MINI Mania heads to Townsville for round 4 action

Hertz MINI Challenge – delivered by Pizza Capers - NEWS POINTS


-  Sucrogen Townsville 400 is round 4 of Hertz MINI Challenge – delivered by Pizza Capers.

-  Chris Alajajian heads into the event with a 38.5 point lead in the series.

- Rob Knight will make his MINI Challenge debut in the ‘Box and Lock’ R56 entry.
 
- Returning to MINI Challenge racing for the first time since 2009 are Beric Lynton and John Modystach.
 
- Returning to the series after Targa duties forced him to miss round 3 is Dylan Thomas in the CXC entry.

- Pizza Capers UberStar driver for the event will be V8 legend Glenn Seton.

- Ken Wootton will take to the track for the first time in over 22 years.

MINI racing returns to the V8 Supercar calendar next week as teams head north for the Sucrogen Townsville 400, round 4 of Hertz MINI Challenge – delivered by Pizza Capers.

Currently, former A1GP star Chris Alajajian leads the series but is being hunted by a mix of youth and experience as Paul Stokell, Sean Carter and Peter McNiven all nip closely at the heels of the Sydney-based driver.

Pizza Capers UberStar driver for the event sees Glenn Seton take to the wheel of the R56 Challenge car and will be the most experienced driver on the track from any of the categories, which is sure to spice things up at the pointy end of the MINI Challenge field.

For the first time in 25 years Ken Wootton will jump back behind the wheel of a racecar and team-up with son Chris as the pair enter a two car father/son entry under thesupportersclub.com banner. Rob Knight will also make his MINI Challenge debut alongside papa Wootton under the experienced eye of the McElrea Racing outfit.

Gold Coast BMW/MINI Dealer Principal Beric Lynton re-joins the MINI Challenge field after selected rounds in 2009 which saw him finish sixth overall in last year’s championship. John Modystach also returns for the first time in 2010 after a consistent 2009 which saw him close out the year eighth on the series ladder.

After missing round 3 due to Targa Tasmania duties Dylan Thomas returns to the series for his second round this year while Kiwi Gavin Yortt will make the trip over the Tasman once again as he sits fifth in the series thanks to a fine performance in his Squawking Magpie Wines entry at Queensland Raceway.

This will be just the second time the 2.85 kilometre, 13-turn Townsville Street Circuit is used in V8 Supercar Series racing and will be the second time MINI Challenge heads to North Queensland. Reminiscent of Melbourne’s Grand Prix track, Townsville winds its way through Reid Park where specially constructed roads form approximately 70 percent of the circuit.

Weather forecasts suggest conditions will be warm but cloudy with a possibility of rain which could change the whole equation on this tricky street circuit. Session 1, Qualifying, commences at 1530 Friday July 9 with the first of three 11-lap races gridding up at 1015 Saturday morning.


MINI Challenge Series Leader Chris Alajajian said:

“With another sunshine event approaching in Townsville, I’m ready to soak up the sunny dry streets during, what is one of, the most exciting rounds on the calendar! This is only the second time for everyone to experience Townsville which is a pretty physical circuit for the cars, as there are so many big ripples to try & avoid, but I think it will showcase some intense racing.

Paul and I had a pretty fierce battle here last year but the game plan is to stay clean and in-front, whether or not that happens is the big question but bring on the excitement!”


MINI Challenge Rookie Driver Ken Wootton said:

It’s been over 25 years since I have driven a racecar competitively around a circuit so it’s a pretty scary thought at the moment. But like any race I’m not there to make up the numbers, I’m there to compete and I’ve told Chris [Wootton] to keep an eye on his rear-vision mirror! At the end of the day I’m out there to have some fun and support Chris in this great series.

I spent the day out at Lakeside with Paul [Stokell] who has approved my CAMS licence which is always positive coming from last year’s Champion. The biggest thing for me is to stay calm at the start and not have a massive rush of racing blood like it was 1985 again! The R56 is a great car and I look forward to racing in it for the first time on the streets of Townsville.”

Hertz MINI Challenge – delivered by Pizza Capers is the most exciting, premium single-make series in the world. The seven round series runs as an official support category of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Sucrogen Townsville 400 Entry List - MINI Challenge
   
 1     DecoRug Racing
    Paul Stokell
    QLD   

 2     www.thesupportersclub.com    Ken Wootton
    QLD   

 3     www.thesupportersclub.com    Chris Wootton
    QLD   

 7     www.Just4WD.com.au    John Magro
    QLD   

 9     Jack Hillermans Smash
    Chris Alajajian
    NSW   

 10     Glory Racing
    TBA
    TBA   

 11     Squawking Magpie Wines
    Gavin Yortt
    NZ   

 13     Supercharge Batteries
    Peter McNiven
    VIC   

 15     Box and Lock
    Rob Knight
    QLD   

 19     McElrea Racing
    TBA
    TBA   

 23     Bruce Lynton MINI Garage
    Beric Lynton
    QLD

   
 25     Transquip Hire/ABC Autogear
    Brendan Cook
    QLD

   
 26     Prosurv Racing
    John Modystach
    QLD   

 28     
Plan4Growth/Sales Link Australasia Sean Carter
    VIC   

 50     Pizza Capers
    Glenn Seton
    QLD   

 68     CXC
    Dylan Thomas
    NSW   



MINI Challenge Series Points after Rnd 3

   
 1    ALAJAJIAN, Chirs
    Jack Hillermans Smash
     9    379
   
 2    STOKELL, Paul
     DecoRug Racing
     1     340.5   

 3    CARTER, Sean
     Plan4Growth/Sales Link Australis
     28     318   

 4     McNIVEN, Peter
     Supercharge Batteries
     13     316   

 5     YORTT, Gavin
     Squawking Magpie Wines

     11     256.5   
 6     CANTO, Dean
     stuntdrivingschool.com.au     6     203   

 7     McLAUGHLIN, Scott
     Fujitsu     15     203   

 8     WOOD, Dale
     Eagle Fuels/Best Tractor Parts
     19     193   

 9     COOK, Brendan
     Transquip Hire/ABC Autogear
     25     190   

 10     WOOTTON, Chris
     thesupportersclub.com.au     3     185   

 11     MANSON, Scott
     yournextcar.com.au     8     176   

 12     LUFF, Warren
     Clipper Yachts Motors
     15     145   

 13     MacKELDEN, Matt
     DecoRug Racing
     95     140   

 14     YOULDEN, Luke
     Kickass Racing
     5     117.5   

 15     MAGRO, John
     just4wd.com.au     7     106   

 16     SETON, Glenn
     Kickass Racing
     5     92   

 17     DOULMAN, Grant
     Doulman Automotive
     4     90   

 18     BRADBURY, Steven
     Pizza Capers
     50     88.5   

 19     NEWMAN, Sam
     Pizza Capers
     50     71   

 20     ZEREFOS, Aaron
     Fiji Water/Bulla Dairy Foods
     46     71   

 21     MADDISON, Robbie
     Pizza Capers
     50     67   

 22     HARLEY, Sarah
     McElrea Racing
     19     64.5   

 23     THOMAS, Dylan
     CXC     68     58   

 24     BUTCHER, Stephen
     CXC     68     47.5   

 25     MAGRO, Kain
     just4wd.com.au     8     44   

     

- Hertz Mini Challenge Australia -