Races Thirteen and Fourteen to be held this weekend
As the MINI Challenge season draws to a close, two more races, the thirteenth and fourteenth of the season will be held this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC). Euro Motors, the exclusive importer for BMW Group cars and motorcycles in Bahrain, will hold the MINI Challenge qualifiers and main race over Thursday and Friday.
The action commences on Thursday with a pre-race qualifier followed by Race 1 and continues on Friday with another pre-race qualifier ending with Race 2.
"As the MINI season draws to a close, the excitement intensifies; with the MINI Cooper Club Sport cars battling it out for the top spot," said Zayed Al Zayani, Managing Director, Euro Motors.
The MINI Cooper Club Sport cars, each sponsored by local companies, are modified racing versions of the MINI Cooper featuring fully FIA-approved roll cages, racing seats with five point harnesses, fire extinguishers, and electronic and fuel safety cut-off switches. They feature a standard 115 bhp MINI Cooper, 4-cylinder engine with 1.6 litre displacement, and are designed to be a dual-purpose car satisfying requirements of both daily road use and competitive motorsports.
For MINI motorsport enthusiasts, the MINI Cooper Club Sport is available from Euro Motors and it comes with a comprehensive package featuring driver training on racing and safety.
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History of the 'MINI Challenge'
Back in the hay days of motor racing, in the 50's and 60's, many privately owned Cooper racing cars competing in Formula One were driven by self-funded independents knows as "privateers".
The late John Cooper, racer and owner of Cooper Car company which later became the John Cooper Works brand name and company worked in the mid 50's to develop this concept and take it further into the future.
He created with his team the rear-engine Formula 2 car with a large 2-liter engine. The Cooper Car Company won consecutive F1 Constructors World Championships in 1959 and 1960 with drivers, Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren.
In the 60's and 70's privateers were racing with MINI Coopers designed by John Cooper Works. From there the work continued and in the 1990's John Cooper Works was asked to work on the new MINI project, which would ultimately replace the classic car and carry the Cooper brand into the Millennium. John Cooper Works decided to commence work on production of an engine conversion and chassis enhancements for the new MINI Cooper.
Michael Cooper conceived the idea of the 'MINI Challenge' in memory of his father John, a one-make challenge series placing the Cooper name firmly back on the motor sport calendar.
For further information, please contact:
Maya Ribeiro,
Action Bahrain
Tel: +973 17234553;
Email: maya.r@actionprgroup.com
© Press Release 2006
