MINI CHALLENGE NEWS.

Tin-top star Nathan Harrison is hoping it will be third time lucky this year as he returns to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship with his eyes firmly set on the title.

Tin-top ace Kenan Dole will switch to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this year with reigning champion team JamSport.

Dan Zelos will make the full-time move to the MINI CHALLENGE in 2019, as the talented young Norfolk racer continues to inch ever-closer to a coveted seat in BTCC.

Cooper Pro Class star and double karting champion Richard Newman will step up to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this year after joining EXCELR8 Motorsport’s multi-car line-up.

Will Fairclough doesn’t believe his lack of racing experience will be any sort of barrier to success this year as he steps up to the JCWs with the MINI UK VIP Team.

Following on from 2 successful years in the Ginetta GT5 Challenge, Max Bird, an 18 year old college student from Chichester will be racing in the MINI CHALLENGE JCW class for 2019.

Luke Reade is hoping that added consistency and an upswing in luck can help his efforts toward this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship…

Toby Goodman has set his sights on landing this year’s MINI CHALLENGE Cooper Pro title after confirming his return to the category with EXCELR8 Motorsport.

Karting graduate Josh Stanton plans to use his maiden season in the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this year as building blocks toward a title challenge in 2020.

Rory Cuff is aiming high in this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship after confirming his return to the series this season.

A raft of financial incentives have been announced for MINI CHALLENGE competitors in the wake of huge interest in the championship…

Double Renault Clio Cup champion Ben Palmer will join the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship full-time for 2019 to spearhead an attack from touring car squad Team HARD.

The MINI CHALLENGE will form an integral part of Britain’s biggest race weekends when it joins the British Touring Car Championship support bill full-time from 2020…

Callum Newsham, son of British Touring Car Championship regular Dave Newsham is returning to the MINI CHALLENGE for a second year.

A second generation of the Porter family will take on the MINI CHALLENGE when teenager Josh Porter joins the Cooper Am Championship grid for 2019.

Australian racer Jacob Andrews will return to the UK for a second season of competition when he graduates to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship for 2019.

Gornall has been racing cars since 2003 and has enjoyed much success in everything he’s raced but the MINI CHALLENGE is his first move to front wheel drive racing.

Calum King will again return to the JCW Championship in 2019 with 2018 season winning team, Jamsport, confident for some great results.

Volkswagen Racing Cup frontrunner Matt Wilson will make the switch across to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship for 2019 with new team JWB Motorsport.

Rob Austin to rejoin AReeve Motorsport for the 2019 Mini Challenge Cooper S Championship.

MINI CHALLENGE is featured January’s issue of Performance MINI magazine. This months issue covers the JCWs at Donington and Coopers at Rockingham.

Maybin, 17, has re-signed with the EXCELR8 Motorsport team to again handle a 265bhp JCW for the full 2019 campaign.

MINI CHALLENGE is featured November’s issue of Cooper World magazine. This months issue covers the JCWs at Donington and Coopers at Rockingham.

Promising teenager Lewis Galer is the first driver to sign up for the 2019 MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship, for what will be his maiden season of car racing.

JCW Championship stars Ant Whorton-Eales and Nathan Harrison shone on their prize test outings at the wheel of a Motorbase Performance British Touring Car.

Read this month’s Cooper World magazine which features the action from Brands Hatch MINI Festival with the JCWs and Coopers.

Read about the weekend’s racing by the Cooper S class and who would take the Class win for the season as we visited Rockingham for the last time.

The final round of the MINI CHALLENGE Cooper Am and Pro classes and we determine the class winners from Rockingham.

Kyle Reid will race at Daytona International Speedway after winning prestigious the Sunoco 240 Challenge.

Featured in Performance MINI, read the race reports from Oulton Park and Brands Hatch for the Cooper Classes and the JCW class.

The final deciding round of the MINI CHALLENGE Cooper classes is around the corner and it’s also the last time we ever race at Rockingham Motor Speedway.

Nathan Harrison brought new champion Ant Whorton-Eales’ winning run to a finish by fighting to victory in the final race of the season at Donington Park…

Ant Whorton-Eales secured this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship title with another dominant drive in the first race of the weekend at Donington Park…

JCW debutant Ben Palmer shocked the series regulars by scoring pole position during a tricky final qualifying session of the season at Donington Park.

Ant Whorton-Eales has pledged not to back off in his quest to seal the JCW Championship title, despite his rivals admitting they need a miracle to deny him…

Early Saturday morning, after 6 sessions of testing on Friday, meant all were raring to go. Some had a bit of damage and had their cars and engines patched up.

The Excelr8 guys had been hard at all night fixing up a number of cars that were damaged in testing. 6 half hour sessions certainly excited some more than others.

