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Paul Mercurio, Leanne Tander and Jason Bargwanna today
marked the start of a very special weekend for MINI CHALLENGE with the unveiling
of the UBER-STAR CAR’s new livery at Sandown, the fourth round of the Series,
which will see 19 cars front the starter – the biggest field in Australia
yet.
Bargwanna, Tander and Mercurio are three of the five
drivers who have become UBER-STAR alumni – the other two being former Wallaby
Ben Tune and MOTOR Magazine journalist, Shaun
Cleary.
The program is designed to bring a new focus to MINI
CHALLENGE by engaging personalities from the areas of sports, entertainment or
media.
The somewhat unconventional design on the UBER-STAR CAR
has been wrapped using printed vinyl technology by Melbourne company, Decently
Exposed, and the ‘pinboard’ design by Badjar Ogilvy makes the UBER-STAR CAR
vibrant and irreverent and represents the fun of the
brand.
The ‘Pinboard’ also provides space for not one
sponsor or driver’s name, but many. The MINI CHALLENGE UBER-STAR CAR has become
moving communication.
This weekend, the 19 competitors – including Mercurio in
the UBER-STAR CAR – are chasing down Seven Network personality, Grant Denyer,
who leads the Series by 12 points in his DecoRug Motorsport machine from Neil
McFadyen (M3 Motorsport).
The field hopes Denyer’s run will be thwarted by the
40kg in success ballast he is carrying. Others carrying success ballast include
McFadyen (35kg), Nathan Geier (Sherrin Rentals - 10kg) and Paul Stokell (DecoRug Motorsport –
5kg).
Bargwanna loved his UBER-STAR opportunity at Eastern
Creek, he has returned to the Series, bringing cousin Scott with him in a two
car team from this weekend. The Trivett Classic MINI Garage team has been busy
since finalising the deal just this Monday.
Last night, MINI welcomed MINI CHALLENGE and the brand
new John Cooper Works range of road cars to Australia with a magnificent launch
party in Port Melbourne attended by over 300 people.
Current Series leader, Grant Denyer expressed his joy at
driving the fantastic machines to the assembled
throng.
“Just when you think you can’t go any deeper towards a
corner without getting on the brakes, the car surprises you – it pulls up on a
dime,” he enthused. “You have to unhinge your brain and almost shut your eyes
some times – you just don’t think the car can do what it does! They are
magnificent, but I reckon I’m only leading the Series at the moment because I
can’t reach the brake pedal! The strategy has worked so far, so I hope to keep
it going!”
Practice will start tomorrow morning at 9:00am for MINI
CHALLENGE with the first session on track and qualifying will be at
11:30am.
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