Jonny Milner Motorsport News
21 July 2010
//Milner returns to Barkston Heath to defend his title
Huggate champion rally driver Jonny Milner is hoping that his second visit to Barkston Heath on 24th July will be more successful than his first.
Since the 2009 Toyota Sprint Series champion Jonny Milner’s title defence was challenged by an unfortunate gearbox malfunction at the RAF course earlier in the year, Jonny has made significant changes to his Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd 700 BHP Toyota Celica GT4 and is confident that the car will perform well.
Speaking about the event, Jonny said; “It’s a technical sprint track that suits the extreme Celica well and if the car performs as well as it did on the hillclimb at Goodwood, where I was only marginally beaten by a former F1 car, I will be very happy.”
The sprint at Barkston Heath is the fourth in a series of six races that make up the Toyota Sprint Series. Jonny and his old adversary Adrian Smith are scrapping it out at the top. Jonny was in the lead at the end of Round 2, but a bad race at Sculthorpe saw him slip into second place – just 6 tenths of a second behind Adrian in his Celica GT4. The final round of the championship takes place at Tockwith in York on 16th October.
06 July 2010
//Jubilant Milner only seconds behind former F1 car in historic Hillclimb
2009 Toyota Sprint Series champion Jonny Milner is celebrating after his stunning performance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed rewarded him with a podium place for the historic Hillclimb.
Driving his extensively modified Toyota Celica GT4, Milner, 41 from Huggate in East Yorkshire, was just three seconds slower than Moscow based Roger Wills’ Williams Cosworth FW-05 in the final run that rounded off the world’s largest car event last weekend (2-4 July).
Speaking after the event, a delighted Milner said; “To lose out by seconds to a 1976 Formula 1 car is absolutely unbelievable. The car went like a dream; the new Michelin RC001 rallycross tyres were exceptional and the new aluminium flat floor and ground effect skirts and diffuser helped me to put in an amazing performance. It was a great weekend – the atmosphere was superb and everyone was really friendly. Even Jenson Button’s dad came over to say hello!”
Michelin's head of car marketing for UK and Ireland, Jianni Geras said: 'Jonny's success on the hill at Goodwood is great news for Michelin and shows that our tyres can work across a variety of motorsport disciplines, whether off-road or on tarmac. It also follows on nicely from our recent successes at Le Mans, although of course, that was over a slightly longer distance.”
Commenting on the invitation to drive his BFGoodrich, Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd supported Toyota Celica GT4 in next year’s Hillclimb competition, Jonny said; “It’s great that Goodwood Festival of Speed Patron Lord March has invited me back next year and I’m confident that there’s more that we can do to refine the car even further."
The final run results were;
1. Roger Wills – Williams Cosworth FW-05 – 47.15s
2. Jonny Milner – Toyota Celica Sprint – 50.00s
3. Andrew Smith – Ecosse-Cosworth C2 – 52.13s
Jonny is back in action at Barkston Heath on 24th July when continues his defence of the Toyota Sprint Series in his Toyota Celica GT4.
29 June 2010
//Milner’s high hopes for historic Hillclimb
2009 Toyota Sprint Series champion Jonny Milner will be unleashing the power of his 700 BHP Toyota Celica GT4 as he attacks the historic Hillclimb at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (2-4 July).
Yorkshireman Milner has been invited by Toyota to take part in the Hillclimb at the world’s largest car event and is hoping that he can improve on last year’s sixth position with a podium place.
The Hillclimb is the Festival of Speed’s principal attraction. Taking place throughout the weekend, the challenging invitation only 1.16-mile course starts as a tree-lined run through the southern corner of the Goodwood Estate which then turns to sweep past the front of Goodwood House before climbing a steep and narrow Estate road towards Goodwood’s equine racecourse on top of the South Downs.
Jonny has prepared the car for the technical and challenging course with a newly developed diffuser kit and additional winglets that help to suck the car to the ground like a Formula 1 car. He will also be using the latest Michelin RC001 rallycross tyres on the BFGoodrich supported car for enhanced grip and superior performance.
Milner will be one of 300 cars and motorbikes that will sprint up the iconic hill daily in the hope of getting a fast enough time to earn a place in the Shoot Out finale on Sunday 4th.
