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For the second year running the MG Owners club held their National event in conjunction with the CSMA Classic Festival at Brands Hatch. This is a large event and the MG's provided most of the classic interest in the main part of the arena. Due to the nature of the circuit it is hard to get all the cars together - this meant that other car clubs were place on the far side of the circuit which necessitated  a lengthy walk to view them. A large collection of Lotus' were present in this area along with Triumphs and MX5s. The largest number of cars belonged to the MG enthusiasts and these were parked outside  and near to the main entrance of the circuit but were seperated from the MGOC marquee and exhibition. This was largely due to lack of space and restrictions on movements within the site which meant cars could not be moved between 8am and 6pm. 

The CSMA organised a full programme of racing for the weekend including several races with MG interest alongside the motorcycle , historic touring cars, productions saloon, mini sevens, formula ford and many more race series. This meant a very full paddock and it was great to walk amongst all the cars being prepared for the track and some being repaired after mishaps on the track. There were two action packed races in the Lancaster Insurance MGOC Championship for classees A, B, F and Z and MGs also featured in the Colonnade Residential Thoroughbred Sports Car Championship - Roy Mcarthy taking a resounding victory in his BGT V8. Over in the depleted field of the Euroboss championship (ex F1, F3000, F Nippon or CART cars) 18 year old Scott Mansell took the track by storm smashing the lap record once in qualifying with a sub 38 second lap and once in the actual race setting a new lap record of 38.03 seconds. How long before an F1 team snap him up ?

Elsewhere at the festival there were several displays by local main dealers displaying the latest BMWs, Chryslers, Renaults etc. A huge collection of breakdown vehicles seemingly dominated by On Time recovery did a lap of honour and were on displaying righting overturned oil tankers etc. The Dorking Autos huge customised and beautifully painted award winning truck drew a lot of attention from the crowds. 

In the arena there were displays of motorcycle riding and Big Pete smashed old cars with a massively wheeled monster truck. Lots of large inflatables for the kids, Go Karting for the bigger kids, side stalls selling everything from model cars to candy floss, the track shops all open selling racing memorabilia. 

Up in the skies there were several air displays from aerobatic teams and an anti terrorist attack by the Royal Marines whilst later the RAF Falcons parachtue team dropped in.

Lotus put on a good display of ex F1 racing cars driven by the likes of Ayrton Senna, Emmerson Fitipaldi , Graham Hill and Jim Clark . On the saturday Damon Hill could be seen driving his dad's old car around the track in feisty fashion. 

In between races the MGOC MGR was driven around the circuit in parade laps and was joined by the SVR on occasions - The SVR putting in a sneak appearance before it's official unveiling at the Birmingham Motor Show.

The MGOC put on an exhibition of cars from the past 80 years of MGs on Road and Track. In the marquee you could find everything from the oldest MGs to the latest MGF and some cars of historic racing interest. Particularly of note were the two Tigresses - the only two survivors of this rare model brought together.

There was a small MG autojumble outside for those that like to collect MG bits  but notably absent were several of the main MG specialists. The Octagon Car club put on a small display of some of the older cars and sold their regalia from a marquee. 

Out in the MG parking all types of MG were present but mainly the ubiquitous B and an increasingly large turn out of MGFs -  where have all the midgets gone ? Noticeably in the car park the X power type logo is also spreading across the bonnets and wings of more and more cars including some of the older variety as well as F's and Zeds.

Overall an exciting and interesting day however one small niggle remains - the actual MGOC is but a small part of the overall CSMA event - I can't help but feel that they may really want to be THE main event rather than part of another event. Also it would be nice to get the MGs parked together near the MGOC rather than outside the circuit on their own. I gather some bits did go missing from some of the cars. Other than that it was an excellent event and even the weather smiled on them for the whole weekend !.