With just 5 races to go in this year’s MINI CHALLENGE, it could all be decided this weekend at the East Coast’s answer to the Nűrbugring.

Featured in Cooper World this month, read the race reports from the Oulton Park MINI Festival including all classes of the MINI CHALLENGE.

Find out about when the MINI CHALLENGE coverage from Brands Hatch for the seventh round of the JCW championship will be aired on Channel 4 and Motors TV.

Read how the Cooper S class got on at the Brands Hatch MINI Festival. Some exciting racing over the weekend with changable weather and a few car troubles along the way.

Catch up on the races of the Cooper Am/Pro classes at Brands MINI Festival. Three action-packed races with some exciting racing.

Ant Whorton-Eales completed a perfect hat-trick of JCW victories during the Brands Hatch MINI Fest, but the race for the title will go down to the final event of the year.

Ant Whorton-Eales is on the verge of securing this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship title after scoring his second victory of the Brands Hatch…

Jordan Collard was deemed to have overshot his grid spot when the field formed up after the green flag lap, an error that was brought to light some hours after the race…

Jordan Collard returned to form in qualifying for the Brands Hatch MINI Festival, snatching pole in an extremely tight session.

Lewis Brown wants to continue his forward momentum at Brands Hatch in the hope that it can pave the way for a tilt at the MINI CHALLENGE JCW title next season.

Find out about when the MINI CHALLENGE coverage from Brands Hatch for the sixth round of the JCW championship will be aired on Channel 4 and Motors TV.

With just five races remaining, Ant Whorton-Eales tightened his grip on this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship trophy after doubling up in front…

Ant Whorton-Eales extended his advantage at the head of the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship after taking a controlled victory in the first race of the DTM weekend…

David Robinson celebrated his maiden MINI CHALLENGE JCW pole position after dominating a tricky qualifying session on the Saturday that the DTM returned…

Multiple car racing champion David Robinson is hoping that his current run good form can elevate him into the top four in the MINI CHALLENGE JCW points this weekend

Featured in Performance MINI, read the race reports from Snetterton and Silverstone for the Cooper Classes and the JCW class.

Find out about when the MINI CHALLENGE coverage from Oulton for the fifth round of the JCW championship will be aired on Channel 4 and Motors TV.

Whorton-Eales will rejoin the AmD Tuning.com team to handle one of its MG6 machines for this weekend’s round in Norfolk…

No surprises, with Will Fairclough having both of his quickest laps being the top 2 quickest. Rob Austin, trying like mad to put in a good time managed P2 on his last lap.

The sun was shining and 16 MINI Coopers were all set to go. Back from a break with Eurotech/Wix was Martin Poole. Determined to show Kyle Reid he is no walk over.

Despite leading the championship from the first round, it had been a long wait for a victory for Ant Whorton-Eales before the second JCW race at Oulton Park.

Rob Smith celebrated his second successive MINI CHALLENGE JCW victory after successfully converting his pole position into a narrow victory in race one at Oulton…

Rob Smith left it late to snatch pole position in a challenging qualifying session at Oulton Park, which kick-started the annual northern edition of the MINI Festival.

The time is almost upon the MINI Challenge, for the eagerly anticipated pilgrimage to the Oulton Park MINI festival, one of the highlights of their racing calendar.

Rising star Jordan Collard is confident that this weekend’s second visit to Oulton Park will help to “separate the men from the boys” in the fight for the JCW title.

Featured in Cooper World Magazine, read the race reports from Snetterton from both the JCW and Cooper rounds during the two weekends in May.

Jono Davis was flying with his rebuilt gearbox and clutch. A great pole lap of 1:07.257, Rob Austin was in P2 with Alan Lee in P3. Andy Montgomery stayed in touch…

A nice bright start on the National circuit. A short circuit passed the National pits into Copse, sharp right turn at Maggotts, flat out down the Wellington Straight…

Find out about when the MINI CHALLENGE coverage from Silverstone for the fourth round of the JCW championship will be aired on Channel 4 and Motors TV.

A very strong grid at Snetterton last time out saw some very close racing. Kyle Reid in the Pro class continued his dominance in the class with 3 wins out of 3 races…

Rob Smith claimed his first victory of the season in the second outing at Silverstone, holding off Ant Whorton-Eales in what was essentially a single-lap shootout.

Jordan Collard battled to his maiden MINI CHALLENGE JCW victory in a thrilling first race at Silverstone, but had to fight off a four-car train to secure the laurels.

Jordan Collard continued his quest to be labelled this year’s king of qualifying by storming to another pole position at Silverstone this afternoon.

Dave Newsham will make his JCW debut at Silverstone this weekend, marking his first competitive outing since leaving the British Touring Car Championship.

Car racing rookie Jac Maybin feels his maiden MINI CHALLENGE JCW victory isn’t far away after his stunning performance during the last round at Snetterton.

