[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.17.0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ header_font=”|||on|||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”left” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
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Kieran Roberts will make his debut in the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy this weekend at Thruxton after agreeing a deal to join the grid with EXCELR8.<\/strong><\/p>\n Roberts, who was top independent in the Junior Saloon Car Championship last season, will join the grid in the car owned by his uncle Matt Hammond.<\/p>\n Hammond won the Cooper title back in 2017 and went on to score multiple wins on his return to the series in 2021 and 2022, before graduating into a JCW car last season.<\/p>\n The move into the Cooper this weekend will see Roberts renew rivalry with Harry Smith and James Sherrington, both of whom also raced in JSCC last season.<\/p>\n \u201cMatt has helped me to get into the car this weekend, and it\u2019s an opportunity that has come along at the right time,\u201d he said. \u201cI know it\u2019s going to be a challenge because my first time in the car will come in testing on Friday, but it should be fun.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cMy first goal is to make sure that I keep the car in one piece for my uncle, but I also want to try and score the best results I can and I\u2019d love to be up near the front. Hopefully it will go well and this could open the door for some more appearances in the future.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Whilst Roberts will join the EXCELR8 line-up this weekend, Mackenzie Taylor will miss the Thruxton meeting having run into funding issues linked to the loss of his primary sponsor prior to the opening rounds.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”center_left” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.minichallenge.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MC2.jpg” title_text=”MC2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.minichallenge.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MC1.png” title_text=”MC1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kieran Roberts will make his debut in the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy this weekend at Thruxton after agreeing a deal to join the grid with EXCELR8.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":28757,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1462,1466],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-cooper"],"yoast_head":"\n