Cadwell Park preview

AFTER A BREAK IN 2020 THE CLASSIC MINI 7 CHALLENGES RETURN TO CADWELL AND BRING A HUGE ENTRY TO ONE OF THEIR FAVOURITE CIRCUITS ON THE CALENDAR, SO EXPECT NOTHING LESS THAN ACTION-PACKED RACING FROM FOUR DISTINCT CLASSES

 

MINI MIGLIA

With four different winners in six races, and several others who have taken turns in the lead, the top-tier Mini category continues to put on sparkling entertainment for the fans. After the trip to Silverstone on the GP circuit last month, heading the standings is former BTCC champion Andrew Jordan whose best scores came with a double-victory at Snetterton in May.

However he has been pegged back by reigning triple Miglia champion Aaron Smith, a winner last time out and only once not in the podium positions at the chequered flag this season.

Third lies Ben Colburn who has switched across from Clios along with brother James, the Westbourne team still running Renaults but various historic cars too, while twice former champion Rupert Deeth isn’t far behind either despite a couple of DNFs.

Look out too for Kane Astin, Sam Summerhayes and Colin Peacock to be on the leaderboard, and for former Se7en champ Ashley Davies who is set to make his Miglia debut. Other race winners in 2021 include Endaf Owens and Nick Padmore although neither are down to race at Cadwell this time around.

 

Mini Libre

Despite running perhaps the least powerful engine set-up in this category, Les Stanton’s consistency in racking up finishes, including a couple of second places, sees him atop the points, although closest challenger Richard Colburn is due to return this weekend having been racing in historics at Thruxton last month when the Libres were at Silverstone.

Former double class champion Phil Harvey will also be good bet for top honours having hopefully cured an early season misfire.

 

MINI SE7EN

Just 2 points separate former BTTC race winner Jeff Smith and Mini veteran Jonathan Lewis at the top of UK’s oldest one-make saloon car championship. Smith has won twice, at Snetterton, while Lewis took an emotional victory last time out at Silverstone, as it was 41 years ago that he took the overall title.

Nick Croydon-Fowler is next up and although a winner in the S-Class has yet to reach the top spot in Se7ens but don’t rule that out this weekend. Three Silverstone victories mark out Joe Thompson as a title contender also, along with Andrew Deviny who has won the National title three times in the past, and Spencer Wanstall, twice a runner-up.

Of the rest in an ultra-competitive line-up, Connor O’Brien is the reigning S-Class champ and has also won in other Mini categories, and Darren Thomas is a proven race winner in the category, along with Ross Billison and Graeme Davis. Of special interest too will be the series debut of former BTCC/GT frontrunner, and now leading historic preparation team owner Mike Jordan, also dad of Miglia points leader Andrew Jordan!

Mini-7 S-Class

Quite unlike the other three Mini categories, the ‘Scholarship’ class has seen a near whitewash to date, with newcomer Michael Winkworth – a former autograsser – having cleaned up in all six races held, including extra points for five fastest laps.

However, it won’t be for want of trying by his rivals to narrow the gap, and leading the chase is Matt Ayres who has a trio of third places to his credit, with the likes of Damien Harrington, Ryan Taylor and Darren Cox also running Winkworth the closest.

 

LAP RECORDS (Cadwell Park 2.1869-mile circuit)

Class                     Driver                                  Time                     Ave Speed           Set

Miglia:                 Bill Sollis                             1:39.628              79.02 mph           15 May 2016     

Se7en:                  Andrew Deviny                 1:49.168              72.12 mph           15 May 2016

S-Class:                Scott Kendall                     1:50.680              71.13 mph           9 September 2018              

Libre:                    Phil Harvey                        1:45.054              74.94 mph           31 August 2019

Silverstone rounds to be streamed live

Many thanks to Owens Fabrication, our opening rounds (24/25 April) will be featuring in BARC’s video streams, live on Facebook and Youtube.

Two days of BARC action will feature three rounds of Mini 7 Racing – sure to be a highlight – so make sure to ‘tune in’.

You can do this in a number of ways –

Subscribe to the British Automobile Racing Club’s official YouTube channel HERE.

