Mighty Minis at the CSMA Very Fast Show... 15/16th Sept.

[Chris Y]

The next round of the Mighty Minis championship is going to be held next weekend at Silverstone (15-16th of September). The meeting is called the CSMA Very Fast Show and features a load more than just motorsport..

Throughout the weekend, there's likely to be several air displays, including RAF Falcons (parachuting nutters), the Pitts Special aerobatics display (pretty cool), and fly-bys from the RAF Jaguars and Harriers..

Ground-based silliness is courtesy of Goliath - a giant car-crushing jeep, an 'inflatable challenge course for kids' - whatever that means, clowns (ah-ha ), stunt riders (oh-oh), hot-air balloons, and a "Millenium Double Wheel"...

Oh yeah, and there'll also be

Mighty Mins! (2 races !)
Super Mighty Mins! (2 races !)
VSR 6s and VSR 8s (more than 2 races!!)
Star of the Midlands FF1600
Some other types of Formula Fordies
SEMSEC Saloon cars
Super Coupes!
and finally, bathtub racing.. Err, sorry - Sports 2000s..

If I can get my car repaired in time, it promises to be a cracker of a race - or two!.. The Mighty Minis have never been to Silverstone before, and those of you who were at Rockingham will understand the chaos a new track causes..

Also, we're camping over on the Saturday night with a few of the other Mini drivers. Drinking is planned, so bring some with you if you're planning to join us

Be there, or we'll send Invader to come and get you

[redshoes]

Wondered when you would get around to posting this. Sounds good to me.

[Lorna]

Count me in! Watching minis race is a very enteratining way of spending the weekend!

[Minardi fan]

I'm going to have to miss this one as I'm working both the Saturday and Sunday to enable me to go to the F1 testing and Donington that week...

[Carrie]

Count me in as well, Chris

[Lorna]

I'll be there with a little cute blonde haired kid now. So people! Please be nice to him!

[WoodyTJ]

I've found my banner and will be coming along on Sunday.

Can you post the timetable Chris so I know what time I can crawl out of bed on Sunday.



p.s. I am going to a Hear'Say concert on Saturday afternoon just in case you all was wondering!!!!

[bella]

fraid i'm going to have to forgo this one... can't really afford to do a really big race meeting again until donny...

[Craig]

Did you really mean to say that out loud in public, Woody ?

Bella... oh no! Arse!

Chris suggested that we make a real weekend out of it and camp over... taking in the Brisca F2 finals at Northampton on Friday evening. I'm definately up for that! Is there camping at the circuit, Chris, or what ?

[plomax]

Hi Chris,
Look forward to seeing you at weekend....
Yes!, after a layoff of about 12 months (my last race was the Silverstone night race) I've got Mark dusting the cob-webs out of the 5 Turbo for a little jaunt in the Super Coupe cup....hopefully as a warm up for some more races in November (time permitting).
Very much looking forward to seeing the ten-tenths squad again too!
cheers
Paul

p.s. Woody... we took Victoria to see Hear'Say on Saturday at Wembley.. you won't be disappointed!

[Craig]

Wahoo! Excellent news Paul! See you there buddy

[Chris Y]

I'm not too sure about the camping at the circuit, but I expect there will be - there's enough grass anyway

Excellent news Paul! Haven't seen you in ages Are you racing Rick's Pink Peril then? or do you have another R5 waiting in the wings?

I'm still not sure if I can make the F2s on Friday - need to see about days off.. I'll see what happens over the course of this week..

Bella - sell a kindney or something! You've got to get to this one!

[Lorna]

Excellent news Paul! Will look forward to seeing you again!

I'm up for camping assuming there is some camping!

