In keeping with the track weekend theme – here is a neat video of a MINI Cooper S JCW GP on the track at Willow Springs in California. Not exactly sure the GP schooled the Mustang though, since it looked like the Mustang was headed for pit road…. but it is still cool to watch :). Enjoy!
Category Archives: Track Talk
More Track Time
As I told you in my last post, I was out at Moroso Motorsports Park this past weekend cheering on some MINIs from our local group (Sunshine MINIs) during an HPDE (High Performance Driver Education) event. There were not enough slots for me to run with them, but I did manage top get out there for some 90+mph “parade” laps :). I took a bunch of pictures and video, but my favorite has to be this shot:
If you click on the photo links below you will also notice I created a new Track Time gallery for track photos to be posted. So if you have any cool photos of your Mini on the track, send them in to site.gallery01 @ motoringfun.com. I will also try to post some video shortly once I get it off the camera.
Next up – Sebring (May 19-20) with PBOC (and then with Phil Wicks in June!). You may have noticed I created a Track Day Countdown in the upper left hand corner. For all those coming to Sebring this month, that one is for you!
Phil Wicks MINI Driving Academy @ Sebring – Register Now!
I was over at Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach, FL this weekend and ran into none other than – Phil Wicks! We chatted about some MINI stuff as always and of course, talked about the upcoming Phil Wicks MINI Driving Academy @ Sebring on June 16, 2007 sponsored by Minspeed. Rounds 8 and 9 of the North American MINI Cooper Championship Race Series will also run that weekend. So make sure you register and come out for some fun track time and to watch some real MINI wheel-to-wheel racing! Also, Minspeed is offering $75 discounts to the first 25 people to sign up so you have no excuse not to come!
Official Event Announcement:
Minspeed presents… The Phil Wicks MINI Driving Academy at Sebring International Raceway on June 16, 2007.
This will be a one day event, open to Novice and Experienced Drivers. THERE WILL BE ONLY MINIs ON THE TRACK for the day. No shared track time this year! I have been guaranteed plenty of instructors will be on hand as well so everyone will be served. In addition, we will do the skidpad event like we did at Moroso a couple of years back – that was fun!
Continue reading Phil Wicks MINI Driving Academy @ Sebring – Register Now!
Video: MINI Cooper S @ Laguna Seca
Here are three laps of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in a Mini Cooper S during a Checkered Flag Racing Association track day in December 2006. Driven and edited by Gary Anderson. Enjoy!
[ MC2 Magazine ]
MC2 Exclusive: US MINI Spec Race Series Possible For 2008!
Itís been three years in the works say a few of our sources, but the reality of a US MINI spec racing series is getting closer as this summer progresses. Itís likely a matter of sponsorships, how significant the race venues will be, and just how many ready-to-race units the factory can have orders on globally, we at MC2 Magazine believe, so we started asking questions of US and European MINI personnel, as well as a production friend of ours in the auto industry.
Some of the catches to the production may be the as-yet-unknown quantity that can be sold globally into the other national series, as the target price is $42,000 say friends in MINI racing. Some high-profile names from the music and movie business, as well as some US MINI dealers and present GP and SCCA MINI racers are known to be ready to drive in this series. Itís possibly marketed as a pre-race event to major national or international races, somewhat like the Toyotas in GP races or the US road race events, says one source.
The major blockage at this time is the Oxford factory and how to integrate this into the production line and how it would interrupt that day or two of production. ìItís the automation that actually gets in the way,î states our automotive production specialist. Itís not easy to make FIA-legal race cars on a production line that makes street cars, as theyíll not be shipping these off to Italy as they did the GP last year.
Just how they will be sold in the USA, if it be specific MINI dealers or all MINI dealers isnít known yet, so donít talk with your dealer, as they know nothing of this.
For the rest of the story, you can read the next issue of MC2 magazine thatís mailing April 27 to all subscribers and should be on newsstands like Books A Million and others May 10-15.
Meanwhile, we would like your input on our forum about this topic at www.mc2magazine.com. And if youíre a serious buyer for one of these MINIs, you can contact us at publisher@mc2magazine.com.
