MGs flocked to the Heritage Motor Centre for the MGOC National Event MG 2001. Gaydon is a new venue and the extensive car parking and high meadows around the Motor Centre gradually filled with more and more MGs until the whole site was covered by a truly comprehensive collection of the world’s favourite sports car.

Unsettled weather and a cold wind threatened to disrupt the day but the rain held off as competitors worked extremely hard to prepare their cars for the MG 2001 Concours and Condition awards. The competition proved to be a very hard fought with some extremely well presented MGs batting for those vital points.

While all this preparation went on MGs continued to arrive and fill up all the available parking areas. As many beautiful cars burbled around Gaydon the strains of the Caribbean Steel Band seemed to add welcome touch of tropical warmth to the grey skies and cold wind.

The full facilities of the Heritage Motor Centre were available to MGOC visitors and many visited the car collection with its wide range of MG prototypes and record breakers on display. Members also made their way to the lecture theatre where Roger Parker gave two MG technical presentations on MGFs and MGB V8s in addition Brian Moylan talked about ‘MGs in Competition’ and his experiences with Abingdon Competitions Department.

The MGOC marquee housed MG regalia, with representatives from the MGOC Workshop, the Travel Club and MGOC Insurance on hand to chat about all matters relevant to MGs also on display were two MGFs from Stour Valley MG.

Outside, the driving skills test ably devised and supervised by Epsom Area MGOC was popular. It was interesting to observe how the MGBs and Midgets in particular lent themselves readily to the type of manoeuvres required in the driving skills test, whereas the MGF seemed rather more of a handful. The two lady winners were delighted to receive tickets to Bilbao from the MGOC Travel Club.

For those who enjoy the traversing the rough terrain the special Land-Rover off-road experience test track provided great excitement. “Better than any simulator, I’ve ever been on,” said one young fan.

Among the many visitors to MG 2001 was Pete Townsend who had just returned from the ‘Britain to Bosnia Challenge 2001’ a fund raising trip. A chance conversation in the pub and bet from a member of the Land-Rover club lead Pete to agree to take his MGB along with twenty four Land-Rovers on a drive to Bosnia and back. The money raised was in support of the Mines Awareness Group, a charity dedicated to mine clearance in war zones. Pete’s MGB completed the trip without any problems despite two of the Land-Rovers failing to make it back. Well done Pete.

The Heritage Centre at Gaydon provided an excellent backdrop for this year’s MGOC 2001 National Event and proved to be a very popular venue for MG fans of all ages.

CONCOURS RESULTS

 

CLASS	POSITION	REG NO.	OWNER	POINTS
MGB & GT	2nd	No Entries
MGB & GT Chrome	1st	No Entries
MGB & GT Rubber	2nd	No Entries
MGB & GT Rubber	1st	SEH 278W	Pipa Bowler	122
Midget Chrome
& AH Sprite	2nd	No Entries
Midget Chrome
& AH Sprite	1st	No Entries
Midget Rubber	2nd	No Entries
Midget Rubber	1st		Bill Ewen	130.5
MGC & GT	2nd	SEH 404F	George White	152
MGC & GT	1st	MFR 654F	Peter Morgan	166
MGB & GT V8	2nd	No Entries
MGB & GT V8	1st	NMR 448M	John Joyce & Nigel Knowles	133
MG RV8	2nd	No Entries
MG RV8	1st	L555 MGR	Bill Donaldson	161.5
MGA	2nd	WXA 856	S A Mason	134
MGA	1st	PSJ 294	Nigel Guild	140
MG Saloons 1941- 1980	1st	No Entries
MG Saloons 1941- 1980	2nd	No Entries
MG ‘T’ Types	2nd
MG ‘T’ Types	1st	RNB 636	Bob Lynex MG TF	123
Pre 1940 MGs	2nd	No Entries
Pre 1940 MGs	1st	ANB 431	D M Naylor	98
MGF	2nd	No Entries
MGF	1st	WOF 51	L E Osborne	147.5
Premier	1st	YVT 489M	Eric Simon MGB	97

CONDITION RESULTS

CLASS	POSITION	REG NO.	OWNER	POINTS
MGB> Chrome	2nd	HYM 412K	Paul Oakes	106
MGB> Chrome	1st	DRF 733N	John Baugh	110
MGB> Rubber	2st	MGB 139V	Heather Crofts	143
MGB> Rubber	1st	DNS 497T	Kevin Tutty	160
Midget Chrome
& AH Sprite	2nd	No Entries
Midget Chrome
& AH Sprite	1st	OEP 664L	Geoffrey McCann	125.5
Midget Rubber	2nd	No Entries
Midget Rubber	1st	BEG 243T	Barry Stocker	124.5
MGC & GT	2nd	No Entries
MGC & GT	1st	EVB 2J	A Dixon	106
MGB & GT V8	2nd	LMO 626P	Simon Perkins	145
MGB & GT V8	1st	3200 PJ	Philip Jones	162
Metro, Maestro, Montego		No Entries
Premier	2nd	KCM 516P	David Brown	107
Premier	1st	YBN 224V	M P Gothard	110