[gedubya]

Yes, little old New Zealand is represented in the MINI Challenge World Final, but you would'nt know it because only a few countries got named. Here is a copy of a press release in NZ, not that anyone else in the world cares a toss...but NZ is home to old F1 drivers Bruce McLaren, Denis Hulme, Chris Amon, and US Indy champ Scott Dixon, and yse we have a car in Formula A1. Not bad for a country of 4 million people and 30 million sheep...

Formula A1 drivers Jonny Reid and Matthew Halliday aren't the only racing drivers representing New Zealand in Europe. From next week, Mike Eady can add his name to that list.

The 40-year-old Auckland driver leaves for Italy this week to contest the first-ever international MINI gathering at the Santa Monica circuit near Misano. It's expected to attract more than 2,500 MINI enthusiasts from around the world.

Mike will represent New Zealand in the MINI Challenge, a multi-disciplined event that includes circuit racing, a gymkhana-style slalom event, a kart race and a skill event on quad motorbikes.

In the motor race segment there are 20 Mini Cooper S cars representing nine countries and all built by BMW Motorsport.

Mike grew up racing karts, he's experienced at slalom driving from his work as a driving instructor for BMW and MINI, he's the current national Porsche champion and has contested long-distance events in NZ and at the Nurburgring in Germany.

He's "not too worried" by three of the four disciplines he'll face. But quad biking will be utterly new.

"I've got no idea about that one. I think it's more skill than speed and I'm about to face a monumental learning curve."

Still, he's fit. He recently contested a "fun" 35 kilometre adventure race through the Abel Tasman National Park and he believes most of the contestants in the MINI Challenge will be race drivers, not specifically bike riders. For that reason he's hoping the quad bike section won't be as daunting as it looks on paper.

There's also an ulterior motive for his journey to Italy.

MINI New Zealand will bring all 20 of these John Cooper-enhanced cars competing at Misano back to New Zealand in preparation for a new one-make-formula series starting next year. These cars are due to arrive late January 2006 and already half have been sold - with expressions of interest in the others.

Peter Jarratt, MINI's New Zealand manager, says once the remaining cars are sold there will be no more available for the season.

The New Zealand MINI Series is expected to start late in 2006.