Midgley’s Ford Success
John Midgley was a name on the lips of many at Hampton Downs over the final weekend of the Speedworks Motorsport Championship Series. Not only did he bag his first podium in the main game BNT NZ Touring Cars, in his Ford V8 SuperTourer, but he also claimed the top step of the podium in the first of the Central Muscle Car races, aboard his Ford Falcon XE.
Group2 Updates
At the last CMC AGM, there was plenty of discussion about Group2 and how to differentiate it from the more modified vehicles of Group1. That discussion included times and weight as well as various other options.
As a result, and after much debate, the committee has decided that, from the beginning of the 2017–2018 season, Group2 will run on the 245mm-wide tyres that are available from Hankook, not the 275mm ones that most vehicles are using at present. Theoretically, this should help to increase the speed differentiation between the classes that has been eroded over the past few seasons.
A New Challenger
The team at Mitchell Race Xtreme are once again busy building a Group1 championship contender, this time for the Ross brothers of Cambridge. The car, which will incorporate aspects learnt from the recently completed Neiman Camaro, and benefit from MRX’s years of experience and attention to detail, will run all the standard-fare MRX parts, such as a chromoly cage and fabricated suspension componentry.
A Nascar-sourced 358ci Dodge engine has been secured and mated to a New Zealand–made TTi H-pattern five-speed gearbox. The bodyshell is a reproduction item sourced from Restoration Performance Centre, allowing the build to commence with a straight and rust-free platform.
At this stage, the crew are keeping tight-lipped on the finished look for the car, merely stating that the obvious choice would be to build a Sam Posey replica. However, since there’s already one of those in the CMC field, they’ve turned their thoughts to an equally well known, yet decidedly different, look. All going to plan, the driver will be in the car for testing before the 2017–2018 season commences.
AGM Approaches
The CMC AGM is rapidly approaching. This is the perfect place for anyone interested in joining the series not only to meet and greet other competitors, but also find out about any upcoming rule changes that may affect vehicles currently in the build. Scheduled to take place in Wellington over July 8–9, the event will have a large social component, including a prize-giving dinner. If you’re keen to get involved, email centralmusclecars@gmail.com.