By that time [1930] hardly anybody thought of the M.G. Car Company as builders of large well appointed and relatively expensive motor-cars. They had won fame with a bewildering array of Midgets, Magnas and Magnettes, and achieved so many successes in races, trials, rallies and record breaking………….

M.G By McComb 1978 ISBN 0-85045-598-7 pp 77.

The MG Car Club was founded way back in 1930, it was initially formed to keep members appraised of developments within the factory and updated on new cars, plus a few organised dinners etc. Among the membership were some famous drivers/owners who regularly took part in trials and races at Brooklands, Dundrod etc. Whilst the factory refused to get involved in racing directly; via the Club it would happily provide all the necessary competition parts and fit them to members’ cars, so that MG would be well represented at the various circuits and trials courses.

Ultimately the MG Car Club would be permitted to run its own race meetings under what was the RAC (now MSUK) and therefore it developed a number of championships unique to the Club. Among these championships were The MGB C V8, The Cockshoot Cup, The Midget Challenge, The MG Trophy, The Metro Challenge and many others. As such the club provided an entry into motorsport for hundreds of drivers, including yours truly. I recall some drivers who went on to much greater things; Rob Huff and Robb Gravett, to name but two. But the thing about racing with the MG Car Club was the cameraderie, always a good laugh in the paddock no matter where we were racing.

The MG Car Club continued the competiton tradition with its club championships. In the 60s the Club’s annual “International Race Meeting” at Silverstone would be televised by the BBC. I first attended this meeting in 1986, there was a Club dinner in the evening and a full day of racing on the old “Club” now “National Circuit”. Inevitably there was pressure to increase the size of the event so in the mid 90’s it became a weekend meeting with racing on both days. There would also be the California Cup gymkhana, a Concours D’elegance and an auto jumble. The meeting morphed into what became MG Live and in my opinion became an MG centric historic festival, and it coincided with the Le Mans 24hrs.

_{The author at the Silverstone MG International Event 1992. Photo: Steve Jones}

“the club provided an entry into motorsport for hundreds of drivers”

The Club’s various championships have found homes with other organisers, the Midget Challenge runs under the auspices of the CSCC, the BCV8 Championship is now run by Equipe Classic Racing the BRSCC has taken over the Metro Challenge and so the Club has no direct circuit racing connections anymore.

Now, after many years, the Club has taken the decision to cancel MG Live. It has already stopped organising race events, although it does still arrange sprints and hillclimbs plus non competitive track days. The decision to cease racing was based upon cost, unsurprisingly running MG Live without indigenous races would present a major challenge. 

It is a sign of the times. The competitors are retiring or finding that motorsport, even at club level, is becoming far too expensive. The need for annual medicals, constant updates to safety gear, all adds a financial burden on to the individual. So, sadly something has to go and what is an expensive hobby goes first. 

So, farewell MG Car Club racing and MG Live. MG members will now enjoy road trips and various gatherings where, no doubt the conversations will turn to the heady days of watching MGs racing in front of MG enthusiasts.