Pre-66 Mini Race at Mondello, Ireland

[Red Mist]

Hi guys,

Mondello Park, just outside Dublin, will be celebrating its 50th birthday at this year's Mondello Historic Festival on August 18th and 19th and, seeing as a Pre-66 Mini race is now off the cards at the Brands Hatch Mini Festival on August 25th and 26th, an opportunity for a consolation race at Mondello Park has presented itself!

A Mini Cooper S won the very first ever race there in 1968 so a grid of Pre-66 Minis is a very fitting tribute to the circuit!

The Circuit
The full International circuit will be used which presents a combination of slow technical sections and faster sweeping corners - all adding up to a very fun lap in a Mini and something a little different to the more open UK circuits. It has also just been completely re-surfaced!

The Event
This is only Mondello's 2nd Historic Festival and this year is set to be bigger and better with racing classes from the Irish-based Historic Racing Car Association (both Pre-55 and Pre-82 classes), classic Motorbikes, Irish Future Classics Championship and the HSCC Derek Bell Trophy for F2 cars.

The event will have classic car displays, vintage food and shopping etc too. There's also a good bar on site for a sneaky pint of The Black Stuff!

The Mini Races
A full and proper timetable still has to be set in stone, but the propsed format for the Minis is:

Saturday - 1x15min practice in the morning and 1x15min qualifying in the afternoon
Sunday - 1x20min race in the morning and 1x20min race in the afternoon

There will be trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in both races.

The races are for Appendix K Pre-66 Minis, but Minis of similar spec will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Getting There and Costs
Discounts to Mini entrants are being offered for ferry crossings and local accommodation.

The Entry Fee for the races is incredibly good value at just €150 for the event!

Further Info
We already have a lot of interest in the event from competitors across the UK so, if you're interested too, please email me on neil@granbymotorsport.com and I will send you further entry information and a brochure.

Look forward to hearing from you!

[mk1]

What a cracking event!

I don't have a race licence anymore, but would love to come & watch or spanner if anyone needs a fat ageing mechanic.



M

[Red Mist]

Just bought this ultra rare original photo showing some Minis leading the way at the very first race ever held at the circuit

[mk1]

Cracking shot!

[IrishChieftain]

Wow, what a pic!

That's my dad (Dick Grace RIP) going around the long way in number 78 - a Downton Mini he bought the year before from Sean Wiles/Barry Hawkins.

I think RTE have a B&W video news item of the start of the actual race, but I cannot find it in their archives.

I'm attaching a PR pic of the start with my dad and Larry Mooney, also a pic of my dad's racing license.

Does anyone know if Brian Foley's (RIP) images of this period are archived/available anywhere?

Mondello Opening _PR Pic with Larry Mooney.jpg

30706366_10155128946905981_9039659698441158656_n.jpg

[mk1]

Thank you for a wonderful contribution.

Have you hard back from Barrie yet?

[mk1]

I have just downloaded the documentary "Mondello, Grass to Glory" looks like it could be a cracker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rQK4BX04Oo

[IrishChieftain]

Yes, Barry got back to me. He couldn't recall the handing over of the car. However, I know this took place in Kirkistown in 1966/1967, because somewhere I have a pic of my dad shaking hands with the driver getting out of the car. Barry did send me five original pics of the car which I will treasure, one which included him and Sean Wiles. I will post them here only if Barry agrees (I can watermark them).

My only other memory (I had pics which were lost in the move to the USA in 2001) was my dad going back to Kirkistown in 1967. It must have rained. He spun off and the rear of the car hit the barrier. There was a pic of him going through mud to get back on the track. He won that day and, I will stand corrected on this, but I believe he beat Alec Poole in the process. Maybe if Alec is around he could fill in the details. My dad had two 1st place cups for that day.

I'm attaching one pic of that Kirkistown race from 1967. Can anyone identify the driver behind him? I know that face and cannot put a name to him. Another pic is of hill climb on Tim Healy Pass in 1967 (has to be shortly after purchasing the car - maybe purchase was 1966?). Tim Healy date is definitely correct as it was the day of my Holy Communion! Next pic is of car in our garage in Clonmel circa 1968, and finally a pic of the Mini my dad built prior to purchasing the Downton 665-LAR Mini.

I was going to add a copyright notice to the "Mondello, Grass to Glory" screen shot but then noticed it was already in the pic.

Kirkistown.jpg

Tim Healy Pass 1967.jpg

Garage in Clonmel 1968.jpg

Old Mini.jpg

[jay weinstein]

Mark...thanks for posting that video.
Very enjoyable.
jw

[Blue1300gt]

I think your father bought 665LAR from Andrew Kane.I was talking to Andrew yesterday and quite by chance he mentioned buying the car from Barry Hawkins and selling it to your father.
I think that is Andrew behind your father in car 88.

[IrishChieftain]

Wow, thanks for that info, it really helps!

I'm trying to find out what eventually happened the car. When my brother was killed in 68, my dad stopped racing and wouldn't discuss what he did with the car.

[Blue1300gt]

There are a lot of cars from that era that I would like to come across! The only other bit of information I know of regarding your father’s car is that it suffered a catastrophic blowup at Bishopscourt Circuit but you might already know that. I have a copy of film taken during 1967 of Minis racing at Bishopscourt, Kirkistown and Spelga Hillclimb and 665LAR is in it quite a few times, but it may still have been in Andrew Kane’s hands at that time.I have to make a copy for Andrew so will ask him if your Father is driving in any of the footage.

[IrishChieftain]

I reckon the blowup happened before he bought it because I don't think he raced at Bishopscourt. I know the dad made customizations and a rebuild could have been on the list. It was raced the day he bought it.

Please keep in touch and let me know if I can get a copy of the video via dropbox or some such?

Thanks for all the info!