Plans & preparation

Having looked at several championships for 2015 I have decided to compete in the Historic Rally Car Register championship, which includes the Mini Cup.

The rounds are Rally North wales 28/03/15 starts Dollgellau.

Historic Mini Epynt 03/05/15 over the Epynt ranges.

Rally of Midlands 20/21st June MIRA and Mallory.

Sweet Lamb Historic Stages 19/07/15 at Mid Wales.

Isle of Man Rally bases around Douglas, 17th/19th Sept.

Cambrian Rally 17/10/15 based at Llandudno.

I have also had a change of co-driver with Anton Bird agreeing to sit alongside me. This has come about not because we have fallen out, but Bob wants to reduce the number of events that he wishes to compete on. He has offered his services as a member of the service crew on some of the events.

I intend to run the car with the rebuilt engine - now a 1340cc 8 port engine with lower compression - hopefully with it fully reliable.

There looks to be a great deal of interest from other Mini drivers and we are hoping for at least 8 Minis competing on the first round, so if you're free come and have a look, seeing the cars racing through the woods.

My car has been in demand since Christmas, I did a day testing with fellow Mini driver Paul Price, then it went on display at the HRCR open day at Gaydon. Two weeks later it was at the British Mini Club show at Stafford.

I have finally got Bernard (my 1965 Cooper S rally car) back to the state that I can start putting him back together. See the photographs before and after. Stafford allowed me to buy those parts that I needed to start the job.