Author: Stephen Colbran

Good news, the 2025 Mini 7 Racing Club Awards Ceremony and AGM will be held at Whittlebury Park. Towcester. It is on Saturday the  25^th January .

The tickets are £75 each, which is a slight increase on last year, however, rooms a lot cheaper at £129.60 each.

Please email mss@clearsons.co.uk to book tickets.

For hotel rooms, click the link below.

Group Name: Mini 7 Racing Club allocation
Meeting: 25 January 2025 – 26 January 2025

Group Access:
Group ID: 107713
Password: 1016025024

If you experience problems with the link please navigate your browser to:
https://book.rguest.com/wbe/group/1038/wbh-book/auth?BookID=107713

Whittlebury Park

Whittlebury

Towcester

Northamptonshire

NN12 8QH

whittlebury.com

Friday 29 – Saturday 30 April, a packed grid will kick off the Mini racing season for the much-anticipated opening rounds.

MINI MIGLIA

Several multi-champions are back to contest what is regarded as one of the most competitive race series on the planet, with four-time winner Aaron Smith joined by fellow titleists Rupert Deeth, Ian Curley, Kane Astin and former BTCC standouts Andrew Jordan and Jeff Smith to name a few.

Several more on the entry list have proven Mini race-winning credentials in the M7RC or in Historics, so picking a favourite could be nigh on impossible, but the likes of Phil Bullen-Brown, Colin Peacock and Nick Paddy should be right in the mix too.

What is possible to predict however is the sheer raucous energy a gridful of these mega-tuned 1.3-litre machines will create on the run down to Redgate for what promises to be a thrilling season-opening double-header.

Mini Libre

Donington drew the largest entry of the 1400cc-limit ‘Special Tuning’ category last season, and this time around there will again be some interesting combinations.

Having been narrowly pipped to the national crown, Julian Proctor gained recompense with the winter trophy in his 5-port example, but in 2023 it was Josh Evans’ 8-porter that led the way here with a double-victory. That was on the shorter layout so it will be interesting to see how the additional Melbourne Loop suits each cars’ power set-up in a class that doesn’t always favour the ‘hare’…

MINI SE7EN

There are just as many race winners in the 1-litre ‘Heritage’ formula as the power-heavy classes, with reigning national Challenge champion Mike Jordan back to defend his latest crown in a long and successful career in tin-tops.

Looking to deprive him of back-to-back titles though will be the likes of Ross Billison who comes into 2024 as the winter series winner, with Joe Thompson, Spencer Wanstall and Glen Woodbridge likely to be the other main protagonists.

Also on this weekend’s entry list is one name sure to raise a few eyebrows, multi-BTCC champion Colin Turkington no less, who is simply aiming to have fun in various club races before his gruelling BTCC campaign begins in April, and who knows he may be out in future as the M7RC is again billed alongside the touring cars at Thruxton in June…

Mini-7 S-Class

Another strong ‘Scholarship’ entry looks set to line-up behind the Se7ens this weekend, with Jonathon Page out to defend his 2023 national title.

Runner-up and winter standout Matt Ayres will be looking to go well at his ‘local’ circuit but Page will have brother Matthew and dad Giles on-track as back-up, the latter no doubt keen to erase memories of last season when his car went up in flames before he could qualify for the race!

Look out too for former class champion Michael Winkworth who was back on form towards the end of last season having missed a few meetings, whilst veteran Andy Hack will be aiming to take big points off the rest as his son Frazer, another title favourite, is scheduled to miss this one.

