I had been dreading my home race for a few reasons, one I did not feel that I had the car to win it this season and the second was we have been so busy with caravans at Snetterton Speed Shop, hiring Caravans out as well as selling them, I had not given much time to my Mighty Minis as they deserved. I decided that I didn't want to pursue the Super Mighty Mini as its too much in one weekend to try and look after myself, run Chris Slade’s Super and to help and advise young Zack Booth as much as they all deserve on top of 4 races. So the decision to convert my Super to a Mighty was taken and one I am glad I have done as it's a very nice car now it’s finished.

I ordered all the parts I needed from Mini Spares and as usual with them the parts arrived the very next day so Tiny Ted (myself), Temporary Ted (so called due to him being a uni student on loan for the Summer) and Sexy Ted (so called because she is a 21 year old blonde who is very pleasing to the eye) all set to and stripped out the Super to begin its transformation into a Mighty.

Once the car was stripped and the parts from Mini Spares were fitted to the suspension and bodywork, we fitted a nice new Paul Inch motor to the car, as I had agreed with young Zack that the car was also a spare for him, So I set the seat a tiny bit further back than I normally do so we could both just use it as and when we needed to.

The car now renumbered looked and felt very good when I tested it on my private test track (the Snetterton Circuit approve road) and I was looking forward to testing it the day before the Snetterton meeting. Like most Mighty Mini races I have done because I always run at the front my car is always in the scrutineering bay and after the fantastic Brands Mini Festival I had had my cylinder head impounded by the Championship organisers to be inspected at Bill Richards racing two weeks after the Brands event.

This is something I don't mind as I think the Championship organisers are doing a great job to keep the Championship fair and straight for all and as I keep winning I accept that I will be in the mix, I was one of seven heads taken after Brands and turned up at Bill’s ready for my check.
I am always early for everything I do in life as it's my way and yet again I was first at Bill’s and along with Neil Booth (Zack's Dad) we all had some banter with Bill. The checks began and Zack's and mine were 100% legal which was something I never doubted. Bill was telling me to spend some money on the head as the valve seats and guides area are worn out, no way I said if it's going well leave it well alone, and as the head has been to Bill's before I thought sod it and just lapped the valves in again and put it back on lol.

Once the head was on I gave the car a very quick once over and checked it on my Rolling Road at SSS. As usual, even on a super-hot day like we have been getting, my car ran well giving out good BHP.

The T Mighty as it has become in the shop was also now ready to test but a little down on the main car on the rollers but as the engine is new I will give it some more attention before Oulton Park in August. With Snetterton being our home race , I organised a night out for most of my friends from the Championship on the Friday, as well as a BBQ at the Team Bailey awning on the Saturday night, along with 33 guests from Maxveiw one of my sponsors who happen to be based at King Lynn up the road.

The Friday night was going to be very busy as it was also my Daughter Morgan’s school Prom and I had promised to take her to the prom in the now fully finished and road legal McCain Oven Chips 1275 GT race car I have restored, some of you may have seen it at Brands hatch at the Festival on display near the Mini Spares stand. So flat out home after setting up the Team Bailey awning and testing all day with me in my Mighty running well, then a session in the new T Mighty also running well and handling like a dream, then to cap it all off, a few laps in Chris Slade’s Super at the end of the day as he could not get off work on the Friday, so to be blunt as it was so hot I was bolloxed.

I went home in the McCain car collected my beautiful little girl and drove her to the school all the parents thought the little Mini was just perfect even if some of the kids did not get it ha ha, after the photos I went home and had a bath. Next I went and met the Mighty Gang at the famous Nick’s Diner, the best part of the night was the first time that we had Justin Cooper back with us after the big shunt we both had testing at Brands, he was now well enough to come out with us. I had arranged a caravan at the track for him so he could spend the whole weekend with us and have his 2 little boys there, it was a great evening of fun food and great company followed and seeing young Zack’s face after trying fried Bananas was priceless.

The next morning I drove the McCain car with Team Bailey team manager Westly Barber to the track as we were staying at home as the track is only 1 mile from my home, we set up and got ready for the first days racing, in qualifying  I ran with Zack and we drafted each other lap after lap with the little shit getting pole from me, I was not happy as Snetterton has always been my track and not many people can get near me so when he took pole by quite a lot I knew I was in for it in the race.

Race one was a classic Jonathan and Zack show as we pulled away from the rest of the pack as we had such a handling advantage, something the others are now catching up on, even seeing three competitors leaving their cars with me at SSS so I can get them our set up on for Oulton!!

I led, then Zack did and I was beginning to think he was going to beat me for the first time here, when on the last lap I made a lunge at him down the back Bentley straight, we touched as I passed and my rear bumper pulled off his front but I was through and made it to the line just in front. Zack was gutted yet again but as I keep saying I ain’t gonna give it to him and he will earn his first win something that is only weeks away I feel, maybe hours.

In the Super race young Chris was struggling with a down on power motor but to be fair to him we knew this was the case and he just wanted to get to the end of Snetterton before getting an all new engine for Oulton Park.  His finishes in the top 10 were not too bad as the car looked and felt good round the corners just slow on the straights.

The BBQ was typical Mighty Minis full of fun, booze and laughter. All the teams lent a hand and when I left to go home at midnight it was still in full flow.

The next day was a very hot day and as we went out to qualify. I just lit the car up as I wanted to prove to myself as well as to Zack that this is my track and I can go round it very fast for an old git, prove it I did with a pole lap some 6 tenths faster than anyone, not that it would matter as at Snetterton you never break away from the draft, it was something I did for me.

Zack was feeling the pressure as he so much wanted to win a race and to be honest I was feeling that this race was going to be his as he was now wise to my last lap move on the straights and I felt this race was going to be uber hard for me.

I got away from pole well but he was on my rear bumper and as if to prove he was faster he was pushing me down the straight , lap after lap we went at it, nothing asked and nothing given me trusting a sixteen year old boy as if he was a seasoned veteran like me. As we went into the last lap I knew he had sussed what not to do as he slowed to half speed on the infield part of the track wanting me to pass him, knowing then I would be a sitting duck down the long Bentley straight, but I slowed as well so there we were cruising round at 45 mph in a race, lucky for us we had pulled about 16 seconds on the rest so we could play this game of cat and mouse, as we entered the straight Zack gunned it and so did I, I managed to pull alongside him but he had me pinned half on the grass knowing I could not get round the following  corner so I had to let him in, that was it I thought Zack’s finally got me. I followed him round the long Coram corner but I could not pass him my last chance was the dash to the flag maybe just maybe I could force him out. I made a great exit from the Russell chicane and planted the gas, I even slipped the clutch between third and forth to get the revs up a tiny bit more I weaved one way and he weaved against me but he left a tiny gap and I filled it. He came at me and hit my passenger door mirror in and I was pinned by him against the pit wall but I thought sod it and kept it lit. The chap waving the flag hit my drivers mirror with the flag something that he and I found amusing after the race but I had the tinniest bit more speed than Zack and beat him to the line by the length of the head light rim. I knew I had done it as when I looked over at Zack he was punching his steering wheel and was so pissed off he whacked me in the side after the finish in frustration ha ha, but that was it. I had pulled off the double and the second one I had stolen from him, it felt good even if all the fans, including my wife and kids all wanted Zack to win, but as I keep saying his day is coming and I will never just give up - when you beat me you have to beat me.

All in all a great weekend, I have a few big things over the coming weeks one a family holiday in France with my stunning bailey caravan then straight back for a big operation that I need, one thing I promise is I will get in my Mini at Oulton and give it my all.

Regards Jonathan