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This is the earliest evidence I've seen of Minis racing. A number of Minis were rallied in late 1959 of course but the racing season was coming to a close when the Mini was introduced. This is the Boxing Day meeting at Brands Hatch in 1959.

I've gone and checked, Anglias were launched in September, so they were all pretty new.

The 100e Anglia was also raced!

Me and Bill (mainly Bill! ) are doing a little research on this (bit overdue!) and it turns out John Whitmore was also entered for this race though isn't in the programme....

On 12 September 1959, 5 Minis, 3 Morris and 2 Austin, took part of the 12 hours race in the Skarpnäck race track just outside Stockholm. "They finished but had problems with the exhaust that broke in the front due to too much flex, throttle wire that came loose, left front wheels that fell off due to too small wheels nuts and standard tires that were worn badly."

There's a brief mention of Whitmore in the final paragraph of this meeting report from the January 1960 issue of Motor Sport
The results from the 1959 Skarpnäck race are here, top Austin Seven was 9th. Car 16 pictured, Bo Elmhorn and Egon Wohlin, finished 18th.

http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1959% ... k%202.html

surfblue63 wrote:There's a brief mention of Whitmore in the final paragraph of this meeting report from the January 1960 issue of Motor Sport

41.jpg

The results from the 1959 Skarpnäck race are here, top Austin Seven was 9th. Car 16 pictured, Bo Elmhorn and Egon Wohlin, finished 18th.

http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1959% ... k%202.html

Very interesting, I ordered that magazine this morning and The Autosport magazine for Jan 60 too to see what mentions there might have been. Thanks for posting it up.

So he must have been driving the sole Austin Seven entered car number 93 entered by Palace Gate Garages. Anyone know of them?

I have also bought this copy if The Motor from the last week of December 59.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2908857159

Interestingly it includes a road test of the twin carb Mini built by none other than Palace Gate Motors.

Pete wrote:On 12 September 1959, 5 Minis, 3 Morris and 2 Austin, took part of the 12 hours race in the Skarpnäck race track just outside Stockholm. "They finished but had problems with the exhaust that broke in the front due to too much flex, throttle wire that came loose, left front wheels that fell off due to too small wheels nuts and standard tires that were worn badly."

...it has to be said what an incredible font of info this site is all things minis.. MCR would be proud !!! .. foxy52

foxy52 wrote: ..it has to be said what an incredible font of info this site is all things minis.. MCR would be proud !!! .. foxy52

Said without a trace of irony.

Here is another result list from the race in Sweden 12 Sep 1959 :

https://www.svenskracing.se/resultatlis ... 2&typ=race