RSR MINI Finishes 15th In Iowa Grand-Am Race
The # 197 RSR MINI driven by Randy Smalley and Craig Hansen had a much better showing Saturday at Iowa Speedway compared to the past 2 races at Daytona and Homestead. The RSR MINI proved competitive, despite a 40mph headwind blowing down the long straightaway and a fuel pump failure which apparently caused a lot of the problems last week at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The time spent diagnosing and repairing the problem cost the team 3 laps, but a lot was learned and the car still managed to finish 15th. If you have not been following the RSR MINI in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge, I encourage you to check out the Grand-Am website where you can get live lap times and stats for each race. Take a moment and post a comment of encouragement in the comments section to Randy and his crew. Keep up the good work guys!
[ Grand-Am KONI Challenge – Iowa Speedway Results ]
[ RSR MINI Desktop Wallpaper ]
MINI Challenge 2007: Germany
Here is the official MINI Press Release on the 2007 MINI Challenge. How cool would it be to have this here in the US?
In 2007 the MINI CHALLENGE will be held on no less than eight racing weekends with a total of 15 races for the title. And even the very first race is a genuine highlight, with 38 MINI Cooper S battling it out at Hockenheimring on the occasion of the DTM German Touring Car Masters. Then the teams will also be enjoying a spectacular backdrop at two races held on the occasion of major Formula 1 events, the German Grand Prix at N¸rburgring and the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, where the MINI Cooper S is bound to thrill a large crowd of enthusiasts.
The MINI CHALLENGE will then enjoy international flair on the Dutch race track in Zandvoort, where the local races will be the sporting highlight of the MINI United Festival, the meeting of MINI fans from all over the world.
Continue reading MINI Challenge 2007: Germany
M7 Tuning Sponsors North American MINI Cooper Championship
Our friends over at M7 Tuning have just signed on as official sponsors of the North American MINI Cooper Championship. M7’s continued committment to the MINI community is shown time and time again and I think this is a great addition to the series. Check out the full press release below.
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NASHVILLE — M7 Tuning of Lakewood, California is the latest addition to the growing list of ìofficialî sponsors of the North American MINI Cooper Championship (NAMCC). As an ìofficialî sponsor of the NAMCC, M7 Tuning has agreed to equip and modify the Phil Wicksí MINI Cooper ìSî to NAMCCís Group 4 configuration in preparation for the 2007 NAMCC season.
Continue reading M7 Tuning Sponsors North American MINI Cooper Championship
RSR MINI at Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series
This past weekend I attended the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway to support the # 197 RSR Motorsports Grand Am MINI Cooper S. I took my 2 yr old son (almost 3) along so he could experience his first race and he had an absolute blast! Even though the # 197 MINI had some problems and could not complete the race, it was great seeing it in person and giving my son a chance to see a MINI on the track for the first time. Here is some video footage I shot while I was there (sorry for the shaky footage – hard to keep camera rolling and keeping tabs on a 2 yr old!! :)).
Hooked on MINIs Thunderhill Track Video
In late March, MINI Mania and Hooked-on Driving teamed up to present a “Hooked-on MINIS” day at Thunderhill Racetrack, a great 3.5 mile road course maintained by SCCA about 75 miles north of Sacramento, CA (If you’ve seen any ads for Cadillac or Mazda filmed at a completely treeless track, they were shot at Thunderhill).
Running with the advanced group, I was able to get a couple of complete laps of the track with no traffic in my 2006 Dinan Stage 5 MCS, the car that MINI USA has provided to MC2 Magazine as our project car this year.
The laps were captured on video using my standard pocket Nikon Coolpix S3 digital pocket camera, with a 2 gig SD card, and mounted to my rearview mirror using a chasecam.com Universal Camera Mount, a very well-designed mount that costs only $40.
Enjoy the video and listen for that wonderful Dinan/supercharger howl as the car runs up to 7000 rpm on the straights, before the JCW brakes rein it in.
Gary Anderson
Editor, MC2 Magazine