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MINI Challenge revives the KIWI spirit of motor racing. The truly friendly spirit of Kiwi motor racing has returned with the MINI Challenge creating an event that is enjoyed not only by the drivers, but also their family, friends and all MINI supporters. At round one of the Mike Pero Motorsport series held at the Pukekohe Park Raceway last weekend, MINI Challenge competitors, supporters, family members and friends were treated to wonderful hospitality in the MINI Drivers Club & Paddock, while the action was broadcast live on a big screen television inside. The MINI Challenge crew ensured that all drivers and guests were well catered for, while team mechanics ensured that the 17 MINI Cooper S cars fitted with John Cooper Works kits were kept in tip top order for the three race meeting. Renowned for their competitive spirit, respected Auckland racing team International Motorsport are running five cars in the MINI Challenge, while another six-car team is run by Whangaparaoa based Motorsport Services, leaving six independent teams to fight for line honours on the grid. While on track the 16 Kiwi competitors and one German international were focussed on getting the very best performance from their supercharged 145 kilowatt MINI Cooper S cars, off track the friendly interaction between the drivers themselves and also the spectators around the MINI Garage was pleasantly evident. The MINI Challenge certainly has brought back the friendly camaraderie of Motorsport to New Zealand. The MINI Challenge also represents the breadth of talent that New Zealand Motorsport has sired. The youngest competitors in the new series are 14-year-old Auckland karting champion Richard Moore in the Scutum MINI # 10 and 16-year-old Rotorua student Anthony Pedersen in the J.A Russell MINI #96 who are both members of the International Motorsport team. More seasoned campaigners in the MINI Challenge are 2002 Bridgestone Porsche champion Tony Houston from Auckland in the G.J Gardner MINI # 88 while 2004 Toyota Racing series champion Brent Collins from Pareora near Timaru has swapped his Parker Enzed V8 for the PDL MINI #44 this season. Another talented South Islander Pro 7 champion Eddie Bell from Woodend in North Canterbury has joined the newest one make series in search of close and competitive racing in the ESWA MINI # 69. With round two of the Mike Perot Motorsport series being held at Ruapuna near Christchurch on November 24-26, Bell will have the home town advantage as will fellow Cantabrian’s Wayne Timms in the IDL MINI #30 and Gary Johnstone Hendrix MINI #52 who are also competing for the first time in the MINI Challenge. The MINI Challenge has also attracted international attention with the entry of German MINI Challenge driver Peter Sharmach in MINI #27 who has also competed in New Zealand driving BMW touring cars and campaigning a Peugeot 106 in a similar one-make series. If Sharmach thought it would be plain sailing at Pukekohe to win the first round, it was anything but as he not only had to compete on damaged tyres from race one, he had a hard charging Eddie Bell, Brent Collins and Anthony Pederson to contend with. The Kiwi contingent quickly acclimatised to the speed and handling of their cars, giving the German some door handle to door handle racing room. In the end Bell won second place for the round and an elated Pedersen took third in his first attempt in the MINI Challenge. MINI New Zealand manager Peter Jarratt commented that Pukekohe is well known as a fast circuit and that on the tighter tracks like Ruapuna and Taupo he expects the MINI Challenge lap times to be closer to the other classes and the racing to be even more exciting. The MINI Challenge will return on November 24-26 at the Powerbuilt Raceway at Ruapuna near Christchurch . MINI Challenge 2006/2007 This release was prepared on behalf of MINI Challenge 2006 (www.minichallenge.co.nz). For more information please contact Robert Barry on 027 640 1376 or email robertbarry@xtra.co.nz. |
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