Find out about when the MINI CHALLENGE coverage from Snetterton for the third round of the JCW championship will be aired on Channel 4 and Motors TV.

David Robinson claimed his maiden MINI CHALLENGE victory by edging out Jac Maybin in an absolute thriller of a second race at Snetterton.

Having enjoyed a perfect start to the season so far, Ant Whorton-Eales suffered the disappointment of retirement in the first outing at Snetterton

Jordan Collard was on record time as he secured his second pole position of the season with a blistering lap at Snetterton.

Luke Reade believes that he can stay firmly in the fight for this year’s JCW Championship if he can continue his run of early season consistency.

Cooper Class star Sam Weller will make the step up to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship in time for the next round at Snetterton.

With lots of testing carried out by some of the teams and drivers on the preceding Thursday and Friday, expectations were high. Stu Lane was continuing his run…

20 cars all fired up ready for qualifying. Although the circuit is 3 miles long drivers need to get clean air or a tow from the car in front to put in a good time….

The second round of the Cooper Am, Pro and S Classes is approaching and we’re in store for some more action-packed racing as we head to Snetterton.

Find out about when the MINI CHALLENGE coverage from Rockingham for the second round of the JCW championship will be aired on Channel 4 and Motors TV.

Ant Whorton-Eales couldn’t have hoped for a better start to this year’s JCW Championship, having racked up his third win on the bounce in second race at Rockingham.

Ant Whorton-Eales fired an ominous warning shot about his intentions for this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship title by taking a dominant victory….

Ant Whorton-Eales secured his first MINI CHALLENGE JCW pole position of the season in a tricky session at Rockingham on Saturday.

Teenager Louis Doyle is planning a two-year stint in the JCW Championship this year after confirming his switch from the Renault Clio Junior Series.

Former British GT champion James Gornall will joins the MINI CHALLENGE JCW grid at Rockingham as he evaluates a full-time switch into the category.

Nathan Harrison is hoping to put a troubled first round at Oulton Park behind him this weekend by picking up where he left off at Rockingham in 2016.

Find out about all the action at the first weekend for the Cooper Am/Pro & Cooper S classes as they headed to Donington Park.

GS Yuasa Battery Sales UK Ltd are pleased to announce that their GS battery brand will sponsor Henry and Will Neal in the JCW Championship.

The third generation of the legendary Cooper tuning family will make his racing debut as Charlie Cooper confirms to join the Cooper Pro Championship.

Read the web preview about the Cooper Am, Cooper Pro and Cooper S Classes as they head to Donington for the first round of the Cooper championships.

Find out about when the MINI CHALLENGE coverage from Outlon park for the first round of the JCW championship will be aired on Channel 4 and Motors TV.

A post-race penalty to Nathan Harrison handed debutant Ant Whorton-Eales victory in the opening round of the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship at Oulton Park.

MINI CHALLENGE newcomer Jordan Collard will start Monday’s first JCW race at Oulton Park from pole position after taking a stunning maiden pole position.

Rob Smith has designs on fighting for this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship, and hopes to bag a strong start to the season at Oulton Park this Easter weekend.

This year’s JCW champion will be rewarded with a fully funded season in the Japanese Super Taikyu series worth in excess of £100,000.

MINI CHALLENGE are delighted to announce a new partnership with Credo Motorsport Finance this season.

Multiple MINI Challenge JCW race winner Rob Smith has officially confirmed his return to the hugely popular one-make championship for the 2018 season with just one goal in mind – winning the title.

Charlie Butler-Henderson is targeting a second Mini Challenge JCW title this year after confirming his return to the championship.

Former Cooper Class champion Ant Whorton-Eales will make a return to the MINI CHALLENGE this season, and has his eyes firmly set on a maiden JCW crown.

Sportscar racing champion Lewis Brown will make his debut in this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship after joining the AReeve Motorsport team. Brown joins the CHALLENGE having won last season’s Ginetta GT5…

Jono Davis is targeting the MINI CHALLENGE COOPER S Class crown this year, in what will be his second full season in the category. Davis, 22, will join Excelr8 Motorsport to run an R53-spec Cooper S….

Luke Reade will return to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this season, as he hunts for his breakthrough podium finish in the series.

MINI CHALLENGE are delighted to announce an extension to our partnership with Scorpion as joint Championship lead partners.

Stu Lane returns to the MINI CHALLENGE this season in the Cooper S class with AReeve Motorsport. Last year Lane competed in one round at Silverstone…

This month’s Modern Mini magazine features a 2018 preview of MINI CHALLENGE. The magazine is out now and available in most stores.

Scottish MINI Cooper Cup star Joe Tanner will switch to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this year as part of a new programme from JamSport Racing.

The MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship will support the DTM’s return to Brands Hatch this year after confirming a change to the provisional calendar. The 265bhp JCWs will now compete in two races to support…

Jordan Collard will be joining the MINI CHALLENGE for 2018 and will be competing for the MINI Challenge Rookie cup which caters to up and coming drivers who are new to the series.

Rising tin-top star Nathan Harrison will return to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this season, and he’s in search of the title that he narrowly missed in 2016. Harrison, 21, has signed with Excelr8 Motorsport…

Multiple racing champion David Robinson will aim to add this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW honours to his career haul after signing with Excelr8 Motorsport. Robinson, 29, will tackle the full JCW season with Excelr8…

Taelor Shand joins Excelr8 Motorsport for her first full season racing in the MINI CHALLENGE in the JCW class. Taelor is no stranger to racing in Mini’s however, Taelor’s first experience of circuit racing was in 2015…

Car racing rookie Ethan Pitt will return to the MINI CHALLENGE Cooper Championship for his first full season of racing this year. Pitt will campaign with experienced squad Sussex Road and Race.

The MINI CHALLENGE will further strengthen its link to the BTCC when Callum Newsham joins JCW this year, being run by his father – BTCC regular Dave Newsham.

Jac will compete in the premier class within the MINI CHALLENGE Series boasting grids of over 30 drivers. With identical 2 litre turbo 265bhp JCW cars the MINI CHALLENGE…

Former Renault Clio Cup driver Ollie Pidgley will switch to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship next season after agreeing a deal with Excelr8 Motorsport.

We look back at the 2017 season to see how Brett Smith won the 2017 JCW Championship. Smith’s season began strongly, if not sensationally. A podium at Oulton Park was followed by a disappointing weekend at Rockingham.

Next year’s MINI CHALLENGE championships will be fought over 35 races across 15 weekends as the calendars for both the top-flight JCW category and hotly contested Cooper & Open series have been revealed.

MINI CHALLENGE drivers, Matt Hammond (Cooper Pro Class Champion) and Reece Barr (JCW Class Vice-Champion) joined Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo at Snetterton…

Karting champion Toby Goodman will join the MINI CHALLENGE Cooper Pro Series for his first season of car racing next year after signing with top team Excelr8 Motorsport.

A very early start to decide the outcome of the Pro and Am classes of the MINI CHALLENGE. Expectations were high and the pressure was on to bring home enough points to claim the class wins in both classes.

10 cars lined up for qualifying. Great to have Jono Davis back with his super-fast R53 (not a typo it is an R53). Neal Clark joined us with his Norfolk cars R53 too, So plenty of whining! (Supercharger noise).

Brett Smith capped his year in perfect fashion by securing a dominant double at Donington, scorching up the order on the reversed grid. Smith drew number four from the hat so began the final race…

Brett Smith overcame his starting fears to take a controlled victory in the penultimate race of the season. Having already secured the JCW crown during the last outing at Oulton Park…

New MINI CHALLENGE JCW champion Brett Smith again showed his class in qualifying at Donington Park to secure pole position for the penultimate race of the season on Sunday.

Reece Barr insists he’s feeling no pressure ahead of a tense Rookie Cup showdown at Donington Park this weekend, while his biggest rival Max Bladon is determined to try and hunt him down in the points.

With just qualifying to do on Saturday the drivers and crews were busy polishing and making sure cars were up to their best. Some had been testing on the Thursday and Friday. Chloe Hewitt was having problems…

A nice early start with qualifying and 1 race on Saturday and 1 race on Sunday Morning. Bryony King and Ethan Pitt were guest drivers this weekend, hopefully entering next year’s MINI CHALLENGE.

This month’s Modern Mini magazine covers the Mini Festival which took place on the 8 – 9th July and featured all classes of the MINI CHALLENGE. To find out more, pick up a copy of this Months Modern Mini.

This Month’s Modern MINI Magazine reported on the JCW driver, Sarah Moore as she tried out racing in the JCW class. Sarah has competed in one round this season and hopes to come back for a full season in 2018.

The circuit configuration used for the MINI Festival was the Fosters Circuit. A first time for many. No fast left turn from Cascades entry into Lakeside but an adverse camber right hand turn into Fosters…

A small turnout but a quality field of just 7 cars. Up to 12 laps of the Fosters circuit were possible on the wet track. Ben Dimmack was his usual quick straight away, but it took 10 laps to put in the pole time.

Having endured four nightmare races prior to the MINI CHALLENGE’s return to Oulton Park, Max Bladon gave the perfect signal that he’s ready to return to form by snatching JCW pole in a tricky qualifying session.

Henry Neal broke his JCW duck in emphatic style in the first race at Oulton Park, but the outing ended under difficult circumstances after a multi-car accident at the Knickerbrook corner in difficult conditions.

