MINI CHALLENGE REPORT: Silverstone

MINI Challenge Race Report
Silverstone 28/29 May 2016
Words & photos David Young

The start of the Cooper S, Cooper and Open class race

After a four and a half hour drive to Silverstone, a journey that should have taken two and a half hours I was pleased to see Silverstone.  For the first time in my memory the MINI Challenge is racing on the National Circuit a short 1.6 mile circuit, 3 straights, 2 bends and a complex.  Not too many photo opportunities and most of those require a very big lens. Having said that you can stand next to the track at the end of the Copse straight before they turn into Brooklands. 


Three races and qualifying for the JCW F56s and the same for the Cooper S, Cooper and Open 180 class. The Open 180 is running for the first time, basically you drive any Mini with a limit of 180bhp per tonne. This allows the R53 Ss to run as well as modified R56 Ss with modifications outside of the Cooper S class regulations. Like remaps by DNA, though they must use treaded Dunlop race tyres as opposed to slick tyres.
 

Scott Jeffs, Scot Adam and Rob Austin in the Open Class

The first qualifying session had Steve Cocker back in form with pole position, followed by Scot Adam and Scott Jeffs in the Cooper S class, the Open 180 had Stuart Lane in front of Keith Issatt and Richard Mills. The Cooper Class had Max Bladon on pole followed by Josh Gollin and Brad Hutchinson. Josh also had his brother out in another Coastal Car, both in Red!
 

The start of the JCWs first race.

The JCW qualifying session was held later in the day allowing a bit more heat for their tyres to soak up. It was sunny but very cold, I kept my coat on most of the day. David Grady had found his form and put his JCW on pole followed by the BizKarts ExcelR8 run JCW of Chris Smith and Nathan Harrison in his war-looking Coastal run JCW. An uneventful session with all drivers being sensible and restrained for 16 laps of the short circuit.  You can only take so many pictures of the same cars going round and round with no actual racing.

Simon Walton and James Goodall rubbing at Copse Corner.

The first race was interesting as each class was set off from the start with a 10 second gap. The race itself had the usual battles between the front runners of each class, unfortunately Steve Cocker’s form took a dive with the rear brakes playing up and yet another turbo issue allowing Scott Jeffs to claim the honours in front of Scot Adam and Rob Austin, (No not the Rob Austin of Sherman BTCC fame). Keith Issatt took the honours in the Open class followed by Richard Mills and Stuart Lane in his new R53 S built by Oakfield, it sounded great. The Cooper class was won yet again by Max Bladon in his ExcleR8 Cooper R50 from Michael Bamber in his privately run Cooper and Brad Hutchinson also in his privately run Cooper.
 
Sunday morning and the sun is hiding, very overcast, cold and looking like rain. First race is the Cooper, Cooper S and Open class race.  Grid position based on the last race finishing order. The Cooper S class had Scott Jeffs on pole next to Scot Adam (too many Scotts), Open class had Keith Issatt next to Richard Mills, Cooper class had Max Bladon on Pole next to Michael Bamber. Promising to be a great race. I went to round to Luffield to take pictures, this is in my opinion the best view point at Silverstone, you can see the cars approach through Brooklands and then change direction to go around Luffield which is a 190° curve  before entering Woodcote and then the National pit straight. You can see a lot and you can also move around too as there are lots of raised standing areas.  It proved to be a wise decision as the cars soon settled down into three packs until cars started being lapped, then the whole circuit was of MINIs with 28 starters.  Such fun, a bit of panel rubbing but no real damage done. Max Bladon led the Cooper class from start to finish to give five wins out of the last five races. Stuart Lane fended off Keith Issatt for the whole race for an R53 v R56 race, Keith was trying a bit too hard as was sideways more than once.
 

Keith Issatt on 1 of his sideways moments

In the Cooper S class Steve Cocker had bigger brake problems with his rear tyres locked and smoke pouring out, he did however manage to finish (points are scored for each finish). Scott Jeffs claimed the victory from Scot Adam and Rob(in) Austin, all three newcomers to the MINI Challenge. Returning MINI challenge driver Andrew Bailey who had his cylinder rebuilt overnight managed to cook his engine again and it just gave up. Sussex Road & Race had done a lot of testing with Andrew but the car has been standing idle for at least five years since Paul O’Neil put it on the podium at the first MINI Festival at Brands Hatch, still I am sure he will be back.

