Teretonga Tribute Planned For Racing Mini's

MEDIA RELEASE
12 MAY 2008

Teretonga Tribute Planned For Racing Mini's

In an innovation sure to interest owners of racing Mini's another special feature is being investigated for next year's Classic SpeedFest at Teretonga Park. Southland Sports Car Club member, Howard Kingsford-Smith is fielding expressions of interest from owners of Mini's for what is being described as the fastest Mini races in New Zealand.

The plan is to include up to four races for the iconic cars on the programme when the annual classic race meeting is held at Invercargill's Teretonga Park in February 2009. Kingsford-Smith, an accomplished Mini racer himself, has introduced the concept to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the world famous competition vehicles. The first Mini's were released in 1959 and their motorsport pedigree is impressive. Included in their successes throughout the world are several Monte Carlo Rally wins in the 1960's and a Bathurst victory in 1966 with Rauno Aaltonen of Finland and Australian Bob Holden at the wheel. In fact on that occasion Mini's took the first nine places in the great race.

The Mini class is the longest running saloon car register in English motorsport and in New Zealand they have been a regular feature on the country's motor race circuits throughout their fifty years. One of the legends of New Zealand motorsport, Bruce McLaren, owned a Mini during his career.

Mr Kingsford-Smith say's, "the idea is to hold some Mini only races at the SpeedFest meeting. These would be open to all types of racing Mini's and it could quite conceivably become the fastest Mini race in New Zealand considering the specifications of some of the cars out there."

"If anyone would like to be a part of a large Mini only race I would like to hear from them," continued Mr Kingsford-Smith.

Howard Kingsford-Smith can be contacted at howard@southnet.co.nz or by phone at 03 230 4879 (home) or 216 0120 (work).

A recent announcment regarding a class for a Historic Touring Car Class at the SpeedFest has attracted a lot of interest.

The Classic SpeedFest is one of the most popular meetings on the calendar each year at the fast, flowing 2.6 kilometre Teretonga Park circuit on the outskirts of Invercargill. The race meeting features a friendly atmosphere and is accompanied by an official dinner and prizegiving for competitors during the weekend.

ENDS

© Scoop Media