Multiple Australian Speedway champion, Todd Wanless, is another high profile addition to the MINI CHALLENGE grid, lining up from Perth with the Motorline MINI Garage team.
Multiple Australian Speedway Champion, Todd Wanless is the newest addition to the big names contesting the inaugural MINI CHALLENGE racing Series, when the Queenslander steps behind the wheel of Motorline MINI Garage’s MINI John Cooper Works CHALLENGE racecar from the Barbagallo Raceway round (May 9-11).
With support also coming from Lucas Oils, MINI CHALLENGE represents a return to tar tracking for the 41-year-old after an absence of nearly five years. His exploits on the dirt have seen him become one of just four men to win an Australian Sprintcar and Speedcar Championship, but on the bitumen, his credentials are also without question.
Having competed extensively in Australian NASCAR and V8 Supercars, MINI CHALLENGE won’t be too far from where Todd started motor racing – in a front-wheel drive single-make Laser Series back in the mid-1980s.
Wanless adds further intrigue to a MINI CHALLENGE field that boasts the likes of Paul Stokell, Neil McFadyen and current Series leader, Seven Network personality, Grant Denyer.
"We have had a long association with Motorline MINI Garage through its BMW dealership over the years and Craig (Rose, Dealer Principal) spoke to me about being involved with the MINI CHALLENGE team he was setting up," Todd said. "It appeared like a good fit, I tried the car and I liked it. They are good people to deal with and I’m delighted to be a part of their racing team."
Wanless went on to express his admiration of the new R56 model MINI John Cooper Works CHALLENGE racecar. "The MINI CHALLENGE car is surprisingly fast and extremely nimble. I think it will be good for close, hard racing and certainly what I’ve seen on TV would indicate that. "I was aiming for a low key debut in Perth, but that’s all gone out the window! Over the years, I’ve met a lot of people in Perth through racing Sprintcars and have a lot of friends there and they are all planning to come out and egg me on, so no pressure for my first time out!
"In all seriousness, Perth will be about becoming more accustomed with the car and learning the track, as I’ve never raced at Barbagallo. The other guys are two rounds up on me with the car, so I am at a disadvantage there, but from Sandown onwards, I think we’ll be right on the pace."
Motorline MINI Garage Dealer Principal and Team Owner, Craig Rose, welcomes Wanless to the team "We’re very excited to have such an experienced motorsport competitor in Todd join our team," Craig said. "The experience Todd has in many forms of motorsport will be fantastic for all of our guys and his profile in the sporting community, not just motorsport, will be great for MINI CHALLENGE."
Aside from motorsport, the Wanless family name is well known throughout sporting, business and society circles, with Todd’s father, Ron (himself a former Australian Speedway Champion) counting the late Kerry Packer as a rival in Polo. The family has had much success with single horsepower, too, Damien Oliver riding the Wanless-owned Amalfi to victory in the prestigious 2001 VRC Derby.
Todd Wanless joins Darren Berry (Clipper Motor Yachts) at the Motorline MINI Garage team and will remain as part of ‘Team Kermit’ throughout the remainder of the 2008 MINI CHALLENGE season, including as a support event to the 2008 Super Cheap Auto 1000 Classic at Bathurst – October 9-12.
After testing the MINI CHALLENGE car this past Tuesday at Queensland Raceway, a return to more familiar territory is on the cards this weekend, when Wanless lines up as a favourite for the Queensland Sprintcar Championship at Titan Garages Brisbane International Speedway.
Round three of MINI CHALLENGE will support the BigPond 400 at Barbagallo Raceway – May 9-11, the fourth round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
Race two of MINI CHALLENGE from Barbagallo – featuring Todd Wanless – will be shown LIVE nationally on the Seven Network’s V8 Supercar coverage, with a 30 minute post-produced highlights package airing on May 31 from 1:30pm on the network.
2008 MINI CHALLENGE CALENDAR:
Round 1: March 7-9 - Eastern Creek, Sydney, NSW (Round Winner: Neil McFadyen)
Round 2: April 4-6 - Wakefield Park, Goulburn, NSW* (Round Winner: Nathan Geier)Round 3: May 9-11 - Barbagallo, Perth, WA
Round 4: June 7-9 - Sandown, Melbourne, Vic
Round 5: September 12-14 - Phillip Island, Vic
Round 6: October 9-12 - Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW
Round 7: November 21-23 - Symmons Plains, Tasmania
Round 8: December 4-7 - Oran Park, Sydney, NSW
*Denotes V8 Supercar Development Series round
MINI CHALLENGE POINTS STANDINGS (Top 10 – after 2 of 8 rounds):
1 Grant Denyer 306
2 Neil McFadyen 294
3 Nathan Geier 282
4 Paul Stokell 270
5 Paul Fiore 252
6 Gary Young 174
7 Dave Turner 144
8 Iain Sherrin 117
9 Todd Fiore 105
10 Michael Stillwell 81
TV SCHEDULE:
Round 2 Highlights: Saturday, April 26 – 2:00pm (Nationally) (Seven Network)
Round 3 – Barbagallo Raceway – LIVE TV: Race Two, Sunday, May 11 (Seven Network)
Round 3 Highlights: Saturday, May 31 – 1:30pm (Nationally) (Seven Network)
- Matt Payne- also photo
