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A Compilation of Competitors in "All MG" Racing since 1986
Compiled by Nick Gough
This is Release 2 of this database and associated report, prepared at December 5 2004.
The year 2005 is the 20th year of "All MG" Racing by the Racing Register of the MGCC in Victoria. The first "All MG" grid at a Victorian state race series race meeting was on March 16 1986 at Calder, and there have been "All MG" grids at Victorian state race series meetings every year since, as well as at various Historic meetings held in Victoria.
A list of MG Racers who have competed on those "All MG" Grids over the past two decades, the cars in which they have raced and the number of race meetings at which they have entered on "All MG" grids is presented on this web site. Not surprisingly this list is almost certainly not quite 100% comprehensive - for reasons outlined below - but it will be updated as further records are identified and as you the reader bring information to my attention.
Available records from all relevant race meetings since March 1986 have been reviewed and individuals recorded as competing at a race meeting according to the following criteria for inclusion. Criterion 1 must be met, plus one of criteria 2a - 2c:
1. To be recorded as having competed at a race meeting, an individual must have got out on the track in their car in at least one race or qualifying session at a race meeting that meets one of the criteria listed below. DNF'ing is OK, but DNS'ing does not warrant inclusion.
2. To be included, the competitor must meet one of the following criteria:
a. Competing in an MG or a Sprite on an "All MG" grid at a Victorian state race series meeting, whether conducted in Victoria or interstate (eg VSCRC Round 1 in 2004 was conducted at Mallala in SA).
b. Competing in an MG or a Sprite on an "All MG" grid at a race meting known to be part of the MG Road Racing Competition, whether conducted in Victoria or interstate (eg a round of the 2002 Penrite MG Road Racing Championship was conducted at Wakefield Park in NSW).
c. Competing in an MG or a Sprite on an "All MG" grid at a Victorian Historic race meeting.
In addition, entry of MG's on non MG Grids (eg Marque sports grids or Historic category grids) has also been compiled, but is not the subject of this report.
Where available, the type of car in which a driver raced is noted, although not for each and every separate race meeting, so that a profile of cars raced by an individual over the years is developed. Further, various awards and sundry accolades earned over the years by MG Racers have also been included.
The following sources of information have been used:
1. Race records from the Natsoft web site. Relevant Natsoft records go back to 1998. But note that from 1998 - 2001, the Natsoft web site records are incomplete and not all records from relevant race meetings may be found.
2. Reports in the MGCC journal Wheelspin back to 1986. Note that these reports are highly variable in their content. Whilst often a complete results table is given, sometimes there is only a narrative race report. Whilst many race reports seem to be comprehensive, in many cases the text of such reports is clearly incomplete - eg a report may start along the lines "Fourteen foolhardy racers faced foul weather at Phillip Island ……" but only 10 names are to be found in the article. Some race meetings don't get mentioned at all. 1997 is a particularly lean year for recorded information - if you have any additional race records for this year (or any other year for that matter), it would be appreciated (eg programmes, or print-outs of race results). Despite this, considerable information is available for every year, and thus the likelihood of missing an individual completely is very low. Underestimating each person's racing frequency is the more likely and undoubted shortfall.
From this compilation, a total of 229 different MG Racers is identified who have competed at least once on an "All MG" grid during the period from March 1986 up to the end of the 2004 season (the Sandown Historic meeting in November). A listing of all 229 of these MG Racers sorted in alphabetical order is attached.
This list of competitors includes some 40 individuals from interstate: 22 from NSW, 12 from SA, 3 from WA, 2 from the ACT and 1 from Tasmania.
This list of 229 MG Racers sorted into rank order of participation in "All MG" race meetings is also attached. From this it can be seen that the most active competitor in "All MG" Racing by a long way is Mort Fitzgerald who has competed in 70 (at least) "All MG" Races, followed by a tight bunch comprising Mike Herlihy, Paul Trevethan, Robin Bailey, Neil McDowell and John Smallman who have competed in 40 - 44 (at least) "All MG" Races. Forty eight individuals are recorded as having competed in only one "All MG" Race, and indeed the modal value of "All MG" Races competed is 1, with a median value of 5.
Thirty four racers competed in "All MG" racing in 1986, the inaugural year of "All MG" racing in the MGCC Racing Register. Of these, five were still competing on the MG grid in 2004, and a number of others were competing until recently. A tabulation of those thirty four pioneers from 1986, along with a further 15 who started "All MG" Racing in 1987, is attached. Note the brief appearance by Lou Molina Snr in 1987.
A section on this web site is being prepared and will be launched shortly in which more details of each of these MG Racers, including a picture where available, number of races competed, cars raced and accolades earned, will be presented.
Additions and corrections to this database are most welcome - please contact Nick Gough on 0419 309 548 or 9859 3759 or via email at thegoughs@ozemail.com.au.
I am particularly grateful to David Mottram, Mike Herlihy, Neil McDowell and John Baragwanath for conversations, reminiscences and the loan of old records, copies of Wheelspin etc.
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