MG Car Club SA’s Joy Pearson on her driving passion, lap around Mallala Motorsport Park

Joy Pearson may be 99 years old and begrudgingly surrendered her licence last year, but that hasn’t stopped her enjoying a hot lap in her pride and joy at Mallala. See the video.

Joy Pearson has seen the world from the front seat of an MG, and she wouldn’t change it for a second.

The MG Car Club of SA matriarch has been honoured with a special lap around Mallala Motorsport Park for the club’s first Ladies Day.

The 99-year-old lapped it up as granddaughter Cara Pearson navigated her red 1966 MGB around the track which she would have rather driven herself.

But it was a thrill for Mrs Pearson to be back in the same car she and her late husband drove around Australia multiple times, racking up countless miles over a 50-year love affair with the classic cars.

And all without a radio in the car.

“You’ve got to sit in one and drive it around to realise it is completely different from any other car,” she said.

“You feel quite special when you’re sitting inside any type of MG or any other of those older cars, and there’s just a magic about it – and the people you’re meeting when you’re travelling around in one.”

Joy Pearson with her MGB at Mallala Motorsport Park. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Joy enjoyed a special lap around Mallala Motorsport Park on Sunday. Picture: Brenton Edwards

At 99 – and still a bit annoyed she had to surrender her licence just last year – the car club matriarch recalls the first club meet in Ballarat that ignited her love for the classic vehicle.

“There were over 100-odd MGs of all shapes and sizes and I was rather impressed and thought, ‘oh I wouldn’t mind one of those – they’re rather nice’,” she said.

“So we came back to Adelaide, sold the Kingswood and bought the MGB.

Joy has a long-held love for MGs. Picture: Brenton Edwards

She thinks the cars truly are number one. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“Unfortunately the MG is a bit of a disease in as much as once you start, you cannot stop.”

She promptly sold off the Kingswood, bought her first MGB, grew the collection to seven over the years, and been to 26 national meetings around Australia, winning the concours “many” times.

The couple also completed two rallies in South Africa, and others across the UK and the US.

It’s too many gear changes to count, but that’s another thing the club pioneer wouldn’t change.

“I don’t like automatic cars – you don’t feel that you’re driving,” she said.

“When you’re in a car with gears, four on the floor as they called it, you feel that you’re driving and you’re in control.”

Joy in her MGB at Mallala Motorsport Park. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Mrs Pearson’s son Anthony first introduced his parents to the MG in Ballarat in 1977 and they joined the next year.

She has driven competitively at Mallala in both sprints and motorkhanas, in hillclimbs in Collingrove, and attended international meetings.

Beyond the love for the vehicle, it’s the warmth and friendship she found at the MG Car Club that helped fuel her passion.

“The club members here in Adelaide are particularly good, and they’re always looking out for you and thinking of you, and welcoming you,” she said.

“And one thing, one of the nice things I rather like is when I go to a general meeting is all the hugs and kisses I get.

“I love that.”