Wrapping Up Round Five of the 2019 CSCA Super Sprint Series

Morgan Owners Club CSCA ROUND 5: Saturday August 17th – Sydney Motorsport Park Brabham Circuit in the Combined Sports Car Association (CSCA) Supersprint Series.

By Stephen Perry

The fifth CSCA round of the year was run by the Morgan Owners Club of Aust. (MOCA) in excellent and warm “winter” conditions with a cool breeze. Plenty of runs were available on SMP’s longest 4.5km Brabham circuit, which features 18 turns (Bathurst is 6.2Km).

The race record on this circuit layout was set in 2012 by Bryan Sala with a 1m 50.27 in a magic Matich A50 F5000 knee trembler – a big banger 5 litre from Historics! The Brabham circuit is made up by combining the Grand Prix (Gardner) and most of the South circuit.

As the Shannons CMC day traditionally follows this sprint on the Sunday, much setting up shop (“bump in”) is required on the Saturday. This means that no garages are available, and drivers have to arrive before sparrow flatulence, to fight for and claim a carport.

MG Car Club Sydney had a better turnout with seven entries supporting this event, in a relatively good field of 83 from 93 entries (as there was an unusually high 10 late cancellations!) Greg Smith ran in his ex-Group S MGBGT, Gary Maher ran his Ford Escort, Chris Scheffer was back in his wrapped MX-5 turbo race car, and Geoff Morse ran his MGB Special with MX-5 engine. Max Wasson returned with the mighty BMW (Bay Em Vay) M2 (which is cleverly labelled the same as his competition class – M2), and Tim Sullivan returned and competed with his beaut MGB GTV8 and was doing some suspension and handling checks and tests. It was great to see Peter Richards back with his very nice MGB V8 rumbling roadster.

Conditions were perfect for some good times, with a warm track and cold air, and as usual Greg Smith put in some fast laps in his Rowntree-tweaked BEE GT. Greg is enjoying this well-handling car, and his wife came along to see and enjoy where all his money has been spent.

The usually smiling Gary Maher was struggling with a good dose of hay fever, meaning irritated & watering eyes that made quick driving rather difficult! Gary did his best to tough this out but it was a battle. Gary will have to eat less hay next event.

Chris Scheffer was blasting smoothly around the circuit in his turbo MX-5 and posted a very quick 2:16.5 best time, 13th outright amongst some very quick entries (Loti, GTR & Evos etc)– well done Chris! Geoff Morse was thoroughly enjoying his MGB ‘Peninsula Special’ which is handling very well indeed, and has plenty of speed down the straight. Geoff’s mechanic Richard was there to egg him on, and was itching to have a drive as well.

Max Wasson was having a ball in his modern BMW M2 rocket and was doing well for someone still getting over an interior knee refurbishment and makeover. Max was using a nifty plug in harness that simply uses the existing sash belt connectors in the front and back – very clever. Peter Richards was happy to be back in the Bee V8 saddle after a few events clashed with his motorsport, and was all smiles.

I enjoyed catching up with all of our drivers as of course as I am fresh out of MGC until repairs are made, and I also enjoyed watching the great mix of cars doing supersprints, with at least half being modern cars now days. This change is bound to happen as younger drivers opt for the modern cars in showrooms. Let’s hope MG Motor gets onto a real MG sports car to be enjoyed on the track (noting that the early MG-3 fully worked race car did very well winning races in the British Touring Cars with Jason Plato!)

The next regularity and race event is the HSRCA meeting held over the weekend of the 28th & 29th of September at Wakefield Park – so keep these dates free! MGCC members are usually entered in Regularity, Historic Supersprint and Group S racing, so come and join us!

Our Club had a well-run defensive driver training day instructors on Sunday the 11th of August at the HART Driver Training Centre at 451 Mona Vale Rd St Ives, (opposite the St Ives Showground). The day was designed for both the young L & P-Platers and the experienced driver, with different braking and slalom exercises to experience modern ABS or Non ABS MG brakes. Our Sebring MGB was proudly on show and we took some passengers for a demo ride.

We hope to run another training day in November as well, with some different driving exercises, to give members, family and friends an opportunity to learn and practice some life-saving driving skills with trained instructors.

Let me, Peter Rose or Max Wasson know if you wish to just have some serious fun in your MG, by joining us in Rusty Nuts events with some like-minded people!

Alphabetical Results: CSCA Round 5 (Total of 83 competitors)

Entrant	Best time	Class result	Outright result
Gary Maher, Ford Escort	2:37.33	5th in CD1	72nd
Geoff Morse, MGB Special	2:27.37	8th in R1	47th
Peter Richards, MGB V8 Roadster	2:36.75	4th in P3	70th
Chris Scheffer, MX-5 Turbo	2:16.51	1st in R1	13th
Greg Smith, MGB GT	2:23.20	2nd in CD1	32nd
Tim Sullivan, MGB GTV8	2:31.12	2nd in CD3	54th
Max Wasson, BMW M2	2:27.94	3rd in M2	51st

DRIVERS NOTE: CAMS has issued a bulletin giving notice that leaded fuel such as AVGAS is not to be used in cars on race tracks and competition venues, for events running under CAMS Permits, beyond end of June 30th 2019. So you will need to consider another fuel, (meeting Cams approved fuels in the CAMS Manual Schedule G).

Race Fuels, who supply bowser pump fuels to SMP at the east of the scrutineering shed, will be supplying a replacement fuel called ELF “Race 102”  @ 104RON and costs around $4.95 per litre, and will need you to retune your engine carbies to suit, as it has a different density and burn rate to AVGAS. 

Cams have also advised that drivers in speed events (Supersprints and Regularity) will require an approved HANS (Head And Neck Support) device and compatible helmet with approved tether mounting posts from 1st January 2020 – EXCEPT if the competing car is road registered and has no harness belt installed or used in the speed event (such as clip on harness belts). The HANS device needs the over shoulder full harness, preferably with 5-6 fixing points. This device is a well race tested and track proven neck and head injury saving device, and well worth the money.

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

• Your Club’s MGCC CSCA Round is NEXT on the 14th August 2019 We need drivers and volunteers, so please give Max Wasson or me a call!
• The following CSCA Supersprint is: Triumph Owners  – Sun 10th November ROUND 7 at Wakefield Park.

Please contact max Wasson or myself for the Supplementary regulations and Entry Forms for future Supersprints, or Rusty Nut racer events, if you wish to give your car a good hard run in a controlled environment!

Motorsport – Give it a Go!