PitPit && PaddockPaddock Official Newsletter of the Mini Seven Racing Club 2020 2020 2020:2020: IssueIssue 99 www.mini7.co.uk Mini Miglia: DUNLOPDUNLOP MINIMINI CHALLENGECHALLENGE Miglia Live streaming... supported by MINI SPARES 5050 Years 1970-2020 RainRain StopsStops Play...Play... CombeCombe SundaySunday racesraces washedwashed outout Mini Libre: Lewis looms large Mini Se7en: Flagging fortunes... Thruxton preview... ● Se7en: 1000cc full race ● Miglia: 1293cc mega tune ● S-Class: 1275cc limited mods ● Libre: up to 1400cc free formula Latest Club news Revised 2020 calendar Mini--7 Technical updates Runners & riders S--Class: O’Brien on From the Archives the move A-to-Z of drivers... L Miglia Champions Gallery pt 5 1 Pit & Paddock 2020: Issue 9 SPONSORS HAPPY BALANCE ISSUE #9 s the 2020 motorsport cal- hanced recognition in recent sea- CONTENTS endar edges closer to a sons has arguably made it an auto- 3 Intro / Contacts A natural wintery conclusion, matic ‘go-to’ choice among race Title sponsor of the Mini Se7en & the realistic chances of the M7RC organisers for guaranteed packed 4 Preview / Timetable Mini Miglia Challenge - all cars run being able to secure a new date grids and on-track action, all of Thruxton - Rds 9*+10+11 on regulation Dunlop racing tyres elsewhere are slim. So, bearing in whom now have an even greater 7 Revised 2020 Calendar mind the shorter daylight hours as eye on ‘balancing the books’ in the www.dunlop.eu we head towards November and current pandemic-affected eco- 8 News / Technical the continuing uncertainty over nomic climate. COVID-19 restrictions and poten- Partisan views aside, simple arith- 14 Race Report / Gallery Combe - Rds 8+9* tially changing lockdown regions, metic highlights the M7RC’s obvi- then the opportunity to squeeze ous pulling power for an extra slot 18 Feature Round 9 back into the champion- at Thruxton this weekend, as the Race Minis in South Africa ship schedule at such short notice two Combe races washed out on is a remarkable turnaround in for- the Sunday three weeks ago collec- 20 Feature A-Z Of Drivers - pt 8: L tunes, and should ease uncertainty tively amounted to 37 cars, a fig- over drop scores. Whether a 2020 ure not that far off the 42 limit 23 Statistics 0-Plate Winter Challenge meeting - permitted for saloon cars around 2020 Points Standings Title co-sponsor of the Mini Se7en or meetings - will now happen Thruxton. Compare that to some before the end of the season is other series with barely half that 25 About the M7RC & Mini Miglia Challenge - a leading Mini aftermarket specialist looking unlikely, although the opti- total and it is clear where a promo- 26 From the Archives mistic “never say never” should be tor might choose to fill its allotted Gallery of Miglia Champions www.minispares.com kept in mind, just in case... track time to meet not only its own pt 5: 1996-2003 Winter Either way, to have endured the financial targets, but inevitably in first wave of cancelled 2020 fix- these uncertain times for motor- 28 From the Archives tures due to the coronavirus pan- sport, the gov- 50 Years Ago: Thruxton demic, and then salvage a revised erning body’s 32 Roll of Honour 11-round National championship expectations of The Champions from what was originally 15 rounds maximised out- was an achievement in itself. To be puts too ● 34 Fastest Laps Sponsor of the ‘Spax Spectaculer’ fair, from comments received in Improver Awards - for most places certain quarters, the M7RC’s en- RW 35 Know Your Rivals made up by a Mini Se7en driver in the race from their grid position Miglia www.spaxperformance.com CONTACTS EDITOR TREASURER Richard Williamson Jeffrey Parish 5050 Sponsor of the Fastest Lap awards e: [email protected] e: [email protected] Years Years www.pipercams.co.uk REPORTERS DRIVERS REPS -2020 Roy Sisley, contributors invited... Mark Sims (Miglia) 1970 PHOTOS e: [email protected] Matt Barrington (mbracephotography.co.uk) Darren Thomas (Se7en) e: [email protected] e: [email protected] Pete Waller, Kathryn Robinson Ben Butler (S-Class) Sponsor of the Race Trophy awards e: [email protected] WEBSITE / SOCIAL MEDIA Phil Harvey (Libre) www.curleyuk.com Stephen Colbran e: [email protected] e: [email protected] TECHNICAL SUB-COMMITTEE REPS CHAIRMAN Phil Harvey Nick Cooke e: [email protected] e: [email protected] Mark Wanstall COMMERCIAL MANAGER e: [email protected] Colin Peacock TECHNICAL SCRUTINEERS e: [email protected] Steve Wood COMPETITION MANAGER / MERCHANDISE e: [email protected] The views expressed in this news- Mike Jackson Julian Affleck letter are those of the contribu- e: [email protected] e: [email protected] tors and