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The races usually last between three and six hours, with one hour qualifying beforehand and often a test session the day before. The grid positions are normally made up from a ballot rather than times set in qualifying. Each race is split into sections of between 30 and 50 minutes, at the end of which there is a ‘pit stop window’ when each car must stop and may refuel. It cannot refuel at any other time. When in the pits, the driver must get out and either run round the car and get back in again, or be replaced by another driver. That way whatever the number of drivers in a team there is no disadvantage. The racing is ultra close with fractions between the leaders. Frequently just a second or two separates the leaders at the chequered flag, after five hours of action!

The series is one of the largest in the country, if not the largest, with over 100 registered competitors. The competitors come from a variety of backgrounds. A large number have "graduated" from the novice Caterham Scholarship and Academy series, whilst many others have made it their first foray into motorsport. Past champions include 2001 Super-Graduate champion Nelson Rowe who went on to win Caterham Roadsports A in 2002, and 2002 Super-Graduate runner-up, and 19 yr old Jon Barnes who won 2004 Caterham Eurocup series. In each of the classes points are awarded thus: 40 for a win, 39 for 2nd place, 38 for 3rd place, right down to 2 points for finishing 39th or lower. And even a driver who fails to finish will still earn one point! At the end of the season, drivers drop their worse three scores, allow for missing a race or two, or a DNF. In addition, drivers can earn 10 championship points by completing a day's marshalling.

This year the MINI Challenge entered its 5th, and most successful year. Forty-nine competitors competing over 16 rounds at some of Europe’s finest circuits have yielded some of the closest wheel-to-wheel racing in Britain. Regular grids of up to 35 cars demonstrate the desirability and competitiveness this formula is becoming known for. Times for the televised conclusion to the 2006 MINI Challenge (rounds 15 and 16) and the Great and British Motosport Festival from Donington will be broadcast on Sky Sports and Motors TV over the coming weeks. Transmission times for both the highligths programme featuring the MINI, Radical and Ginetta Championships are included below. An additional dedicated MINI Challenge programme will also be broadcast on Motors TV across Europe with an estimated 15 million viewers.