[plomax]

Hi Chris
I still have my old 5 Turbo (boring white - as opposed to Ricks "Racer Barbie" pink ) which I raced in Super Coupe a couple of years ago... although it hasn't raced since it had a brand new shell (no, not another Lomax quality roll! this one courtesy of a guy who borrowed it for a corporate track day at Donny ).
If any of you saw an article in CCC last year were Mark Hales did a track test of a Clio 16v, Clio 172 and 5 Turbo, mine was the 5 Turbo used in the article.
cheers
Paul

[Chris Y]

We have a cracking Super Coupe race to watch later then

Right, timetable ahoy:

Saturday Qualifying:
V Sport V6 - 09:00
Mighty Minis! - 09:25
BRDC Junior Single Seaters - 09:50
Super Mighty Minis - 10:15
V Sport V6 and V8 - 10:40
Super Coupe (Tomcats and Vectras) - 11:05
Star of the Midlands FF1600 - 11:40
Super Coupe (R5s,Honda CRXs,Protons,Clios and Rover 216s) - 12:15
Sports 2000 - 12:40
-- lunch --
Super Classic FFordies - 14:05

Saturday racing:
V Sport V6s race 1 - 14:30 (12 laps)
Mighty Minis! race 1 - 15:00 (12 laps)
BRDC Junior Single Seaters race 1 - 15:30 (12 laps)
Super Mighty Minis race 1- 16:00 (12 laps)
V Sport V6s race 2 - 16:30 (12 laps)

Sunday Qualifying:
-- Britannia Rescue Services Parade -- (10:35 - 10:50)
SEMSEC Sports and Saloons - 11:00

Sunday Racing:
V Sports V6 and V8 (race 1) - 11:20 (12 laps)
Super Coupe Tomcats and Vectras - 11:50 (15 minutes)
BRDC Junior Single Seaters (race 2) - 12:20 (12 laps)
Mighty Minis! (race 2) - 12:50 (12 laps)

-- lunchtime displays -- (13:05 - 13:35)

Super Coupe (R5s, etc) - 13:35 (15 minutes)
Crash of the Midlands FF1600 - 14:05 (12 laps)
Sports 2000 (sleeping bags at the ready) - 14:35 (25 laps )

-- air displays -- take cover --

V Sports V6s and V8s (race 2) - 15:35 (12 laps)
Super Classic FF1600 - 16:05 (12 laps)
Super Mighty Minis! (race 2) - 16:35 (12 laps)
SEMSEC Sports and Saloon race - 17:05 (15 laps)


Phew! And now, some points of interest...
- Lots of fun for the V6s getting to the scrutineering bays so early in the Saturday morning...
- I appear to have been given 8 tickets instead of the normal 5, so there may be some spares available there...
- There are over 30 Mighty Minis entered for the races this weekend.. (not including the 12 or so Super Mighties) This is going to be HUGE! ! ! !
- Mighty Mins are located right by the paddock bar, not far away from the pit straight pedestrian bridge...
- There'll be about 28 Super Coupes in the Renault 5/Proton/Honda classes alone (also featuring a certain P. Lomax)
- The SEMSEC Sports/Saloons race, features such cars as Radicals, Caterhams, an MG B, a Ford RS500(!), a Rover Metro, a Honda Prelude with Cosworth power, a VW Golf, and a Maestro (Mr. Wills again) - Quite a mix there!

[Carrie]

Thanks for posting the timetable Chris. Looks like I can have a leisurely drive down to Silverstone on Saturday to arrive some time before the Mini race (sorry, I'm not even going to try to get there for qualifying!).
It should be a good weekend

[Lorna]

Originally posted by Chris Y
Mighty Mins are located right by the paddock bar, not far away from the pit straight pedestrian bridge...

Wahey!

[Minardi fan]

I can't believe I'm going to miss this one...

[WoodyTJ]

I'm going to see Hear Say .. yippee - thanks for getting me even more excited Paul!!!!! ....sorry where was I ...... oh yes Mini's ...... I can't wait for Sunday the "GO Yates" banner is at the ready.

[redshoes]

Sorry Chris, but looks like I might have to miss Saturday after all. I'm still walking wounded after my last trip to Silverstone. I'll try my best to get there for Sunday.

[Chris Y]

Get well soon Red, see you Sunday

Right, i'm off to get stuff organised.. We'll be taking in the sights and sounds of the F2 Stockers at Northampton this evening.. Come along to that if you're in the area, or give us a call - someone will have one of our numbers..

And if you're in the area on Saturday or Sunday, call in to Silverstone and find us in the paddock - somewhere near (or in) the bar

[Lorna]

I'm in the area but safely at home chilling before the weekend starts after hectic week at work which looks to continute for a while! Will see whoever has decided to go Saturday afternoon. Woohoo! I get a lie in on Saturday morning!!!

