The 2004 John Cooper Challenge is a sell out after 30 drivers committed to the series in record time. With only 30 places available for the coming season, the series organisers have now created a reserve list to cope with on-going demand.

John Cooper Motorsport has been hit by an avalanche of demand for the racing version of the new Works MINI Cooper S. In barely a month from the launch of the 200bhp racer for the John Cooper Challenge, all ten available cars were sold. The 200bhp, 140mph Works Cooper S will compete in the MINI S Class Championship, running alongside 20 of the existing cars in the MINI Clubsport Championship.

"Since we unveiled the Works Cooper S at Goodwood at the end of November, we have been inundated with demand, both from existing JCC competitors looking to upgrade and from people new to the championship," reports Mike Cooper. "I am delighted that, for the third year running, the Challenge is a sell out."

Priced at £26,000, the road legal Works Cooper S includes a raft of John Cooper Works modifications. Major changes include a new, bigger supercharger, a new cylinder head and revised exhaust system, taking the standard Cooper S from 161bhp up to 200bhp at just under 7000rpm.

A reserve list for the 2004 season has now been created. Anyone interested in joining that list, either for a Cooper S or a Clubsport, is encouraged to make contact with John Cooper Motorsport on 01903 784784 as quickly as possible.