Thanks Eddie!

I live in Bethany, CT - a couple towns north-west-ish of New Haven.

My prior track experience is pretty limited (all novice run groups in DEs):
2008 - PCA DE day at LRP, 1989 928GT
2014 - PCA/CCA DE at LRP, one session ride-along with instructor
2015 (May) - Birthday treat to Dream Racing (Las Vegas), 5 laps each in C7 Z06, F 458 Italia, F430 Challenge racecar (plus two laps with instructor driving)
2015 (June) - PCA DE at WGI, full-day ride alongs with instructor (only see sob story below...)
2015 (Oct) - CCA 2-day DE at PMSP, 2006 MCS
Pending - Nov 7 PCA DE at LRP in new-to-me '09 Cayman S

My Mini is only lightly modded - dampened crank pully, 15% S/C pulley and 19mm rear sway. It's been my DD since I got it in 2008 through last summer, when the engine ate itself at 88k (due to 3 causes... an increasing oil burn rate, a slowly failing oil pressure sensor - unfortunately to the don't-worry-be-happy direction, and the dipstick behind the wheel failing to check the dipstick in the engine bay). I had the engine rebuilt (better, stronger, faster...) with the above mods, then put the sway bar in early this summer to prep myself for some DE & auto-x this season.

And then I tore my left achilles tendon four days before the June DE at WGI. No clutch pedals for me!!! Three months!!! I would have been driving sooner, but I had some complications and another round of surgeries in August. Once things started looking up, I signed up for the PMSP DE as a recovery/physical therapy goal. I got out of my last brace only a few days beforehand, and despite some limping and a lot of Alleve and ice packs... I tore up that fn track!!!

I was super-surprised that my MCS was so good on that track, barely modded from out-of-the-box!!! My instructor could not believe that the car was so close to stock - I am forever amused how no one takes Minis seriously (escpecially cops). The only place I felt really underequipped was braking into T1, which is what prompted my pending R56 brake upgrade.

Anyway, a 2-day DE is the way to get your feet wet, alright! And if you don't mind beating on your Mini (I don't) and you have plenty of experience driving too fast (I do) then you may find yourself getting "here he comes again!!" point-bys from M3s and Caymans on your first track day. :-) They say that you learn the most by driving a slow car fast, and the Mini is certainly the slowest horse in our stable, but WOW does it run!

Hell yes I would consider WGI!!! But I would likely want to trailer my Mini there, because that's a LOOOOOONG way from home to be if you break something important. (Did I mention I broke my pre-cat resonator thingy on my second-to-last lap session? No? It must have slipped my mind because I DON'T CARE!!!! I want MORE-MORE-MORE!!!)

 

Hmmmmm...after driving a C7 Z06, F 458 Italia and F430 Challenge racecar, it was a MINI that got you hooked You must have a really good MINI there

Well, my guess is that if it wasn't for the MINI, it would have been another car that "gotcha" But, the MINIs are a blast to drive and they make it easy.

I saw that you were poking around the "R53 JCW brakes = R56S brakes" posts. That change is a really good, low dollar improvement, especially for someone who is just starting out. However, I will make my "broken record" comment that your brakes are only as good as the pads. If you have seen any of my "brakes" posts, you know I am a broken record when it comes to pads for MINIs on the track. Only a full race pad will do. I have given away my backup race pads to drivers who have tried the street/track pads and complained that their brakes were no good and dangerous and they needed a BBK. After twisting their arm to put in the race pads, they were grinning from ear to ear after one session. There is no better pad than the Carbotech XP10s for a beginner through an expert.

2 suggestions for you -
Get a set of Quick fit harnesses for your car:
https://www.schrothracing.com/tuning/quick-fit/qf-mini
I just happen to have a R53 driver's side set that will be going up for sale PM me if interested. I have the passenger side too, but that is for the R56 and would need to check to see if it fits. I know that they are interchangable between some of the years. At any rate, you will need a passenger set for an instructor (you are required to have "equal" seating for instructors)

Also, the best mod to go with that 19mm rear sway bar is a set of IE fixed camber plates for up front. MINIs really need a bit more camber up front and the IE plates make a big difference without being hard on tires. Both of those are really great mods for the street and track.
http://www.waymotorworks.com/ireland...e-r50-r53.html
You, sometimes, can find them used on NAM and can get a pretty good deal on them.

Ok, I'm done spending your money. Sit back, relax and watch videos of MINIs driving around LRP until they are in your dreams...
Say, I know of a really good one that is just few posts before this one

Have fun at your next event.
And keep in touch about next season and going to WGI and other places.

 

Thanks, hope we can get a few people to the get together.

Have not hear from veggi though.

Sorry sdriver, but we got delayed due to all the stuff we have to do in HnL.

 

Veggi is "in"

 

You have connected with a great group. You will have lots of fun. Get out to watkins. You will not regret it. My fav track, that and laguna.

