THE MINI MAG. Volume 2 No.6
  June 2000

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Presidents Report

We have a committee capable of organising just about everything, everything that is except the weather. But, the Mini 2000 was another great Mini Owners Club success story despite the down pour which threatened to drown anyone in a Mini. The weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of Mini lovers as they flocked to Lakeside International Raceway from all over Australia. A full report with pictures further on in the mag.

The Mini 2000 was the club’s first adventure into motorsport, and as we proved on the day, the idea of mixing a show-n-shine with sprints and motorkhana is definitely the correct recipe. As a club, we must not loose sight of why the club was formed in the first place, and that was to cater for the family and not the minority. I am sure that we will be on a winner using the format of the Mini 2000 at our next big event, which could be an Australian Mini 40th or just Mini 2001. Sorry Kathy, but someone has to tell you the bad news!! Don’t think about it until you return from your UK trip.

I would like to put on record my thanks to the following members; Tony Formosa for his endless organising and Kathy for taking all the phone calls. My wife Gayle for manning the phone on the Sunday to answer the scores of callers wanting to know if the event was on. Glen Carpenter and his team for the smooth running of the motor sport events. Bob Ward for sorting out the sponsors requirements, keeping the budget in check and for returning a profit on the day. Tracey York who arranged the Saturday night dinner and the shirts and caps. Brian Carmichael for the endless paperwork. Dave Perkins and his team of judges for the very smooth running of the show-n-shine, along with Allison Yates and Linda Reedman for compiling the results on computer. Graham Williams for the use of his truck again. He and the boys are always there when needed. I have not named everyone as I don’t want to miss anyone, so thanks to all the members and non members who lent a hand in any way. Your work made the day the success it was.

We did receive some good press coverage of the Mini 2000 on television, radio and press. If you managed to get home and drain out the water from the inside of your mini in time to catch the ABC National News, you would have seen the excellent story that had on the day. We also had good cover on the two networks covering the Sunshine Coast, 7 Local News and Win News. Both gave us a nice story on the run to Ettamogah Pub and The Wharf at Mooloolaba. Quite a few of you were “stars”. Redline Motorsport Video Magazine also recorded a segment on the day for cable television. Chris Ellis from Mini Spares in Bundaberg recorded a lot of the action from the early morning setting up in the down pour to all the action on the track. He hopes to have a video available to members at a small cost in the near future. Thanks Chris for making the trip in the rain.

There is a Mini show with a difference on in Melbourne on the 29th July. The show is being staged by the Victorian Mini Club, and is being held indoors. If anyone is interested in making the trip down, let me know, as a few of us have already shown interest in attending. I hope to pick up some ideas we could use in the future.

Now that we are affiliated with CAMS, we come under scrutiny when ever we run an event such as the Mini 2000. We have to be on our best behaviour whenever we do anything that relates to motorsport. We could receive a slap over the wrist for the minority who wanted to turn the Grand Parade into a race. Whenever we have such a parade, whether it be on a race track or not, it is just that, a parade, not a race and that means no passing! If you want to be a boy racer enter in the sprints or the motorkhana where you can have fun under controlled conditions and not put others at risk. This also applies to the use of any race track at the closure of an event. That means that the track is closed as well!! Hopefully no member will have to be reminded in the future.

Cheers and thanks again for your efforts with the Mini 2000.
John Heselwood.