The JCWs with James Turkington leading Sam Osbourne & Rob Smith

The JCW race had David Grady on Pole next to Chris Smith, with Nathan Harrison and Jono Brown behind. Out of 27 cars we have four Smiths racing in the MINI Challenge. Jeff (BTCC Jeff) and Brett are run by Eurotech, with Chris run by ExcleR8 and Rob Smith run by Team MINI UK. In fact, the whole JCW grid has a tremendous amount of experience and talent with probably about 10 drivers who can take a win.  It is down to skill, obviously, having a strong well prepared car and of course an element of luck.  Some of the cars were having trouble getting full power, the cars do run on the hot side and the map they have turns power down if they get too hot. 

MINI Challenge have produced the bonnet vents for all cars along with an extra-large radiator to keeps thing cool. David Grady won the race leading from lights to flag, but he did have his work cut out keeping Chris Smith at bay. Chris had the lead a couple of times through late braking but David got the back almost straight away with a switch back as Chris was carrying too much speed. Nathan Harrison was waiting in line and when Chris went off the track briefly Nathan, Charlie Butler-Henderson and Jono Brown all passed him. David Grady took the win from Nathan and Charlie with Jono scoring another 4th place.  Reverse grid for the first four cars had Jono on Pole for the last race! 

Chris Smith, Nathan Harrison, Jono Brown and
Brett Smith in the JCWs

The last Cooper S, and Cooper Class race was held straight after the lunch break.  This time Steve Cocker got the win he had been promising all weekend. He led the whole race, Scot Adam got 2nd getting the best from Scott Jeffs with Rob Austin again in 4th. Richard Mills got the better of Keith Issatt in the Open class and Max Bladon made it six wins out six races in the Cooper class, what a happy boy he was. So unassuming and humble too. His dominance of the Cooper class shows he has a special talent, a great racer and he stays out of trouble. Which is more than can be said of some of the other Cooper class drivers who I am sure think they are driving bumper cars at times. A lot is down to being new to racing and learning their race craft which is what the Cooper class is really about.  About half of the Coopers are 2002 R50 JCW Coopers from the original MINI Challenge race series.  A few new panels here and there, new wheels but still using the original shell and engine.

James Turkington, Sam Osbourne, Charlie
Butler-Henderson and Henry Neal

The last JCW race saw the sun come out, I went round to Maggotts Corner where with a Media pass you can get very close to the cars as they turn in off Copse straight. You see the cars into the corner which has a flick left before a 150° right hand bend which opens out to the Wellington straight. I hope that is clear, you can see both the National and International circuits on the Silverstone website. The Silverstone Classic Festival will be my next attendance at Silverstone.
 
With Jono Brown in pole position I just knew this was going to be his race. His ExcelR8 car had not missed a beat all weekend and he had been very consistent with two 4th places. In fact, the race was a bit processional with Charlie Butler-Henderson trying every trick in the book to get by Jono, he was having none of it. Meanwhile, Nathan Harrison, down on power along the straights, was trying to keep Brett Smith and Lawrence Davey at bay.

What a great weekend of racing, no rain, no red flags, very few if any yellow flags, just as it should be.  Off to Rockingham Motor Speedway next.

Jono Brown

In the week the Silverstone races I had an email from the MINI Challenge asking if I could photograph a guy having a track day with one of MINI Challenge JCWs, I said I was free so along I went, 300 mile round trip, but hey what else did I have to do! (Mow the lawn etc, wife away, 4 dogs to baby sit). The driver was a Anthony Hamilton, his younger son Nick had bought his dad a track day in the MINI Challenge as a Birthday Present. It was the first time Anthony had driven a car on Slicks with a sequential gear box but he certainly took to it like a duck to water!
 

Anthony Hamilton and Nick at Silverstone

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