| MINI Challenge 2008 Just announced today.... MINI CHALLENGE SET TO MAKE AUSTRALIAN DEBUT IN 2008
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport is pleased to announce the
approval of a new one-make national racing series to be known as the
'MINI Challenge' which will hit Australian circuits starting from 2008.
The series is expected to visit all states and territories around the
country and will join the likes of Formula 3, Formula Ford and Carerra
Cup as domestic racing categories which also have strong links
internationally.
"It is great to welcome the iconic MINI back to the Australian motor
racing scene after so many years," said Graeme Emerton, Chairman of
CAMS' Australian Motor Racing Commission.
"The MINI Challenge, which is already being run in a number of European
countries and also New Zealand, has been an incredibly successful
initiative and MINI's long term commitment to Australian motor sport
with this series will provide confidence to competitors and event
promoters alike."
The MINI brand has had a long association with motor sport in Australia,
particularly in Touring Car racing with their most significant
achievement coming in 1966 with Rauno Aaltonen and Bob Holden at the
helm of the victorious Morris Cooper S at Bathurst, a race in which Mini
cars amazingly filled the top nine places.
More recently, Australian MINI motor sport activities have focused on
tarmac rallying with a three-car team campaigned in 2006 and 2007. The
lead Team MINI racer, driven by Paul Stokell, finished ninth outright in
the 2007 Targa Tasmania rally in April.
According to Justin Hocevar, National Manager MINI, the MINI Challenge
is the most exciting new international series to reach Australian motor
sport for several years.
"We have very solid competition credentials both overseas and here in
Australia thanks to Team MINI.
"Thanks to the gripping on-track action, MINI Challenge is sure to find
a strong and loyal following among racing fans both trackside and on TV.
"The series is the ideal entry point to motor racing with competitors
expected to be drawn from the ambition-rich ranks of go-karting and
open-wheel formulae.
"With MINI Challenge we will be bringing an affordable, competitive and
very exciting series to Australia. It will be good for racers,
spectators, sponsors and for motor sport in general," Justin said.
The series will also mark the international motor sport debut of the
brand new R56 generation MINI Challenge race cars which will be built to
a global racing specification in Germany later this year. |