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Mini Rally Challenge The Mini Rally Challenge is in its 6th year and growing - join us on the stages !www.minirallychallenge.co.uk

23/10/2026

Drama from the Hills Ford Stages !!- see the full video and all stages in-car on our YouTube channel - link in the comments

This weekend sees the final round of the British Rally Championship at The Cambrian Rally based in North Wales, with the...
22/10/2026

This weekend sees the final round of the British Rally Championship at The Cambrian Rally based in North Wales, with the bulk of the mileage in Clocaenog Forest.
Its not a round of the Mini Rally Challenge but two of our registered crews are entered. Good luck to Mark & Stephen Winkles (car 81) and Jodie & Aaron Bevington (car 83).




minrallychallenge.co.uk

Entries for the final round of The 2026 Mini Rally Challenge open tonight at 7pm. https://www.doningtonrally.co.uk/wp-co...
21/10/2026

Entries for the final round of The 2026 Mini Rally Challenge open tonight at 7pm.

https://www.doningtonrally.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Donington-Rally-2026_Regulations-v2.pdf

Minirallychallenge.co.uk

Behind the Scenes - closed road stage rallying on pacenotes. If you want to experience this it’s within reach when you j...
20/10/2026

Behind the Scenes - closed road stage rallying on pacenotes. If you want to experience this it’s within reach when you join The Mini Rally Challenge for 2027.
Many have, and we have the team to help you get started, including introductions to "arrive & drive" teams or help in sourcing a proven car.
We regularly get 25 cars entering events. Get off that sofa and do what Evan & Ina have enjoyed this year.

You can watch MINI in-car footage from every stage of the recent Hills Ford Stages on our YouTube Channel (link in the comments)

minirallychallenge.co.uk

EVANS AND EVANS ALL BUT CROWNED IN R50With two rounds left, the R50 overall titles are out of reach for everyone except ...
19/10/2026

EVANS AND EVANS ALL BUT CROWNED IN R50

With two rounds left, the R50 overall titles are out of reach for everyone except the crew of Ryan Evans and John Evans. As long as they start the final round, which both need for a third tarmac entry, neither can be caught: their lowest possible total is 122, and nobody else can reach that. Meanwhile we head to gravel and The Anglo Caledonian Rally in four weeks time.

(Best 3 tarmac + best 3 gravel)
DRIVERS
Ryan Evans – 116 pts
Kevin Ablitt – 98 pts
Catherine Bell – 95 pts

NAVIGATORS
John Evans – 116 pts
Tarna Ablitt – 98 pts
Andrew Side – 89 pts

The real fight is for 2nd.
In the drivers, three points separate Kevin Ablitt and Catherine Bell. It mainly comes down to who finishes ahead in Carlisle, with Catherine having slightly more to gain in the final round. Alex Stopps (69) and John Barker (57) are still in the running for a top-three finish, and both still have a joker to play.

Among the navigators, Tarna Ablitt leads Andrew Side by nine points, and Andrew doesn’t yet have a seat for Anglo Caledonian. A win there would seal 2nd for Tarna.
A top-three finish would leave Andrew needing everything to go his way in the final round.
Andrew Paul Side

minirallychallenge.co.uk

TWO FIGHT FOR THE R53 NAVIGATORS’ TITLEEight rounds in, two to go, and just three points separate the top two in the R53...
18/10/2026

TWO FIGHT FOR THE R53 NAVIGATORS’ TITLE

Eight rounds in, two to go, and just three points separate the top two in the R53 navigators’ overall standings.

Leading driver Ben Hearsey has alternated navigators, so doesn’t have a teammate at the top.

Stephen Moyses – 115 pts
Alfie Element – 112 pts
Dilwyn John – 96 pts
(Best 3 tarmac + best 3 gravel)

Neither of the top two can wrap up the title at The Anglo Caledonian Rally , so it will go all the way to the final round. But the trip to Carlisle really matters.

Alfie (Sven’s nav) already has maximum tarmac points, so Anglo Caledonian is his last chance to add significant points. A win takes him to 131, and Stephen (David Burden’s nav) could then only beat that by finishing 2nd there and winning the final round. Even after Anglo Caledonian, Alfie can still take points off the others by finishing ahead of them, and that could win it.

Stephen’s position is the reverse. His gravel scores are already strong, so Anglo Caledonian adds only a few points, but the final round could add up to 14.

So could the jokers: Stephen and Alfie still have one to play, worth up to five points each.

Dilwyn John, David Robinson and Emma Cooper are also still mathematically in it, but would need to win both rounds and plenty of help from the top two.

