A KIWI MINI CHALLENGE TAKES FLIGHT AT PUKEKOHE

This Saturday some 16 anxious Kiwi drivers and one German wildcard will line up on the starting grid for their first race in the inaugural New Zealand MINI Challenge series.

Thanks to support from Castrol, Dunlop Tires and international MINI partner, Valeo, the MINI Challenge is a new racing class in the Mike Pero Motorsport Series, kicking off with the first of the seven rounds at Pukekohe Park Raceway on November 4th.

The MINI Challenge will see seasoned professionals taking on promising newcomers in identically specified MINI Cooper S racing cars with John Cooper Works performance kits.

Based on a standard MINI Cooper S, the Kiwi MINI Challenge cars are identical to those racing in the European MINI Challenge series with an sealed engine, supercharger and six-speed gearbox that produces 145kW.

The MINI Challenge joins the Parker ENZED NZ V8s, Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Toyota Racing Series, MTA Formula Ford championship and Nichibo Production Racing class on the premier Tier 1 summer motor racing programme.

Car preparation, plus driver skill and experience will be the only factors making the difference on the track.

A six car team run by Auckland based Motorsport Services comprises a number of seasoned Motorsport campaigners.

Bridgestone Porsche 2002 champion Tony Houston will drive the GJ Gardner Homes MINI #88, another former Porsche pilot Jeff Hogg will do battle in the Opti Flex MINI #3, while novice Gavin Yortt will be found in the Squawking Magpie Wines MINI #11.

David Gregor is another Motorsport Services team member who will compete in the Golden Homes MINI #22, accompanied by team mates Kevin Cantwell in the  MINI #6 and former Targa Porsche pilot and full time Auckland golfer Will Selles in MINI #2.

The five car team run by the highly respected Auckland based International Motorsport team will include young guns Antony Pedersen (son of NZV8 racer Paul Pedersen) in the J.A.Russell MINI #96 and young Auckland karting champion Richard Moore in the Scutum MINI #10.

Former Porsche GT3 driver Mike Morton will now pilot The Mad Butcher MINI #85, accompanied by team mate and karting champion Neil Forster in the Pak 'N Save MINI #52. Former Targa competitor Ross Hill will try out his form in MINI #20 for the International Motorsport team.

There are number of individual drivers from different regions of New Zealand contesting the MINI challenge.

Auckland Super GT driver Gavin Dawson will lead the charge in his Scaxletric MINI #50 closely followed no doubt by former Toyota Racing Series champion and Timaru farmer Brent Collins in his PDL Electrical Solutions Mini #44.

One Mainland driver looking for a New Zealand title to add to his impressive collection is Christchurch businessman Wayne Timms who will compete in the Import Direct Limited MINI #30. Timms will have another local competitor Gary Johnstone to contend with in his Hendrix Bourbon MINI #52.

Another independent Kiwi competitor is Eddie Bell who will compete in the ESWA  Radiant Heating MINI #69 while experienced racer and German national Peter Sharmach has shipped his MINI #27 all the way from Europe just to compete in the New Zealand MINI Challenge.

The MINI Challenge acknowledges support from other sponsors including John Cooper Works, KW Suspension, BBS Wheels, Coke Zero, and Cannon Signage Concepts.

Gentlemen start your engines, let’s MINI!