Britain's best loved home grown car, the Mini, is having its 50th birthday celebrated with a weekend of motorsport action in its honour at the CastleCombe Circuit's Dunlop Great and British Motorsport Festival, on July 18 and 19.
Launched in August 1959 as the 'Morris Mini Minor' and Austin Seven', the Mini quickly established itself as a world beating competition car. In 1966 two championships known as Mini Miglia and Mini Se7en were devised as a low cost way for Mini enthusiasts to race their beloved cars. It quickly developed a reputation for incredibly close competition and is as healthy today as it has always been.
Castle Combe became a natural home for the Mini formulae, its long sweeping bends offering plenty of slip streaming action over the years. Spectators will be enjoying no less than five Mini races over the weekend, three of which are for the latest 'BMW' MINI, in the form of 20 minute races on Saturday and Sunday for the Cooper and Cooper 'S' variants. Kevin O'Connor from Cardiff is one of the new drivers this year, currently lying 4th in the novice class and 5th in the overall Cooper section.
The Se7en and Miglia races feature two drivers from Gloucester, Darren Thomas and Owen Stinchcombe, the latter the 2008 novice champion. Staying with the Mini theme, clients of Wellsway MINI of Bath can enjoy a lap of the circuit in Sunday's lunchtime Mini parade, shortly after an autograph session in the paddock featuring the MINI Challenge drivers.
It's not just about Minis though. As well as visiting championship races for production based saloon cars, Radical sports racing cars and Westfields, the circuit's own three championships will be providing the local intrigue and excitement which is their trademark.
The Formula Ford 1600 Championship entered another phase of interest at the last double header meeting in June when Class B reigning champion, Felix Fisher, from Bridgwater broke the winning streak of championship leader Ben Norton from Bratton. Having qualified his relatively elderly Swift SC92 onpole, Fisher hounded Norton all weekend, the Spectrum driver eventually making a mistake and handing the youngster victory. With another 4 rounds to run, 20 points between them and another 120 potentially available, it will be another classic Castle Combe Formula Ford fight to the finish.
Just to make their lives even more interesting, there is a plethora of otherlocally based talent waiting in the wings to depose them. Teenage sensation Marcus Allen in the Gloucester based Kevin Mills Racing Swift, Castle Combe's Andy Jones in the Ray, Saltford's Steven Jensen in the Swift and Bradford on Avon's Ed Moore are all capable of taking valuable points andwill provide the closest of dices whilst doing so.
In the class for cars built before 1990, Cirencester's Tom Margetson took his first class win at the last round after a run of second places and is in a strong position as the season enters its second half
The Castle Combe Special GT Championship sees overall points leader Mark Funnell from Trowbridge with a formidable challenge to his previous omnipotence, his nimble Lotus Exige now under attack from the Mitsubishi Evos which have moved over from the circuit's saloon car championship. With two defeats at the last weekend meeting from Gloucester's Laurence Kilby and Melksham's Simon Norris, his points advantage is now looking rather slender.His biggest threat to the overall title could be from his home town of Trowbridge, Andrew Shanley racking up the results in his Radical Prosport after some impressive battles with his Class B rival Simon Tilling, in the more powerful Radical SR3.
In the National Mobile Windscreens backed Saloon Car championship, Jason Cooper from Yatton Keynell has taken his Class D Fiesta to a clear pointslead over his rivals in the other three classes after a scintillating battle with Bath's Olly Lewis in the Peugeot at the last round. Both cars emerged somewhat battle scarred, but certainly entertained the crowds. Expect more this time around.
Reigning champion, Will Di Claudio from Chippenham, was also in the thick ofa battle of the 106's for Class C honours at the last meeting. The three evenly matched cars fought tooth and nail only for Di Claudio's car to retire with drive shaft failure. The win went to Bristol's David Kift, with Yate's Nick Charles also retiring with engine failure.
Class B sees another trio of West Country drivers as close as close can be.Bridgwater's Tony Dolley is on top at the moment in his 206, but Ditcheat's Kevin Bird in the powerful SEAT Leon Cupra and Bristol's Mark Wyatt in the Astra are not far behind
Up front, the astounding pace of the Mitsubishi Evo's will be a sight to behold, that of Gloucester's Laurence Kilby potentially the fastest of the mall if it stays in one piece. The weekend gets under way on Saturday with qualifying from 08.45, racingfrom 12.10. Sunday starts with qualifying at 09.00 with racing from 10.45.The MINI Challenge Autograph session runs from 11.30 to 11.45, followed by abreak for lunch, with Mini parade laps at 13-00. The afternoon's racing re-starts at 14-00.
Admission prices on Saturday are £8 for adults, with OAPs £4 and Children and Paddock Transfer free. Sunday's charges are £15 for Adults, OAPs £7.50 with children 'FOC'. Paddock Transfer is only £2.50, or free on all advance bookings.
An advance two day pass is available for £20, OAPs paying only £10.
More information available on-line at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk built by Racecar