LAP RECORDS (2.5-mile GP circuit)

Miglia:             Rupert Deeth                                    1:49.163            82.02 mph            4 June 2017

Libre:                        Peter Crewes                                    1:51.094            80.60 mph            4 June 2017

Se7en:                        Spencer Wanstall                        1:58.983            75.25 mph            24 October 2021

S-Class:            Michael Winkworth                        2:01.456            73.72 mph            24 October 2021

MIGLIA & LIBRE INFO:

The Se7ens’ younger but more powerful Mini Miglia siblings first graced UK circuits in 1969/70, and have consistently been providing bang-for-buck tin-top action for decades, all trying to win The Peter Collins Trophy. Widely regarded by racing aficionados as ‘mini Touring Cars’, these originally 998cc machines now run with larger capacity 1.3-litre engines, and pack a mean punch.

On the back of the Miglia grids, the M7RC runs its Mini Libre semi-invitational category for other Mini race saloons, with varying interpretations of A-Series tuning.

MIGLIA TECH SPEC:

Engines:            1293cc modified A-Series

0-60mph:            4.5 seconds

Top speed:            125 mph

Transmission:            4-speed manual, 3.9:1 final drive

Tyres:                        Dunlop 160/490 x 10” slicks (dries) or treaded (wets)

Wheels:            Any 10” diameter x maximum 7” rims

Fuel:                        Unleaded or Super Unleaded

Yellow/Black door squares/windscreen headers

LIBRE TECH SPEC:

Engines:            up-to-1400cc modified, A-Series block

Transmission:            4-speed manual

Tyres:                        Dunlop 160/490 x 10” slicks (dries) or treaded (wets)

Wheels:            Any 10” diameter x maximum 7” rims

Fuel:                        Unleaded or Super Unleaded

Lt Blue door squares/windscreen headers

SE7EN & S-CLASS INFO:

For over half a century, the Mini Se7en Challenge for The Bob Fox Trophy has been providing great motor racing at an affordable price. Much may have changed since the first ever 850cc Formula Mini-7 race at Brands in April 1966, but the now 1-litre Mini Se7ens still provide superb entertainment for driver and spectator alike, and can stick to the tarmac like the proverbial go-kart!

Starting behind the Se7ens, the milder-tuned 1275cc S-Class offers a more standard, budget introduction, where hopefuls looking to get on the motor racing ladder can also aim for the Graham Hill Memorial Trophy for the leading Under-17 driver.

SE7EN TECH SPEC:

Engines:            998cc modified A-Series

0-60mph:            6.6 seconds +

Top speed:            110 mph +

Transmission:            4-speed manual, ratios/final drive free

Tyres:                        Dunlop 500L x 10” CR70 (dries) or

                        CR65 treaded (wets)

Wheels:            5J x 10” alloys

Fuel:                        Unleaded or Super Unleaded

Red door squares/windscreen headers

MINI-7 S-CLASS TECH SPEC:

Engines:            Standard 1275cc, limited mods

0-60mph:            7.5 seconds

Top speed:            105 mph)

Transmission:            4-speed, standard

Tyres:                        Dunlop 500L x 10” CR70 (dries) or

                        CR65 treaded (wets)

Wheels:            5J x 10” alloys

Fuel:                        Unleaded or Super Unleaded

Green door squares/windscreen headers

POINTS SCORING:

All classes:

In each class, 20-19-18-17-etc, down to 3 for 18th, 2 points to all other finishers, 1 point non-finishers

All rounds run less 3 scores to count in main Dunlop Challenge (i.e. best 14)

CHALLENGE SPONSORS

Dunlop

Title sponsor of the Mini Challenges – all cars run on regulation Dunlop racing tyres.

www.dunlop.eu

Mini Spares

Title co-sponsor of the Mini Challenges – a leading Mini aftermarket specialist.

www.minispares.com

Spax

Sponsor of the Improver awards, for most places made up by a driver in the race from their starting grid position.

www.spaxperformance.com

Piper Cams

Sponsor of the Fastest Lap awards.

www.pipercams.co.uk

A fantastic evening celebrating our 2023 season, and the trophies were awarded as follows;