George Sutton made it two new winners from two rather frustrating races at Oulton Park, as the rookies came to the fore in the final race of the weekend. Sutton led home fellow Rookie Cup challengers Reece Barr and Max…

Max Bladon says he needs to turn back the clock this Saturday at Oulton Park, and attack the penultimate round of the season in the same way he did during the opening weekend of the year.

Brett Smith took another big stride toward sealing this year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship crown, by claiming his fourth victory of the season after a tight final battle at Brands Hatch.

Rob Smith is fast becoming a Brands Hatch specialist after securing another victory at the Kent venue in a truncated first outing at the Kent venue’s Grand Prix Circuit. Rob led from lights-to-flag to secure a second victory…

Rob Smith snatched a dramatic last-gasp pole position at Brands Hatch after making late progress in a tricky, drenched qualifying session. After a gloriously sunny morning at the Kent venue, the storm clouds arrived…

Reece Barr is aiming to make his mark in this year’s JCW Rookie Championship with a strong performance on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit this weekend. The JCW’s head to Kent to start the final third of the campaign.

Mark Blundell may be set for a return to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship in the future after an impressive, if unlucky, debut during the Brands Hatch MINI Festival.

A Nice early start for the 9 open class cars for R53 and R56 “S” or JCWs. 15 minutes around the short Indy circuit. Ben Dimmack (R56) was fast straight out of the blocks and clinched P1 on the 3rd lap. Rob Austin (R56) tried…

With a nice covering of cloud and good temperatures, the 18 Cooper Pro/ Am cars were all eager and pent up ready to “put the pedal to the metal” In the Pro class of 11 cars, favourites to go well was Sam Weller…

After his race two upturn, David Grady went two better in the finale, with a scorching start helping him to a stunning victory to cap off MSVR’s annual MINI Festival. Grady started fourth on the reversed grid…

Charlie Butler-Henderson landed his second JCW victory of the season in a tempestuous second race at Brands, but only after a post-race penalty for championship leader Brett Smith.

Rob Smith withheld intense pressure to secure his first MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship victory since 2015 in the first race at Brands Hatch. The MINI UK VIP driver produced a superb defensive display…

Rob Smith scored his second pole of the season in a truncated MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship qualifying at Brands Hatch. The MINI UK VIP driver beat namesake Brett Smith…

Modern MINI Magazine reported on both the JCW and Cooper/Open rounds from 3rd – 4th June and the 10th -11th June. You can find out more by picking up the latest copy of MODERNMINI Magazine or view the article here.

Mark Wakefield has targeted a clean sweep of podium finishes at this weekend’s Brands Hatch MINI Festival as he continues his march up the CHALLENGE points table. The Excelr8 driver is currently third in the points…

Ex-Formula 1 driver Mark Blundell will compete in the next round of the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship at Brands Hatch on July 8/9. Blundell has signed up to handle the MINI UK-backed guest car in the three races.

JCW Championship leader Brett Smith insists that his surprise graduation into this year’s British Touring Car Championship won’t affect his chances of landing this year’s MINI CHALLENGE title.

Nearly midday but overcast for the 17 Cooper Class cars. 10 in the Pro Class, led by Jessica Hawkins and 7 in the Am class led by Stuart Mclaren. A lot of the drivers were struggling to get to know the Rockingham circuit.

Nice bright early start for the Open Class, a quick run around the Motor Speedway International circuit to heat the tyres up and away they all go. Only 8 cars but not a lot to choose between any of them.

Max Bladon secured his second victory of the season in a truncated second race at Silverstone. Much of which took place under the safety car.

SILVERSTONE JCW RACE 1 REPORT Brett Smith extended his points lead in the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship in an emotionally charged first race at Silverstone, winning the day after his father Jeff was hospitalised after a serious accident in the British Touring Car...

SILVERSTONE JCW QUALIFYING REPORT Brett Smith continued his current hot streak by claiming pole for the first race at Silverstone after a nip and tuck battle with his namesake Rob Smith. The two Smiths were the class of the field and between them secured an all-Smith...

Rob Smith is hoping that consistency and a change in fortune can help him return to the top step of the MINI CHALLENGE podium at Silverstone this weekend, the site of his first CHALLENGE victory back in 2014. Smith looked odds-on to record his first race win for two...

Qualifying:       Weather: Bright/Dry       Duration: 15 minutes The Silverstone National Circuit, the one the BTCC use, suits the MINIs well. 3 blasts and a technical bit around Brooklands and Luffield. With 15 minutes,  19 cars and a potential 12 laps, it was all...

Qualifying:       Weather: Bright/Dry       Duration: 15 minutes The R53 and R56, 10 cars in all, to race around the National Circuit. A few cars were missing due to Exams and other commitments.  A great shame as this is a very competitive class. Andrew Tsang was...

Brett Smith became the first double winner of the MINI CHALLENGE season by taking a dominant victory in the third outing at Snetterton, as yet more of his championship rivals suffered setbacks in Norfolk. Brett completed his double to assume the championship lead...