Two navigators, three points, and everything still to play for with four weeks until Anglo Caledonian.
Alfie Element Rally Henricynwylrallying

minirallychallenge.co.uk

THREE DRIVERS IN THE HUNT FOR THE R53 TITLEEight rounds down, two to go, and the R53 overall title is wide open. Sixteen...
17/10/2026

THREE DRIVERS IN THE HUNT FOR THE R53 TITLE

Eight rounds down, two to go, and the R53 overall title is wide open. Sixteen points cover the top three, and any of them could leave the Anglo Caledonian Rally in control or out of contention.

Ben Hearsey – 120 pts
Sven Grube – 112 pts
David Burden – 104 pts
(Best 3 tarmac + best 3 gravel)

Much hinges on Anglo Caledonian. A win there gives each of the three their best shot at the title. Ben can wrap it up with a win, as long as David doesn’t finish 2nd. Any other result and it goes down to the final round, though Anglo Caledonian could still knock one or more of them out.

Sven already has maximum tarmac points, so the final round can’t add to his total. He can still take points off the others by beating them, and that could swing it. So could the jokers: all three still have one to play, worth up to five points each.

William Lumley-Holmes, winner at Riponian, is outside the main title fight. He would need to win both rounds, and even then it would depend on where the others finish. Every place he takes from the leaders at Anglo Caledonian costs them points, and could prove decisive.

Henri Cynwyl, Jacob Neal, Alan Kitson, John Day and Andrew Otto are also still mathematically in it, but realistically need to win Anglo Caledonian to stay in contention.

Three drivers, two rounds, and no clear favourite. Four weeks until Anglo Caledonian.
Ben Hearsey
Sven Grube
David Burden

Trackrod Rally Yorkshire – Joseph + Huw Littler JonesOur Trackrod adventure for this year was a short and not so sweet o...
16/10/2026

Trackrod Rally Yorkshire – Joseph + Huw Littler Jones

Our Trackrod adventure for this year was a short and not so sweet one!

After doing a non-MRC event in the Woodpecker Rally a couple of weeks ago with no issues, it was exciting to be taking our new R53 Mini out against the rest of the field.

Seeing 9 cars ahead of us at the start line, in the darkness, was never going to be a good sign.

After a lengthy wait, we were lucky enough to get a run at the stage.

That was until we were held up on the stage, and after some moving backwards and forwards, the clutch gave up.

So we were stuck out of gear, in the darkness of Dalby Forest, at 11pm! What better place to test first gear, and get ourselves out!

Unable to start on Saturday morning, we made our way to the start line to see the other cars off, before heading over to service to see them all come back in.

A big thank you to all the marshals and officials for their work over the weekend!

Hopefully we can make it through more than 6 miles on the next event!

Minirallychallenge.co.uk

We have had quite a few messages asking and the wait is nearly over! 🎉
16/10/2026

We have had quite a few messages asking and the wait is nearly over! 🎉

John Barker and Andrew Side lined up for Round 8 of the Mini Rally Challenge on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th September,...
15/10/2026

John Barker and Andrew Side lined up for Round 8 of the Mini Rally Challenge on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th September, competing in the R50 class Trackrod Rally Yorkshire
trackrodrallyyorkshire

Friday evening began with a ceremonial start on the seafront, before crews headed into Dalby Forest for a 13-mile stage in complete darkness, relying on spotlights to find their way through.

At the stage start it was clear the night wouldn't be straightforward. The stage had been halted after a number of incidents and cars were still being recovered from the forest. After a wait of around two hours they were given the go-ahead, and John and Andrew agreed there was no point in taking risks. The priority was simply to get through safely. A few miles in, another car had gone off and the stage was cancelled.

Saturday began with a fresh start from Galtres Retreat in Pickering and a morning loop through Gale Rigg and Cropton Forest. The stages were far shorter than Dalby, but after the night before there was no appetite for heroics. John was still finding his rhythm on gravel and Andrew was building confidence with the pace notes, so the plan was straightforward: no chasing times, no unnecessary chances, just bring the car home and pick up points.

It paid off. John and Andrew finished 17th overall across the combined R50 and R53 classes and 8th in R50, a solid top-10 class finish, with themselves and the Mini intact.

It was another tough event for the Mini Rally Challenge, coming after Greystoke a few months earlier, and a reminder of how quickly things can change on a rally. For John and Andrew, the weekend came down to making the right decisions when conditions demanded it and taking the points. Most importantly, all crews involved in the incidents were okay.

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