14 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

"If you ever get a chance to talk with Mini rally champion Rauno Aaltonen, definitely do so. He’s a wealth of driving knowledge and terrific company. Recently, Rauno sat down with Sympatico’s Matt Bubbers and recounted one hell of a story about a snowy race course, an accidental shortcut and winning the stage by only five seconds"

Read the whole story:
http://www.motoringf...ws and Podcast)

How I (accidentally) cheated to win the Monte Carlo rally
Rauno Aaltonen kept his story secret for 20 years
http://autos.sympati...nte-carlo-rally

[Cooperman]

I had the great pleasure of having lunch with Rauno and Paul Easter at the Race Retro exhibition the year before last. Paul was Timo Makinen's co-driver and was no mean Mini driver in his own right. Both great blokes and a lot of fun. They are both full of stories about Mini rallying and associated matters and really good company.
Rauno was a real Mini-King and he developed a lot of techniques for going very quickly. He still runs a rally driving school in Finland and was also involved with the Datsun 240Z back in the early 70's.

[giner88]

HAHA i love reading stuff like this, makes up for the year the french CHEATED mini out of another Monte Carlo Win

[Cooperman]

I did the Monte the year the Minis were disqualified, but I was in a 'works' NSU1000TTS. We had a French entered NSU in our team and they were running ahead of us. We were on Dunlops and they were on Pirelli, but they nicked our 400-stud Dunlops and left us crap 250 stud Pirellis and we went off the road in the mountains at night. Blooming French - can't be trusted. My youngest grandson has dual British-French nationality as he was born in France.

[giner88]

thats such a story, i'm not being sarcastic but have you got a book? or thought about putting all these stories into a book? i love reading about stuff like this, and you always seem to have great stories to tell.

[Cooperman]

The year those Minis, plus a Lotus Cortina driven by Roger 'Albert' Clark and the lovely Rosemary Smith's Imp were all disqualified and we crashed, as I said, so I flew home in an Air France Caravelle with a friend of mine named John Sprinzel who had the transmission break on his semi-works MG Midget. One of his guys from Speedwell Engineering picked him up at Heathrow, so I got a lift into town and we had dinner together (and NSU paid for a taxi fare too!). On the way into town the driver of our car hit another car. John (known as 'Shaky Jake') said, "Christ I've just driven 1500 miles through the mountains on snow and ice without hitting anything, and you can't even drive 15 miles along the A4 without crashing!"
Actually that disqualification did BMC a lot of good as no-one really likes the French (French women don't shave under their arms, do they?) and a lot of people bought Minis as a result, in the same way as 'The Italian Job' boosted sales due to it making the Italians look a bit foolish.
Since I mentioned Rosemary Smith I'll tell you another little story.
In 1985 I was having a few years break from rallying and at the Easter I went with my wife to Ireland to stay with her Irish family in Waterford. Now my wife has a couple of nephews and they were about 14 and 16 at the time. They knew that I'd done a bit of rallying and told me that the Circit of Ireland was coming to Waterford. We all went down to see the cars arrive at the main control by the docks. Rosemary and Pauline arrived in a works Toyota and the oldest nephew said "Look, there's Rosemary Smith, I think she's the most fantastic driver and so beautiful". She stopped right by us and I said "Hi Rosie". Both nephews were amazed when she came around the car and gave me a big kiss and asked if I would be at the bar in the hotel that evening (but of course), as did Pauline. I was a hero to the 2 nephews. Don't know what he wife thought about it though - she went a bit quiet.

[giner88]

Yeah i guess anything that boosts publicity was good for the mini and i guess it still is. i wish i was born 50 years earlier than i was. things seemed alot more simple then, not in a bad way, would of been good to see minis in there hey day

Edited by giner88, 24 January 2012 - 11:28 PM.

[Cooperman]

I had an 850 back then with an improved head, better brake linings on the drum brakes, Koni dampers (crap), Michelin 'X' radial ply tyres (145/80 x 10) and some spotlights. It actually went quite well for what it was, but I bought a new 998 Cooper the next year and what a difference that was.

[Mini 360]

I met Raunno briefly at Goodwood last year VERY early on the rally stage. Had a wee chat about Minis and he wished me well with my project. Such a genuinely nice guy and very softly spoken. A true gentleman if ever I saw one.

He designed the rally stage there and its always getting praise from the drivers using it over the weekend

[Cooperman]

Goodwood Revival is definately worth a visit.

[joshspragg]

I did the Monte the year the Minis were disqualified, but I was in a 'works' NSU1000TTS. We had a French entered NSU in our team and they were running ahead of us. We were on Dunlops and they were on Pirelli, but they nicked our 400-stud Dunlops and left us crap 250 stud Pirellis and we went off the road in the mountains at night. Blooming French - can't be trusted. My youngest grandson has dual British-French nationality as he was born in France.

why cant you be related to me????

[Cooperman]

I did the Monte the year the Minis were disqualified, but I was in a 'works' NSU1000TTS. We had a French entered NSU in our team and they were running ahead of us. We were on Dunlops and they were on Pirelli, but they nicked our 400-stud Dunlops and left us crap 250 stud Pirellis and we went off the road in the mountains at night. Blooming French - can't be trusted. My youngest grandson has dual British-French nationality as he was born in France.

why cant you be related to me????

[coopdog]

love the stories cooperman!

[Cooperman]

Thanks

[giner88]

love the stories cooperman!

i second that