Brett Smith kept the unprecedented run of different race winners going by becoming the sixth different driver to top the podium in the opening six races this year – and his chances of landing this year’s title received a boost as leader Reece Barr suffered heartbreak...

Jeff Smith secured his first MINI CHALLENGE victory of the season to make it five different winners from the first five races after a thrilling first outing at Snetterton. The British Touring Car Championship regular soaked up intense pressure from championship leader...

Rob Smith snatched his first pole position of the season in a bizarre qualifying session at Snetterton, after which two of the championship challengers will start on the back row. While the cars headed to the collecting area in bright sunshine, rain was on the...

Brett Smith is hopeful that his impressive race pace so far this season can begin to manifest itself as on-track results at Snetterton this weekend. Eurotech Racing driver Smith has been one of the stars of the campaign so far, regularly showing front-running pace...

MINI CHALLENGE features in the latest issue of Modern MINI. This issue covers all of the classes in the championships and looks at how some of the drivers got into the series.

Qualifying: Weather: Changeable Duration: 15 minutes This class is a bit special, it allows all comers, R53s, R56s. Be they an ex-MINI CHALLENGE car, a track day car, or a Cooper S JCW of 2005 vintage. 180bhp per tonne is the rule. Yes, power output was checked and...

Qualifying:       Weather: Bright/Dry       Duration: 15 minutes Jessica Hawkins showed 17 others that she was the one to beat.  A blistering performance, improving each time she went past the pits. There were a lot of new names and new cars all out for the opening...

The long awaited opening rounds of the MINI CHALLENGE Open class and Cooper classes is being held this weekend as part of the MINI Festival at Snetterton. New for this year is the split of the former Cooper Class cars into 2 classes. The Cooper Pro Class running a 135...

CAR Magazine reviews MINI CHALLENGE   CAR Magazine's James Taylor joined us for the first round at Oulton Park this April to try out racing in our guest JCW with the MINI UK JCW Team. Read James' review here as he guides you through his race weekend. Having raced in...

Round: 4         Laps: 14           Weather: Cloudy, dry Reece Barr made it four different winners from as many races this year after scoring an emphatic maiden JCW victory in race two at Rockingham. Barr, a former double Irish karting champion, showed maturity and...

 Round: 3         Laps: 6             Weather: Sunny, dry Max Bladon learned from his starting errors at Oulton Park to take his maiden JCW victory in a fragmented first race at Rockingham. Bladon didn’t just have to get off the line once to notch his first win in the...

Reece Barr set the pace in the second qualifying session of the season, setting the fastest time on Saturday to sit on provisional pole in what was only his third ever qualifying session in a car, having joined the MINI CHALLENGE from karting. Barr knew a good lap was...

Former MINI CHALLENGE champion Charlie Butler-Henderson believes circuit unfamiliarity can mix up the pecking order at Rockingham this weekend. The premier JCW category heads to the Corby speedbowl for the second round of the season this weekend, with Butler-Henderson...

MINI CHALLENGE, Oulton Park Rounds 1-2 RACE REPORT Round: Two    Laps: 8      Weather: Cloudy Charlie Butler-Henderson scored victory in race two of the MINI CHALLENGE JCW opening weekend of the season at Oulton Park to once again stake his claim for a championship...

MINI CHALLENGE, Oulton Park Rounds 1-2 RACE REPORT Round: One     Laps: 7      Weather: Cloudy Mark Wakefield secured his first victory in the MINI CHALLENGE’S JCW class with an assured drive in a shortened opening race of the season at Oulton Park. Wakefield, on...

Max Bladon took no time in shaking off the winter cobwebs to continue his fine run of form to take pole position for the MINI CHALLENGE – JCW opening race of the season at Oulton Park. Last season’s Cooper Class champion was fresh from racing an Aston Martin Vantage...

Jeff Smith will pull double duty this weekend, by competing in both the British Touring Car Championship and MINI CHALLENGE at two different circuits on the same day. Smith plans to take part in both the second BTCC round at Donington Park and the CHALLENGE JCW opener...

Double UK Legends champion Dean Brace will join the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this season with Lawrence Davey Racing. Brace has a hugely successful background in Legends racing, having won the overall titles in both 2013 and 2014 – his 2014 achievement also...

This year’s MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship will roar into life with a capacity grid for its first races this Easter Bank Holiday at Oulton Park on April 17. With just over a week to go until the lights go out on another season, the CHALLENGE’s premier JCW category...

Rebecca Jackson will return to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this season. TV presenter and journalist Jackson contested select events in the MINI UK-backed guest car last season, and will now take the plunge into a full season of competition. Jackson has a...

