2017 Supersprint Results: Jaguar Drivers Club CSCA Round 3

On Saturday the 13th of May the motorsport crew returned to Sydney Motorsport Park to contest Round 3 of the 2017 CSCA supersprint series. This time we were kindly hosted by the Jaguar Drivers Club.

Read on for all the details, thanks to Sporting Secretary Steve Perry.

2017 Supersprint Results: Jaguar Drivers Club CSCA Round 3 Saturday May 13th

Sydney Motorsport Park, North Circuit in the Combined Sports Car Association (CSCA) Supersprint Series

Steve Perry, Sporting Secretary

THE JAGUAR DRIVERS CLUB AUSTRALIA (JDCA) ran our second CSCA round for 2017 at the fast North circuit at SMP Eastern Creek, with a full field of 107 drivers. This was a well-run event (apart from a short delay for the drivers briefing due to locked doors), with many laps possible to drivers with up to six runs available. A special thanks to club member Wendy Maher who volunteered to be one of the CAMS Stewards for this meeting.

We had a better entry level of 10 drivers from MGCC supporting this event (double what we had for our own supersprint!), and all enjoyed some perfect Autumn weather for driving! The weather stayed kind all day, and it was still 20 degrees at 5pm when we were finished packing up. This was a nice change to what has often been a wet or part wet day for the Jag supersprint in recent years. Fine weather and good track conditions usually means less incidents on track and more time for the drivers in their cars, and this seemed true for this Round as up to six runs were available of around 5 laps at full noise around this quick circuit. One Lotus managed to do 30 laps, and many others did high 20s – so good value for money!

We had Bob Baldwin down from the Hunter in his shiny original MGB roadster (after a recent polish with a new brand that must have dropped his drag coefficient by some margin, probably lower than when new, and so it might in fact be cheating! Luckily there is no one else in Bob’s class A2 to complain however).

Tim Sullivan ran his beaut MGA with MGB block (contrary to the printed results which have Tim driving an MGBGT – in spite of my requested correction). Tim had no competition in the new class for classic cars called DC2, meaning no modern Lotus competition to worry about.

Garry Williams ran his always well-presented BRG MGB roadster in competition with Greg Smith in Class C2, who was back after a rebuild in his race prepped & well seasoned Group S MGBGT (where is Sam Girgis in his yellow MGB?). Greg was ahead of Garry by just under a second. Peter Richards returned with his very nice MGB V8 roadster after fixing a stuck oil relief valve from last event, and then had some starter motor issues this time! (Peter must have knocked over a black cat or broke a mirror or something).

Gary Maher had some fun in his great Ford Escort MKI, and obviously had no issues as he was spotted lounging in the warm sun outside his carport between runs. Keen drivers Ernst Luthi and Sonia Luthi both returned to the North circuit in the classic Alpine Renault A110 and Suzuki Cappuccino respectively, and both had smiles after each run with no issues except refuelling. (Many thanks to Ernst for taking some photos of guilty parties at the track).

Craig Perry ran in his 1000cc superbike-powered Stohr WF1 Sports racer prototype, and I ran in the slightly older by 40 years or so, MGCGT. (Son James was also entered but had to unfortunately withdraw due to work commitments – thus I need to chat with James about priorities). Craig put in some well crafted flying laps running with two other sports racers this time, and just pipped them for fastest lap time (FTD) of the day in Class R3 before having to lap slower cars after only 3 laps.

Meanwhile, I managed what might have been the best spin of the day into the old turn 10 in top gear and around 120 Kph. I went backwards when lifting off too quickly and then locking up a rear brake. Luckily I kept the MGC off the rather adjacent concrete wall and it is still straight! (PS my MGC is covered for racing damage on the track under an insurance extension, and I have claimed before. Both Shannons and Famous Insurance offer cover for older cars).

Craig and I shared a garage with Bob Baldwin and Ernst and Sonja Luthi, and we had the help again of John Virtue from our club, who had come down to watch another CSCA supersprint. John was of great assistance loading and unloading and with Craig’s many car checks and re-fuelling etc, and his seat belts. John looks like joining us with a drive in his MGB at the MG Newcastle Hillclimb at Ringwood on June 17^th.

Where are our other sporting drivers from last year?

Alphabetical Results: Round 1 (Total of 107 competitors)

Entrant	Vehicle	Best Lap	Class Result	Competitors	Outright
Bob Baldwin	MGB Roadster	1:34.32	1st in AC	1	103rd
Ernst Luthi	Alpine Renault A110	1:26.05	1st in 2AC	1	80th
Sonja Luthi	Suzuki Cappuccino	1:39.45	10th in 2AM	10	104th
Gary Maher	Ford Escort Mk1	1:30.28	3rd in 3AC	3	97th
Craig Perry	Stohr WF1	1:00.72	1st in R3	5	1st (and FTD)
Steve Perry	MGCGT	1:18.36	1st in D3	2	35th
Peter Richards	MGB V8 Roadster	1:24.79	2nd in DC3	3	75th
Greg Smith	MGBGT	1:21.13	2nd in C3	3	56th
Tim Sullivan	MGA Special	1:25.79	1st in DC2	1	77th
Garry Williams	MGB Roadster	1:22.06	3rd in C22	3	61st

Thanks to all the Officials and Volunteers and the member drivers who all contributed to make this event happen!

NOTE: UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUNG (at heart) AND OLD!

• MG Challenge Meeting Queen’s Birthday Weekend 10^th and 11^th June – MGCC Victoria. Sandown Supersprint Sat. followed by the Rob Roy Hillclimb on Sun. Might be you last chance to run at the famous Sandown circuit!
• ALL MG HILLCLIMB: Sat June 17^th MGCC Newcastle – an MG only event, so come along and have a run with just MGS at this low cost event (just $80).
• Next Supersprint: Austin Healey ROUND 4 at Wakefield Park: Saturday 1^st We need drivers!! Followed by a Sports Car race Meeting on the Sunday if you are keen.

Please contact me, Steve Perry for the Supplementary regulations and Entry Forms for future Supersprints, if you wish to give your car a good hard run without the worry of any Police or back seat drivers!

Supersprints – Give it a Go!