Plenty of V8s at Castle Combe!

RV8 of John Yea was a welcome sight qualifying in ninth place on the grid for the Club's Total Butler Championship race.

Motor racing at Castle Combe is in many ways a step back in time to the spirit and style of club racing some 30 years ago but the meeting on Saturday 16th September 2006 was very much alive and exciting. Many of the Club's motor racing championships were there including the BCV8 competitors. The sight and sound of fully modified V8s in full cry passing the pits and storming down to Quarry corner was nothing short of mouthwatering. The races were all close and full of action.


Roy McCarthy's modified MGBGTV8 was stunning and very quick on the straights with the narrower rubber but was at a distinct disadvantage in the corners against the fully modified MGBGTV8s on wide slicks. It was fascinating to see how he used every skill he has gained over more than 35 years of competition to contest several events.


Adrian Beer's fully modified MGBGTV8 prepared at Houghton has an impressive powerplant. He came second to John Wilson (MGBGTV8) by only 0.822 of a second in the A1 Drivers BCV8 Championship supported by Jones Motorhomes race. It was a truly amazing and tightly fought race - far better than the dull F1 races seen on television plus you have the roar of the V8 engines.


Malcolm Gammons won a thrilling MG Trophy race for MG ZRs and TFs where he moved up from qualifying fourth on the grid to third, then second and then in a well though out move on the tricky high speed left hand approach to the righthand Quarry corner, popped through on the inside taking a straight line for his heavy braking. It was a race characterised by good driving skill, with none of the roughhouse driving seen in some of the recent rounds of the championship.

BCV8 Championship - how did it begin?

Report 16.9.06: Victor Smith
V8 Register - MG Car Club


Mike Breedon, a longstanding V8 member from Yorkshire and an active member of the BCV8 Championship, was competing with the ex John Tadman MGBGTV8 with its distinctive paint scheme.


Mike Breedon's MGBGTV8 driven by Joe Partington for the Thoroughbred Sportscar Championship race rounding Quarry Corner.


Roy McCarthy won an exciting Henry Recruitment Thoroughbred Sportscar Championship race against a highly modified TVR Griffith with a spectacular passing move. Bunching of the field during a period with the pace car on the track enabled Roy to get up close and contest the lead for a second time.


Malcolm Beer, a longstanding V8 member and former Club racer in his wild younger days, was supporting his son in the modified MGBGTV8.

Howard and Pat Strawford were celebrating 30 years of dedicated service running the Castle Combe circuit. Considerable investment has been made and the place has such a genuinely friendly and pleasant feel to it. Well worth visiting!