Castle Combe will play host to the fourth and fifth rounds of the John Cooper Challenge on Bank Holiday Monday (31 May). A vast grid of almost 30 MINIs will take to the high-speed circuit for a double-header event in front of the expected bumper Bank Holiday crowd.
A piece of motorsport history has been created this season, with the first ever races for the exciting new 140mph Works MINI Cooper S. This is the third year of the John Cooper Challenge, which was created to honour the memory of the man who developed the original Mini Cooper back in the 1960s. But for the first time in 2004, the superb Works Cooper S is competing alongside the existing MINI Club Class cars in a two-class championship.
Following two speed events to start the season, the drivers were in action for the opening race of the year at Donington recently. It was an action-packed race throughout, with tremendous racing and close battles all the way down the field.
Top of the S Class was Arthur Forster who battled clear of the pack to score an emphatic victory and underline his current status as the man to beat in the class. "The Cooper S is an awesome car to drive," reckoned Arthur after his victory. However, had reigning champion Mark Speller not run into brake dramas at Donington, he would surely have pressed Forster even harder.
Other strong S Class contenders include Lydden Hill winner Martin Wallbank, Andy Sayle, Nick Smith and Rob Holgate, while father and son pairing James and Darren Needham are also in the class. Wallbank, in particular, is determined to take the fight to Forster and Speller at Castle Combe.
Barney Craggs is having a great season to date and has been on the podium in all three events to date in the Club Class; he now leads the championship standings. However, at Donington it was Gary Robertshaw who drove a mighty race to win the Club Class under intense pressure from Mark Drury.
With both Forster and Robertshaw winning, it was a great day for the north-east at Donington and they will both make the long haul south to Castle Combe in search of more success. Other potential front-runners in the Club Class include Stephen Campbell, Ed Stark, Gary Kounnis and Jonathan Shepherd.
So the stage is set for a great pair of races in the John Cooper Challenge. With a packed grid, fierce competition in both classes and a host of potential winners, it should be a highlight of the day's racing.
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