For all your Mini racing needs, check out www.owensfabrication.co.uk

Entry forms online now for Silverstone, Cadwell and Brands

A quick update to let drivers know that the entry form for the following rounds is available now via the Downloads Page.

  • Silverstone Classic, June 12-13
  • Cadwell Park, July 10-11
  • Brands Hatch Mini Festival, August 21-22

These are all on the same form, to be submitted and paid direct to the club, so you can enter individually or all at the same time.

Please get your entries in early, as this season is set to be a sell-out at many rounds!

Updated start to the season

We have a change to the start of our racing season, predictably with the current UK lockdown in place.

We had planned to start the season at Silverstone on 27-28 March, however this is not possible just yet. Rounds 1 & 2 were then due on 10-11 April, but again this would be tricky, with no overnight stays permitted.

Championship rounds 1&2 will therefore be held at Silverstone International on April 24-25, with separate races and each class doing a qualification and a race on Saturday.

Then on Sunday, each class will have a second race.

Please also note that if you won a trophy / award in 2020, that it / they will be available for collection from Mike and Alan over the weekend. See you soon at the track!

Provisional 2021 calendar

After the unique challenges of 2020, we’re already looking forward to 2021 and the Mini 7 Racing Club season.

Here’s a run down of the provisional 2021 calendar;

 


Date: 27-28 March

Event: Winter Rounds 1-3

Circuit: Silverstone International

(Cancelled)


Date: 10-11 April

Event: 2021 Rounds 1-2, the season opener.

Circuit: Croft

(Cancelled)


 

 

Date: 24-25 April

Event: 2021 Rounds 1-2, BARC Spring championships

Circuit: Silverstone International


Date: 8-9 May

Event: 2021 Rounds 3-4, Delmonte Festival.

Circuit: Snetterton 300

 


Date: 12-13 June

Event: 2021 Rounds 5-6, supporting MG Live.

Circuit: Silverstone GP Historic

 


Date: 10-11 July

Event: 2021 Rounds 7-8, Summer Festival.

Circuit: Cadwell Park

 


Date: 21-22 August

Event: 2021 Rounds 9-10, Brands Hatch Mini festival.

Circuit: Brands Hatch

 


Date: 11-12 September

Event: 2021 Rounds 11-12, Endaf Owens’ BBQ and karaoke.

Circuit: Pembrey

 


Date: 23-24 October

Event: 2021 Rounds 13-14, the season finale, Dunlop Festival.

Circuit: Donington Park

 


Date: 13-14 November

Event: Winter Rounds 4-6

Circuit: Brands Hatch

 

Snetterton live coverage

We return to Snetterton, Norfolk, this weekend (19th-20th September) for rounds 6 and 7 of the 2020 Mini 7 Racing Club season.

COVID19 restrictions mean that it’ll be a closed-doors event, but thanks to MED Engineering, we’re going to stream live footage of Sunday’s two races.

There will be one Mini Se7en/S-Class race and one Mini Miglia/Libre race on Saturday and the same on Sunday.

If you’re not already a follower of our Facebook page, please head on over and give it a like, and you’ll be able to tune in on Sunday.

For more info on MED, please see their online store at www.med-engineering.co.uk

Welcome to the new website

Hello and welcome in to our revamped club website. With the online world increasingly dominated by social media, things have very much changed over the past few years, so here’s an update to hopefully follow those trends.

The previous user login sections have gone, in favour of an easy-access bare bones of what we think is most important to club members during the season – namely who’s achieved the fastest laps, how many points you’ve scored and how to find the latest tech updates and bulletins.

The forum had been a tad broken and unloved for many years, so we would encourage all paid members to keep an eye on your email inboxes for Colin’s regular updates, and the private Facebook group chats we have in place.

Please bear with us as we gradually get to grips with the inner workings of the site; we’ll be gradually updating the calendar, standings and newsletter sections this week. All in time for what will hopefully be a momentous 56-car outing at Brands Hatch to support the BTCC.

Racing suspended – COVID 19

To all Members of the Mini 7 Racing Club.

In my many years following and participating in the sport that we all love, namely Motorsport, I never thought that I would see the events that have taken place today. It was this afternoon that I received the following e-mail from the British Automobile Racing Club {BARC}; Continue reading