A handful of the Mini Sport Mini Cup crews against the picturesque backdrop of Weston Park. (Photo courtesy of Mini Sport’s Michael Anderson)
The old STAGER Championship kicked off on the 19th March with the PaintWorX AGBO Stages Rally at Weston Park Shropshire.
Sunday saw the first round of the HRCR Mintex ‘old STAGER’ Asphalt Historic Rally Championship, incorporating the Mini Sport Mini Cup, with the PaintWorX AGBO Stages organised by Owen Motoring Club.
Clive King and Anton Bird making a splash on the AGBO Stages! (Photo courtesy of Mini Sport’s Michael Anderson)
Returning to Weston Park, Shropshire the Championship got off to a fantastic start with 15 Mini crews competing on the day, the entry list was completely full with plenty of reserves ready to take the place of any last minute withdrawals. It was truly a fantastic opener for the 2017 Cup, dry all day giving all the Mini crews a great run.
This year’s Mini Sport Mini Cup has seen the introduction of the ‘Joker Card’, which when played will earn the crew double points for that round. Each crew receives one card to play on a rally of their choosing, however, crash out of the chosen rally and you lose the card and any possibility of double points.
Starting strong, defending champions Clive King and Anton Bird played their joker perfectly in the opening stage, winning Minis outright and topping the Category 2 of the HRCR ‘oldSTAGER’, earning themselves double points in this exciting 1st round!
Clive had this to say on his and Anton’s performance during the AGBO Stages, “1st stage we had decided to push with max attack, to try and build a buffer. Anton was calling the bends spot on and I committed to those calls, thankfully it paid off and we didn’t go off.”
Peter Ellerby and Ben Anderson celebrate a successful first rally together. (Photo courtesy of Michael Anderson)
Andrew O’Hanlon and Ryan Taylor celebrate winning the Yokohama prize
Peter Ellerby and his new co-driver, non other than Mini Sport’s Motorsport Advanced Development’s (MAD) Ben Anderson, proved they were also a team to be reckoned with by winning Category 1. With Nigel Hart and Lyndon Moulton were on top form too, winning the Open Class Minis. Special mention also to Andrew O’Hanlon and Ryan Taylor who took home the Yokohama prize.
For the full first round results, please see the Owen Motoring Club’s website here.
Will Clive and Anton hang on to their Mini Sport Mini Cup crown? Keep your eyes on the Facebook page for updates during all the upcoming rounds. Including the arrival of the Mini Sport sponsored ‘Mini Girls Rally Team’, Louise Thomas and Emily Easton-Page, who will be taking on the boys at Dixies Historic Challenge – Epynt on the 30th April!
