Upgraded machine soars in Kirkpatrick’s hands
Sam Kirkpatrick claimed four wins from four races at the MG Car Club’s seasonopening Donington Park meeting as he brought his newly upgraded MG ZR 190 out for competition for the first time.
Youngster Kirkpatrick previously competed in a ZR 170 in MG Trophy’s
Class B, but for 2020 has converted the car to compete in the frontrunning class. On the ‘new’ machine’s debut – and with minimal experience of it – he took two decisive MG Trophy wins. It then got even better for Kirkpatrick the following day as he piloted the same car to two dominant Cockshoot Cup victories.
“The car’s got better as the weekend’s gone on because we’ve learned,” Kirkpatrick said. “We’ve never before managed the double win! Four, you can’t do much better!”
Fred Burgess was Kirkpatrick’s closest challenger across the races, finishing second in both MG Trophy encounters and keeping Kirkpatrick honest, despite a quick spin on oil late in race two. Burgess was another in new machinery as he also stepped up in class to race his dad Jason’s ZR 190 after an engine failure in his usual 170 in Friday testing. This meant a frantic Friday round trip to get the car ready, and the young Burgess had only half an hour’s experience of the 190 prior to qualifying.
Ollie Neaves was another in new kit in the BCV8 championship, after he overhauled his MGB to return to frontrunning Class D – having previously switched to Class C on cost grounds. And Neaves, just like Kirkpatrick, immediately took two wins despite only half a day’s shakedown in the car as well as nursing “a massive brake vibration” in the races.
“When I won the championship in that [Class C] I just felt the need for more speed, it just had to be done!” Neaves said. “It took me about two years to slowly accrue all the parts, got there in the end and it paid off.”
Reigning Metro Cup champion Jack
Ashton was yet another in upgraded equipment at Donington, with a bigger engine (see panel, right), and he immediately joined fellow Metro GTI runner Mike Williams in a fight for MG Cup victory. Williams won the first race, while the pursuing Ashton retired with gearbox failure, but roles reversed in race two as leader Williams quit with a suspected wheelbearing seizure. This left Ashton well clear, but there was late drama as he lost power, possibly related to overrevving having selected the wrong gear with his unfamiliar new gearbox entering the Old Hairpin on lap one, but he just held on to win.
The Metro Cup shared its grid with the MG Cup, and Tim Shooter narrowly beat the returning Mark Eales to win the first race after Richard Garrard retired with a fire due to an oil-pipe split. Both Shooter and Eales hit problems in race two – Shooter with his engine and Eales with his stopping power – and Dan Willars bagged victory.
David Morrison looked on his way to Midget and Sprite race one victory, but his Midget developed a misfire under a late safety car. This let Richard Wildman close in then pass for first just before the flag. Morrison’s misfire was still there for race two, and Wildman won again.
Noted historic single-seater racer Jonathon Hughes was another taking a car to a debut triumph at Donington, easing his Jaguar E-type to victory in Equipe’s opening sprint race (see panel). Mark Holme in his Austin-healey 3000 MKII won the other sprint race, while the Equipe three-hour relay was won by the ‘50 Shades’ Lotus Elan pair of
Cliff Gray and Stephen Bond.
Roger Whiteside in his +8 was first home in both Morgan Challenge races, but
was disqualified from the opener along with three others for yellow-flag infringements, which meant Andrew Thompson – who Whiteside battled with throughout – took victory in his ARV6. In race two, Whiteside rose from the back to take a narrow win.
Mini Miglias, Libres and Se7ens shared the track in the Challenge races, which featured plenty of typical pack racing. Miglia champion Aaron Smith won twice, while Dan Lewis and Robert Davis took the Libre wins and reigning champion Jeff Smith and Spencer Wanstall split the Se7ens victories.
Elsewhere, Tony Seber in his Wolseley Hornet Special won both Triple M races.