29th June 2009 :
TV COVERAGE OF CADWELL
The first round of the 2009 Championship from Cadwell Park will be shown on Race and Rally UK on Motors TV on July 10th at 9.15pm. The same program will also be shown on Channel 5 on 21st July at around 2.45-3.35 am.
29th June 2009 :
RACE RESULTS FROM SILVERSTONE
On arrival at the circuit and after a little drive around the paddock we established that the squeaky steering was due to a bent steering column.
This was the first opportunity we'd had to actually drive the car and take it around corners!!
After raiding Tim Harber's van and with just 2 hours before the qualifying session a gang of helpful MM volunteers assisted in changing the column.
As for the Qualifying it was extremely successful. Not only did Steve complete the whole 20 minute session but he also managed to qualify in 16th place (out of 27 cars), with an underpowered car.
Race 1 also went well, with Steve keeping up with the mid pack and finishing in 12th.
Race 2 wasn't so good with Steve's second ever DNF. After just 7 laps a wire from the coil fell off, rendering the car inactive.
25th June 2009 :
MIGHTY MINI BUILD
With a lot of help from Neil at Slark Race Engineering we managed to get the car back together, although it did involve an extremely late night (it was gone midnight before we shut the garage doors!).
The car should be all set to race at Silverstone on saturday, although its hardly turned a wheel with only limited time on the rolling road. In fact the car is way down on power with only 58hp where we would hope to achieve
63+hp. However with no time left we'd have to worry about this another
time.
12th June 2009 :
MIGHTY MINI BUILD - THE STORY SO FAR
Things haven't been going to plan. The original intention was to have the new Mighty Mini out for the first race of the season at Cadwell Park.
However we've suffered a few problems that have set us back by several months. Below is a quick update on relevant progress :
The Engine
Most of the issues have been with the engine. Having sent it off for a rebuild we made the school boy error of leaving most of the ancillaries attached (starter motor, water pump, oil filter housing etc etc). Unfortunately when we got it back is was missing most of these components. We've managed to get most of the parts now, but the real trouble came with sourcing the relevant bolts to attach them to the block. Many thanks to David Hale and Dave Gilbert for sifting through them vast collection of mini bits.
Having got all the bits together we were feeling confident about putting the engine back in the car. Rodger Tello assured us it could be done in 30 minutes and after gathering various views on the best approach we set aside the evening to get our hands dirty.
Within no time the engine was delicately manoeuvred into place and all was going well, until we had to bolt it to the subframe. To make the task simpler we'd pre-welded some nuts to the new subframe mounts. Aligning the bolts was fine but the problem we had was squeezing the two mounts in between the allotted space for the subframe. We managed to get one side aligned (and loosely bolted) but just could not squeeze the other into place. Four hours later and after much hammer work, the engine still refused to squeeze between the subframe. The next day we discovered that its almost impossible to fit the engine with 2 new mounts (which are slightly thicker)!!!
So the engine is in the car but not bolted up properly - more work to do here!!!!.
The Bodywork
All done apart from fixing a few stickers here and there
Other Bits 'n Pieces
Nothing major here but we do still have to fit the seat, transponder, brake pads, change clutch / brake fluid, fit a new harness and do a full wheel alignment set up.
So when will it be finished and ready to race?
We've set aside a day at Slark Race Engineering to get the car running, with a view of being on the grid for Silverstone on saturday 27th June. It's going to be tight and there is no room for a test day but hopefully we can get some time on the Rolling Road at Neil's to ensure that it goes ok in a straight line.
12th June 2009 :
SUPER MIGHTY MINI FOR SALE
Steve has decided to take up the challenge to build and race a Mighty in 2009. Therefore he will be selling his Super. Its recently benefited from an engine (and gearbox) rebuild and has had the +20 re-bore to comply with the 2009 regulations.
The car is currently on loan to Neil Slark who managed to get the fastest lap at Snetterton in May.
Supers are very rarely available so have a look at the full spec on the attached document.
For further info send Steve an email
(Note : For those not wanting to buy how about giving the Supers a go and HIRING the car for a race).
12th June 2009 : 2009 RACE RESULTS
The race results page has now been fully updated with the results from the opening 4 rounds.
With delays to the build of the new Mighty Steve has raced in 2 different loaned Mighty Minis, and has managed to finish in the top ten for all races to date. He is currently sitting in 6th place in the championship table (before any dropped rounds).
The loan agreement was a car swap with Neil Slark who is experiencing similar delays on the build of his new Super. Neil has completed his 4 years in the standard Mighties and must move up to the Super's in 2009. He too has been successful with consistent top ten results and a FASTEST LAP at Snetterton.
3rd February 2009 : SUPER UP FOR SALE
With 2 cars in the garage Steve has had to make a difficult decision. Its just not possible to race and maintain both cars and Steve has decided to take up the challenge to build and finish the Mighty.