In addition to the Hillclimb event, Milner has also been invited to drive the Toyota Corolla WRC with which he is currently leading the MSA National Gravel Championship around the challenging Forest Rally Stage at the Festival. The stage, designed with the help of former World Rally Champion Hannu Mikkola, hosts around 50 cars and top drivers from the history of rallying every year. This year, Jonny is delighted that 66 year old Björn Waldegård, winner of the inaugural World Rally Championship for drivers in 1979 will be driving his WRC. Jonny explains; “It’s a great honour that Björn wants to drive my car. His rallying career spanned four decades and during his time as a Toyota Works Driver, he drove every Toyota rally car with the exception of the Corolla. He won his last rally in 1990, aged 46 and is still the oldest driver to win a World Rally Championship. I’m looking forward to seeing him drive the WRC on the tough 1.67 mile course.”
Milner’s Toyota Celica GT4 is also supported by Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd and is powered by Sunoco Race Fuels GT Plus and the WRC is supported by BFGoodrich and 7 Lakes Fishing.
08 June 10
//Severn success for Milner
Former double British Rally champion Jonny Milner is celebrating following a second consecutive win in the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship on 5th June.
In his BFGoodrich and 7 Lakes supported Toyota Corolla WRC, Milner and co-driver Ian Windress tackled the hot and dusty stages of the Severn Valley National Rally through Radnor forest and fought a cat and mouse battle with rival Roger Duckworth to emerge eventual winners with a 10.9 second advantage.
Milner, from Huggate in East Yorkshire, is delighted with the win that consolidates his lead in the six round championship and said; “It’s good to be in pole position half way through the competition, but it was neck and neck with Roger right to the end – it was anybody’s race, but I think that it was our tyres that gave us the biggest advantage. Whilst our competitors were experiencing excessive wear due to the hot 
conditions, our BFGoodrich tyres were spot on – they wore evenly and were still strong at the end of a 16 mile stage. It was a great day and a tough battle. Radnor was superb; its high speed, long flowing corners made it a joy to drive.”
Milner continues his bid to take the National Gravel Rally Championship title at the Swansea Bay rally on 17th July.
Immediately after the win, Milner drove 226 miles from Powys to Fakenham, Norfolk for the third race in the Toyota Sprint Series Championship that took place at RAF Sculthorpe the following day. Sadly, technical issues were to deny Jonny and his Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd sponsored Toyota Celica GT4 a double win and he was beaten by just 0.6 seconds by old adversary Adrian Smith. Milner’s defence of the Sprint Series title continues at Barkston Heath, Lincolnshire on 24th July.
07 June 10
//Jonny Milner returns to Rallycross roots in new Lincolnshire night race
East Yorkshire Rally champion Jonny Milner returns to his Rallycross roots this weekend as a guest driver in the third round of the Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship at Blyton in Lincolnshire.
Although it’s 20 years since Huggate’s Jonny Milner won the British Rallycross Championship aged just 21, he is looking forward to being back in the thick of it on 12th June as a guest driver of the front runner in the supercar class, Steve Hill.
Milner will be competing in the Suzuki Swift Sport Challenge, a one-make championship that was introduced to the British championship this year and which features 1600cc Suzuki Swifts prepared to a tightly controlled set of technical regulations designed to produce equal competition between drivers in the class. The race, the first night event in the championship’s 34 year history, starts at 3.30pm and will finish under floodlights just before midnight. Broadcast live on Motors TV, Jonny will face tough competition, including World Superbike racer Leon Haslam, who is swapping two wheels for four for the exciting event.
Blyton is Jonny’s local track and will be eagerly followed on the day by Gary Smith from 7 Lakes Country Park at Crowle, one of the main sponsors of the Toyota Corolla WRC that Jonny is currently leading the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship with.
Blyton Rallycross is on the B1205 near Gainsborough in North Lincolnshire. The gate price is £12 for adults and children under 12 are free.
The Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship is an eight round championship that concludes in Pembrey, South Wales on 10th October.
Rallycross is the high-octane, thrill-a-minute marriage of touring car racing and rallying that pitches some of the fastest racing cars in world in head-to-head action on tracks that combine both tarmac and gravel surfaces.
26 May 10
//Milner faces back to back weekend
Former double British Rally champion and 2009 Toyota Sprint Series champion Jonny Milner will have his work cut out when he defends two titles on consecutive days next month.
Yorkshireman Milner and co-driver Ian Windress from Northallerton will start the Severn Valley round of the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship in pole position on 5th June after last month’s decisive victory at Kielder gave them the championship lead.
Straight after the rally, Jonny will make the 226 mile journey from Powys to Fakenham, Norfolk in readiness for the third race in the Toyota Sprint Series Championship that takes place at RAF Sculthorpe on 6th June. Jonny is hoping that he will not be cursed by the gearbox issues that cost him the lead by 0.38 of a second in the second round at Barkston Heath on 4th April.