Dunlop Mini Miglia Challenge Supported by Mini Spares

1. Aaron Smith
2. Rupert Deeth
3. Kane Astin
4. Andrew Jordan
5. Phil Bullen-Brown
6. Shaun King
7. Mark Sims
8. Colin Peacock
9. Jeff Smith
10. Ben Colburn

Dunlop Mini Se7en Challenge Supported by Mini Spares

1. Mike Jordan
2. Joe Thompson
3. Ross Billison
4. Spencer Wanstall
5. Darren Thomas
6. Graeme Davis
7. Glen Woodbridge
8. Connor O’Brien
9. Damien Harrington
10. Andy King

Dunlop Mini Se7en S-Class Trophy Supported by Mini Spares

1. Jonathon Page
2. Matt Ayres
3. Frazer Hack
4. Chris Prior
5. Dave Rees
6. Michael Winkworth
7. Matthew Page
8. Andy Hack
9. Jack Vanner
10. Arnold Duncan

Mini Libre ST Trophy

1. Richard Colburn
2. Julian Proctor
3. Phil Harvey

• Spax Improver Award, most places gained – Rupert Deeth
• Peter Tisdale Trophy, best prepared Mini Miglia – Aaron Smith
• Phil West Shield, best prepared Mini Se7en/S-Class – Mike Jordan/Michael Winkworth
• The SP Trophy, most reliable car – Ross Billison
• The Bryan Slark Valve, it can only get better – Connor O’Brien
• Nick Cooke Trophy, best support team – Mike Jordan
• Chris Inch Trophy, most fastest laps – Mike Jordan
• Frank Gillibrand trophy, spirit of the M7RC – Ross Billison
• Tom Jarrett Award, best Mini Se7en newcomer – Kate Fraser Ker
• Norman Finn Trophy, most Mini Se7en poles – Mike Jordan
• Mike Fry Trophy, most Miglia poles – Andrew Jordan/Jeff Smith
• Graeme Hill Trophy, most points under 17 – Kieran Edgecombe
• Bill Sollis Trophy, most second places – Joe Thompson
• Fred Jackson Trophy, club person of the year – Amanda Proctor
• Steve Bell Trophy, most points after round 6, Joe Thompson
• Chris Tyrell Trophy, most points overall, Joe Thompson
• 7 Oaks Cup, most points at Brands Hatch, Ross Billison/Glen Woodbridge/Matt Ayres/Rupert Deeth
• Maurice Leggate Trophy, drive of the season, Aaron Smith
• Graham Edwards Trophy, one step away, Graeme Davis
• The Dunlop Cup, most improved – Arnold Duncan/Ross Billison/Phil Bullen-Brown

Thank you to Ollie Read for the excellent pics!

Mini Miglia champion Aaron Smith had the chance to compete in Jordan Sims’ 998-engined Mini Se7en at Silverstone, and he did rather well, staying with the lead pack and even taking the lead at one stage. So after a weekend of trying his hand at our original formula, we checked in to see what he thought…

So, obvious first question – how was it?
I honestly had a great weekend driving the Se7en – I would recommend trying it out to anyone. I had no idea how I would get on initially, as I only drove the car for a couple of 20-minute sessions on the Friday test at Silverstone. Darren Thomas had done all the prep work on the car and it felt really good straight away, so luckily I could get up and running pretty quickly.

The basic principles of driving a Miglia, Se7en or S-Class are all very similar. The main difference between a Miglia and a Se7en is just the mechanical grip. The Miglias are stuck to the tarmac, whereas in a Se7en you have the narrowed tyres, more like a historic Mini, and you need it to move around more so you can carry corner speed. The drivers all battle just as close, and are all great fun to have a go in.

There are always rumours over costs. Do you think you need to spend a fortune to get to the front?
Rumours are an amazing thing, and it’s definitely the first thing people jump to when their car isn’t going as fast! I honestly don’t know how much Jordan’s engine cost, but if it’s a new engine it’s going to be quite a bit in parts alone. If you think – steel crack, steel rods, light weight pistons – you get the idea.