The Super is therefore up for sale and more details can be found on the attached document. It's been re-bored to comply with the 2009 regulations and is ready to go.
For further info send Steve an email (Note : It may be possible to arrange a long term Hire, with a view to buy).
6th November 2008 : WEBSITE UPDATE
sorry for the delays in updating the website but we've had a couple of hectic months. It has now been updated with the end of season championship tables and full race reports for the year. The Gallery / Photo page has also been updated by Liz, with photos from the recent night race at Donnington.
Further updates (including an end of season summary) will follow very shortly - promise!!!
12th August 2008 : BRANDS HATCH - REGULATIONS
Final Regulations for this Sunday’s race at Brands Hatch are now available via the BRSCC website.
The race will be held on the Sunday only (17th August) and the timetable can be found here.
Race entries are down on previous events as many drivers still have damage from Oulton. The good news is that the Mini’s have been allocated the pitlane garages, rather than the outer paddock – a rare occurrence!
5th August 2008 : CAR REPAIRS
With only a week to go to Brands we still have several things to do to get the car ready. Following the braking issues from Rockingham we have ordered new (recon) brake calipers and hoses.
2nd August 2008 : OULTON PARK – RACE RESULTS
Due to technical reasons Steve was unable to attend this event.
The circuit has been a bogey track for the Mini’s for a few years now and this event was no exception. On the first lap of the standard MM race there was a big collision, which saw 2 drivers taken to hospital for precautionary checkups. Fortunately the regulations are very strict on safety matters and both drivers are ok.
The first MM race was won by Mark Burnett (his first race win) and the second by James Lyford (his first win too!). Paul Handford (in Steve’s old car) managed a personal best 2nd place finish.
The Super’s also had their fair share of carnage with several collisions over the weekend. Both Super MM races were won by Nev Kirkpatrick.
Congrats to all race winners, especially Mark and James on their maiden victories.
27th July 2008 : SAFETY CAR DRIVE – WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP (WTCC)
Steve officiated at the recent WTCC at Brands Hatch as one of the Safety Car drivers. He drove a new BMW 635 (official safety car) and also a BMW 335 (lead car) over the weekend.
13th July 2008 : ROCKINGHAM PARK – RACE RESULTS
This has never been one of Steve’s favourite circuits and following the weekend’s racing, still isn’t!!! Steve ventured up to Northamptonshire circuit by himself for this event as Jace was off fixing trains and Liz was on a hen do.
Steve qualified in 11th place in the Super’s whilst bedding in some new brake pads and was well off the pole setting time of 1:44.7 on this part oval circuit.
Steve discovered after the session that the new pads had completely worn down on one side of the car due to a sticking brake piston. This necessitated a trackside calliper overhaul (new pistons) and another new set of brake pads.
So with new pads and new pistons (untested) Steve’s race was never going to be a blinder. The first bend was to set the scene for the rest of Steve’s race, where he found that he had no brakes. Luckily there is a huge run-off area and Steve could re-join the track.
With the rest of the field miles ahead and Steve struggling with no / limited / inconsistent brakes he limped home in an unhappy 12th place – not the most enjoyable race experience.
With no support crew it was always going to be a struggle to get things done (especially with Steve’s very limited mechanical experience). However in true MM spirit Steve was very well looked after by the Gilbert’s, Tuckley’s, Fearnley’s and Palmer’s.
21st June 2008 : CADWELL PARK RESULTS
Steve finally broke the Top Ten with a 9th placed finish in the second race at Cadwell Park. Further info available on the Race Reports page. Liz has loaded up photos to the Gallery page.
21st June 2008 : NEW HEAD
The head arrived from Keith Calver in good time although we only finished fitting it the day before Cadwell..
However we have since done a compression test and cylinders 2 and 3 were well down. A cylinder leak test revealed 60% leakage (yes 60%), compared to an acceptable 10% in numbers 1 and 4. It appears that the leakage is through the inlet valves.
These heads come all packaged up complete with valves and springs, ready to bolt on. I have since been advised to take it apart and re-lap in the valves.
Needless to say we are a little dissappointed having spent £525!!!!.
2nd June 2008 : SAFETY CAR DRIVE
**** Hot off the press......... ****
Steve will be the safety car driver for the Britsh GT championship race at Snetterton this coming weekend (7th / 8th June).
Full details on this event can be found on the British GT Championship website.
2nd June 2008 : NEW HEAD
Despite spending an absolute fortune on t he Super's engine over the winter, the car is still down on power. Neil Slark did suggest the head was old and tired, so at further expense we have ordered a fresh gas flowed head off Keith Calver (the MM head supplier).
Hopefully it will arrive this week which will give us a little bit of time to fit before the Cadwell race on 14th June.
