TASSIE MINI CHALLENGE

  Grant Denyer was a jubilant winner of Round Two of the 2009 MINI Challenge at the Falken Challenge at Symmons Plains Tasmania, narrowly edging his teammate Paul Stokell out for the points advantage. 

Denyer made a critical move to pass Stokell in the dying stages of Race Three to claim second place which was enough points wise to grab the round win - even though the winner of the race was livewire Sydney racer Chris Alajajian. "It's so good to go well," grinned a delighted Denyer post race, "I wouldn't have believed I could do this eight months ago (Denyer injured his back in a Monster Truck incident which resulted in almost a year of recuperation) but it's a tremendous feeling to be back in good form." Chris Alajajian sped his Standox Astuti Motorsport John Cooper Works entry to the race win, avenging the spin he had in Race Two earlier in the day. "It's great to win here," he smiled, "we had good car speed and these cars are tremendous to drive. I'm pleased we could get the win."

Paul Stokell was dead unlucky not to win the round, despite having a win, a third and a third for the weekend - not to mention pole position from qualifying. "It's been a great weekend for us when you consider we had the CV joint and then engine mount issues. To get a 1-2 for Bill Gremos and DecoRug Racing is a very satisfying result. Well done to Grant and also Scott (Bargwanna)."

Scott Bargwanna too was delighted with third place overall. "We started off slowly with turbo problems but the car was very quick for most of the weekend and I'm pleased for the guys at ROCK that we can deliver a podium position here in Tassie after the disappointing start in Melbourne."

Fourth home was Jonathan Webb in the Motorline MINI Garage machine, leaving nobody in doubt that the talented young Sydneysider had come to grips with the MINI Challenge 'challenge'. Webb had battled for much of the race in a fantastic five-car squabble between Scott Bargwanna, Denyer and Stokell. John Modystach improved dramatically in the Prosurv car, finishing a career (so far) best sixth place - a pleasing result considering the fact that he crashed out in practice and was struggling a bit with confidence as a result. Seventh home was another big improver in Queenslander Brendan Cook in the Transquip Hire #43 entry from the Motorline MINI Garage stable.

Launceston based Dunlop State Distributor Bill Fulton was again consistent in the MOTUL Oils #8, notching another top eight result and gaining more experience each time. "I've driven and ridden a lot of things over the years but the MINI Challenge cars are a different discipline and require a different style. I'm learning as I go but the weekend is running out," he'd quipped before Race Three. Brendon "BJ" Cook was able to bring the ROCK car home in 9th ahead of the unlucky Steve Bradbury in the UBER Star car in tenth. Bradbury was sixth for almost the entire race but struggled with getting the car into second gear coming into the final version of the hairpin. "It was disappointing because I could have easily held down sixth," he admitted, "by the time I had tried for the fourth time to get it into second four guys had driven past."

David Stillwell brought the Stillwell MINI Garage entry home in eleventh whilst the hapless Nathan Caratti was disappointed to watch from pit lane when his Glory Team Construction #10 overheated as a result of complications from Race Two earlier in the day. RACE TWO Grant Denyer bounced back with determination to narrowly edge out Scott Bargwanna after the pair duelled for several laps. Bargwanna had improved his lot dramatically from earlier in the weekend when he had turbo issues, but the ROCK Energy Drinks sponsored Sydneysider was a spirited race leader for much of Race Two and certainly had every chance to greet the chequered flag first. Denyer's aggressive corner entry paid off in trumps as the DecoRug Racing #95 moved from fourth to first and came home 1.026 seconds ahead of Bargwanna. "That was really fun," admitted the winner, "I went out there with a fair dose of angry pills but I really enjoyed it. These cars are such fun to drive. It's great to finally get a win."

Bargwanna was pleased to show good car speed. "I needed to make the car a bit wider," he joked, "I couldn't quite keep Grant out. The track was a bit slippery in places, especially in turn one where there was dirt on the racing line and that nearly caught me out a few times." Third home was a distant Paul Stokell who had changed the CV joint the night before (after he won Race One) but struggled with a similar issue throughout Race Two. "I felt it go on the warm up lap," conceded the points leader, "so it was a case of bringing the car home and keeping some points." DecoRug Team Engineer Ric Kemp reported post race that they had diagnosed the real issue shortly after. "We found a broken left hand front engine mount," he explained, "we have that fixed now though so the car is going to be a rocket again for the last race." Fourth home was Chris Alajajian who recovered from a spectacular spin in turn two when he overcooked it. "Cold tyres," he lamented, "I made a mistake and went in too hard on cold tyres."

Fifth place was the colourful David Stillwell in the BIB Stillwell MINI Garage entry ahead of impressive Tassie veteran (and Stillwell team mate) Bill Fulton in the MOTUL Oils #8. Brendon Cook was ninth ahead of Jonathan Webb who suffered gearbox issues (the car was jammed in second gear) on the warm up lap, but still put in some spirited laps late in the event.

The two Brendan Cooks ironically got together on the opening lap when the Queensland Brendan Cook late-braked and made contact with the Sydney Brendon Cook (confused yet?) with both spinning as a result. "As far as I was concerned it's a racing incident," said Brendon "BJ" Cook, "I got hung out to dry by the cars in front and Brendan came in a bit hot. That's what I think happened anyway."

Motorline Brendan Cook had to retire the Transquip Hire entry with damage whilst "BJ" Cook took the ROCK Energy Drinks #97 on to an eventual 8th. West Aussie gun Nathan Caratti suffered engine issues that disappointingly took him out of contention for the lead. Caratti's Glory Team Construction #10 was a definite chance for the race win before he had to retire on the main straight near the flag stand. Denyer's win set up a front row battle for the final race between team-mates Stokell and Denyer with the duo identical on points - Stokell gets the nod for pole position because he was faster in qualifying. Stokell now leads the Championship from Team Mate Denyer with two drivers tied on third place!

ROUND POINTS

 Grant Denyer 162 Paul Stokell 156 Scott Bargwanna 132 Chris Alajajian 129 Jonathan Webb 114 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS Paul Stokell 300 Grant Denyer 213 Scott Bargwanna 207 Chris Alajajian 207 Gary Young 129

This weekend's racing will be televised on the Seven Network on Saturday, June 13 at 1.30-2.00pm. The next round of the 2009 MINI Challenge will be held at the inaugural Townsville event on July 9-10-11, 2009.