MINI Challenge gets Tune up in preparation for Round 3

It’s just over a week until Round 3 of the 2008 MINI Challenge fires up and the off track action since the Wakefield Park round has almost been as frenzied as the on track thrills and spills with a series of moves taking place (read the full articles below for the latest news). Round 3 of the 2008 MINI Challenge will support the BigPond 400 at Barbagallo Raceway, May 9-11, the fourth round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Race 2 of MINI Challenge from Barbagallo 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.

Former Wallaby tackles MINI Challenge

Today MINI Australia announced that former test Rugby player Ben Tune will be taking the hot seat in the Uber-Star Car in Perth. “I’m definitely excited about it,” Tune said. “It isn’t every day you have an invitation to get behind the wheel of a racecar. I’m really looking forward to having a lot of fun while I’m in Perth, but also I hope to develop further as a driver.” Tune is a noted revhead and has business interests importing a range of accessories for the motoring market. The pun possibilities here are endless, haha. All the best to Ben, I’d love to be offered a drive like this, what a blast he will have!

Wanless wants winning feeling

Multiple Australian Speedway Champion, Todd Wanless will be the newest addition to the big names contesting the inaugural MINI Challenge series when he teams up with Motorline MINI in Round 3 at Perth’s Barbagallo circuit. With support also coming from Lucas Oils, MINI Challenge represents a return to circuit racing 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

After testing the car Wanless was full of praise for the R56 racers, “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.”

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).

Top Geier shifts to Sherrin

Nathan Geier started the 2008 MINI Challenge with humble expectations. It was, afterall, his first crack at a full racing series. It is little surprise then that his round win at Wakefield Park has made a few in the park sit up and take notice. None more so than the well drilled Sherrin Rentals team. Due to other commitments, Iain Sherrin has been forced to step out of the Sherrin Rentals entry, but with an eye on talent, his team has offered his place on the grid to 25-year-old Nathan Geier. Nathan has quickly established himself as a quality talent among the MINI Challenge fraternity, dicing with some of the most recognised names in Australian motorsport. He has rocketed to third in the Series point standings—behind current leader, Seven Network personality, Grant Denyer and round one winner, Neil McFadyen.

Geier respects the opportunity granted to him, “it’s a great opportunity to be a part of the Sherrin Rentals team. It (Sherrin) is a big company and I hope to represent their brand well. There are some good opportunities there, but I’m concentrating on MINI Challenge. I’m sure if we can achieve some consistent results we can keep moving forward, but obviously you need a bit of luck, too.”

Between rounds, Nathan, in his role as a technician with BMW Group Australia, has had little time to reflect on the success of Wakefield Park, the majority of last week spent in the Snowy Mountains supporting the media launch of the new BMW 1 Series and this week, he will be at Phillip Island conducting the BMW 1 Series dealer launch. Life is tough for some, hey!