The Castle Combe Circuit’s ever popular National Mobile Windscreens Saloon Car Championship will be featuring a ‘BMW’ style Mini for the first time this year.

What’s more, in keeping with the championship’s original concept of a road going saloon car series, the Mini will be driven to the circuit!

Rupert Crook, a Castle Combe Racing School instructor and owner of Moonraker Forklifts Ltd, based in Cricklade, Wiltshire, has raced in the circuit’s Special GT Championship for over 10 years, latterly in one of the most potent cars in the field, a 3.5 litre V6 Jade Trackstar. Having also driven a Formula Ford in the circuit’s Melton Concrete Products Championship, Crook was keen to complete his hat trick.

“I’ve had too many years getting wet and cold in open sports cars” said Crook, “so I wanted something with a bit more comfort. I shall be lapping some 20 seconds slower than in the Jade but as it’s a road going car I can listen to the radio and turn the heater on if I feel the need!”

The Mini Cooper ‘S’ is an ex John Cooper Challenge car and will compete in Class B for cars under 1800 cc. Crook also hopes to train aspiring race drivers in it with a view to them contending one or two races.

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