Thinking of joining ? Are car clubs more than the cars ?
Written by Brian WilkinsonThinking of joining ? are car clubs more than the cars?
So you’ve been googling around for information on cars or MR2s specifically and you have arrived at the MR2OC.co.uk site.
Firstly welcome, stay for a while and have a look round,
Take yourself back to when you were 14.. The typical day involved rolling around in a field with your mates kicking a ball for a bit, maybe playing on the computer, it's not everyone that sits there thinking "I want an mr2" (with the exception of a few of course!!) this wasn't the case for young Gaz. Mind you anyone who sees a 10th Anniversary in Lucerine Grey at the tender of age of 14 is going to set it in their minds!
Its from this chance meeting that an obsession developed and 9 years later Gaz decided what he wanted, a black n/a rev3 tbar. Now we all can't all be too picky when it comes to buying a classic and there are always going to be things that aren't quite the way we want them or perhaps that we could do without. Learning this the hard way Gaz realised perhaps he needed to broaden his horizons and after 4 viewings he managed to get the black t bar!!! well done mate - you joined the club.
I first spotted a post about a possible meet in the Matlock/Chesterfield area, and expressed my interest as a meet would likely be only an hours run away from me. After a month, nobody had firmed up any plans, so I decided to suggest some plans of my own. With the possibility of some great scenery and driving roads on the edge of the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales available, I found a good starting point was Carsington Water, just north of Ashbourne.
By this point, a drive out was received well by nearly all potential attendees, so I spent any spare time I had the next few weeks on google maps, and google streetview. I finally settled on a route that took in 50 miles of quiet B-Roads that would be relatively traffic free, with only a couple of places where we would get separated.
The first scheduled date for the meet was snowed off, but a postponed date to later in the month rewarded us with glorious sunshine, and the warmest day of the year so far!
I met with a few members from the West Midlands for the hours convoy up to the meet point. We got there early for a nosey around the lake, but started to get a little anxious as the meet time was fast approaching and still no sign of any MR2's! After a good walk around the carparks I eventually stumbled on a group of MR2's - we had parked in the wrong car park! Good start!
After some introductions and a nosey around the other cars, the attendees soon stopped in their tracks at the sight and sound of a yellow F355 entering the car park. The tell tale wing mirrors, soon confirmed our suspicions, but the noise was something that I recognised - there had to be a V6 in there! Indeed there was, a 2GR-FE! We had been joined by a few people from Two Brutal who had shown interest on their forum that I was unaware of. A welcome addition though! I got to have my V6 fix again.
We started out for Tissington Hall, but lost a couple of 'guest' BMW's when we got separated by slow traffic, and my Tom-Tom threw an immediate wobbler, but from google streetview I could remember visually where we had to apart from one junction. Once parked up a quick call and a postcode had them en-route to us again. Then, we headed off for our next stopping point of Hartington, about an hour away and the longest leg of the drive. This is where my Tom-Tom threw another wobbler and had us all turning around in a field! Oops!
The drive took us over the edge of the Peak District through Froghall and Ipstones on some fabulous straights, long sweeping bends, tight winding hairpin bends and some pretty steep hills. Once in Hartington for our next stop, we abandoned the cars where we could (it was extremely busy!) and convened on the edge of the duck pond. A few that got separated, finally managed to arrive safely, and we gained another TB member with a 2GR-FE in a MK1!
We then set out for the final meet point which was the Old Poets Corner public house in Ashover where I had booked us in for lunch. This 45 minute leg saw the straights get straighter, the hills got steeper, the bends sharper, and the scenery more stunning.
We finally all arrived at the end point in glorious sunshine in the narrow streets of Ashover, the exhaust noises bouncing off the stone buildings that lined the streets of the picturesque village set in a small valley. The pub car park was not quite as big as expected, but we managed to find parking on the road (well abandonment again!).
Fantastic day out, and will be repeated for sure. Thanks to all that attended.
"Is it the colour? The ride height? Is that sense of feeling you get driving down the road with the targa top off? Or is it that rush you get when you hit 2500rpm and the boost comes flying in? Ultimately it's what you make it!"
