Silverstone is the venue for rounds eight and nine of the John Cooper Challenge over the weekend of 7/8 August. With two races on the challenging International circuit at the Northamptonshire venue, the John Cooper Challenge will be one of the headline events at the MINI Festival.

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 moved to races at Donington Park, Castle Combe and Croix-en-Ternois in France. The racing has been action-packed throughout, with close battles all the way down the field. Now, the drivers are focussing on Silverstone, which will be one of the biggest events of the season.

The top of the S Class is becoming a tremendous contest between Martin Wallbank and Arthur Forster, and Wallbank currently has just a one-point advantage. Already this season the two drivers have enjoyed some mighty battles and that will surely continue at Silverstone. However, this is far from being a two-horse race and 2003 champion Mark Speller is leading the chase of Wallbank and Forster, and Mark will be even more determined to take his first win of the season.

Other strong S Class contenders include Andy Sayle, Nick Smith and Rob Holgate, while father and son pairing James and Darren Needham are also in the class.

There have already been five different winners in the Club Class, but after a dominant weekend in France it is former single-seater racer Gary Robertshaw who is moving ahead in the points' contest. Paddy Murray shot to prominence with two fighting drives at Castle Combe and is now second in the Club Class from Stephen Campbell and Barney Craggs.

James Whelan, and Graham Parsons are other front-runners in the Club Class, while lady racers Rachel Owen and Susan Cox will be taking on the men. Rachel currently heads the novice category after an excellent start to her racing career!