Category Archives: Track Talk

Audio & Video, MINI Performance, Modern MINI, Track Talk

Video: ALTA Tensioner Stop

One thing that can ruin a track weekend is a broken belt, resulting in your tensioner slamming down on your crank pulley, etc. For this very reason, I have been testing out various tensioner stops that will keep the tensioner from slamming down if the belt were to break. I am currently running the Detroit Tuned tensioner stop, but not sure how long it will stay on due to reports from the MINIs in the Grand Am series having the stop snap upon belt failure (not a good thing). ALTA’s latest tensioner stop looks to be a promising solution (see video below).


My concern with these devices is how bad they rattle or vibrate at wide open throttle. I have had a stop make so much noise in the past that I just had to take it off due to the harmonic resonance. I will see if we can get a unit from ALTA to test with and report back.

[ ALTA Tensioner Stop ]

Other Automotive, Track Talk

Audi Driving Experience 2008

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First off, let me say I had a blast at the recent Audi Driving Experience at Homestead-Miami Speedway. MINI USA could learn a thing or two from Audi with regards to putting on a FREE consumer test drive at the track. I’m not talking about setting up free parade laps and sticking 300 MINIs on the track at one time for a photo-op. Yes the AutoX course at MTTS was fun, but nothing compared to 30 minutes on an actual road course at speeds over 100mph.

Audi Driving Experience 2008

Now, before you watch the video, I have to admit, I drove the Audi a bit “hard” :). I took some turns at speed where I probably shouldn’t have, since the car in front of me was repeatedly braking in the middle of a turn, causing me to step out (sometimes off course) to avoid slamming into him. But hey – the reality is, it wasn’t my car and I wanted to see what the baby could do. Enough said?

I was very impressed with the Audi cars I drove. I started the day driving the 2009 Audi A4 on the speedway. The car handled very nice. Horsepower was “ok”, but I think my MINI had better throttle response and felt like it had more torque.
Continue reading Audi Driving Experience 2008 →

Audio & Video, Modern MINI, Track Talk

Video: Sebring Track Weekend 2008

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First off, let me apologize for the delay in posting this up. From the moment I got back from Sebring, I have been swamped. The weekend was an absolute blast. We had quite a few MINIs attend this event. Seven of them were running in the Solo / Instructor run group, which made for a fun time. In this video you will see 2 of them. Scooter handled very nice all weekend (even during a short slide through the grass at the end of the video).

I was able to heat cycle my new Nitto NT01’s in preparation for Daytona at the end of October. They definitely changed how the gearing felt due to the taller tire. It will be very interesting to get them out on the Daytona banking where I’ll be able to stretch them out a bit. Hope you enjoy the video and stay off the grass!!! 🙂

MINI Performance, Modern MINI, Track Talk

New Track Wheels & Tires

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It looks as though this weekend now has some good potential for great track time at Sebring International Raceway, thanks to Hurricane Hanna’s latest shift eastward. Team Minspeed will be on the track all weekend long and if you are in the area, we invite you to stop by and say hi. There are a total of 8 MINIs registered and a few of them are even set to compete in the enduro races that will take place this weekend.

Weds Sport TC005 and Nitto NT01

As I mentioned in my last post, I went ahead and picked up a set of 17″ Wed Sport TC005’s and Nitto NT01 rubber. The wheels are 14 pounds each! I decided to go with the 215/45ZR17 size to go slightly wider and taller than my current Toyo RA1’s. Another factor was that the Nitto NT01’s do not need to be shaved and cost about $40 less per tire. They come at 6/32 tread depth which is slightly more tread than my RA1s are shaved to. This leaves a shade bit more tread, but given the larger tread blocks, I have read that if the tires are properly heat cycled, they will outlast the Toyo RA1s hands down.

Since these are brand new, my plan is to put the Nitto’s on for the first session Saturday morning to heat cycle them and then let them sit for 24 hours to prepare them for Daytona next month. After the first session on Saturday, I plan on swapping my Toyo RA1s back on and running them for the rest of the Sebring weekend. They should have plenty of tread left for the weekend and still be a good back-up set of tires to take to Daytona in case any issues crop up with the Nitto’s. I will have more feedback after this weekend, including some video. With 4 MINIs running in the Solo group, the footage should be very entertaining!

