SNETTERTON THE FINAL ROUNDS AND CROWNING 2023 CHAMPION 23RD AND 24TH SEPTEMBER

Class B Dan Ludlow 92 points, Ian Boulton 89 points & Iain Dowler 99 points

Class C Ashley Woodward 105 points, Chris Boulton 85 points & Dave Nixon 69 points

The championship is wide open, a testament to balance regulations and one make regulations which make close racing across the field.

If you race a MG or Rover and you wont close regulated racing drop us a line with cars available for arrive and drive if you want to try.

Drivers and families will celebrating a good seasons racing with a hog roast on Saturday evening.

We will announce next years racing plans and dates shortly.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCORES AFTER 8 ROUNDS

With drop scores (8 out of 10 races count) to be taken after the season finale at Snetterton on the 23rd/24th September its all to play for will be class C or Class B, will be MGZR or MGZS we will wait and see.

The MG Cup celebrates its 35th year in racing, and is coming home to Snetterton the spiritual home of the championship.

RACE REPORT CADWELL PARK – SUMMER MEETING AT MINI NURBURGRING

MG Cup championship leader Ian Boulton was absent from Cadwell Park which gifted a great opportunity those trailing him in the Class B standings. Iain Dowler and Dan Ludlow did not disappoint and they engaged in very intense battles for victory in both races. Just like last year at Cadwell, the modified Class B cars out-paced the race-version Class C machines.

MG ZR-mounted duo Dowler and Ludlow shot off from the front row to lead the way in the first race with Dowler ahead. Dave Nixon meanwhile made a lightening start from the third row in his Rover Tomcat to run third. This aided Dowler and Ludlow as a queue formed behind Nixon for the duration, his pursuers unable to overcome the Tomcat’s straightline speed.

Dowler and Ludlow meanwhile were glued together out front and at half distance Ludlow made his move. Dowler had a little too much understeer through Barn heading onto the start-finish straight and Ludlow was able to dummy him then bravely passed on the outside of the fast uphill Turn One, Coppice.

They remained tied together for the remaining laps with Ludlow staying ahead to win the race 0.5 seconds and collect the Driver of the Race award. Nixon, third home, got the Class C win not far ahead of second-in-the-overall-table Ashley Woodward’s MG ZS 180, who was seeking to take advantage of leader Boulton’s absence.

“First time for a couple of years [that I’ve won],” Ludlow said. “I wasn’t sure as always how we’d get on here but the two test sessions in the morning definitely paid dividends. It was very very close but fair racing, really enjoyed it. Iain’s very quick, there’s nothing between us.”

“I took him on the right-hand side going up the hill. I just slightly had the edge on him going down the straight and I was just hoping that I had a car length to make the manoeuvre and I did so it worked out OK. After that I just managed to keep him behind me although there was a few times when he almost got me back.”

“It’s a new car for me this year and I’m still learning the car. I’m gradually getting better as the season goes on.”

The second race was almost an exact role reversal between Ludlow and Dowler out front. This time Ludlow led from pole with Dowler on his boot lid until just before half distance when Ludlow was balked by a Morgan (from the Morgan Challenge which was sharing the track with the MG Cup) and Dowler had the momentum to get alongside then make another brave pass. 

Once again they remained in close contention for the remainder of the race and survived a scare when they hit oil at Barn – Dowler estimated that his slide put him at a 90-degrees to the barrier! But survive he did and went on to win the race and receive the Driver of the Race award.

After his win Dowler said: “It was an absolutely fantastic race. We both had great starts and went side by side into the first corner, so it was a little bit hairy to start with.”

“Then it was a case of just keep the pressure on him. Dan drove a great race. He just got balked and I got a run on him down the long back straight into Park, its a 90-degree right and I put it up the inside and just stood on brakes until we nearly stopped but we managed to get round. And then it was a case of making sure I did everything right.”

Simon Lowery took the Class C win in race 2
Nixon for much of the way looked good to double up on his Class C win as he again ran third overall, this time with Simon Lowery’s MG ZS 180 close behind. But Nixon pitted late on when a lot of smoke emitted from his exhaust. So Lowery got the class win with Woodward in P2 again.

BREAKING NEWS FOR 2024

News – for 2024 new class structure to the MG Cup.

Building on the success of the championship of the past 35 years, we are adding an additional class which will allow more cars into the MG Cup.

By working with our sponsors Cherished Vehicle Insurance Services and Toyo Tires we aim to welcome cars that are outside of current regulations into class D.

A Road – Standard MG Rover BLMC – Running Toyo R888R

B Modified – Modified MG Rover BLMC – Running Toyo R888R

C Race – Race MG Rover BLMC– Running Toyo R888R

D Slicks – Race MG Rover BLMC – Running Slicks

I Invitation – Invitation Class

Peter Burchill, Chairperson said “we want to make it easy for cars to race with us and fair on current competitors, the championship will once again allow slick shod cars to run in class D.  It also caters for MG Rover BLMC cars that have swapped engines and are outside current regulations.  Several of our drivers have asked for this and we see it as way of guaranteeing our future” www.mgcup.com  See current regulations for more detail of current classes.    

We expect to see MGZR190, MGZS180, MGF/TF190, MG3, MGB, MGC, MG Midget, Rover 216GTI, Metro GTI, Rover Tomcats and welcome some of our Triumph friends to join us….  We will be announcing our provisional calendar shortly.

If you would like to discuss your car and eligibility please get in touch.

CADWELL PARK 30TH JULY

Its not to late to enter…

NEWS COMING SOON RE 2024

Exciting news for the MG Cup in 2024 coming soon…….

CADWELL PARK 30TH JULY

We cant wait…… If you want to join us please DM

JOIN US FOR ROUNDS 7&8 AT CADWELL PARK 30TH JULY

One of the most rewarding circuits in the UK. Lincolnshire countryside and is known as the “mini Nurburgring”, due to its unique challenges among British circuits. The track was almost doubled to 1.3 miles in 1953, when the first car race was held here (500c motorbike-engined Formula 3 class). Cadwell remained on the Formula 3 calendar until 1984. These days the only car races held here are club meetings, but the track’s tight and swooping nature provides excellent racing. If you’re a track day enthusiast, Cadwell Park should be towards the top of your list.