ISSUED FRIDAY AUGUST 6TH 2010 AT 17.00 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MOTOR RACING SET TO RETURN TO DONINGTON
International motor racing is set to return to the world famous Donington Circuit following the successful outcome of an FIA inspection today.
Delegates from the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) and the MSA (Motor Sports Association) gave the go ahead to the Adroit Group, through its new subsidiary Donington Park Limited (DPL), to complete the planned safety works ahead of next months first major event at the re-opened Leicestershire circuit.
The first car race meeting will be held in 4 weeks time. The Masters Historic Racing meeting will be held over 3 days from Friday September 4th. The meeting includes races for 1970’s Grand Prix cars, Le Mans cars, Prototype GT, and 1960’s saloon cars. The meeting will stage over 20 races and include 400 competitors.
Steve Watton, DPL Operations Director, comments: "Today is an historic day, even in the context of the rich history of this place. The FIA and the MSA have given the green light for car racing to return to Donington, a circuit that has produced memorable racing in the past. I would like to thank everyone who has expressed messages of support through the difficult months. But Donington is back! I now ask the many British motor racing fans out there to show their support by coming to see our races”.
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Very much looking forward to this event,it's the weekend after the Gold Cup but I reckon another Mk1 Performance day out for the boys ?
Just recieved an email from Masters about the event - seems like there are 10 Minis entered therefore they are going to merge them into the Under 2-litre Touring Car race combined with the Oldies but Goldies Saloons on Saturday afternoon.
Also in addition there will be a 20 minute sprint race for the Mini's on the Sunday at no extra cost ! Now thats a result
Epic weekend, Yorks! Thanks to you and dad for the help.
Disappointing Sunday race for me but a good race for the rest - very exciting all the way through!
Yep it was fun to drive in till the 8th lap, when coming into Redgate suddenly the car took on a whole new personality, so I had to nurse it to the end. Quite disappointing as I was on the pace for the first time in the car !!! Something in the rear suspension just didn't feel right and Redgate, The Old Hairpin, Macleans and Coppice just felt awful with the car trying to park itself in the gravel, given the 3 camber brackets we went through and the fact the whole back end was pointing left I decided to just back off and see if anyone in front ran into any issues.
I have to say on lap 8 when I caught back up with the lead pack of 4, it was great fun to watch Mike go three wide through Starkeys into Macleans !!! How on earth all three cars stayed on the track I don't know.
Highlight of the whole weekend was chewing the fat whilst polishing the car with two fine chaps from Sheffield about a Twin Cam A-Series engine and race car they developed in the 1960's with a plastic roof. Obviously my naiviety is showing here, compared with the more educated Mini Geeks. After my old man enquired who they were he nearly fell over backwards, telling me they were obvioulsy part of Bill Needhams legendry Coldwell engineering project. Apparantly there are some documents stuffed away on this site about this
I won a race at the Phoenix Grand Prix in Dublin 2004, in Pat Thomas's Modsports Lotus Elan, featured at the beginning of the footage, it was good to see the car restored and on display in the paddock.
We had a mixed weekend but had realised the fundamental handling issue we had been persevering with prior to Donington and had effected a change. Result was my co-driver Paul Tarry qualified for the up to 2.0 litre touring cars as the fastest Mini by a second, only for some well known driver to start grumbling about the performance rather than congratulating Paul on a great lap even though the front pads were down to the metal.
(Thanks to Andy Harrison for replacements).
The handling issue we had may be common knowledge to Mk1 owners but the detail is not well publicised hence, being new to Mini Race preparation, we were unaware.
In that race, I started but was relegated to second placed Mini at the start with immediate brake knock off as the N/S front hub nut pin had sheared and the nut was coming off. Stayed out as long as the caliper held the wheel on but in the end gave best and retired as we clearly wouldn't make the finish.
We now have a permanent solution to dispense with the split pin and secure the nut properly.
Started from pole in the all Mini race Yorkie referred to and had a great battle for the first half of the race but when the panel bashing started in earnest I decided not to get involved. (will post footage later from in-car). As Andy and I discussed afterward we simply don't want to be replacing panels and re-painting after each event like modern touring cars. (To my mind this is where the acceptance of leaning on each other has come from as it wasn't permitted when I started racing). Besides, an accident will be inevitable at some stage and the cars are simply too valuable for us poor folk to risk. Anyway I am retiring the overweight Dark Blue car now to be replaced with a more competitive car for next year, provided driving standards are addressed.
Will post more on Sprite and 8 port results later.
No Marc, picked up a virus and wimped out of going. Pathetic I know. Hope it was well attended cos without support I still think the venue's under threat.
Mike wrote: my co-driver Paul Tarry qualified for the up to 2.0 litre touring cars as the fastest Mini by a second, only for some well known driver to start grumbling about the performance rather than congratulating Paul on a great lap even though the front pads were down to the metal.
Strange anyone would bother seeing as the car's overweight anyway.
Im more worried about driving standards than how legal the cars are. A few cars are out there just to make grids up so its hats off to Ron for trying to make this work and allowing them to run. As for the racing this weekend it was great fun on one of my favourite tracks. I must also say thank you back to Mike as him and his crew helped me with my car after some contact in the first race which bent a rear stub axle massive tow in for 15 or so laps cheers chaps esp. Paul Fish who worked his magic again.
I showed Ron the footage from my car after the race and explained why I chose to drop back. Aside from the cost of damage it should be considered just how fast these cars are going these days. If you consider their size and construction, the FIA spec "period restricted" roll cage wont offer much protection if you are punted into the barriers head first.
I like Ron, because although he owns and has to deal with the whole series, he is Mini enthusiastic and listens. It was his mate who he was exchanging bodywork damage with but accepts that it got out of hand. I hope the series survives as it should offer very competitive close but fair racing. My opinion is that having provided support to Goodwood, by way of providing a showcase from which the entrants are selected, he was let down by those who just wanted to create a Goodwood pedigree Mini for a profitable sale with no intention of supporting the resultant series. I would like to offer him my support and encourage more competitors to join.
Pathetic I know. Hope it was well attended cos without support I still think the venue's under threat.