Race Report: Pre-66 Minis @Silverstone Classic

 Pre-66 Minis @Silverstone Classic

Words & Photos: David Young
29th-31 July 2016

Where have all the Appendix K Minis gone?  A few years back at Brands Hatch there was a race just for pre-'66 FiA Appendix K Minis as part of the Masters Series. Three years ago there was at least 15 Minis entered at the Silverstone Classic.  This year 5 Cooper S’s in the “Big Engine Touring Car Class (1293cc Big engine!) and 9 in the Under 2 litre Touring Cars (U2TC). I guess the Mini Festival at Brands a couple of weeks earlier was a bit too much for some of the cars and drivers (and bank balance).

The Friday at Silverstone is always a good time to see all the cars in fine fettle and have a good chinwag with people you saw this time last year.  The world moves on and we all get older.  So what’s new? Well the “new” Dunlop CR65’s are not as good as the “old” ones. Drivers were coming in after a few laps with tyres that would have lasted a couple of races a few years back looking like slicks. Punctures too.  I have no idea what the answer is, I guess reverting to the original rubber may make a change but Dunlop do not appear to want to play ball at the moment.
 

Harvey Death and Rupert Deeth

Silverstone always means big grids and on the GP circuit a 2:32 minute lap is quick. 40 cars had entered the U2TC race and 39 for the Big Engine Touring Cars (Pre 66). Dan Wheeler and Endaf Owens were racing Endaf’s 888 Blue Mini S, Jonathan Lewis and Martin O’Connell were in Jonathan’s Hesketh Mini, the one with the Teddy Bear on, Graham Churchill and the ever young Peter Baldwin were in Peter’s dark green “S”. Harvey Death and Rupert Deeth were in their Surf Blue S. with Steve Jones in his Blue S run by Dale Racing.
 

Endaf Owens on the limit

What was very strange in the running order was the idea that Qualifying sessions were on the Friday and the Races were on the Sunday. Saturday being a blank for Touring Cars.  Still at least the Historic F1’s and Group C cars were on track!
 

Joe Twyman and Peter Baldwin getting too close on cold tyres

Sad to say that Mr Baldwin and Mr Twyman had a coming together in qualifying, not too bad but dented wings and pride.
 

Dented wing on the Churchill car

In the race on the Sunday Endaf Owens/ Dan Wheeler were the heroes of the day with Jonathan Lewis and Martin O’Connell being 2nd in class. Richard Parsons and Peter Illingworth were 3rd in Class. Four of the Minis did not make the chequered flag, with Baldwin/Churchill, Steve Jones, Charles Birkett/James Little John and the Swedish team of Nyquist and Kjallgren who only managed 1 lap! Out of 20 laps.
 

Jonathan Lewis in the Hesketh Mini

In the Big Engine Touring Car race of 14 laps Jonathan Lewis and Martin O’Connell won their class this time getting the better of Endaf Owens and Dan Wheeler in 2nd place with Charlie Birkett 3rd in Class.
 
All in all, some good racing between the classes, at one time 4 Minis were locked in battle until driver changes.   

L to R Phillip Jones, Charles Birkett/James Littlejohn & Graham Churchill/Peter Baldwin

A brilliant meeting with lots to do for everyone. The MCR was there with a display of some very nice cars, there was even a Morris Minor Traveller totally restored to look like new, well it had an A-Series engine and it was my first car!
 

What Minis do best Endaf Owens having fun with the Big Boys

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