are not necessarily the CLUB SAFEGUARDING OFFICER same as those of the Editor, the MEMBERSHIP Committee, or of the Mini Seven Barry Payne Amanda Proctor Racing Club as a whole ● e: [email protected] e: [email protected] Cover photos: M Barrington M photos: Cover 3 Pit & Paddock 2020: Issue 9 PREVIEW:PREVIEW: THRUXTON...THRUXTON... NATIONALNATIONAL ROUNDSROUNDS 9*+10+119*+10+11 2424-2525 OCTOBER...OCTOBER... - Miglia Miglia Lap Record Nick Padmore Time: 1:28.646 5050 Ave speed: 95.67 mph Years Set: 19 mileMay circuit 2019 1970 2.356- -2020 A PACKED TIMETABLE SEES NO LESS THAN FIVE RACES FROM THE M7RC WITH ALL FOUR NATIONAL Photos: M7RC Archive (M Barrington P Waller + Barrington (M Archive M7RC Photos: Photos: M7RC Archive (M Barrington P Waller + Barrington (M Archive M7RC Photos: CHALLENGE TITLES TO BE DECIDED IN WHAT PROMISES TO BE A THRILLING WEEKEND OF ACTION... crown. BTCC star Andrew Jordan is Le May are capable of high scores, MINI MIGLIA NATIONAL entered for his third meeting in while Mark Sims will hope to have his Miglias having won on his debut at brand new car out for the first time PREVIOUS WINNERS: MINI MIGLIA Brands Hatch in August and last time this season, while newcomer Darren eigning 2018 & 2019 double- out at Combe in soaking wet condi- Mason will be aiming for more mile- 2019 C Morgan / N Padmore 2018 D Drew / A Smith champion Aaron Smith heads tions so could put the cat among the age than his brief 1-lap debut at 2014 R Deeth / K Astin R the full-race 1293cc standings pigeons, while look out for one of Combe, and will have fellow Novice 2012 P Baldwin / C Peacock after Castle Combe, but former dou- last year’s winners Nick Padmore, Jason Balding as a yardstick ● 2011 E Owens x2 ble-champ’ (2014 & 2017) Rupert plus Kane Astin (2015 champion) and 2010 P Thompson / D Drew Deeth from Cambridgeshire will be Sam Summerhayes to be on the pace 2008 P Baldwin piling on the pressure to deny the too. Of the rest, Colin Peacock, James NATIONAL 2007 A Hack Kent racer a third straight National Cuthbertson, Scott Kendall and Tony 2005 P Baldwin MINI LIBRE 2003 P Baldwin he semi-invitational ‘Free For- mula’ continues to see in- T creased numbers in only its Mini Libre Lap Record fourth season, and cars kitted out Phil Harvey with tuning variations on the A-Series Time: 1:29.809 engine. Phil Harvey (5-port) currently Ave speed: 94.44 mph holds the class title, and Thruxton Set: 19 May 2019 class lap record, but Rob Davis (5- 2.356-mile circuit port) and Dan Lewis (8-port) are the pair in the hunt for the much vaulted PREVIOUS CLASS WINNERS: Special Tuning Trophy this season. 2019 R Davis x2 Winner of the inaugural 2017 title, 2018 J Lewis / D Franks ↓ Peter Crewes has entered his ‘Britax’- livered 7-port example and will hope to have cured the ignition glitch that prevented him starting the Combe race, while having won a round at Snetterton last month ● 4 Pit & Paddock 2020: Issue 9 ...PREVIEW:...PREVIEW: THRUXTONTHRUXTON ...NATIONAL...NATIONAL ROUNDSROUNDS 9*+10+119*+10+11 2424-2525 OCTOBEROCTOBER - Se7en Lap Record Paul Thompson Time: 1:37.933 Ave speed: 86.60 mph Set: 21 August 2005 ...BEGINNING AROUND SATURDAY LUNCHTIME WITH THE RE- 2.356-mile circuit SCHEDULED ROUND 9 THAT WAS WASHED OUT AT COMBE, THIS ONE A COMBINED GRID, WITH ROUNDS 10 & 11 SEPARATE GRIDS Photos: M7RC Archive (M Barrington P Waller + Barrington (M Archive M7RC Photos: MINI SE7EN too at Donington and Brands. Class NATIONAL NATIONAL Rep Ben Butler heads the chasing PREVIOUS WINNERS: pack, while others to look out for MINI SE7EN MINI-7 S-CLASS include impressive newcomer Matt 2019 D Thomas x2 n the 1000cc category, mathe- he M7RC’s entry-level 1275cc Ayres who holds a narrow Novice 2018 T Sanderson / D Thomas matically the title-race looks to ‘Scholarship’ class continues to Challenge lead from Darren Jeremi- 2014 A Deviny / D Thomas be a three-way affair. Reigning grow in numbers and Connor ah, and reigning Under-17 standout, 2012 P Spark x2 I T 2011 P Spark x2 champion Jeff Smith - who also O’Brien is the one on form with five Ben Cutler, the latter’s car hopefully 2010 P Spark x2 brings BTCC experience with him - wins so far. Greg Daw tops the fully sorted after its ‘off’ at Combe’s 2008 P Thompson has won the last three races but still points though, including a win at Quarry corner last time out, while 2007 M Hunter trails Spencer Wanstall in the 2020 Brands, while Thorburn Astin has Jonnie Kent and Stuart Gilby have 2005 A Deviny series, the latter having been on the chipped in with a couple of victories been in the podium places before ● 2003 A Deviny podium in all eight races so far this season.