26th May 2008 : ANGLESEY RACE RESULTS
On a blowy (but dry) weekend in North West Wales Steve again failed to break the top ten.
In an encouraging qualifying Steve's time of 1:28.632 put him 10th on the grid, but a poor start and lack of race pace left him in 12th at the finish. David Hale took top spot honours by a considerable margin. This was David's first ever race win, so many congrats to him.
For race 2 Steve made a poor start and was unable to keep up with the pack ahead. He finished in 13th.
26th May 2008 : ANGLESEY PHOTOS
Photos now uploaded to the Gallery page.
25th May 2008 : RACING NEWS ARTICLE
A photo of Steve's Super made the front cover of the BRSCC Racing News publication. Unfortunately it had the headline of "Mini Girl Power" - doh.....!!!!
The full article can be accessed on the BRSCC website.
13th May 2008 : SNETTERTON PHOTOS
Liz has been busy with the camera and has taken a hat full of photos from last weekends race. Check out the Gallery page.
13th May 2008 : SNETTERTON RACE RESULTS
Steve had another 13th and an 11th at Snetterton. Full race report available on Race Reports page.
25th April 2008 : SNETTERTON TIMETABLE
A draft timetable for Snetterton has now been made available. You can access this via the attached Timetable Link.
The racing will take place on Sunday and Monday (4th and 5th May), over the bank holiday weekend.
24th April 2008 : 2008 REGULATIONS
Rodger Tello has announced a change to the MM and SMM regulations.
We will now be allowed 6.5mm spacer shims on the rear wheels only..
24th April 2008 : SNETTERTON REGS
Final Regulations for Snetterton have now been made available.
24th April 2008 : CAR REPAIRS
Finally Autoglass have replaced the windscreen of the motorhome.
23rd April 2008 : CAR REPAIRS
The mini has been to the bodyshop for insurance assessment – the verdict = a new roof. The approved bodyshop want 10 days to do this, so we’ll have to until after Snetterton to get the car repaired. After knocking it all out it only has a few scratches!!!
15th April 2008 : CAR REPAIRS
Given the awning damage from the weekend the car has been taken To a local bodyshop for roof repairs.
13th April 2008 : SILVERSTONE RACE RESULTS
Qualifying went well. In a well experienced field Steve qualified in 14th, just 1.060 seconds behind the pole setting lap. This was Steve's second excursion in a Super Mighty Mini, so the timings were relatively satisfying.
In the race Steve finished 13th (bit of deja vu, from 2006). A good start put Steve in with the pack, athough a mistake at Luffield put Steve in (and out) of the gravel. He lost several places with this incident and 2 other silly errors left Steve struggling in 13th place.
11th April 2008 : SILVERSTONE TESTING
Given all the new engine components and a rusty old driver it was deemed necessary to test before the first race. The engine would need bedding in, along with some new brake pads and tyres.
The day didn't quite go to plan!!! Whilst parked in the paddock area a sudden gust of wind lifted a fellow competitors industiral awning and launched it into our motorhome. The awning smashed the windscreen, damaged the roof, bounced off our awning and landed on the roof of the mini leaving a large crater in the rear of the car. Steve was pushing the car at the time (from the drivers door), so things could have been a lot worse!!
9th April 2008 : RACE NUMBER
Bit of a cock up at Mighty Mini HQ. The number 9 has already been assigned to another Super driver (Bob Bennets), so we've opted for race number 73 - the same number we raced with in our first year of Mighty Minis.
5th April 2008 : SUPER OVERHAUL
Car back from Slark Race Engineering. Neil has also done the full wheel aignment (see Workshop page for settings).
Its kicking out just over 82hp at the flywheel.
23nd March 2008 : SILVERSTONE TIMETABLE
The timetable for the first race at Silverstone is now available from the Mighty Mini website.
Qualifying for the Supers is scheduled for 11:40am. The SMM race is scheduled for 17:15 (the last race of the day!!).
Its only 3 weeks until the race on sunday 13th April - time to start panicking........
23nd March 2008 : 2008 REGULATIONS
The final regulations for this years championship are now available from the Mighty Mini website.
22nd March 2008 : DAVE REES IS 40
Fellow MM competitor Dave Rees celebrated his 40th birthday last night in Birmingham. There were a few sore heads the next morning (mine included!).
22nd March 2008 : SUPER OVERHAUL
We're having a few problems with the Super's clutch. The Super's run with Metro Turbo clutch plates, but there appears to be a shortage across the UK. Two different plates have been fitted to the car but they have both suffered slipping.
The car is still with Slark Race Engineering. A new clutch plate has been sourced (and tested). We should have the car back sometime next week.
