Midland Centre Summer Sprint - August 2025
The weather forecast turned out to be accurate for a change, which allowed Clerk of the Course Neil Smith to make a sound call to break for lunch at 12.45pm.
Shortly afterwards it tipped down. Neil stood in for Simon Morris who was hors de combat and unable to make the meeting. There were other light showers in the morning, which made track conditions less slippery for some as the sun did its job.
Some glitches with timed runs after second practice started to emerge, with considerable delay building. Curborough operates a statutory first engine start-up at 9.00am and a curfew for noise of 5.00pm, which all events must observe. Time marched on and it became evident that second runs would not be completed before the curfew deadline. C of C made the wise decision to close the course at 4.00pm. All cars had completed their first timed runs. After a quick chat with Dave Russell, Sprint Co-ordinator, the drivers agreed that the awards should go ahead using single run times.
Once again, we collaborated with the Shenstone and District Car Club, our good friends and hosts for more than 50 years for both Summer and Spring sprints. This time we used the figure of eight 1,608 yards course, which is even more of a technical challenge than the shorter option. We had 61starters of whom 29 were MGs, another good turnout.
We kicked off with a bunch of newcomers in MG ZRs. The fastest was Richard Banks with 81.78. Must mention Declan Clarke, who clocked 81.62 and won the best 14-16-year-old Young Driver award.
The class for Roadgoing MGs was on wet laps, with the ZR shaving the legs on the TFs: success for regulars David Coulthard and Helen Waddington on 84.75 and 89.37 respectively.
Martin Lunn's Roadgoing modified 1330cc Midget, on his favourite figure of eight circuit, won with 78.04. Jeff Marsden's 1350 TC was second on 79.04, followed by Kevin Lahert's TF 160 with 79.33.
Modified series production cars up to 1400cc was a win for Steve Barrow, now in a 999cc Fiesta, having forsaken his larger Clio. He set69.51, with Graham Harvey, 1380 Mini, on 70.50. The fastest up to 2 litre car was Paul Glendenning's Clio, at 69.34. Lee Willars, 1994 ZR, was a whisker off in 69.47; he is more used to the wet, having been British Hovercraft champion no fewer than eight times. Lee Bradford's 3.4 Cayman did 66.86, whilst Anthony Ashcroft's 1600cc 241bhp Mini hustled him with 67.96.
Charlotte Ward in her Mazda Eunos ran 65.50, winning both her class for modified series production cars and the award for the Fastest Lady. Very satisfying; she pipped Dad Andrew by .02 sec, doesn't get much closer than that!
Fastest Time of the Day by any vehicle (FTD) - The John Arrowsmith Cup was awarded to Michael White, OMS CF, 55.32. FTD by an MG badged as an MG, driven by an MG Car Club member – The Kimber Trophy went to Lee Willars, MG ZR, with 69.47.
The winner of the fastest pre-1956 MG at both Midland Centre Sprints in the year, badged as an MG, driven by an MG Car Club member, awarded The Kjell Qvale Trophy, was David Morris, MG TC, with 75.48 plus 39.7 from the Spring meeting, a total of 115.18.
The winner of the fastest post-1956 MG Midget at both Midland Centre Sprints in the year, driven by an MG Car Club member, was awarded The Ernie Foster Trophy: Martin Lunn's MG Midget, 78.04 plus 37.73,total 115.77.
It is a pity that we had to abandon early for circumstances outside our control, but most important to abide by statutory regulations too. Many thanks for the forbearance of all our competitors, who accepted the decision with good grace.