Cooper Car Co. Survives 24 Hour Test

Four crashes in treacherous weather conditions did not stop a determined team of ten Cooper Car Co. mechanics from bringing both of their Works MINI Cooper S charges home against the odds, in the gruelling Nurburgring 24 Hrs race this weekend (June 12/13). Despite a promising start to the race for both cars, the succession of shunts soon took their toll on the machinery, rendering the result immaterial and survival the only goal.

Car Number 104, piloted by Italian Touring Car ace, Roberto Ravaglia, Rolls Royce Chairman, Karl-Heinz Kalbfell and experienced racer, Paul Harvey was the first of the two patched-up cars home, having completed 73 laps of the 24.36km circuit and having been involved in no less than three heavy contacts, with competitors struggling to come to terms with the conditions.

Team principal, Mike Cooper was proud of his team's staying power at the conclusion of the epic:

'It is down to sheer hard work and obstinacy that we've managed to get both cars through the race - not that they look much like they did when they started! It was a non-stop ordeal for the mechanics with running repairs, but a fantastic effort.'

The most serious repairs were reserved for Car Number 103, which managed to limit its accident count to one, but one very big one, necessitating wholesale repairs including a mid-race head gasket change.

Despite the engineering, and a specially-developed engine, standing up well to the test, it was the succession of dramatic weather changes that undid the team's good work. Dry spells were regularly punctuated by heavy showers, testing racers to the maximum as they nursed their cars back to the pits for repeated tyre changes.

Cooper was philosophical after the race:

'It has been a great experience - not the challenge that we were anticipating - but certainly a great test. The important thing is we've managed to come through it, just about intact, and we've had a lot of fun.'