MINI CHALLENGE all set for Albert Park

A full grid of MINIs will take part in this weekend’s MINI CHALLENGE opener at the Australia Formula One Grand Prix, held at Albert Park in Melbourne.

The complete list of entrants can be read below, which includes infamous AFL icon Sam Newman at the wheel of the Uber Star car!

Formula 1 Starts Off MINI Challenge Celebrations in 2009

The 2009 MINI Challenge blasts off at Albert Park

Twenty cars have entered for the first round of the 2009 MINI Challenge.

’50 years of fun’ motoring is being celebrated by MINI in Australia, and there’s no better time or place to launch this show-stopping performance than at the Australian F1 Grand Prix!

With twenty cars on the grid and all the European styling and atmosphere that go hand in hand with F1, the MINI Challenge will no doubt attract its own fans and turn many heads as the weekend wears on.

From a driver line-up point of view the assembled entrants list for the first round is a veritable who’s who of combatants from various Motorsport categories across the nation.

The prevalence of ‘multi-car’ teams has increased significantly for 2009.

Established stars Paul Stokell and Grant Denyer return to burn in their two car Deco Rug Team, Motorline MINI Garage have entered a three prong attack including Brendan Cook, Andrew Mill and Damian Flack, and Monaro Performance will also field a spectacular ‘pink’ Donut King three car attack comprising of Tony Alford, Barry Nesbitt and Peter Leemhuis.

Add to this mix the Uber Star driver, AFL football legend and TV personality Sam Newman!

Newman is no stranger to Motorsport having driven some real motor racing exotica over the years.

His opportunity to tackle the MINI Challenge superstars on the Formula One stage will be met with anticipation from football and motor-racing enthusiasts alike. One gets the feeling the lanky former Geelong star will be more than surprised by the supreme handling and impressive power to weight ratio of the John Cooper Works Uber Star MINI he belts into on Thursday!

Other high profile teams will include Perth based Glory Team Racing fielding two cars wielded by Nathan Carratti and Nathan Callahan and the Bargwanna Racing operation will enter Scott Bargwanna and yet another ‘Brendan Cook’.

The long racing tradition continues with the Stillwell Team also signed up for this weekend with Gary Young saddling up full time and veteran racer Michael Stillwell has come back from retirement for the F1 GP weekend.

Sydney based A1GP star Chris Alajajian adds spice to the line-up, as does Grant Doulman, John Modystach, Beric Lynton and Nathan Geier.

In all there are twenty entrants for the coming weekend, including:

• Team – Driver

1. DecoRug Racing – Grant Denyer
2. DecoRug Racing – Paul Stokell
3. M3 Motorsport – Grant Doulman
4. Glory Team Racing – Nathan Carratti
5. Glory Team Racing – Nathan Callaghan
6. Stillwell Motorsport – Gary Young
7. Stillwell Motorsport – Michael Stillwell
8. Motorline MINI Garage – Brendan Cook
9. Motorline MINI Garage – Andrew Mill
10. Motorline MINI Garage – Damian Flack
11. Bargwanna Motorsport – Scott Bargwanna
12. Bargwanna Motorsport – Brendan Cook
13. Prosurv Racing – John Modystach
14. Uberstar – Sam Newman
15. Alajajian Racing – Chris Alajajian
16. Bruce Lynton MINI Garage – Beric Lynton
17. Geier Racing – Nathan Geier
18. Donut King – Peter Leemhuis
19. Donut King – Barry Nesbitt
20. Donut King – Tony Alford

Sam Newman’s Latest Stunt is No ‘MINI Challenge’

AFL and Television personality John “Sammy” Newman is, like the Racecar he will drive this weekend, always fun, always cheeky and always making headlines!

From this Thursday the former Geelong VFL star who played 300 games for his beloved “Cats” and amassed an impressive 100 Brownlow points will strap into a John Cooper Works MINI Challenge Racecar and join 19 other drivers in the first round of this exciting second year series.

And there is some significant motor racing talent on hand to ensure Sam’s welcome is a turbulent one!

The 2009 MINI Challenge kicks off it’s opening round at Melbourne’s Albert Park as part of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix and Newman’s participation is sure to create quite a stir amongst AFL and Motorsport critics alike.

Sam is no stranger to motor racing however, having competed in some real auto exotica over the years including Lamborghini’s and Ferraris’.

After testing last weekend at Calder Park Raceway the 6’ 4” high profile and always outspoken personality may well meet his match with the punchy, responsive and ground hugging nature of the John Cooper Works MINI around Albert Park.

Newman will drive the “Uber Star” car – a fully MINI Australia factory supported and race-prepped Racecar that has been wheeled by celebrity wheel twisters such as PGA golf star Stuart Appleby, Rugby Union hero Ben Tune and American NASCAR ace Boris Said to name a few.

Amongst his 19 rivals will be Channel Seven Personality and equal series favourite Grant Denyer, who makes a welcome return to competition after injuring his back in a Monster Truck incident last year.

Denyer will get to make up his own mind as to whether the program and the term “Australia’s got talent” would apply to Newman in a MINI Challenge Racecar!

The 2009 MINI Challenge coincides with the 50th anniversary of the iconic MINI brand in Australia.