Minis of Miami member “elpez” recently submitted this information for any interested Classic Mini owners. I think this really has potential and would love to see this become reality!
I recently had the opportunity to meet Tico Almeida of FARA (Formula & Automotive Racing Association) and Joe Orriols, of Bullseye Powder Coating, which led to a great conversation about the future of F.A.R.A. in South Florida. This conversation eventually led to a discussion regarding the possibility of creating a new series dedicated only to Classic MINIS beginning in 2008. Read the rest of this entry »
Looks like the R56 MINI continues it’s “good” rating as far as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is concerned. The latest crash tests show similar results to the previous model. Head and neck results were slightly lower, while scores for restraints increased.
Henry from Colour Tech South Motorsports Photography has done it once again. I received my photo CD from Homestead last week (not even a week after the event) and the pictures taken were awesome! Thanks Henry. I went ahead and added them to the Homestead Track Gallery. Enjoy!
Look for these cool MINI trading cards in your next issue of MC2Magazine.com. Complete with perforated edges, you can cut these 2-sided cards out and start your very own MINI trading card collection. The front of each card features the four current forms of the MINI, complete with pricing, miles per gallon and horsepower ratings. The back of each card carries over some of this same information but also includes some fun facts about each car. Of course MINI also had to include a stick of gum with each set of cards (beware - the gum is not edible). So the question is - will MINI add to this collection once the Clubman is released? We shall see…
Special thanks to MC2Magazine.com for sharing this with us. If you are not yet a subscriber, make sure you get over to the MC2Magazine.com website and sign-up!
Appropriately timed, since I just got off the track at Homestead, MINI announced the new MINI JCW Challenge racer with the following press release. As most of you know, I love my R53 and, while I think the R56 is cool, I would not trade Scooter in for one…. until now! This R56 is something else! Not sure I would be able to afford one, but if I could, this baby would be in my garage ready to hit the next track weekend! Check out the press release:
MINI USA Press Release:
The new MINI has already proven its sporting talent on the road and soon the racing version based on the new generation of this small premium car, the new MINI John Cooper Works CHALLENGE, will likewise be ready to go. With the MINI CHALLENGE 2007 still under way, the racing car for the next season of this unique Clubsport Series is already being developed. It is already clear that based on the new MINI Cooper S, the car, which will be made available to participants in the MINI CHALLENGE 2008, will offer an even more intense and thrilling driving experience. Other ambitious motorsport enthusiasts will now also be able to acquire and race the new MINI John Cooper Works CHALLENGE. Read the rest of this entry »
If you have not registered for Mickey and MINI 3, time is officially running out! Today is the last day to get your registration in before registration closes. With well over 100 people already registered, this is turning into quite an event! So don’t delay - register today!
After a blazing hot weekend in South Florida at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, I am happy to report that all the MINIs that participated came home in one piece. A great time was had by all. Huge thanks to all who came out to support us! A special congratulations to our very own CooperDrew who kicked some “you know what” out there on the track for his first ever track weekend! Drew - you made us proud! Here is the first of the videos from the weekend. I also posted the first set of photos. Enjoy!
In case you have not seen this, check out this iPhone commercial from Apple. In it you will notice a small clip from one of my favorite movies - The Italian Job - where the MINIs are jumping out of the storm drain. Very cool stuff!
In just 2 days, Team Minspeed will be putting more Porsches on notice at the Homestead-Miami Speedway! In between packing my track box and checking tire pressures, I am taking some time to watch videos from our last Homestead event to brush up on the line we will use to make our MINIs fly around the track. This weekend should be an absolute blast as I am scheduled to get my Solo check-out ride done on Saturday to move up from the Advanced run group to Solo. If you happen to be in the South Florida area this weekend, make it a point to come by the speedway (admission is free for spectators) and check us out. You also will get to have some free track time in your own vehicle in the form of parade laps! See you there!
Be on the look out over the next month or so for a survey from MINIUSA regarding next year’s version of MINI Takes The States. What exactly the event will be called is still up in the air, but MC2 Magazine has told us that MINIUSA is looking to the MINI community for insight on where exactly to take this road trip. My vote? Washington to Key West . Ok - so maybe that will be a stretch. But seriously - Florida got the shaft last year. Let’s vote to bring those MINIs to the Sunshine State! So be on the lookout and don’t forget to submit your surveys! Thanks to MC2 Magazine for the heads-up on this!
UPDATE: Just got this release from MC2 detailing the information:
From the publisher’s column of issue #10 (September-October) MC2 comes this exclusive nugget of information…
Yes, MINI is working on the 2008 MINI Takes the States, called MTTS Part II. An insight recently given to us says that they will send out e-mails to all 2006 MTTS participants, and likely post the announcement into the Owner’s Lounge some time in September. The “twist” is they’re asking for everyone’s input, not just telling us where and when it will happen. How very MINI!
They’ll ask us what option of three posted we as owners would like. Just what the questions will be, we’re not told as yet, but we at MC2 would like to have a MTTS that stays in one location for a few days so we can meet more people. See less of “America the highway” and more of America the Beautiful and its people.
We have opened a topic of MTTS 2008 on our forum at www.mc2magazine.com for your thoughts and feedback. See you there soon…
Wednesday, August 29th, 2007
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Posted by Pedro in Classic Mini, Track Talk 
. Ok - so maybe that will be a stretch. But seriously - Florida got the shaft last year. Let’s vote to bring those MINIs to the Sunshine State! So be on the lookout and don’t forget to submit your surveys! Thanks to MC2 Magazine for the heads-up on this!