In 1968 the Mini Cooper won the British Saloon Car Championship, snatching victory from under the noses of its rivals.

The Cooper won no less than four championships, beating Jaguars and American Ford Galaxies.

Two teams received support from Abingdon, the BMC Works Dept, for the 1968 season

The first was the Cooper Car Co who ran in the British Championship with 1275s for John Rhodes and Steve Neal.

The Second was the British Vita Racing Team who ran 1000cc cars in the European series for John Handley and Alec Poole.


John Rhodes, for Cooper car Co achieved:

1st 1300cc Class in the 1968 British Saloon Car Championship
1st 1300cc Class in the 1968 European Touring Car Championship

John Handley, for British Vita Racing achieved:

1st Overall in the 1968 European Touring Car Championship
1st 1000cc Class in the 1968 European Touring Car Championship


John Rhodes



John Handley is on the left