2011 Saw an introduction of a weight restriction so held open weight and light weight categories. The team weighted in at 618Kg out of a 620Kg limit. Known as the MR2 all blacks to the event organisers because of our new black team shirts and from last year’s win. The light weight completion had many entries, the first pull was a surprise as the pull limit was set short and we lost the first end because of the stretch in the rope. After that hick up, the first four teams facing us were fresh meat, no completion to the MR2OC all blacks, every end was ours, and the lightweight team was through to the final after lunch. The lightweight team were against the FTO club in the final, a team with six men and a woman facing our six man team. The first end was tough, very static, the OC supporters screaming support helped us inch the rope backwards. The second end we found it hard to dig in and where pulled forward, Jay injured his knee badly and was replaced with Steve. This was a bone of contention to the other team so an agreement found, the FTO club can have an extra girl. Do they pick the skinniest girl in there club….no, she’s well equipped, so six of us against eight. The support is gathered en mass at the side lines the club is in support the team lines up at the rope, for the third and final end. After what seemed like an eternity of no movement, our forearms are on fire, the crowed is screaming, the rope tightens in the grip of six pain stricken men of men cracking between our fingers, the camaraderie of the loyal OC spurred the team on the whistle blew. The OC supporters go mad, the team take a knee to regain oxygen, and we’ve done it, a double.
2011 JAE MR2OC Tug of War team;
2011 Saw an introduction of a weight restriction so held open weight and light weight categories. The open weight category only had two teams enter AVW and ourselves, so our team went straight to the final after lunch. We win the coin toss the good end is ours, as soon as the command pull was uttered by the line judge the team is into full swing shooting backwards. The second end was the same but even faster, if you had of blinked you would have missed it, the open weight team decimated the opposition.
2011 JAE MR2OC Tug of War Open weight Tug of War team;
The It’s a Knock Out competition works by all the events entered by clubs awarded points for their results then calculated giving an overall winning club. Due to the performances of all the contenders, Tug of War, food eating, football, endurance, go karting and a crazy relay race the club easily beat off any other competition. The prize giving in the marquee was a great feeling, when it was announced that the club had won It’s a Knockout all club members stood up to take centre stage, which was half of the marquee. MR2OC took the silverware home.
There are eating contests and there is the JAE Japanese eating contest. Every year the organisers go all out to find the most putrid food the Japanese produce, in order to feed it to a marquee of crazy car enthusiasts, simple rules, whoever eats all their food first wins. Protock (Red) and Steve (Steve-M-UK) entered representing the club, and on entering the marquee were greeted with the most foul smell of rotting fish. Sat at the table happily grinning to each other wearing the JAE head band, they began to eat the plate of squid, compressed fish and ginger, a load of unrecognisable sticking fish parts all coated in hot wasabi source. Now Red isn’t the biggest of people but he can sure eat, carefully eating in order to have best effect. Red stands up shouts MR2OC and wins beating much larger blokes. Top work, very impressive, please go and brush your teeth.
The endurance event now a highly contested event of JAE was going to be a tough challenge as this year the competitors had two 18 inch alloy wheels to hold out to the side at arm’s length. Justin Smitty and Jez entered, unfortunetly for Justin already carrying a bicep injury had to pull out. That left our Jez, the 7 foot personal trainer. The man to beat in this competition is NPOC’s bear, a goliath of a man who set a stunning time that no one could get close to, until Jez stepped up. Jez was very close, only short from the bear by 3 seconds. A strong man and a strong contender.
Under construction
The world record attempt is for the longest parade of MR2’s in convoy. The main organisation was taken on by Topgun (Mick) who put the day together with organisation on the day from HowlingMad (Kireon) and Chris. Convoys from all over the country converged onto Silverstone to drive around the circuit in a huge convoy. It was an early start to meet up with other members at meeting points then into Silverstone with a car park all to ourselves, after signing on and having a briefing from the officials the cars were organised into colour order by Kireon and Gaz. Three laps of the circuit later and we had completed what we had set out to do. The world record attempt can’t just be attributed to MR2OC, all the MR2 clubs were involved to make this record breaking day happen.
