An Introduction to Rusty Nuts Racing

The Rusty Nuts Racing group is a wonderful group of drivers within the club, who meet at the intersection of MGs and motorsport and get together to stretch their MGs’ legs in all manner of different sporting and social events.

Peter Rose recently contributed an excellent story about them to the April 2018 edition of Opposite Lock. If you have any interest in participating in some sporting events in your MG, or are just looking for new ways to enjoy your car and meet new people, read on!

Rusty Nuts Racing

Thanks to Peter Rose

The Rusty Nuts Racing group has grown out of the membership of the MG Sydney Car Club Sporting group. Friendships with competitors from Hunter MGCC and the Newcastle MGCC have given the RNR group a true “multicultural” constituency that is always evident in the activities of the group.

With the tragic loss of Gerry Graham and the retirement from competition of Tony Todd, Robin Swann, Don Beck, Graham Leese and Peter Butler, the younger more vibrant members of the WFRD group have merged into this loose eclectic gathering of enthusiasts. Most of whom have been involved in historic racing, Regularity and Super Sprints for many years. The name of the group reflects the status of the ‘NUT’ behind the steering wheel and not the condition of the MG.

As witnessed at numerous events and display days, members’ MGs are presented in pristine condition and have been highly developed to enable them to perform competitively under all conditions in numerous events.

As with those club members who restore their MGs to concourse condition, no expense has been spared on many of these cars to keep them in a competitive state.

Over the years most of this development has been done with the assistance of Geoff Morse and his talented mechanic Richard Caller at Peninsula Sports Cars. A number of these MGs run with highly enhanced engines, gearboxes, suspension and brakes.

There is nothing more rewarding than exercising an MG in events like the MG Classic Rally and the Alpine Classic Car Club Rally. Up to 900 kilometers over a weekend on wonderful country roads, this being a shared experience along with fellow classic car enthusiasts.. fantastic! The same can also be said for the camaraderie and exhilaration of competing in a regularity team event at Wakefield Park.

Members of the group come from all regions of the state, and have over the years seen a need to support each other and to propagate events that suit their cars and driving ambitions.

Whilst the majority are from Sydney and the Central Coast, others are from as far away as Port Macquarie, Goulburn, Canberra and Junee. As they and their cars get older, the desire to continue to exercise them in a fast manner is still burning. Friendships built throughout the years at the club have encouraged them all to keep in touch with each other and to continue to compete in suitable events with like-minded members.

Members of the group also provide knowledge support for new and older participants. The group includes mechanics, engineers and retired NRMA Road Service supervisors such as Robin Swann and Don Beck. Along with those members with an accumulated knowledge of historic MG sports cars, the community knowledge of the group is an asset and all are willing to assist other members in need.

It is pleasing to see that many new members have joined the group in recent months. Some more than others requiring considerable help in preparation and getting to events. One new member recently required assistance after his tow vehicle broke down on the way to Wakefield Park. ‘Webers’ came to the rescue and provided safe passage there and back to the northern beaches.

The RNR group members have competed at Bathurst, Phillip Island, Winton [Vic], Morgan Park [Qld], Oran Park, Eastern Creek, Wakefield Park, Ringwood, Amaroo Park, Sandown [Vic], Rob Roy [Vic] and the conglomerate that is now Sydney Motorsport Park. They have also been involved in the MG Classic Rally, Alpine Classic Rally and the 50th Anniversary Re-Run of the Around Australia 30 days Ampol Trial (in a Simca Aronde). Plus many rallies organised by the Classic Rally Car Club of NSW and its member clubs.

There is now a desire amongst the group to also compete at the new track developments of Circuit Italia in Newcastle and Tailem Bend in South Australia. Along with these ambitions also comes the desire to look at new mechanical developments for the ageing MGB. As a result of many enquiries, Peninsula Sports Cars has developed what they call an MGB Mx5. The car is currently running and performing well in regularity and super sprints.

The group’s ambition is to compete in a variety of intra-state and inter-state events, thus providing the stimulus needed to get our cars out of the garage and exercise them as they deserve. And might I say, as we deserve. Someone once said, “you are a long time gone from this world”, so enjoy your MG whilst you can.

The events targeted for this year include Historic Regularity; Historic Regularity MG Team event, MG CSCA Super sprint, AROCA One Day Rally, Alpine Classic Rally, Bathurst Light Car Club Hill climb/Super Sprint, Motorkhana at the Illabo track at Junee and the MGCC Display Day. Besides the aforementioned events, many also compete in multiple CSCA, HSRCA, FOSC, CRCC and GEAR events. An updated Rusty Nuts targeted event calendar can be obtained from Steve Perry.

The group also currently meets socially to explore, for example, the Gosford Car Museum and accepts invites to view other private car collections. These opportunities are always well attended and end with numerous enhanced stories over lunch of lap times, events and, of course, spectacular failures.

To be part of this group all you have to do is be a member of a CAMs affiliated club (MGCC) and want to have some fun with your car with like-minded people. As the group participates in many of the eastern states, all are welcome to share the fun. Firstly, check out some of our more active members listed below and send Steve Perry, Geoff Morse and/or Peter Rose an email and we will keep you informed of our activities.

Fellow RNRs currently enjoying our targeted activities are Ian Ashton, Henry Stratton, Colin Ward, Chris Scheffer, Phil Powell, Trevor Bly, Tony Richmond, Chris Hillman, Bob Baldwin, Alan Heritage, Clay Carter, Greg Smith, John Boss, Greg Fereday, Chris Holland, Richard Caller, Richard Rose, Rick Turnbull, Alan Nolan, Kerry Phelan, Vic Clarke (Ros Bastian – honourary) and several others already mentioned above.

It would be very remiss of me not to mention that Geoff Morse from Peninsula Sports Cars provides us with assistance with administration along with, of course, mechanical support for our cars and activities. All of which can be viewed on the Peninsula Sports Cars website here.

Peter Rose