Autocrossing Mini's

[Time Bandit]

Found this online, an old Autocross event down in deepest, darkest Wales from 1969, quite a few MK1 minis in it.

Autocrossing Mini's...

There's a few more old Motorsports films which are free to watch too. Some good stuff on there.

Free Motorsport Films Index

[hanlminiman]

Way back in the 1960's when I was a lad we used to cycle to go fishing. One day there we were minding our own business and fishing when there was a load of noise and dust. A local Essex car club was organising an Autocross meeting in a local farmer's field on the other side of the river. That is when I gave up fishing! It was probably the West Essex Car Club. Close by was the Dick Jacob's MG garage but more relevant was a local Austin dealer, Wells of Woodford who had brown Mini vans and also competitive cars. Does anyone else remember Essex autocross venues from 1965 to 1971? I'd love to see some images of the Wells Mini vans. TEAC was also an organising club and I recall Swiftune were based in Eastwood in those days. I remember the reg no UPU 2 on a competing Mini

[LMM76C]

Canewdon Farm was probably the best known.

[mab01uk]

Thanks for posting!

[AndyPen]

Yep enjoyed that... especially the record keeping in the car!!

[Time Bandit]

Does Autocross still exist, never hear about it now? Back in the '70s and early '80's it seemed to be on all the time up here, every spare stubble field seemed to have an Autocross on it at some point! Real grassroots stuff too, if it still had all its wheels attached then it was good to go, regardless of any other issues!
I remember one that took place on one of my mates fields and after it had finished we had our own unoffical version with several Mini's, including mine, and a few other cars (Opal Manta, RS2000 and some others I can't remember). I only managed a couple of laps when the driveshaft rubber coupling decided to try and commit hari kari against the gearbox casing, managed to limp it the 2 miles home where it was abandoned in disgrace and I was pretty pissed off that my fun had been curtailed after only 2 laps....then, I spotted my mams MK2 Countryman...and thought, hmmm...you see, she and my dad were away on holiday...and this idea formed in my head...keys were swiped and off the Countryman and me went back to the fun and games in the field!!! It was only a 998cc compared to the 1293cc in my MK1 saloon, but it actually went around the track fantastically, great fun was had! Never did tell her about that...

[spraybeateer]

We competed in Autocross in the early 70s in Scotland, there were a few north of England/Borders
drivers competing. I remember that minis made up most of the entry, a few mini specials, Ford
Escorts.
We also competed in Rallycross at Croft,



Players No6 Championship winning Mini.
Racing in stubble fields can be hard on hard on cars!! this is the only photo I have with my name
on it

[billycooper]

Link at the bottom, Circuit of Ireland clip

Works Mini ORX7F, you just never know when you will see an ex works car !

IMG_3206.JPG

[hanlminiman]

Players No 6 - My late brother-in-law (Mini enthusiast) enjoyed them! Back to the subject. Was it 1968 or 1969 when the wet No 6 final was held near Beaconsfield. I watched in awe as the late great Roger Clark powered his way through the very muddy conditions on the side of a hill (well, it was called that down south!) without lifting off, sheer magic. At the time I think Barry Lee was in his Anglia so it might have been 1968 before he really got into the Escort, Roger was in a class of his own. I was Chief Marshal (as a teenager) at the CCC Autocross Festival at Hounslow when one of the first Jumbo jets flew overhead. I was transported to my very first Autocross meeting in Ruislip, having travelled the length of the Central Line tube with another junior member of the BARC, in the back of a competitors Healey 3000. I was a junior track fire marshal; those extinguishers were heavy and the meeting was televised live on the Sunday afternoon as I found out when I got home! Memories of my happy introduction to amateur motorsport.

[LMM76C]

Ref. Lee above, this would have been early 1968, at an autocross in Essex. Escort 1300GT in a class of Anglias. Loaned by Ford? - in effect the first works Escort?

Lee.jpg