Track Talk

Hurricane’s Suck

For the most part, living in Florida is great! It means we have year-round track weekends. A benefit that I take full advantage of. However, I think I may re-think my future summer track plans. Last year, Homestead in August was just insanely hot. Sebring last October was a wash-out.

Here I sit watching the weather and see 2, possibly 3 storms with hurricane potential circling around the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, possibly threatening my next track weekend in Sebring on the 6th and 7th of September {sigh}.

I just had my pre-track preparations completed on my MINI today. Oil service was completed, Hawk HT-10’s were installed, ATE Super Blue put in, a Texas Speedwerks engine damper added, and Nitto NT-01’s mounted to my new 17″ Wedsport wheels. Now to watch the weather reports almost makes me sick to my stomach. Oh well, what can you do.

Team Minspeed will be invading Daytona International Speedway again October 31 – November 2 this year, so if Sebring is a wash-out, at least we can hope for sun in Daytona. But seriously, I am praying for sun in Sebring too! I’ll keep you posted!

MINI Performance, MINI Press, Modern MINI, Track Talk

World’s Fastest Drag-Race MINI

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A couple weeks ago I posted about the ABF Performance Drag MINI on SPEED TV’s Pinks All Out. Well here is an official MINI USA press release on the new venture:


MINI Dragster - Pinks All Out

MINI USA Press Release: Woodcliff Lake, NJ – August 15, 2008… After multiple rounds of testing and nail biting qualifying runs for PINKS ALL OUT at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ, July 25th – 26th, the 650-horsepower MINI Cooper S drag racer, custom built by ABF Performance, emerged a crowd favorite and newly appointed giant killer. Piloted by Vincent Tennessee Kung, MINI USAís Product Manager, the little “MINI That Could” took down car after car with multiple 10-second passes and trap speeds exceeding 135mph.

Officially the ìWorldís Quickest and Fastest MINIî, this Cooper S Hardtop has clocked a record-setting 10.48 elapsed time at 135.16 MPH, but not before sending home a Big-Block-equipped Camaro with a blistering start from PINKS ALL OUT host Rich Christensenís ìArm Drop.î This incredible performance resulted from the collaboration between ABF Performance, MINI USA and MINI Financial Services. With its custom carbon-fiber bodywork and distinctive ìGet Your Hands on a MINIî graphics (which shows two hands trying to grab the 1,750-pound race car) there is certainly no mistaking this MINI for any other car on the racetrack. Getting the miracle MINI into 9-second zone is just a few suspension tweaks away.
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MINI Press, Modern MINI, Track Talk

650-HP MINI Cooper S Marks Brand’s Foray Into Drag Racing

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This was sent in last week and I am bummed I missed it when it came in because this would have been really cool to go out to watch. Not that I could have made it, but maybe some of you all could of gone. Once I find out when this will air, I will let you all know.


MINI Dragster - Pinks All Out

MINI USAís Drag Race Cooper S, Prepared by ABF Performance, Readies for ìPINKS All Outî This Weekend at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ

July 24, 2008Ö After the burnouts are done and the arm-drop signals the start, drag racing enthusiasts attending this weekendís PINKS All Out competition may find themselves cheering on a new crowd favorite ñ the 650-horsepower MINI Cooper S Drag Racer, custom built by ABF Performance. Marking the MINI brandís foray into sport drag racing, the MINI ñ with its 0-60 time of less than 3 seconds, top trap speed of 134 mph and best quarter-mile run of 10.6 seconds ñ is expected to turn in a lightning-fast performance at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ, on July 25th ñ 26th.
Continue reading 650-HP MINI Cooper S Marks Brand’s Foray Into Drag Racing →

Audio & Video, Images, MINI Performance, Modern MINI, Track Talk

Video: Custom MINI Cooper Roll Cage

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As many of you know, Team Minspeed likes to get things done on the track. While most of us are happy running around the track in our daily drivers in non-competition-style HPDE sessions, a few of us want to take things to the next level and get the adrenaline rush that comes with actual “racing”. For those who are so inclined, some safety modifications must be made. Here is a video of Team Minspeed member, Greg “beaner” showing off his newly installed custom roll cage in his 2006 MINI Cooper S, “Earl”, which will be ready for competitive racing shortly!

[ Roll Cage Photo Gallery ]
[ Download MINI “Earl” Desktop Wallpaper ]