Formula Ford 1600 star Stuart Gough will join this year’s JCW Championship, and be reunited with his old single-seater rivals David Grady and Rob Smith. Gough, 36 from Milton Keynes, will contest his first-ever season of front-wheel-drive racing this year aboard the...

Reigning Scottish MINI Cooper Cup champion Paul Bell will graduate into the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this year with the Aaron Reeve Motorsport team. Bell, 42, conquered the Knockhill-based Scottish championship in his second full season of MINI racing last...

MINI UK’s Nicolas Griebner says the manufacturer’s part in gaining live TV coverage this season will give the MINI CHALLENGE “the complete package.” The CHALLENGE’s flagship JCW Championship will benefit from live and free-to-air TV coverage this year after a new deal...

Multiple MINI CHALLENGE race winner Rob Smith returns to Excler8 Motorsport and the MINI UK VIP team for another season in the Evergreen Tyres backed #37 JCW. Having taken to the podium in his first MINI CHALLENGE event in 2013 and followed this up with a win at...

Front Runner to broadcast live and free-to-air MINI CHALLENGE UK races from all 6 of the UK British GT rounds British GT Championship & MINI Challenge fans will be able to watch this season’s, as well as those of its MINI CHALLENGE support category, live, for free and...

Mark Wakefield has targeted a significant jump up the grid this season after joining Excelr8 Motorsport for his second season in the JCW Championship. The 19-year-old from Cheshire will be entering his fourth season in the MINI CHALLENGE, but his first with a...

Cooper Class dominator and Sunoco Challenge winner Max Bladon will graduate to the MINI CHALLENGE’s JCW Championship this season. Bladon has agreed to race a Bizkarts-backed JCW with the Excelr8 Motorsport team for what will be his third campaign in car racing. The...

Double Irish karting champion Reece Barr will tackle the full MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship this year with Excelr8 Motorsport. Barr, 16, marked himself out as a rising star in domestic karting, racking up back-to-back titles in the All-Ireland MiniMax championship...

MINICHALLENGE features in MotorWorks Magazine, including details on Reece Barr, Paul Bell, and Charlie Butler-Henderson. A MEGA BMW issue with coverage from 2016 and BMW's 100th Anniversary. It is truly International with coverage from New Zealand, Australia, the UK...

Reigning MINI CHALLENGE Cooper S Class champion Scott Jeffs will graduate into the top-flight JCW category this year. The 19-year-old from Stratford upon Avon will run one of the new Gen 3 F56 machines as a privateer entry, following his title success last season in...

MINI CHALLENGE Japan showed off a MINI CHALLENGE UK JCW race car at the Auto Saloon Show in Tokyo on the 13th January 2017 to help launch a new race series in Japan. For more information on MINI CHALLENGE Japan, go to...

Reigning MINI CHALLENGE champion David Grady will return to defend his title this year after landing a budget boost courtesy of being named the winner of this year’s Best of British Award. Grady will benefit from a £14,000 prize, consisting of a package of entry fees,...

MINI CHALLENGE Cooper champion Max Bladon is preparing to make his endurance racing debut at Daytona International Speedway next weekend (January 28-29), having won the Sunoco Challenge contest. Bladon beat off competition from 166 drivers competing across 11 other UK...

Charlie signs up with ELMS MINI CHALLENGE star Charlie Butler-Henderson has teamed up with Elms MINI Cambridge for the 2017 season. Former CHALLENGE champion Butler-Henderson, who is also a Brand Ambassador for MINI UK, will feature Elms Cambridge logos on his car and...

Newly crowned MINI CHALLENGE champion David Grady had his maiden test in a British Touring Car recently, as part of his prize for lifting this year’s JCW title. Grady was rewarded with a fully funded test in a Motorbase Performance Ford Focus at Snetterton, courtesy...

MINI CHALLENGE features in this month's MODERN MINI Magzine. To find out more, visit MODERN MINI Magazine.

MINI CHALLENGE, JCW, Snetterton Rounds: 17-19 Round: 17    Laps: 10    Weather: Cloudy, dry David Grady stole the momentum in the chase for this year’s MINI CHALLENGE Championship with race one victory at Snetterton, but his rivals are still right on his tail. After...

MINI CHALLENGE Cooper S and Cooper, Snetterton, Rounds 16-18 Round: 16    Laps: 9    Weather: Cloudy, dry Scott Jeffs took a step closer to this year’s Cooper S Class title with victory in the opening race of the Snetterton finale, having recovered from a grid...

The four main contenders for the MINI CHALLENGE title are predicting a tense showdown at Snetterton this weekend, with each knowing a single mistake could end their charge. While six drivers from the premier JCW Class go into Norfolk with a shot at the championship...

MINI CHALLENGE features in this month's MODERN MINI Magazine. To find out more, visit MODERN MINI Magazine.

