Mighty Mini Club Members’ Day at Katukurunda on 9 Aug.

The Mighty Mini Club of Sri Lanka has organised yet another Mighty Mini Grand Prix and Member’s Day event to be held at the Katukurunda race track on 9 August 2026.

This “Members Only” event is expected to attract over 100 Minis of all vintages for this much looked-forward to event in the Mighty Mini Club Calendar. The Club has over 700 members and is undoubtedly the biggest one make Car Club in Sri Lanka. Membership is generally open to all Mini enthusiasts and the club conducts events ranging from Sunday Drives, Auto-Cross events, Overnight or Week-end trips, Social gatherings and indeed Track Days such as this Katukurunda event.

The original Mini or “Classic Mini” as it is referred to these days, was launched in August 1959 by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and was designed by Sir Alec Issigonis. The Morris Mini-Minor as it was then known was a revolutionary, space-efficient small car created mainly to combat fuel shortages. The first car to have been commercially built with a transverse engine and front-wheel drive, it had 10-inch wheels, seated four adults in a compact footprint, and sold some 5.3 million units over a production run lasting until year 2000. During those production years, the Mini primarily used BMC A-Series 4-cylinder engines, ranging from 848cc to 1275cc, with carbureted models initially, and fuel injection later. Popular factory options included 850, 998, 1098, and 1275cc units. Later models (post-1990) often featured A+ 1275cc engines.

BMW acquired the Mini brand in 1994 and ultimately re-engineered it into a premium, retro-styled compact brand launched in 2000. Departing from the classic 1959 design, BMW developed modern MINI hatchbacks, convertibles, and SUVs (like the Countryman) and remains a popular choice of car worldwide.

The Katukurunda Grand Prix event will see Minis of all vintages participating under two main categories. First is the road-going Classic Minis and New Minis. These cars are mostly used by enthusiast members for club events and indeed some of them in their day to day running. These cars are not race prepared, and their drivers are not race-car drivers. Hence they will be run individually, and will not race against each other. Rather, they will be individually timed in their respective categories and winners will be chosen depending on the best times in their individual sub-categories.

The second category is for race-prepared cars. These will race against each other as drivers will all be “licenced” under Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (the Controlling Body for Motor Sports in Sri Lanka ) licensing scheme for race car drivers. Some fifteen Classic Minis – all fitted with safety Roll Cages and Race Prepared mechanicals are expected to race in this main Grand Prix event consisting of 10 laps.

The categories of racing will be:

Individually Timed Events

1. Automatic Mini’s upto 1275cc (Only Road cars)

2. 1000cc Standard Mini/Moke/Wagon/Pickup (Only Road cars)

3. 1275cc Standard Mini/Moke/Wagon/Pickup (Only Road cars)

4. 1000cc Modified Mini/Moke/Wagon/Pickup (Only Road cars)

5. 1275cc Modified Mini/Moke/Wagon/Pickup (Only Road cars)

6. Ladies upto 1275cc (Only Road cars)

7. Mini Open (Any Mini including BMW or Modified Classic Mini)

The following classes will be a mass start race. (Run concurrently)

1 SLH – Mini 1275cc

2 SLA – Mini 1050cc

Going by previous Grand Prix events, enthusiasm among members of the Mighty Mini Club will be at an all-time high, and over 400 members and friends are expected at the event.