The third round of the Pirelli-supported MINI Challenge will head up the forthcoming MINI Festival celebrations at Brands Hatch Indy (22-23 June).

Now in its 12th year, the Mini Challenge is one of the most prestigious one-make championships in UK racing and grid numbers this year have continued to exceed expectations. Based near Swanley in Kent, Brands Hatch Indy will host three 20-minute races as the drivers battle if out over two categories: the John Cooper Works class and the Cooper class.

After the championship’s opening three rounds, Shane Stoney heads the overall competitor leaderboard as well as the Club class with a total of 139 points. Josh Gollin is second, 21 points behind Stoney. In the John Cooper Works class, Chris Smith leads the category by 13 points over second-placed Jake Packun.

Speaking ahead of the race, Packun explained: “Racing at Brands Indy is always tough because it’s a staple circuit on most championship calendars so it’s a track the majority of people know really well. I’m also expecting things to be much closer around Brands Indy because any mistake you make is amplified a lot more because the lap is so short. It’s incredibly hard to pull a gap there. I’m expecting much more of a fight here and I’m really looking forward to some old fashioned MINI battling.”

This year’s Brands Hatch Mini Festival will focus its celebrations around the 50th anniversary of the iconic Mini Cooper S. As well as the MINI Challenge, other activities to keep the crowds entertained will include a display of special motorsport Minis such as Paddy Hopkirk’s Rally Monte-Carlo winning MINI Cooper S, a MINI stunt show, a Red Devils parachute display, parades and live music.