Round 5 of the ACEquip sponsored 'Cockshoot Cup' was run at the popular and fast circuit, 'Oulton Park'. Once again we must extend our thanks to Allan Patterson for his race report, but first lets read the 'Motoring News' version of events: 'The final race of the day at Outon Park brought out the Acequip Cockshoot Cup field, with the exception of poleman and reigning champion John Hewit who was trying to fix a leaking rocker gasket. A terrific three-way battle ensued from the start, with David Ecob taking the initial advantage from John Paul-Ivey and Chris Groves. Ivey took control on lap three as groves lost ground, leaving Ecob to challenge Ivey. At the start of the final lap Ecob shot ahead. Despite attempts to fight back, Ivey had to take the flag 0.30 seconds behind.' Motoring News

 Acequip Cockshoot Cup - 10 Laps
1.. David Ecob......(Midget)
2.. John Paul Ivey..(Midget)
3.. Chris Groves....(Midget)
4.. Ian Hodkinson...(MGB Roadster)
5.. Andy Storer.....(Midget)
6.. Arto Kesterlian.(MGB Roadster)

Overall Fastest Lap: Andy Storer 1m 12.23s @ 82.73mph

Class Winners & Fasrest Laps
Peter Harrison (Midget)....1m 19.41 @ 75.25mph
Mark Ashworth (MGB Roadster)...1m 14.08 @ 80.66mph
David Ecob (Midget)

Now for Allan Paterson version from inside his race car!:

How fast can you change a complete back axle on an MGB?
Well if you ask Graham Jones after Saturday's efforts at Oulton Park the answer is about three hours. Graham has had his concerns about the back axle on his car for a couple of races now but at Oulton it finally decided to give up the ghost on the penultimate lap of practice but not before he had secured sixth spot on the Standard Class grid.
Despite what I thought were very tricky conditions (it rained as we gathered in the assembly area but stopped again before we went out) I managed to get third spot on the grid behind this years usual contenders of Ian Wright and Peter Harrison. Bill Hewitt was fourth and an increasingly confident Andrew Bentley in fifth spot. John Hewitt was on outright pole in the modified class followed by John-Paul Ivey and an ever improving Chris Groves. Mark Ashworth buoyed by a superb result last weekend at the Nurburgring 8 hour race (1st in Class and eighth overall) lead the road going modi! fied class from Steven Cartwright, third up and a co-driver in Germany with Mark was Mike Entwisle.

Despite being on the programme with the TVR Tuscan's by all accounts (mainly from the race marshall's, who know what they are talking about) the ACEquip race was once again the most entertaining of the day. However as we were last race of the day many of the spectators had already left and missed it.
For me it was my worst start of the year followed by my best drive. Regular readers will know by now that my starts are legendary in their atrociousness (if that's a word!) but my effort on Saturday is quite possibly my worst start ever. From third to ninth at Old Hall things got worse at Fosters as I passed Richard Sapcote for eighth and got punted by Paul Newton, who later apologised for his over ambitious manoeuvre. After the spin I was fourteenth out of fourteen and fifty yards behind the pack. So began the pursuit of my life with eight laps of the race left and fourteen cars to pass.
To be honest the next few laps are a bit of a blur as I was determined to do as well as possible, it ! was a case of "take no prisoners".
The two bits that do stick in my mind was using the modified class leaders as they lapped me to get passed Peter Toes as they ruined his entry to Old Hall and then on the following lap keeping my foot down as Mark Prutton had a wobble and lost it going down to Cascades a big thank-you to Jim Dodson for taking avoiding action onto the grass, otherwise Mark would had hit him and come back across the track to be T-boned by me. So I finished in sixth place having passed eight cars in eight laps. Peter Harrison beat Bill Hewitt to win the Standard Class closely followed by Ian Wright. Graham Jones was fourth so perhaps I shouldn't have lent him my spare back axle after all! John Hewitt failed to start the race and by all accounts a titanic battle in the modified class was eventually won by David Ecob just three tenths ahead of John-Paul Ivey. Mark Ashworth had a comfortable win from Steven Cartwright.

So everyone is off to Silverstone next weekend for the MG Car Clubs great weekend of racing, sprinting concours etc. well worth a visit if you have never been before. I say everyone but actually that's not true, Mark Ashworth, myself, Andrew and Simon Bentley along with six other enthusiasts are off to LeMans, all hoping Martin Brundle can do the business for TWR and Toyota.
So enjoy Silverstone if you are going.
My next race report will come after the next Oulton round on the fifth of July, on the long circuit, quite easily the best race track in Britain and as Alain Menu says probably one of the top three tracks in Europe.
Allan Paterson

You can E-mail your thoughts or comments to me at AllanPaterson1@Compuserve.com

Cockshoot Cup Round 2 (12th April)
Anglia Phoenix (6th April)
Snetterton (5th April)
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