JCW 2017 CALENDAR Following our announcement that the MINI CHALLENGE will join the British GT package from 2017 we are now delighted to announce the provisional JCW Class calendar:

MINI CHALLENGE Cooper S/Open Cadwell Park Rounds 14-15 Round: 14                   Laps: 9            Weather: Raining, wet Both Neil Newstead and Carlito Miracco had similar days at Cadwell Park, they had a win each but after Miracco was black-flagged in race one for...

MINI CHALLENGE Cooper Cadwell Park Rounds 14-15 Round 14 Laps 10 Weather, raining – wet Max Bladon returned to winning ways at Cadwell Park, but had to work for it, after qualifying fourth in a twice red flagged qualifying session. But it was enough to crown him the...

Cooper Class dominator Max Bladon has pledged not to back off at Cadwell Park this weekend, despite being on the verge of landing the title. Bladon carries a whopping 225-point lead into the standalone Cadwell Park double-header. With just five races remaining, a top...

MINI CHALLENGE joins British GT Championship for 2017 • Top-level JCW Championship moves to British GT race package • Major championship expansion across all classes • MINI UK to increase support from 2017 Next season the MINI CHALLENGE will join the British GT...

MINI CHALLENGE Oulton Park, rounds 15-16 Round: 15    Laps: 4    Weather: Intermittent rain, cloudy Jeff Smith may have broken his MINI CHALLENGE duck with the first win in a turbulent Oulton Park double-header, but much of the focus centred on a frightening accident...

MINI CHALLENGE Cooper/S/Open Oulton Park Rounds 12-13 Round: 12 Laps: 11 Weather: Cloudy, damp-drying The second attempt at a first race at Oulton Park was ironically a race of firsts – with Carlito Miracco taking his maiden MINI CHALLENGE victory in the Cooper S...

Rob Smith says he’s going “all guns blazing” for victory on home turf this weekend as the MINI Challenge JCW title fight rolls into Oulton Park. Smith was a major player in the title battle last season and was the first man to win a race in the new generation F56 JCW...

Cooper Class frontrunner Josh Gollin believes that car tweaks can be the key to him ending Max Bladon’s domination of the class at Oulton Park. Bladon has very much had the Cooper Class laurels to himself this season, and has so far gone all 11 races this season...

MINI CHALLENGE JCW Brands Hatch Indy, Rounds: 12-14 Round: 12 Laps: 21 Weather: Sunny, warm Having taken his maiden pole position last time out at Rockingham, Brett Smith carried newfound confidence and momentum into Brands Hatch, and made good use of it to convert a...

MINI CHALLENGE Cooper S, Open, Cooper Brands Hatch Indy, Rounds: 10-12 Round: 10 Laps: 22 Weather: Sunny, warm Max Bladon came closer than ever to losing his unbeaten streak this season when he dropped as low as fifth on the first lap of the Brands Hatch MINI Festival...

Racing rookie Michael Bamber is hoping to continue his charge towards the top three in the Cooper Class with a strong showing at Brands Hatch this weekend. Bamber, 27, is currently fifth in the Cooper Class points ahead of his first experience of the MINI Festival at...

MINI CHALLENGE veteran Chris Smith isn’t feeling the pressure of chasing a breakthrough race victory this season, and would be content with a strong haul of points at Brands Hatch this weekend. Smith heads into the triple-header around the Kent venue’s Indy Circuit in...

MINI CHALLENGE, JCW, Rockingham, Rounds: 6-8  Round: 6       Laps: 14        Weather: Cloudy, dry Nathan Harrison claimed the MINI CHALLENGE championship lead, and then lost it after being stripped of the first victory of the weekend. Harrison crossed the line first,...

MINI CHALLENGE, Cooper & S, Rockingham, Rounds: 7-9 Round: 7 Laps: 13 Weather: Cloudy, dry We’ve seen some periods of dominance within the Cooper Class order throughout the years, and Max Bladon continued his unbeaten streak to make it seven in a row at Rockingham....

Car racing rookie Sam Weller is aiming for his breakthrough victory at Rockingham this weekend, after sampling the champagne in the Cooper Class for the first time. Weller was one of the stars of the three races at Silverstone, claiming two second place finishes in...

Silverstone double-winner David Grady is confident of continuing his climb up the points table as the MINI Challenge season his the halfway stage at Rockingham this weekend. Grady grabbed his first pole position last time out in Northamptonshire and converted that...

Round: 6       Laps: 19        Weather: Sunny, warm David Grady celebrated his maiden MINI CHALLENGE pole position, and duly turned it in to his first victory of the season in what could work out to be one of the finest races of the year. Grady held off a charging...

Round: 4 Laps: 18 Weather: Sunny, warm The old expression says that you only need two cars for a race. The R56 JCW Class may be down on numbers for this year, but they produced a stunning four-way fight for victory in race one at Silverstone. The entry may have been...