[Lorna]

Well, after missing Chris' race on Saturday because I thought it started at 4pm when it was actually 3pm (doh!), after BAR Babe's car survived us lot and all her 'junk' to Buckingham Tescos and back, after Craig, BAR Babe and I pitched tents in between the Paddock shop and diner, after bbq (yes, guys, I was cooking again!), after many, many, many glasses of wine (oh no, it was two or three big, no huge glasses of wine), after surviving the next day and watching the racing, I'm finally home!

Excellent weekend. Thanks for the laughs BAR Babe! Now go and get that warm tent!

Mr B&Q missed the weekend and some excellent racing! I'll let Chris tell you all about the exciting Mighty Minis!

[Carrie]

I was sorry I couldn't make it down to Silverstone on Saturday.
Great race from the Mighty Minis today though Hope I've got some photos, I'm now finding out where all my aches and pains are following my encounter with the Luffield Gravel - who will it attack next
Watch your e-mail folks, I'll be sending you the link to the digital camera pics soon
A fun day, but I have to say that I was very disappointed with the actions of a large number of the crowd following the Classic FFord crash at Copse

[Chris Y]

Don't worry - the guy from the 'Super Crash-it Formula Fords' was okay, but he was stretchered off as a precaution so they could have a look at his neck in the medical unit..

Anyway - what a fantastic weekend! We totally failed to get to see any stock cars on Friday, had a few beers in a local Silverstone pub instead and slept in a Travelodge (me, Maisie, Craig). Jonny and Maria Brown got completely plastered and Jonny spent a large amount of time sniffing an Earl Grey tea bag (make of that what you will )

Had a good time on Saturday qualifying.. I was right up there with everyone else, and seemed to be gaining on a few people throughout the session, only to be placed 19th.. The people I was following managed 10th and 15th! There were quite a few others out of position too.

First race was on the Saturday, and a few more people turned up to watch, including Paul Lomax and Mark Fish! I got a pretty good start, and gained a few places whilst simultaneously losing some as well. Cars were switching positions on a corner-by-corner basis - and we were 5 abreast on the straights.. Some quality slides and overtaking around Brooklands and Luffield..

At one point Dom Spurr forced me wide into the path of a traffic cone at Becketts, and I carried it all the way down to the apex of Luffied, grinding it down in the process. Eventually spat it out of the side of the car in two pieces! Murderer!

Lots of carnage up and down the field, with bits of bodywork and wheel arches flying through the air! At least 2 cars were beyond repair for the day after, and some of the others were up all night trying to beat/gaffer tape their cars back into shape. I finished 17th..

Later on in the day there was a quick dash to Buckingham for petrol and BBQ supplies.. BAR Babe's P(e)ug(e)ot was on the bump stops with all the junk she keeps in the back Locals were frightened, not for the first time.. Back to the circuit, and there were people drinking all over the paddock, or riding scooters.. Eventually ended up with a Mighty Minis food fight in the bar with grapes

Lorna, Craig, and Ruth (BAR Babe) pitched their tents right in front of the paddock diner, and we had a BBQ near the telephone kiosks! Good job security were in a good mood

Sunday's race was pretty eventful, but a bit cleaner than the first one.. Another fairly good start, and a better run through Copse, meant that I gained a few places, and was well up on a pack of about 5-6 Minis.. Due to the nature of Silverstone national, with it's long straights, the people behind were able to tuck in behind me and take advantage of the slipstream down the straights. About 7 or 8 Minis would then try to file down to 1 at a time through the Brooklands/Luffied section - invariably resulting in locked brakes, massive slides, lots of cars on the grass, and drivers that were normally at the front were squabbling for midfield positions.

After a pretty hectic race, and some doorhandling - but no damage - I finished up 14th.. My fast time was within 2 tenths of the leader, so I'm pretty pleased with that.. The top 15 or so cars were separated by a second, and most people's best time were within a second - it was close racing.. Also, with two more signatures on my licence, I could take my novice cross (target) off! Par-tay

Finished the day off by watching some other good racing, although I'm sorry I missed Paul's race - it looked, ermm - eventful!

Next Mighty Mini/Super Coupe race - 14th October at Snetterton.. Don't miss it!