In general, most of the engines are of similar pace – look at the results and this year we had five different race winners and seven different cars have made it to the podium. You will get competitors with the ‘full works’ engines, and that’s the same in any form of motorsport, but that doesn’t mean they are unbeatable by any means. There are plenty of drivers out there with the ability to win.

But to avoid any arguments, I would say Jordan’s car has a very similar spec to everyone else, although I don’t know exactly what he’s spent, I wouldn’t like to get too much into that…!

Ok, fair enough, so how do you go about getting the most from a Mini Se7en?
I would say car prep is a massive step into making your car fast – making sure everything is in good condition. So start with the simple things like wheel bearings, they are very important for rolling resistance. Less resistance equals more speed. That’s just one thing, and it doesn’t necessarily cost you any money.

Driving the car, focus on getting the very best you can out of it. So go and walk the circuits, get to know your way round. Watch other drivers, see if they are braking later, carrying more speed, and it all helps in becoming faster. That’s the key to it.

So now you’ve had a go, do you fancy a full season in a Se7en?
Yes, I would 100% do a full season. I really enjoy driving any of the cars, be that a Miglia, Se7en or S-class. Just being part of the Mini 7 racing Club is great. There’s always plenty of laughs through the racing and the club as a whole always puts on as great show.

I have been lucky enough to do very well in the championship and will be racing for many years to come.

Out of the four formulas, which would you recommend to a newcomer?
That’s a tough one. When I started, I decided based on what car and spares packages were for sale. I went straight into a Miglia, as the car and spares were being sold as a retirement package, so it had everything to get me going. I even won two races in that car before progressing to a new build.

If you look at running costs, getting the car to the events, entries, fuel, consumables, testing – it’s the same in all classes. So then it just comes down to cost of the car and engine. The S-Class engines are the cheapest to look after, as it’s quite a standard engine. Se7en and Miglia engines will usually cost more to maintain, as they have more advanced parts to them. Then again, if you look after them they will look after you and your wallet!

We’re excited to now share with you the complete race calendar for 2024. Please book these weekends out / begin negotiations with the family around these dates!

There’s lots to like about this calendar, including the fact that there will be no combined Mig/Seven races bar the Winter shootout finale at Brands Hatch in November, which will be run to a brand-new format.

We return to Cadwell Park, Thruxton with the Touring Cars, the Mini Festival is back to two days with three races, and we’ll also visit the Castle Combe Historic Festival. Importantly, we have avoided clashes with some of the major Mini race events like Goodwood and the Silverstone Classic.

• Rounds 1-2, Donington Park GP, 29-30 March 2024
• Rounds 3-4, Cadwell Park, 27-28 April 2024
• Rounds 5-6, Snetterton 300, 18-19 May 2024
• Rounds 7-8, Thruxton BTCC, 7-9 June 2024
• Rounds 9-10, Anglesey, 6-7 July 2024
• Rounds 11-13, Brands Hatch Mini Festival, 3-4 August 2024
• Rounds 14-15, Castle Combe, 21-22 September 2024
• Rounds 16-17, Silverstone International, 13-14 October 2024
• Winter shootout, Brands Hatch Indy, 2-3 November 2024

We are pleased to announce that the M7RC Annual Trophy Awards will be held on Saturday January 27^th at the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel.

Please be sure to book your place at the dinner table and a room for the night as soon as possible, as the evening is going to be as popular as ever. Note, our Annual Technical Meeting will precede the awards on the afternoon of the 27^th.

Do start thinking and gathering feedback / seconders for any Technical and Sporting Regulation Proposals you wish to be discussed / voted on.  

The tickets are available from Mark Sims via mss@clearsons.co.uk, and cost £70 each.

To book your room at the hotel, call 01676 522335, press Option 1 and quote the code MI7 for a special discounted rate of £135.

VENUE:
Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club Maxstoke Lane
Meriden
CV7 HR