Pitstop: New face for first Mini Challenge

Teenager Cushla Whetton will bring a fresh face to a new championship when she takes to the track in the inaugural Mini Challenge series in November.

Whetton, who has been competing in the Mazda Pro championship, is one of three teenagers being fostered by Lyall Williamson's International Motorsport stable in the New Zealand arm of the worldwide challenge run in identical Mini Coopers.

The other two members of Williamson's Brat Pack, Richard Moore and Ant Pedersen, have both had karting success. Pedersen is the son of V8 driver Paul, and Moore, at 14, will be the series' youngest driver.

"The Mini Challenge series is a unique opportunity to initiate new drivers at tier one level," says Williamson. "This is shaping up to be the largest one-make saloon series in New Zealand."

About 20 entrants have signed up to drive the Minis, which are now part of the BMW empire. International Motorsport will add the Minis to a racing fleet that already includes V8s, Toyota single-seaters and Porsches.

NZ 24-HOUR TEAMTICK OFF GOALS

The New Zealand team contesting the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring in Germany last weekend achieved all their objectives.

Greg Taylor, John McIntyre, Tim Martin and Mike Eady, in their first combined attempt, finished 69th out of 141 finishers from a field of 220 starters. They were fourth among the Honda Civic Type Rs and won the Group N trophy, completing 116 laps.

Taylor, an Auckland plastic surgeon, is talking of a two-car team for next year, possibly with one in a higher class.

SPECIALIST CARSFOR WHANGAREI

The rallysprint that forms the second day of the Rally of Whangarei next Sunday has been given added grunt by the entry of several specialist cars ineligible for the national rally championship.

Marty Roestenburg has entered the 600-horse-powered Subaru WRX H6 in which he sped to third and first in class at the Race to the Sky in Cardrona Valley at Easter.

Arch-rival Andrew Hawkeswood has entered his hot Mitsubishi Evo 6 and Steve Murphy's thundering V8 Cordia will provide stiff competition.

Each competitor gets four runs over the course at Wearmouth Rd near Paparoa. The fastest eight in each class will run off to pick the winner.

MARSHALL PREPARES FOR LONG HAUL

Auckland rally driver Nick Marshall will take on two events in two countries during the next week.

Today the 22-year-old will contest Rallye Sud, the third round of the New Caledonian championship, in a Peugeot 106. Next Saturday and Sunday he will be back home in another Peugeot for Rally Whangarei, the third round of the national championship.

Marshall is a firm supporter of the rallysprint that forms the second day of Rally Whangarei - a format that sees him take on three different styles of rallying in eight days.

FROM ROAD TO ODE FOR VILLENEUVE

Former world Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve will certainly be on song for the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend.

The Canadian will release a single he recorded over the winter during his home grand prix in Montreal. Accepterais-tu? was written by Villeneuve, who also sings and plays piano and guitar.

AUCKLAND DRIVERS AIM FOR FIESTA CHAMPS

Auckland rally drivers James Holder and Richard Ellis plan to contest the 2007 Ford Fiesta championship in Europe.

The 24-year-olds will contest this season's national championship in the 2WD class in a Toyota Trueno.

Run in conjunction with the world championship, the one-make Fiesta series comprises six rounds throughout Europe and is a stepping stone for young drivers into a professional career.