[bigagsl]

(Official MINI Press Release)
For this Dutch seaside town, summer has never begun quite like it did this year! Over the course of three days, more than 8000 MINI fans from 50 different countries flooded the Circuit Park on the North Sea coast for the MINI United Festival 2007. Under the banner of ‘Friends. Festival. Challenge.’, the worldwide community of MINI fans enjoyed a unique mixture of racing atmosphere, party and lifestyle. It even exceeded the resounding success of the MINI United premiere in 2005. The event underscores the growth of the MINI community and the enjoyment of the MINI brand, lifestyle and sense of community seems to be limitless.

With the North Sea on the one side, and a sea of 3000 MINIs on the other covering the town’s roads and car parks, Zandvoort was certainly the perfect location for the biggest MINI festival ever. Many of the guests had travelled a long distance to be there and join in the action of the MINI United 2007. The longest journey of all was undertaken by Yuliya Tkachenko from Krasnodar in Russia: She left her home seven days before the festival began, travelling some 4200km in her MINI to be sure of arriving in time for the event.

And it was certainly worth it. The assembled masses in the Circuit Park enjoyed fantastic shows of music and performance right from the start. Top stars from the international DJ scene were also there and the fantastic top level acts ensured that the atmosphere never palled. The absolute highlight of the weekend’s star-studded line-up was the live performance given by the international duo Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz. The two members of the band, Faithless, thrilled the fans not only with their famous chart hits, but also with their DJ skills.

The sporting highlights of the MINI United Festival came with the fourth and fifth heats of the German MINI CHALLENGE 2007. Local Dutch racing legend, Jeroen Bleekemolen (former DTM Professional) came first in both races despite being a guest-driver and never having driven before in the MINI CHALLENGE race series. Frenetic jubilation broke out in honour of the winner and runners-up as they mounted the podium, following which an extensive autograph session took place for the fans. Even for the more experienced participants in the MINI CHALLENGE, the level of excitement at MINI United was a completely new experience.

And just to top off that race feeling, guests could take part in go-kart racing, accompany the professionals in the original MINI CHALLENGE race cars or put in a fast lap in their own MINI.