MINI CHALLENGE SERIES - DAY TWO AT RUAPUNA. The Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway at Ruapuna Park near Christchurch is a motor racing circuit that is a favourite amongst all drivers due to it's technical challenges. Good to see Keeley Pudney,  who was 2nd in last year's Championship, having his first outing in the single seater Toyota Racing Series category.    Going into this 3rd Round Taupo's Craig Innes leads with 345 points from Wellington's Simon McLennan on 316 and Hawkes Bay's Gavin Yortt on 292. After two practice sessions on Friday there was a pattern emerging.  Simon McLennan was fastest by less than half a second over Craig Innes who was just over half a second in front of Gary Johnstone. There was nothing between the next three of  Brent Melhop, Gavin Yortt and Clarke Hopkins. Barry Calder had 'touched' one of Ruapuna's notorious walls and was in for repairs.  Mark Maddren was out on Lap 3 with a mysterious misfire. This morning was Qualifying at 10:30.  Mark Maddren's misfire was diagnosed as an engine replacement and he would miss the Qualifying session.  There was nothing in it and the top 5 was: Simon McLennan, Gary Johnstone, Craig Innes, Brent Melhop and Clarke Hopkins. The Race was scheduled for 2:40pm and Mark Maddren would make it to the grid.  Last year we all remember Richard Moore's sickening roll on the back straight, through the corner 'pothole'.  Barry Calder does exactly the same thing, clipping the inside corner which pitched him into a four times roll - one of them end to end. Calder is okay, which is testament to the safety of the MINI, despite the rollcage taking an impact on the front left.  Remembering these cars are left hand drive and the damage is extensive. The race is red flagged and later restarted with a rolling start in Qualifying's race order. Simon McLennan led from the re-start to the finish with Gary Johnstone just 2:292 seconds behind.  McLennan would also set fastest time of 1:39.708  Craig Innes sat in 3rd until Lap 5 when he dropped to 4th, then 5th and back to 4th - he was jammed in 4th gear. That elevated Brent Melhop to 3rd.  It was very unusual that Gavin Yortt was off the leader's pace. It was a hot sunny day with two more races tomorrow. END Alan Henderson / HH Media P.S.:  Do you want to win a MINI Drive Day at Pukekohe Park Raceway with A1GP NZL's Jonny Reid ?  Race the BE THE DRIVER online game to win:  www.bethedriver.co.nz

MINI CHALLENGE SERIES - DAY THREE AT RUAPUNA. Round 3 of the MINI Challenge Series continued today at the Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway at Ruapuna Park near Christchurch today.  In case you are confused, Saturday's report was MC29 and not MC26 as per the subject line. Race 2:  Craig Innes changed a gearbox overnight having been stuck in 4th gear at the end of Race 1 but it wasn't until 10 seconds into the warm-up lap that he discovered a drive-shaft had been broken and his race was over. At just on 10 in the morning and the air was still cool and that would help the super-chargers on the MINIS. Simon McLennan got away nicely and led to the flag on lap 8 and in doing so broke the lap record with a 1:39.084.  In fact four cars were under the old record of 1:39.500. 2nd place went to Gary Johnstone and 3rd Brent Melhop.  Gavin Yortt was 4th and Clarke Hopkins 5th. Race 3 was just before 2pm and was the reverse grid.  Mark Maddren led out with Craig Innes starting at the back of the field.  Clarke Hopkins was through at the back of the circuit at the infamous 'pothole' corner. We have seen it before in MINI Challenge but six cars were in a freight train with nothing between them.  Craig Innes used his drafting skills and picked them off one at a time.  This was the most exciting race of the day and on the last lap Innes was through into 2nd.  He had a go at Hopkins on the last corner but had the door closed on him.  1st was Clarke Hopkins, 2nd Craig Innes, 3rd Mark Maddren, 4th Simon McLennan and 5th Brent Melhop. Innes had the fastest lap of 1:39.263 which was not far off the new lap record set in Race 2. Whilst the class numbers are down across all categories it is the MINI Challenge that still produces the closest racing.  Seven cars had crossed the line with just under 3 seconds covering them after 12 laps and plus 20 minutes of racing.  Comparing 'apples with apples', the Production Class the top 7 were covered by 32 seconds and in the Suzuki Class it was 18 seconds. MINI Challenge's Race Commentator and Driver Instructor said "The reward system of weight ballast works and so strong is the attraction of such close racing that should 'dialogue' be successful we just might see another five cars enter the series at the next round in Timaru on 09 January." So the podium and overall points after Round 3 are : 1st        Simon McLennan            Wellington         520 points 2nd       Craig Innes                   Taupo               466 3rd        Gavin Yortt                    Hawke's Bay      430 4th        Mark Maddren                Auckland           351 5th        Brent Melhop                 Wellington         334 We will have images for you on Monday. END Alan Henderson / HH Media