26th February 2008 : 2008 SPONSORS
Smiley Racing are delighted to announce the continued support of AToM (All Types of Mortgages) and The Sign Shop for the 2008 season.
- AToM was established in 1991 and provides comprehensive mortgage solutions for all types of people.
- The Sign Shop are based in Sussex and specialise in vinyl graphics and signage (from Vehicle Livery to Shop Fascias).
25th February 2008 : 2008 CALENDAR UPDATE
The Donington Park race is now going to be on the weekend of 01-02 November. The Calendar page has been updated.
17th February 2008 : SUPER OVERHAUL
Doctor Slark's diagnosis wasn't good. The patient is in need of a new camshaft, crank, conrods, clutch plate and various other metal bits. Most of this is due to wear and tear, but the odd "non-compliant" part was found in her engine compartment.
8th February 2008 : SUPER OVERHAUL
The new Super Mighty Mini was suffering with all sorts of knocking sounds and oil leaks so she is being treated to a few weeks of pampering at the infamous Mighty Mini health farm known as Slark Race Engineering
5th February 2008 : RACE NUMBER 9
We have received confirmation from Mighty Mini HQ that Smiley Racing will race with the number 9 for the 2008 season.
31st January 2008 : 2008 REGULATIONS
A draft of the 2008 Regulations is now available via the www.classic-mini.co.uk website.
10th January 2008 : 2008 CALENDAR UPDATE
The last race of the season at Donington has been pushed back to the 25th and 26th October. The Calendar page has been updated.
9th January 2008 : AUTOSPORT SHOW
The Mighty Minis will have representation at the Autosport show on the BRSCC stand in hall 10. Andy Harrison’s Super Mighty Mini will be resplendent in its new colours and there will be drivers on hand to discuss all matters regarding the championship. Rodger will also be there to assist with any technical enquires. This show marks the beginning to the motorsport season and it is a fantastic opportunity to purchase those much needed race overalls etc.
9th January 2008 : NEWS ARCHIVE
We have archived Team Smiley Racing's 2006 bulletins in a News Archive page.
19th December 2007 : 2008 CALENDAR ANNOUNCED
The 2008 Calendar has recently been announced. Further details can be found on the Calendar page.
11th November 2007 : WORKSHOP PAGES RELAUNCHED
New pages created for the work done on our Super, plus the addtion of a technical section. Links available through Workshop.
11th November 2007 : SNETTERTON
Race reports for Snetterton are now available via the Race Reports page.
Photos form this event can be found on the Gallery page.
10th October 2007 : ROUNDS 11 & 12 - SNETTERTON
This weekend coming will see Team Smiley travel back to Snetterton in Norfolk for the final rounds of the 2007 season.
The weekend is a double header with Qualifying and Race 1 on the Saturday. Race 2 will be on Sunday, the grid positions being determined from your finishing position from Race 1.
For spectators wishing to travel to Snetterton, please view our Calendar page where you will find links with location maps, local weather and a circuit website (where you can find further information about Snetterton with ticket details and prices).
4th October 2007 : THE SUPER
Following a successful day at Castle Combe in the newly acquired Super, we can now confirm that Steve will race The Super at Snetterton on the weekend of 13th / 14th Oct.
The car will race under as car #27, with full AToM livery. Photos of the car will follow shortly.
3rd October 2007 : CASTLE COMBE - CHARITY DAY
There were literally thousands of minis in attendance for the Mini World Action Day at Castle Combe.
With 10-12 racing Mighty Minis offering passenger rides during the day, we raised £1540+ for charity.
The event was very well organised, the Mighty Mini rides proved extremely popular and provided excellent exposure to our sport with great PR for our sponsors.
27th September 2007 : CASTLE COMBE - CHARITY DAY
This weekend will see Team Smiley travelling to Castle Combe in Wiltshire to take part in the Mini World Action Day.
This event is not part of the Mighty Mini race championship but an event for Mini enthusiasts with proceeds going to charity.
All the cars will be fitted out with passenger seats and harnesses to take passengers out on hot laps.
Why not come along, help raise money for charity and have a blast !
This year we will be raising money for the Acorns Childrens Hospice in Birmingham and BLISS, the Premature baby charity.
Further details can be found on our Calendar page or the Castle Combe website.
11th September 2007 : ROUND 10 - BRANDS HATCH
Steve qualified 14th and finished 10th in an exciting race at Brands Hatch - photos on the Gallery page. Full race report will follow shortly. 4th September 2007 : ROUND 10 - BRANDS HATCH
This weekend coming will see Team Smiley travel to Brands Hatch in Kent for round 10 of the 2007 Mighty Mini Championship.
For spectators wishing to travel to Brands Hatch, please view our Calendar page where you will find links with location maps, local weather and a circuit website (where you can find further information about Brands with ticket details and prices).
Provisional Timetable for Sunday 9th September
