racing and value for club racers and is one of the most established club racing championships in Britain.

The series is suitable for novice and experienced drivers – and its regulations are designed to keep entry to the event easy on the pocket.

No other contest offers close regulations allowing RWD/ FWD/NASP/TURBO motors to race within 100th of a second of each other.

The MG Cup is open to MG Midgets, MGA, MGB, MGC, MGBV8, MG Metro, MG Maestro, MGF, MGTF, MGZR, MGZS, MG3, Rover Metro GTi and Rover Tomcat Turbos.

Iconic 50s Series

This Series is all about 50s sports and racing cars running 70 series road tyres or Dunlop racing tyres.

These invitation races are open to cars of all marques of the 1950s, with a close spread of performance in several classes.

It’s hoped that it will inspire drivers to enter who may have stopped competing because of the speed disparities in other championships or series.

Triple M Challenge

The Triple-M name stems from the MG Midget, Magnette and Magna cars produced from 1929 to 1936.

These Triple-M motors have been battling with the MGCC in their own races since 1963.

An assortment of classes sees these cars competing for silverware like the Mary Harris and Kimber Trophy.

And finally – an MG3 with a difference

So, there you go – that was a brief guide to the MG series and championships. But we’re not done yet – the MG Car Club and SAIC Motor UK Technical Centre have collaborated to yield the first MG3 race car to hit the grid for 2019.

The interns at SAIC Motor UK Technical Centre were given the task of constructing the vehicle from a former engineering car.

The idea behind the motor is to provide a bargain-basement route into saloon racing. The budget for the project to adapt the road-going MG3 into a racer was fixed at £5,000.

Recent regulations have been established to allow any MG3 to be converted and made ready for the grid.

The MG3 can race in Class A of the 2019 MG Cup, providing the first season of development and testing, as well as the opportunity to score points.

This gives competitors a chance to race the most modern MG models on track, which hasn’t been possible within the Car Club’s championships before.