 

My track experience the last four years, sadly none.

But will try to do another advanced racing school with skip barber sometime next year.

 

Yes those were awesome cars in Vegas (I think I chose very wisely, if I do say so myself), but my limited skillz on a track I had no experience with - and a tough track at that as it is essentially just painted onto a sea of concrete - as well as the super-short stints limited the amount of exuberance I could develop. Spending two days wringing out my Mini on a track like PMSP though... that'll you going! And thinking "I wonder if I can get 400 lbs out of this thing? And ~235 hp seems like it would be about pefect. And since it's so small, I wouldn't need to buy a huge trailer for it..." (dissolve to red mist)

FWIW, I improved at least a second a lap in the Vette with of course a LOT of time left on the track. Not so in either of theF-cars, which I found disconcerting in their lack of dive, squat, or roll... I had no cues to feel what the cars were doing! The Z06 was my favorite drive that day, and definitely made me want to do more-more-more...

You can save the soapbox spiel - I have heard "run race pads at the track" enough times to know that's the way to go. The bundle I bought is coming with ~5000 mile stock pads which I will use for DD duty. I accept your Carbotech recommendation. Any recos for slotted rotors?

I have also heard the "Minis need neg camber" mantra from those in the know, and considering the visible wear on the outside of my tires (Bridgestone Potenza SO4 Pole Positions, if you must know) after Palmser, I see camber plates as a tire longevity aid too, so that's clearly a worthwhile mod to make.

I think I will hold off on harnesses, but will keep them in mind. I didn't have much trouble staying centered in my seat at PMSP, but I can see it being more of an issue at LRP, where you only get one turn to move your butt back over.

 

PS, my MCS is a no-sunroof/LSD/6-spd car, so the ideal candidate for track rat conversion!

 

Ooooo...Track Rat...I like it
Boy could I spend your money on that one

Cheese graters ... oops, I mean slotted rotors. Don't need them. I saw no difference with them and like the feel of plain face rotors. I have had multiple occasions to switch back and forth between slotted and plain face rotors on my Wilwoods (long story for an other day or read back a ways) and kept going back to the plain face ones. And the Carbos seemed to really like the plain face rotors.

As for which brand to buy - MINI's work well but a lot of others are perfectly fine too.

 

Ok, I can see that. I have slotted rotors on a couple of street cars and, well, you know it when you use step on the pedal. I'm sure there is a performance advantage to them, but I know enough to focus on the many full seconds I am leaving all over the track rather than the tenths that my rotor choice may or not be leaving.

So if no slotted rotors, would you even recommend replacing the stock R56 rotors coming with my parts package? I can get smooth-faced Zimmermans for like $60 a side. Worth it?

 

I would use the stock rotors, unless you think they may be too thin or warped. The MINI rotors are of a good quality (maybe better than most) and I have never heard of anyone having a problem with them. There is a "MIN" thickness number on the side of them if you want to measure them. I would not worry about "wear grooves" in them. The race pads will bed into them.

As for replacement rotors...I don't know that much about the various brands but would go with a name brand. Zimmermans are likely fine. My experience with the race pads between the slotted and flat rotors is there is an initial grab with the slotted that the flats don't have, but the ultimate braking power is the same. I like it without that grab as it is easier to apply the brakes without upsetting the car as much. I find that a high initial grab or just a hard initial application of the brakes tends to upset the rear of the car; you can see that in the car wiggle going into T1 at LRP at the beginning of the video I posted back a few posts.

Oh, if haven't done it yet, you will want to remove the dust shields from behind the rotors to allow air to get to the rotor vanes.

 

Hey, another video.
LRP in September. This has my instructor on board and he has some good advice for taking several of the turns. Great instructor...enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CUK...ature=youtu.be

 

If memory serves me right, stock rotors are good. However, they do turn blue from the heat after about 12 days, and they start to have hairline cracks all over the surface. Then you should replace the rotors or go for better brakes. They will make lots of noise on the street after that.

Btw, I also had cracks and blue rotors on my wilwoods.

 

Hey guys, see you at APS nov 10.

 

What is the address of APS, would like to attend if I can. VehiGAZ, I am from Burlington, CT. Let's see if we can get together and discuss the trip to WGI.

 

APS is Albany Pump Station in Albany NY. This is where the Mini group meets the first tuesday of the month.

 

Do I hear ROAD TRIP?

 

What time is the meet-up? It would take 1:46 for me to get there.

 

Its not the usual mpg meeting. Just old buddies taking about the track. We meet around 7 pm.

 

I thought we were meeting up @ 6:30...hope so, as I'll need to leave for a concert that starts @ 7:30...

 

6:30 would be best for me, too.

 

slinger688 - lets push it back up to 6:30

 

6:30 pm is great. See you all there.

 

 

C'mon now.....no group pic?