Commenting on the prospect of back to back racing, 41 year old Jonny said; “It will be a challenging and tiring weekend with a rally one day and a sprint road race the day after but both the BFGoodrich and 7 Lakes supported Toyota Corolla WRC and the Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd sponsored Toyota Celica GT4 are performing well. It’s 20 years since I last did a back to back – it was an eventful weekend where I rolled end to end on the rally, drove up to York hospital for x rays then set off to Rallycross at Knockhill in Scotland and won!”
26 April 10
//Tyre tactics pay off as Milner masters Kielder
Former double British champion Jonny Milner’s decision to change to wider tyres for the second round of the MSA National Gravel Rally Championships paid off with a convincing win and an overall championship lead.
Leading from the opening stage of the 9 stage Pirelli Tour of Cumbria, Yorkshireman Milner and co-driver Ian Windress respected the challenging Kielder forest course and crossed the line a full minute ahead of Stephen Petch in his
Hyundai Accent WRC.
Milner was delighted with the performance of his BFGoodrich tyres and 7 Lakes supported Toyota Corolla on the dry and dusty course that witnessed many mechanical dramas and accidents and said; “The decision to change to wider BFGoodrich tyres paid dividends on the rough Kielder course that caused many punctures. They performed superbly and the back up support from the BFGoodrich technicians was invaluable.”
Milner added; “It’s 5 years since I’ve driven this course, but you never forget it! The pressure of leading from the opening stage 
was horrible. Pace was critical and we drove a tactical race and just tried to keep out of trouble. Fortunately it paid off and we’re thrilled to be back on top after a seven year break from championship rallying.”
Jianni Geras, BFGoodrich marketing manager said: “This victory in the harsh conditions of Kielder has highlighted the durability of our rally tyres. It shows that the testing and development that we do on the global stage, in events such as the IRC and on the Dakar rally, really benefit our customers whether on the road, off-road or in competition.”
Milner enters the next round of the championship at Builth Wells on 5th June looking to increase his lead over Stephen Petch.
16 April 10
//Milner’s tyre tactics for Cumbria
Jonny Milner has fine-tuned the engine and will use wider tyres on his BFGoodrich and 7 Lakes supported Toyota Corolla WRC ahead of the second round of the MSA National Gravel Rally Championships next week.
Milner, from Huggate in East Yorkshire, finished fifth at the end of the first round due to misfire issues and has spent the last two months testing and refining the 300 bhp high compression engine and is confident of a good run at the Pirelli Tour of Cumbria on 23/24 April; “Since Bournemouth, we’ve worked on the car’s driveability and ways of gaining crucial time and I’m happy with the results. The engine’s as good as new and the wider BFGoodrich tyres will help us to gain speed in the dry conditions of Kielder forest.”
Jonny and co-driver Ian Windress are hoping that the modifications to the car will help him to close the gap on his main competitor Roger Duckworth in his Subaru WRC.
The Pirelli Tour of Cumbria comprises over 70 stage miles of testing rally terrain with a minimum of road miles.
09 April 10
//Off line gearbox problem costs Milner first place at RAF Barkston Heath
2009 Toyota Sprint Series champion Jonny Milner’s title defence was challenged by an unfortunate gearbox malfunction at Barkston Heath last weekend.
Yorkshireman Milner tackled the technical sprint track at the operational MOD base with customary skill and ease until the gearbox of his extreme 700 BHP Toyota Celica GT4 broke in the fifth run of the eight run competition and he lost out to old adversary Adrian Smith with a time differential of only 0.38 of a second.
Jonny, who won the first round after unveiling the super slick and powerful GT4 at Rockingham last month said; “It was disappointing not to win, but technical issues are always going to play a part when you’re punching out that much power. We now have a couple of months before the next round at Sculthorpe to make some cutting edge gearbox changes to give the car a significant edge and the mechanics greater flexibility.”
Milner’s Toyota Celica GT4 is supported by Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd and is powered by Sunoco Race Fuels GT Plus.
The Merlin Preparations team was also delighted to see its first customer car take a podium place in the A3 class. Duncan McMath proved that his Rockingham result was not beginner’s luck when he drove the Merlin built Toyota Celica GT4 ST205 into second place with a best time of 55.27 seconds, just 0.01seconds behind the class winner.
Milner’s success in the 2009 Sprint Series encouraged him to resume his rallying career for the first time since his back to back national championship wins in 2002/3. He finished sixth in the first round of the 2010 MSA National Gravel Rally Championships in Bournemouth and will be back in rallying action on 23rd April in Cumbria.
Merlin International is one of the associated sponsors of the 2010 Toyota Sprint Series.
23 Mar 10
// Extreme car provides Rockingham win for Jonny Milner
2009 Toyota Sprint Series champion Jonny Milner’s title defence got off to a good start with a convincing win at Rockingham last weekend.
