The MG Owners’ Club Race Championship celebrates 45 years since the idea was plotted, with a rich history and partnership with the British Automobile Racing Club dating back to 1980. The first season followed in 1981. For those not old enough to remember or for those of us who need a little refresher, Margaret Thatcher was PM, John McEnroe shouted “you cannot be serious” at an umpire, the first London Marathon was held, and the UK won the Eurovision song contest thanks to the efforts of Bucks Fizz. How times have changed!
In its sapphire year, we opened the history books with championship promoter Jim Baynam who was there in the early days and instrumental to the continued success of the series in recent times. We look back and celebrate the cars to have proudly displayed the Morris Garages emblem and rolled out of the retrospective Abingdon and Longbridge factory gates.
We go back in time to the early eighties – the start of an exciting decade and to March 1980 in particular. With Going Underground by the Jam dominating the airwaves – we hope this sets the score we delve into the history books. Jim helps us recount how it all began.
“Back in 1980 – the MG Owners Club were looking to bolster its numbers and drive membership numbers and the racing idea was explored, as had been done by other one-make car clubs. It was March 1981 and I had decided to start motor-racing and bought an MGB race car off some guys in Hounslow who had previously entered it in the 1980 Willhire 24 Hour race at Snetterton. I was already an MGOC member and heard that a meeting was being held in a pub to discuss the way forward in starting a race championship. I hadn’t yet started my racing career but was intrigued and who can say no to a trip to the pub so I went along primarily listen and learn. Lots of ideas were mulled around, cars, regs, circuits and the Club decided that they wanted to promote a racing championship but didn’t know quite how to organise it and pull it together so the BARC was mooted as the place to approach to help us organise something and the rest as they say is history ! ”
From that first initial meeting, things moved very quickly, with the BARC playing a major part in setting up Technical Regulations and dates for races for the inaugural season starting at Brands Hatch a few months later on 7th June 1981.
“From small acorns. There were eight cars on the grid for the first race. It was a slow burner but entry levels increased to 15, then 20, then 25 and then over 30 and by the time we got into the mid and late 1980s it had really taken off!”
In those early halcyon days the grid was made up mostly of the MGB and Midget, but there was one car in particular that moved the championship onto the next level. The arrival of the MG Maestro…
“In the latter part of the 1980s cars that were coming off the Austin Rover production line were perfect for racing. You had the Metro, Montego and in between them both – the Maestro. There was an evolution. People who had MGBs discovered the Maestro was a good fun car that offered a bit more speed and performance and when one person buys one and does well… that just started a trend. So much so that for a few years in the late eighties we had a separate grid for the Maestros.”
The grids swelled – all filled with the great and good of the British road going MG models. It was a sight to behold in national racing up and down the country. Robb Gravett… heard of him? He started his racing career in the MGOC championship and won the Championship in 1985 then moved on to Production Saloons before being crowned British Touring Car Champion in 1990.
The evolution didn’t stop with the Maestro. Competitors started to look at the next best thing. The MGF was launched in 1995, the nimble, rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car offered another challenge and performance edge on the much loved Maestro. That was swiftly followed by the MG ZR at the turn of the millennium – bringing us up to date with the car that has provided close and exciting racing for over 20 years.
“What is great about the championship – is that there is a home for all of these as we look back down the line. In 2025 we have our history book coming to life. We have representation from all periods of the 45 years with the MGB and Midgets standing the test of time. With historic racing really taking off in this country, people are always talking to me about our MGs and the older cars in particular.”
So why is the format and the championship still popular today?
“I don’t think there is a single answer really. We have a grid split into thirds. Two thirds are MG ZR160 and the other third is made up of Midgets, MGBs, Maestros and the MGF. The guys with the older cars love racing for class honours and keeping the history of the championship and cars alive, while the MG ZR really offers a fantastic car to go racing in. One of the most fun and budget friendly front-wheel-drive classes in Club level motorsport. Cars with 170bhp are a lot of fun and you can buy a competitive and ready to race ZR160 around £6,000 – making it very cost effective entry into the exciting world of Club motorsport.
“We keep things simple – that is a big strength. Back in the eighties, the British Production Saloon Car Championship was immensely popular. When we got going in 1981 we wanted to follow suit with our cars based on production, road going models. Other series went with higher spec regs, but we have stuck by our principles over the 45 years – with a few refinements to keep up with the times. Our aim is to offer cost effective racing and encourage newcomers into the sport. We have seen a lot of new faces in 2025 alone and now we even have two generations, with fathers racing with their sons and daughters – which is great to see.”
The MG Owners Club always have packed grids – and the blue riband weekend of the season was at Thruxton in June for the Retro themed event.
“2025, I think has been one of our strongest in the last 20 years. We had 42 cars entered for the Retro meeting at Thruxton, this was the biggest single grid we’ve ever had in our 45 years which was very heart warming to see.”
Going forward where does Jim see the series going – how do you build on what you have?
“People come and go. We have at least 10 drivers who have raced with us for over 20 years and they go and tell their friends, who tell their friends and they come along to watch and like what they see and they decide to come and join the fun. It’s a great form of promotion.
“When the MG Car Club decided to pull out of organising race championships, we put the hand out to those competitors who still wanted to race their MG’s. Some were initially sceptical as they were used to running to slightly different technical regulations, but they have gradually moved over to us and are enjoying life in the MGOC Championship.
“In 2025 we have gained several drivers from other championships and recruited a number of new drivers including a couple of youngsters and three brothers all of whom chose to join MGOC for their debut season. These new faces have increased the entry levels and added new impetus to the championship and will guarantee the ongoing success of the championship for many years to come. We look forward to seeing how the championship plays out this year and of course we are already looking at 2026 which will be 45 years since that first race meeting at Brands Hatch way back in 1981.”
For more information on the MG Owners Club Race Championship – head to www.mgocchampionship.co.uk or contact Jim on raceteam@mgownersclub.co.uk
