The Taupo Race meeting had poor entry numbers. Which is a shame, as we only use that track once a year. It is a real leveller of high horsepower cars, and smaller engine good handling cars like the MG’s. Most arrived on Friday to set up pits, and some to do a few test laps. It was a bit bare looking in the car park without the one hundred BMW’s that would normally have arrived early on. They weren’t there, as the BMW Festival was the following two weekends, and most were entered in that. For Friday night dinner, most of us MG type people had decided on The Jolly Good Fellow Restaurant. Just as we started, Ray and Paula Green turned up, so there was lots of stories told and a jolly good time had by all.

For the racing, representing the MGCC, the AES group had Todd Forsyth, Neville Thompson, Renton Murray, Nick Wilcox and John Palmer in MG’s, with David Metford in his Escort. David cleaned up the first race. Renton the second, and Todd the third.

Arrows had only Barry Hare in his Rover, and me in the BV8. John Munro had problems with his Jag after arriving, so I don’t think he did any racing. I managed to win all my races, but with few entries it just wasn’t the same. The meeting ran through quickly and smoothly, so it was a early drive home.

The following two weekends were the BMW Festival of Motor racing. The first having only Renton and I showing the MG flag. After the practice session, I went to see how Renton got on. Walking up to the back of his car, I noticed the boot hold down rubber was not attached. Pointing this out to Renton, he said bugger, the boot probably still has gear in it !!!! It did. Tony Lowe, one of the hairy berries, got the blame for that oversight. I got to share a garage there with a Replica Ferrari 250 GTO, the last genuine one sold at Auction for 26 million dollars. This one was a mere $700,000.00. Also in the same garage was a genuine McLaren M1A can am car driven by Andy Booth of NZ V8 fame, and the Fleetwood Mustang driven by Paul Radisich.

The first two races were dry, and I managed third both times. The next was wet. The field included a Ferrari 308 GTB, a Porsche 911, a 7800cc Corvette Stingray, the McLaren M1 and a Chevron B16 among others. My MG not only beat the rest of the field, but also had the quickest lap time. So that was probably one of the highlights of my racing.

The following weekend I had the only MG racing at the Festival. The Classic Trials joined us with a grid, but in theory they are not racing. Don Roy and Mike McCowan in V8’s, John Campbell, John Fulford and Ian Christie in GT’s. Don I think did pretty well.

The K3 is painted again, apart from the bonnet still to finish. I keep thinking it is nearly sorted, then there is always something else to be done. The TD has just sat in the corner watching, with nothing been done to her for a couple of months.

Bit of a break now from racing. The next meeting will be the first weekend of March

Remember a bad day at the Race Track beats a good day at the Office every time.

That’s it from me and the MG’s

Click HERE to read the August 2011 newsletter.

Grant Kern