Monday, April 06, 2009

MGs at Brooklands - 5 April 2009

MG Ys and Ts on displayOnce a year the Brooklands Motor Museum designates a day as MG day and the grounds are over-run with all sorts of MG models. Although most of the old Brooklands track, the first custom built motor-racing track in the world, has long disappeared under office and industrial parks along with the Brooklands airfield, the home of British aviation; the museum preserves and pays homage to the brave pioneers who led the early developments on the ground and in the air.
A T tackles the hill climbA beautifully prepared MG

It seems such a shame that the great banked track, once used for speed and endurance records could not have been preserved but A TF wiats for the Midget to complete its climbthe steepest part of the track, banked nearly 29 ft high, the finishing straight and the test hill remain. The test hill was opened for those brave MG drivers who wanted to be able to say that they had "done it", no one had a watch so no hill climb records were broken. The hill starts at 1:8, then 1:5 before becoming 1:4 for most of its length.

230mph around BrooklandsThe only way to drive Brooklands these days is in the simulator, hooked up to a 1996 Mclaren Mercedes in the F1 exhibition. I managed to post 3rd on the leader board for the day, a mere 0.2 seconds behind the leader. Lewis, watch your back!

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