Yorkshireman Milner had kept the identity of his 2010 sprint car firmly under wraps and fans were not disappointed when he unveiled a stunning 700 BHP Toyota Celica GT4 at the first round of the 2010 championships at Rockingham Motor Speedway track.
Milner won the A1 series with a best time of 79.63 seconds for the challenging 1.3 mile course and was delighted with the car’s performance. “Not only did the car turn heads with its wide, low slung looks and extreme rearward seating position, but it had the performance to match” said Jonny.
“The car was fantastic. It reached speeds of over 150mph on the straight and I was amazed with the corner speed that it could carry. I never found the car’s limit, which is encouraging for the rest of the series. This car has taken the Sprint Series into a new zone and I can’t wait for the next round at Barkston Heath on 4th April.”
The winning car, supported by Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd, is powered by Sunoco Race Fuels GT Plus.
In addition to Jonny’s success, the Merlin Preparations team was delighted to see its first customer car take third place overall. Duncan McMath drove the Merlin built Toyota Celica GT4 ST205 to a podium place at his first attempt with a time of 88.08 seconds.
Click here for the full race report.
18 Mar 10
//Milner to unveil Extreme car to defend national sprint title
2009 Toyota Sprint Series champion Jonny Milner will defend his national title in a car that remains a closely guarded secret.
Yorkshireman Milner plans to unveil the car at the first round of the 2010 championships at Rockingham on 21st March.
Refusing to be drawn about the car’s identity and detail, the normally chatty former double rally champion will only divulge that; “It’s called Extreme Merlin and it is Extreme with a capital E…it will look stunning and go quick.”
The mystery car, supported by Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd, has been built from a bare shell, boasts 700 BHP and will be powered by Sunoco Race Fuels GT Plus.
Milner won the 2009 series in a Celica GT4 after a faltering start that saw him suffer engine failure in round one but then claimed five consecutive wins in the remaining events to take the title.
The 1.3 mile course at Rockingham is a demanding, fast smooth tarmac with big braking zones, tight bends and technical sections that will challenge both cars and drivers.
Jonny’s success in the 2009 Sprint Series encouraged him to resume his rallying career for the first time since his back to back wins in 2002/3. He finished sixth in the first round of the 2010 MSA National Gravel Rally Championships in Bournemouth and will be back in rallying action on 23rd April in Cumbria.
Merlin International is one of the associated sponsors of the 2010 Toyota Sprint Series.
04 Mar 10
//A confident start for Milner’s rallying return
Jonny Milner made a confident start to his National Gravel Rally Championships title bid with a solid performance at the Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth.
Despite a couple of misfire challenges with his BFGoodrich and 7 Lakes supported Toyota Corolla WRC, Jonny and co-driver Ian Windress negotiated the slippery course well to finish sixth at the end of the first round.
Jonny was pleased with the performance and is confident that the determined Yorkshire duo can improve on position for the next round, the Pirelli Tour of Cumbria, on 23/24 April. Jonny said: “Despite the misfire, the car was as quick as it has ever been, and after feeling a bit rusty in the first stage, I soon settled in and it felt just like the old days, not like I’d had a seven year break! There’s some work to do before Cumbria but that course will suit us better than Bournemouth so we’re hopeful that we will be able to get some points back.”
Jonny’s main competitor in the 6 round series is Roger Duckworth who finished fourth in his Subaru WRC.
22 Feb 10
//Jonny takes to the Country for latest sponsorship deal
An East Yorkshire rally driver has struck a sponsorship deal with a leading North Lincolnshire leisure business ahead of his return to championship rallying after a seven year gap.
Jonny Milner from Huggate near Pocklington has negotiated a sponsorship deal with the 7 Lakes Country Park at Crowle to provide support for his Toyota Corolla WRC in the MSA National Rally Gravel Championship that starts this weekend (27th February).
41 year old Jonny is pleased that his latest sponsorship support has come from a local business and said; “7 Lakes Country Park is a great place that works hard to promote the park, Jet Ski facility, fishing and the surrounding area and we’re proud to be associated with Gary and his team.”
7 Lakes events manager Gary Smith is also happy with the partnership and said; “I have followed Jonny’s career since before he won the British Rally Championship back to back in 2002 and 2003 and when I heard that he’d bought his winning car back and was making a return to championship rallying, I thought that it was a good time to talk to him regarding sponsorship. I’m confident that the relationship will help us to raise awareness of the Country Park and the Jet Ski Club and bring more visitors to this part of rural North Lincolnshire too.”
