From : http://www.grantdenyer.com/
SUNRISE weatherman Grant Denyer finished 6th in his debut on Italy?s Santa Monica race track yesterday, representing Australia in the Mini United Challenge.
The MINI United weekend is the biggest and most international MINI driver and fan meeting to be held. Drivers from 35 countries went head-to-head in a series of races at the Santa Monica Racetrack in Misano on Italy?s Adriatic coast with the winner taking out the first MINI Challenge World Champion title.
The race was won by Italian racing legend Alex Zanardi, who lost both legs in a horrific race crash in 2001, but fought back to recently win the Italian Touring Car Championship, and is also racing in the World Touring Car Championships. Zanardi was a former Formula One star, winner of the Lexmark Indy 300 and a leading Champ car driver until his horrific crash that nearly ended his life.
In his first ever drive off shore and in a Mini Cooper S, Grant qualified 9th next to Zanardi on the grid. He jumped Zanardi at the start, but the veteran ran him off the track 2 laps later. Grant lost 2 places but fought back to finish 6th and was extremely happy with the result giving the quality of the racers around him.
Seventeen drivers, including some of the best from Italy, Great Britain, the US, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Finland competed in the 20 lap race as part of the three-day meeting by more than 3000 MINI enthusiasts.
Formula One drivers included Barilla Paolo, of Italy; Christian Danner, of Germany and Marc Surer, of Switzerland, along with former Monte Carlo winner and Bathurst winner Rauno Aaltonen of Finland, two-time German production Car Champion Claudia Hurtgen, plus well known Bathurst regular and touring car champion Roberto Ravaglia.
The final results for the MINI Challenge VIP race were:
1. A Zanardi
2. A Burgstaller
3. R Ravaglia
4. S Lemeret
5. S Mertens
6. G Denyer
7. M Barth
8. J Loukes
9. H Schmidt
10. P Barilla
11. M Gazze
12. T Dron
13. R Aaltonen
14. S Tweraser
15. C Danner
There are some big names there. Boys this is the future of DJR.
Way to go Grant.
SUNRISE weatherman Grant Denyer finished 6th in his debut on Italy?s Santa Monica race track yesterday, representing Australia in the Mini United Challenge.
The MINI United weekend is the biggest and most international MINI driver and fan meeting to be held. Drivers from 35 countries went head-to-head in a series of races at the Santa Monica Racetrack in Misano on Italy?s Adriatic coast with the winner taking out the first MINI Challenge World Champion title.
The race was won by Italian racing legend Alex Zanardi, who lost both legs in a horrific race crash in 2001, but fought back to recently win the Italian Touring Car Championship, and is also racing in the World Touring Car Championships. Zanardi was a former Formula One star, winner of the Lexmark Indy 300 and a leading Champ car driver until his horrific crash that nearly ended his life.
In his first ever drive off shore and in a Mini Cooper S, Grant qualified 9th next to Zanardi on the grid. He jumped Zanardi at the start, but the veteran ran him off the track 2 laps later. Grant lost 2 places but fought back to finish 6th and was extremely happy with the result giving the quality of the racers around him.
Seventeen drivers, including some of the best from Italy, Great Britain, the US, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Finland competed in the 20 lap race as part of the three-day meeting by more than 3000 MINI enthusiasts.
Formula One drivers included Barilla Paolo, of Italy; Christian Danner, of Germany and Marc Surer, of Switzerland, along with former Monte Carlo winner and Bathurst winner Rauno Aaltonen of Finland, two-time German production Car Champion Claudia Hurtgen, plus well known Bathurst regular and touring car champion Roberto Ravaglia.
The final results for the MINI Challenge VIP race were:
1. A Zanardi
2. A Burgstaller
3. R Ravaglia
4. S Lemeret
5. S Mertens
6. G Denyer
7. M Barth
8. J Loukes
9. H Schmidt
10. P Barilla
11. M Gazze
12. T Dron
13. R Aaltonen
14. S Tweraser
15. C Danner
There are some big names there. Boys this is the future of DJR.
Way to go Grant.
