HTCAV – Minis in Australian racing
Words: Chris Ralph
Photos: Provided
Debuting in 1959, the Mini made an impact out of all proportion to its size, including on the racetrack. Today, these pocket rockets are faster and more competitive than ever. Mini numbers are growing in historic racing and the HTCAV Committee’s Richard Hill, currently Victoria’s fastest Mini man, is waving the flag for the new crop of ‘flying bricks’ and their pilots.
Fast Start
Soon after the Alec Issigonis-designed Austin/Morris 850 was released, racers around the world jumped on it. A lightweight unitary body, the BMC A-Series engine (a tuner’s favourite), rubber cone suspension and a wheel at each corner - wow! Any doubts about the 10-inch wheels disappeared on the first twisty bits.
Tuners quickly opened up cylinder heads, added another S.U. carb and a set of extractors, while also widening the rims. But it was the marriage with crusty John Cooper, whose cars won the 1959-60 F1 World Championships for Australia’s Jack Brabham, that shot the Mini into the motorsport firmament.
Austin/Morris ‘Coopers’ of 997, then 998cc preceded the ‘S’ (for ‘Serious’?) models built for the racing classes of the day, with capacities of 970, 1071 and 1275cc. Global success followed on racetracks and rally stages.
History always repeats
Today, most racing Minis occupy the pre-1965 Group Nb 1101-1300cc class, while the later, fluid suspended cars with wind-up windows and slightly wider wheels are eligible for the pre-72 1101-1500cc Group Nc class.
And just like the days when names like Peter Manton and Brian Foley had their little terriers snapping at the heels of larger cars - and beating them under certain conditions - they’re doing the same today. David v Goliath battles have had crowds on their feet for the last 45 Historic Winton race meetings. This year was no exception, as hordes of Minis dive-bombed a monster V8 Camaro for the win…
Often a family affair
Through the decades, the same names have appeared in race programmes - Mini driving fathers and sons. In NSW, one of the quickest Minis is that of Tom Tweedie. His father Bob, originally from SA, sold and raced Minis during the Swinging Sixties in the UK, returned to Sydney to race Improved Touring into the early 1970s and reappeared in a Mini for the Appendix J Revival in the ’80s.
The McKay Mini lineage covers three generations. CAMS Race Steward Keith drove an ex-Shell team car in the early ’90s. His son Steve runs the ex-Lindsay Siebler race winner, while grandson Max now has the Adrian Read/Pete Melick/Mike Bugelly car.
In Victoria, Mini racing and tuning godfather Len Read has sons Adrian and Daniel racing alongside him. John and Paul Battersby in NSW are another father/son Mini pairing, along with Dave and Jason Armstrong in SA. Over in WA, there’s Cono and Paul Onofaro, in Tassie the Ellis family and so on. But it’s not always sons…
In the ’80s, two of Victoria’s quickest flying bricks were in the hands of ‘Mini Maestro’ Henry Draper and great mate Barry Devlin. For the past ten years, Barry’s daughter Linda has regularly aced the blokes at Historic Winton - driving Henry’s car.
There’s only one Ted
One Mini man’s name spans the 1960s to the 2020s – the ageless, fearless Charles Edward Brewster.
In 1965, Ted raced a 997cc Morris Cooper in Improved Touring and won four hillclimb championships. With 1071cc, he won the Joseph Lucas Touring Car Series at Calder. With 1310cc, he won the 1968 Australian Touring Car Hillclimb Championships, beating Alan Hamilton’s Porsche by .04 of a second.
In the early ’80s, the bug bit again after a demo run for the new historic touring car category. Another yellow-striped, green Mini was soon built, carrying the famous #42.
Four more decades of motorsport brought four HTCAV Club Championships, countless class wins – and one big one. Back in 2002, at a wet Victorian Touring Car Trophy at Phillip Island, Ted charged through to take the outright win as the V8s and swift sixes slithered.
Ted last raced his Mini in 2022, aged 87. Even then, he was near the top of the class and cranking out lap times the young pretenders would have been proud of.
Now for the ‘new breed’
These days, HTCAV Committee member Richard Hill is chief advocate for the battling bricks. Currently Victoria’s quickest Mini man, he notes the resurgence and recycling of race cars among new drivers.
“Newcomers - Geoff Hulbert has the old Len Nation car, Luke Patterson’s is ex-NSW guru Graham Russell,” he says. “Chris Finlayson brought his car from WA and John Doherty also has a car with a long history. There are plenty of us Mini fans to carry Ted’s torch.”
Richard’s own Mini meanderings started in 1982 with a ’67 in the same colours as his current race car. With brother (and fellow Mini racer) Graeme, they pulled many Minis apart in their youth, trying to make them go faster. Forty years later, they’re still at it.
Are Minis faster than they were?
“You’d have to say yes,” Richard affirms. “Once, 100bhp (74.5kW) per litre was the magic mark for all engines, which 1300cc Minis now exceed - there’s a whole industry in the UK devoted to that!
“Weber carburettors usually replace twin SUs now, but Adam Bressington (the SU man in Australia) came down from NSW and caned us a bit at Winton!” he laughs.
What about weaknesses? “Well, gearboxes integral with the engine and running in engine oil isn’t ideal. But now we have stronger ‘dog boxes’, so reliability has improved.”
Sssh, Something’s Afoot…
There’s a push to have an all-Mini race in Victoria next year. Nothing’s confirmed, but the list of starters - from all Australian states - is long and impressive. The man behind it is, of course, Richard Hill.
“Why not?” he grins, “If you’ve seen the all-Mini races from Goodwood Revival, they’re nuts – great racing! The HTCAV is going all out to make it happen – watch this space…”