Comprising an idyllic 120 acre park of native woodland, crystal clear lakes and green fields on the Isle of Axholme, 7 Lakes Country Park is an the ideal place to get away from it all that provides an unrivalled range of leisure and water sports activities in a tranquil setting that is only minutes from the M180.
Milner’s debut in the newly modified double championship winning car gained him a well deserved podium place at the recent Riponian Stages Rally and he’s hoping that the form will stay with him for the first round of the National Rally Gravel Championship in Bournemouth this weekend. “This car’s never been off the podium whenever I’ve driven it” declared Jonny proudly.
14 Feb 10
//Jonny retains podium position at Riponian Stages Rally - "This car's never been off the podium whenever I've driven it" declares Jonny proudly
12 Feb 10
//Top tyre deal is Good for Jonny
An East Yorkshire rally driver who is returning to rallying after seven years has secured a significant sponsorship package from a world leading tyre manufacturer.
Jonny Milner from Huggate near Pocklington has struck a deal with BFGoodrich to provide competition tyres for his Toyota Corolla WRC in the MSA National Rally Gravel Championship this year.
41 year old Jonny is delighted with the deal and said; “Working with a world respected brand like BFGoodrich is great news for me. The tyres have a rich heritage of championship success at the very highest levels and have been chosen by some of the greatest names like World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb. It promises to be an exciting season for the team and we’re delighted to have a respected partner like BFGoodrich on board.”
BFGoodrich is equally pleased with the association. Jianni Geras, BFGoodrich marketing manager said: “Since the WRC moved to a control tyre championship it has been difficult to demonstrate our performance advantage over our competitors. This sponsorship deal is good for us as it keeps the BFGoodrich brand at the frontline of British motorsport and shows we are still a leading force in rallying”.
Established in 1896, BFGoodrich was the first car tyre manufacturer in America and now manufactures an extensive range of competition, commercial and domestic tyres. It has just celebrated its 10th win in the prestigious Dakar rally and has previous World Rally titles to its name.
Milner retained his podium form in the double championshipwinning WRC when he finished third behind Paul Bird and Kirsty Riddick in their Ford Focus WRC08 and Tony Thompsonand Jon Dunning driving a Mitsubishi Evo 9 in the Riponian Stages Rally on 14th February. The first of the six round MSA Gravel Rally Championship takes place in Bournemouth on 27th February.
02 Feb 10
//Jonny's Back!
Jonny Milner, winner of the coveted British Rally Championship title twice in succession, is returning to championship Rallying after a gap of seven years.
Jonny announced his decision to compete in the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship that starts with the Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth on 27th February.
Of the decision, 41 year old Jonny said; “The buzz for rallying never went away after I won the double in 2002 and 2003 but business commitments meant that I could no longer compete at that level. Over the last two years I have had great success in the Toyota Sprint Series, taking outright championship victory in 2009, so when the car that I won the rally double in came up for sale, I knew that the time was right to get back into it.”
Jonny’s double championship winning car, a Toyota Corolla WRC (World Rally Car) boasts a new 300 bhp high compression engine, paddle gear change and fully active differentials. “The car is now as good as it can get” Jonny enthused.
Jonny’s co-driver will be Northallerton’s Ian Windress, a former national champion navigator who partnered Jonny during the 2008 Mitsubishi Challenge and will also join him for the first shakedown rally, the Riponian Stages on 14th February. Jonny will also be in action at Rockingham on 21st March where he will be defending his 2009 Toyota Sprint Series Champion title in his new 700 BHP car!
The 6 round MSA Gravel Rally Championship begins with the Rallye Sunseeker (Bournemouth) and includes rounds in Cumbria, Severn Valley, Swansea Bay and Shropshire before concluding with North Yorkshire’s Trackrod Rally in September.
22 Jan 10
//New Events Listed in our What Coming Up section.
Click here to see a list of the rally car events that Jonny Milner and team will be coming in.
5 Nov 09
//Congratulations to Jonny Milner - Championship Winner 2009 Toyota Sprint Series.
Congratulations to Jonny Milner, winner of this year's 2009 Toyota Sprint series in Class A1. Having fought a very close battle with Adrian Smith, Jonny won the last 5 consecutive rounds to secure the top podium finish by just 4 points.
Jonny faced some serious competition throughout the year from Adrian, Adrian taking the first win at Rockingham with Jonny suffering mechanical problems in his Celica GT4. The rest of the season showed massive competitive spirit between Adrian and Jonny, with Jonny only winning in the last round with 405 points. It was a nail-biting season all round. Jonny Milner Motorsport would like to extend congratulations to Adrian and all 2009 TSS drivers.
Here's looking forward to 2010!
