MR MINI Sponsored Minis finish 1 2 3 in the Canadian Mini/Sprite Challenge.

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the VARAC Vintage Festival. Over 200 Vintage race cars made the trek to Mosport to compete in this year’s event.

Of the over 200 cars on hand there were 10 Minis and 9 Sprites to battle for the honors of being the 2004 Canadian Mini/Sprite Champion.

Friday was cool and gray as Qualifying started for class 4; Maryo Lamothe of Quebec had the fastest time in the Minis followed by Larry Coste and Dave Morgan (the 2000 Mini/Sprite Champion). The only mishap was when the #850 HOT WHEELS Mini of Bill Brack collided with a Sprite in turn 9, during the first practice in the morning both went off, with the Sprite taking most of the hit. However in the afternoon race the #850 broke a steering arm and dropped out.

Saturday saw more gray clouds and rain as the day progressed, fortunately the rains held off for the Minis. In the Qualifying race in the morning Maryo Lamothe had the best time followed by Larry Coste and Dave Morgan.

Cindy Bauer of Grantsville, Pennsylvania (or Mini Cindy as her friends call her) had transmission woes with her 67 Austin Mini Copper S, she only lasted 2 laps. She was done for the weekend.

In the afternoon race it was Larry Coste followed by Dave Morgan and Maryo Lamothe but it was all over for Maryo as the #22 Mini went down with unknown problems.

Sunny skies were the order of the day as the races started on Sunday morning. Larry Coste who owns both the #199 Mini and the #850 HOT WHEELS Mini offered Cindy Bauer a chance to drive the #850 HOT WHEELS Mini in the Morning race since she had driven all the way up from Pennsylvania only see her own car break Saturday morning (what a nice guy) and Cindy did herself proud by running a strong race and finishing 2^nd among the Minis with a best time of 1:49.192 not bad for her first time in the car. Tom Burge the 1996 Ontario regional Classic Sedan Champion had his yellow1968 Cooper S here but was having all kinds of problems getting it to run, he did get out in the morning session but only lasted 2 laps before retiring for the weekend.

But it was the Mini/Sprite Challenge everyone was waiting for, 7 Minis and 8 Sprites took to the track to do battle. At the drop of the green flag it was all Minis, 4 Minis in a row Dave Morgan, Bill Brack, Larry Coste fighting it out for top spot with Daniel Thompson (driving the ex Barker Mini) running 4^th. Larry led the race from the start but was having problems shifting and was falling back, when Morgan took the lead with Brack right there on his tail. As some of you know Bill Brack was one of the best Mini drivers in the 1960’s, he won just about everything there was to win in a Mini. He then went on to win 3 consecutive Canadian Driving Championships in 1973-74-75. So to say Morgan had his hands full was an understatement.

In the end Dave Morgan did fend off Bill Brack for the win but it was touch and go for Larry Coste who had a battle with Daniel Thompson for 3^rd place, on lap 9 Larry decided to do some landscaping and went off in Moss Corner, fortunately for Larry, Daniel followed him and Larry was able to beat Daniel to the checkered flag for 3^rd place.

19 Dave Morgan 1 1:46.133

850 Bill Brack 2 1:46.130

199 Larry Coste 3 1:45.751

57 Daniel Thompson 4 1:46.391

The other Mini drivers who finished the race were Kurt Bissell, Joseph Ware, and Lincoln Kinsman.