Mini lovers will have a ball at the next meeting at the Castle Combe Circuit on Bank Holiday Monday, May 31 when the APi/Vanitec Computers Mini Racing Festival hosts four races for Britain's favourite small car.
Two of the races are for the traditional Mini spectators have enjoyed watching at Castle Combe since 1962. Although the current Mini Miglia and Mini Se7en championships did not exist then, nine Minis entered the saloon car race in June 1962, the Se7ens first appearing in 1966.
Tim Sims was in a class of his own in the 1000cc Se7ens at Castle Combe last year, winning by an unprecedented 13 seconds. In the 1.3 litre Miglias, Kelly Rogers fended off the attention of all the men to take a characteristically narrow victory from pole man Peter Baldwin.
The other two races are for the 'BMW' Minis, via the John Cooper Challenge. This year the cars are slightly more powerful, now boasting 133 bhp, whilst there is a separate class for the supercharged Cooper S, these pushing out some 200 horsepower. Two, twenty minute, races are scheduled.
One of the most popular additions to the sports racing car scene over the last few years has been the Radical. These motorcycle engined devices are known for their speed and super handling and on Monday there will be two 40 minute Enduro races and two 20 minute 'BiDuros'.
The Dunlop Radical Enduro races involve a driver change with outright circuit lap record holder, Nigel Greensall, currently lying second in the standings behind Nigel Redwood, the two Nigels sharing a number of race wins between them in their 1.5 litre SR3s.
The shorter BiDuro races are for the slightly less powerful SR4 and Clubsport cars with Chris Storey and Tony Freeman being a couple of race winners in 2004.
Bradford on Avon's Ed Moore is doing his best to emulate Michael Schumacher with his performances in the Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford 1600 Championship.
Like his German counterpart in the Ferrari, Moore has dominated every race in 2004, even managing to win on the couple of occasions he has not claimed pole. Like Schuey, Moore even drives a red car, a Van Diemen RF01, which also appears to have a useful advantage over its rivals.
Newbury's Pat Blakeney and Chippenham's Tim Reynolds remain Moore's closest challengers, though Chepstow's Nick Jones has upset the grid on a number of occasions, qualifying and racing his Pre '90 Noveos Class C Reynard RF89 at the sharp end. He's currently joint 3rd with Reynolds in the overall championship.
The season for Bath's Bob Higgins has been a bit of a rollercoaster, with some fantastic podium places along the way. The veteran multiple champion races on a shoestring, turning up on the day without the benefit of testing, but often as not is in amongst the action.
Castle Combe's Andy Jones and Saltford's Steven Jensen are other significant locals expected to run in the top half dozen.
The National Mobile Windscreens Castle Combe Saloon Car Championship has Bristol's Mark Wyatt heading the points after his victory at the last round in his immaculate 2.0 litre Astra. Bristol's Nick Mizen was an early leader last time in his Class A Rover Turbo, whilst Cardiff's Tony MacWhirter not only won the under 1400 cc Class C, but finished 7th overall too.
Midsomer Norton's David Mears was unlucky not to win Class B at the last round after having to pit from the lead when his Peugeot 205 Gti's bonnet pin came loose.
The circuit's Special GT championship supported by Krayem Design, Moonraker Forklifts and Tile Store is likely to be heavily Jade orientated again with the Jade Trackstar of Mike Roberts probably unbeatable if results to date are anything to go by. Chippenham's Russell Spence has had a highly successful start to his debut year in Class C in his Radical SR3 as has Christopher Lake from Devizes in class B in his Nemesis RME 97.
The Stealth B6 GT of Tetbury's David Krayem is a ground shaker of a car with its awesome 6.6 litres of Chevrolet power. A new local entry is Westbury's Shane Marshall in a 1.6 litre Mallock MK28.
Monday's meeting, organised by the British Racing and Sports Car Club, starts at 8.30 am with qualifying, racing getting under way from 12.30pm.
Admission prices are £12 for adults, £6 for OAPs, £2-50 for paddock transfer, whilst accompanied children under 15 are admitted free.
For further information, visit the Castle Combe Circuit website on www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk built by Racecar
