The John Cooper Challenge is the official race series for the MINI in the UKand is now in its fourth season. The packed twenty-seven car grid is splitinto two classes, with eight 210 bhp Works MINI Cooper S and nineteen 133bhp Works MINI Cooper cars. This season the JCC has taken a step up instatus by joining the prestigious Formula 3 and British GT package ofracing. Every round of the challenge is televised with a standaloneprogramme on Sky Sports.
David Shepherd (20, Sandbach) and Gary Viney (37, Brighton) both producedperformances that belied their novice status. Animation student, Davidshocked everyone with an incredible third place in Round Two; beating somemuch more experienced drivers.
Barney Craggs (34, Clapham) who was third in the Club Class championshiplast year, made his intentions clear with victories in Rounds One and Two.Craggs won both rounds at Donington comfortably and also set the lap recordfor the 133 bhp Works MINI Cooper in the process.
Young Stephen Campbell (20, Catford) did his best to turn the excitementfactor right up to maximum by spectacularly rolling his Works MINI Cooperbefore he had even crossed the start line in Round One. The Loughboroughstudent was unhurt and a mammoth overnight rebuild ensued allowing Campbellto take to the start for Round Two.
Both men will be wary of the threat posed by the youngest competitor in thechallenge, 16 year old T-Cars graduate, Freddie Nordstrom (Weybridge).Nordstrom has shown his capability and was only just off the podium with afourth in Round Two. Nordstrom has shown impressive pace in testing and theyoungster's determination to succeed against more experienced opposition isclear to see.
Despite winning the opening rounds Forster will not have it all his own waywith the determined challenge of Andy Sayle (46, Congleton), who wasnarrowly beaten into second place in the S-Class at Donington. Sayle ledboth races only be overhauled in both rounds by a determined Forster. As aformer Radical racer, Sayle is clearly getting to grips with front wheeldrive and has continued on from his strong finish to last season.
Forster showed in Rounds One and Two, that he was in no mood to be beaten tothe title this season. Forster lost out on the title by the narrowestpossible margin by a count back in 2004, having finished level on pointswith Champion Martin Wallbank, and his two wins from pole position in thefirst two rounds of 2005 are a clear statement of intent.
The North-East will be well represented at Croft by last season'schampionship runner-up Arthur Forster (37, Newcastle) and restaurateur AlanTaylor (48, Newcastle). Novice racer Taylor, who races in the Club class putin two creditable performances finishing just outside the top 10 in RoundsOne and Two at Donington.
Croft circuit in North Yorkshire will play host to Rounds 3 and 4 of theJohn Cooper Challenge on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th May, with spectatorsand TV viewers guaranteed plenty of the trademark door to door MINI Cooperracing. The double-header promises the continuation of some epic battles upand down the grid of twenty-seven.
John Cooper Challenge Rounds 3 and 4
