SECOND GENERATION SHORT FINALLY CONVERTS HIS MG PACE INTO GLORY
Having led each of the first three races of the season, Morgan Short finally claimed his maiden win in the MG Cup’s second contest at Oulton Park.
After qualifying his MG ZS on pole position in the wet, race one would be Short’s first-ever dry laps of the circuit. He lost out when Mike Williams’s Rover Metro outdragged him up Clay Hill on the first lap and was determined not to make the same mistake in race two. As Williams drew alongside, Short held firm and Williams dropped time as he ran onto the grass. But Williams fought back and latched onto the leader after Short clobbered Neil Burnett’s Metro, which lost drive exiting Knickerbrook, making for a nervy finish.
“I knew that as long as I had some grip and the engine was still working I could defend from him,” said Short. “I had a great race with Mike. He’s a great competitor and he’s a good sport.”
After a yellow flag infringement in qualifying, Matt Simpson charged from the back of the grid to third – having managed fourth in the opener – while Mark Eales twice took the honours in the concurrent Metro Cup.
Ollie Neaves was a double victor in BCV8 but was hampered by a poor tyre choice for the opener which he won only after Neil Fowler fell off on the final lap and a penalty for jumping a restart cost Simon Cripps victory by less than 0.25 seconds.
Sam Kirkpatrick and Fred Burgess continued their battle for MG Trophy supremacy, Kirkpatrick coming from behind to win race two – as the pair traded lap records – after a slightly more comfortable earlier success.
Ray Collier won both Cockshoot Cup encounters as Keith Egar’s tyre gamble in qualifying left his MG Midget twice battling to second position from mid-grid.