LEE ALLEN RETURNS WITH EXCELR8 FOR BRANDS HATCH FINALE

Two-time Vertu MINI CHALLENGE champion Lee Allen will return to the series for the first time in more than a decade this weekend at Brands Hatch when he becomes the final driver this season to step into the Sustainable Fuel Development car.

Allen will follow in the footsteps of Hannah Chapman, Scott Lear, Roan Lundy, Harvey Riby and Stephen Harrison when he gets behind the wheel of the JCW Sport-spec car, which will be run this weekend by the EXCELR8 squad.

The 54-year-old won the first of his two MINI CHALLENGE titles back in 2010 with a dominant campaign in the Cooper S class that saw him win 16 of the 21 races – including a run of eight-in-a-row in the middle of the year.

Stepping up to what was then known as the JCW class with the R56 variant of the car, as opposed to the current F56, Allen went on to take his second title after another stunning season in 2012.

Scoring nine wins and only failing to make it onto the podium three times, Allen took championship honours in fine style against a field including the likes of Chris Smiley and Sam Osborne – both of whom have gone on to compete in the British Touring Car Championship.

Allen has also competed in the likes of the Vecta Max Power Championship, the VW Racing Cup and the Dutch Supercar Cup during his extensive racing career, making him the most experienced driver to have driven the JCW Sport guest entry this season.

“I was talking to Rhea [Beauchamp], the Championship Manager, and she asked me if I wanted to have a go in one of the latest generation of MINI CHALLENGE cars,” he said. “Having previously won titles in the R53 and R56 cars, I jumped at the chance to get out in an F56 machine and it will be great fun to see what they are all about.

“Brands Hatch GP is an absolutely fantastic circuit and I can’t wait to get back out there again. As a racing driver, I always go out wanting to win, so hopefully the weather conditions will help me and I can be in the mix towards the front.”

EXCELR8 Team Owner Justina Williams said she was pleased to give Allen the chance to return to the series.

“It’s been a while since Lee has been competing in the MINI CHALLENGE so it will be interesting to see how he gets on behind the wheel of the one of the current cars,” she said.

“His past record speaks for itself in the series with two titles to his name, and we’re delighted to have him as part of the line-up for the Brands Hatch finale.”