Romsey driver Eric Bailey will be looking to defy his 55 years and prove he's a MINI marvel when he launches his 2005 motorsport season at Goodwood next Monday.

The Romsey company director will be driving his 133bhp Works MINI Cooperin anger for the first time around the historic Sussex venue at the official pre-season test day for the 2005 John Cooper Challenge - the UK's only official MINI racing series.

It is the series' unique combination of friendliness and competition that attracted father of two Eric.

"I raced a Mini Cooper S in 1972 and had to stop due to lack of funds.

"Ever since then I have wanted to get back into motorsport and when my friend Rob Austin got involved in the Challenge, I had to see what it was about.

"I immediately noticed the atmosphere in the paddock; people were not just there to race, but also to have fun."

This season the John Cooper Challenge will run for the first time alongside the British GT and British F3 Championships.

Bailey will be in one of 30 MINI Coopers on the grid for the first race at Donington Park on Saturday, April 2 when 20 works MINI Coopers, like Eric's, will line up alongside ten of the more powerful 210bhp Works MINI Cooper S.