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TMD Friction’s legendary racing braking brand, Mintex Racing, is the product of choice across the UK motorsport sector, from both circuit racing to rallying – with Mintex Racing pads the specification braking part for various national championships.
TMD Friction has a strong heritage in motorsport through its Mintex Racing brand and 2022 was no different with a diverse set of UK championships benefitting from the company’s renowned high-end braking performance.
Mintex is the sole braking supplier to national championships such as the one-make MINI Challenge, in both its JCW and Trophy BTCC support categories, EnduroKA, ST Trophy, Fun Cup UK, Junior Saloon Car, MG Trophy and Focus Cup championships, as well as partial support to the Britcar championship.
On the stages, Mintex brakes provide the stopping power to the Historic Rally Car Register (HRCR), the largest historic rally championship in the UK, plus the Scottish Rally Championship and many competitors across the BTRDA and British Rally Championship.
Part of the delivery and distribution of Mintex’s renowned racing brake pads is done by Rochdale-based motorsport specialist Questmead, headed up by managing director Alan Brown, who has been distributing Mintex brake pads for almost 40 years.
“My business started simply by reclaiming Mintex brake shoes and pads from the group factories, and relining brakes for all coaches and trucks in Rochdale where we were based. At the time I owned a motor factor which I then sold to pursue more activity in motorsport where we sold Mintex Racing brake pads along with another brand of calipers,” Brown says.
Brown’s Questmead motorsport operation was formed in 1993 and had humble beginnings with the business starting in a portable cabin in Rochdale after selling the reclaim operation and the CV parts and reconditioning friction business, as that year’s motorsport season ended.
Since then, Questmead has built on its foundation to become one of the largest global distributors for motorsport brake calipers, as well as looking after the brake pad needs of up to 90 percent of the UK-based field in some national rally events.
Having competed himself in rallies as a co-driver in cars using Mintex pads, Brown gained credibility in the motorsport market by purchasing a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth for testing pads on a purpose-built facility and prove the brand’s credentials within the domestic motorsport industry.
In the thirty years since Questmead was formed, the team has clocked up hundreds of thousands of miles attending various events to establish close customer relationships.
Questmead is now a familiar fixture at events nationwide with a van packed full of carefully selected stock, including brake pads from TMD Friction brands, which has its major advantages – with Questmead continually building relationships and being on hand for any technical advice where time is critical.
Richard Barton, category manager for Mintex Racing and Classics at TMD Friction, says Questmead’s immense technical expertise and familiarity with the race and rally field across the country is hugely valued by TMD Friction.
“Our long-standing relationship with Questmead is something to be celebrated. Alan and his team are stalwarts of both the racing paddock and rally service area, and they’re extremely reliable as technical partners distributing high-quality friction material to thousands of competitors every year,” Barton says.
“Mintex has an extensive range, especially in motorsport where a bespoke ‘made to order’ service is in place. Whether competitors are driving historic rally cars or modern-day R5 machinery, it is the product of choice for drivers of high-end machinery up and down the field,” Alan Brown says.
Mintex brake pads and discs are engineered to provide friction stability, comfort and consistently high performance over a wide temperature range and stopping distances.
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