Mini marks its 50th birthday at Castle Combe Circuit (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Mini marks its 50th birthday at Castle Combe Circuit

12:01pm Monday 6th July 2009

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Britain's best loved home grown car, the Mini, is having its 50th birthday celebrated with a weekend of motorsport action in its honour at the Castle Combe Circuit's Dunlop Great and British Motorsport Festival, on July 18 and 19.

Launched in August 1959 as the 'Morris Mini Minor' and Austin Seven', the Mini quickly established itself as a world beating competition car. In 1966 two championships known as Mini Miglia and Mini Se7en were devised as a low cost way for Mini enthusiasts to race their beloved cars. It quickly developed a reputation for incredibly close competition and is as healthy today as it has always been.

Castle Combe became a natural home for the Mini formulae, its long sweeping bends offering plenty of slip streaming action over the years. Spectators will be enjoying no less than five Mini races over the weekend, three of which are for the latest BMW MINI, in the form of 20 minute races on Saturday and Sunday for the Cooper and Cooper 'S' variants.

Kevin O'Connor from Cardiff is one of the new drivers this year, currently lying 4th in the novice class and 5th in the overall Cooper section.

The Se7en and Miglia races feature two drivers from Gloucester, Darren Thomas and Owen Stinchcombe, the latter the 2008 novice champion.

Staying with the Mini theme, clients of Wellsway MINI of Bath can enjoy a lap of the circuit in Sunday's lunchtime Mini parade, shortly after an autograph session in the paddock featuring the MINI Challenge drivers.

The weekend gets under way on Saturday with qualifying from 08.45, racing from 12.10. Sunday starts with qualifying at 09.00 with racing from 10.45. The MINI Challenge Autograph session runs from 11.30 to 11.45, followed by a break for lunch, with Mini parade laps at 1pm. The afternoon's racing re-starts at 2pm.

Admission prices on Saturday are £8 for adults, with OAPs £4 and Children and Paddock Transfer free. Sunday's charges are £15 for Adults, OAPs £7.50 with children FOC. Paddock Transfer is only £2.50, or free on all advance bookings. An advance two day pass is available for £20, OAPs paying only £10.

More information available on-line at the Castle Combe web site via the link on the right.

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