The best club stand at JAE is what every car club aspires to, 2008 at Mersea Island was the perfect JAE. The club stand was next to the beach, the sun was beaming all weekend and we had a lovely marquee with every luxury. But what really made it was the people, we have the friendliest club with warm welcoming people. The JAE officials send people around to all the club stands to judge them, however they aren’t wearing the JAE organisers shirts so nobody knows who they are. Our club easily came top.
The It’s a Knock Out competition was new to 2008, it works by all the events entered by clubs awarded points for their results then calculated giving an overall winning club. Due to mainly Justin Smitty’s faultless performance, as well as the football team, DannyH taking part in the food eating competition and not the greatest year for the Tug of War team, MR2OC took the silverware home.
Another new event for 2008 was the feel the pain endurance, one man, one pole and two tyres either end. The aim to hold the weight of the tyres out in front of you with your arms parallel to the ground, the best time wins. When strength and endurance is required there’s only one man to call, Justin Smitty. Justin held the tyres parallel for what seemed like an hours, muscles began to shack due to lactic acid and then it was all over. Justin had won by a huge margin smashing his opponents easily. Another outstanding performance.
A new event for 2008 was the car pull, simply pull the Nissan cube over a set distance, whoever completes it in the fastest time wins. Simple, no most of the pull was up hill and the car weighing in over a tonne. There’s only one man for the job, the man mountain that is Justin Smitty. Justin watched the other competitors giving it their all and the times tumbling, then had his turn to take the rope in his hands with all the club backing him cheering, Justin was relentless, steady strong steps powering him along like a train, his final time was well clear of anything anyone else could get close to. An outstanding performance.
A year had past with the defeat of 06 still aching in the legs. MR2OC were back at the East of England show ground, Friday night the usual beers and laughs, Saturday the team got together in the club marquee for a training session with a brand new team from last year. A night on the beer again then Sunday the team made our way to the main arena for a warm up followed by the rest of the club in full support. The first pull against some very young people and we were through to the next round. The second pull, the team dug in, worked as a team and in unison pulled our way into the final. Remembering what had happened the previous year and with fresh legs we entered the arena again against last year’s champions the Celica OC. With a team talk and the support and cheers of the club the guys were ready, the first pull was static, neither team giving an inch, stamina won through and the team slowly inched the rope back to the whistle. The second pull the Celica OC were tired and the team dragged them across the arena. At last winners, the hard graft and cheers had got us through.
2007 JAE MR2OC Tug of War team;
This was the first physical competition to be entered by the club, hearing that JAE run a tug of war completion between car clubs, the club wasn’t short of volunteers. After a quick training session with a rope tied to the back of an MR2, we headed over to the main marquee where the humidity would match that of a jungle. The first pull was easy, and unknown club wearing socks. Next up was the Mk IV Supra OC, a hard fought battle that went on for what seemed like hours. The first end came our way eventually, the second went to them, everything went left went into the third and MR2OC was through to the final against Celica OC. Only a couple of minutes rest and back to the rope, a very tired team against a large well rested team. This wasn’t our year being runners up to the Celica OC.
2006 JAE MR2OC Tug of War team;
Aside from the main JAE show and shine competition, the club ran its own. All cars on the stand were entered. The beaming purple TRD replica belonging to Topgun (Mick) won by a mile. Although Mick won due to the cleanliness of the car, those who where there will remember he roped in as many of us to help as possible. A well deserved win.
One of the oldest (serving) members of the club Topgun (Mick) entered the splendid purple TRD replica into the JAE show and shine competition, a very strongly contended competition. After hours in a boiling marquee polishing and careful scrutinising from the officials, Mick received 2nd place.
Another year, another JAE, yes it was September, time to make the annual pilgrimage to the place responsible for many children’s park ride on’s, Wicksteed park lets go. The organisers had worked hard the OC stand looked great, many shinny cars parked up and tents erected. Friday night was no different to any year, a complete blowout beer, music, beer, laughs….er and a hell of a lot more beer.
Saturday dawned on the campers, the sun rose and bleary eyed fold rose to the smell of frying bacon with heaps of tommy K. Wiping the still sizzling fat off of my shirt, ok good to go this day is about one thing, it’s a knock out, a competition entered by many of the car clubs at JAE all eager to win and lift the coveted JAE IKO trophy.