After a day of "parade" (yeah, right) laps this weekend, I'm itching to do HPDE's in 2008 - probably at VIR. A few questions:

1) What clubs / organizations should I be hooking up with to do this? I know BMWCCA chapter - what others?
2) Who will / might be "MINI cabrio friendly"?
3) ANYONE who might be willing to accept OE rollover protection vs. requiring a roll bar? Though I've heard roll bars are ALWAYS required at VIR for HPDE?
4) If not, is anyone aware of anybody who has already put a rule compliant rollbar in a MINI cabrio? I've searched and haven't found anything...

I know that if I ever want to to beyond HPDE I'll need a different car - I'm just trying to figure out how to delay that for a couple of years.

 

http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/index.html

http://www.nasaracing.net/hpde.htm

Check their CCR for more details.

 

VIR is a fantastic track and you'll have a ball there, but you will need to put in a proper roll bar to run your car.......

 

i run w/ PBOC a lot. they have decided to allow cabrios for novice, intermediate and advanced drivers. no solo or super-solo. the closest that they run to your location is Barber (usually twice a year). you might contact them and find out their thinking....http://www.pbocflorida.com/ we have had two cabrios participate w/ us. PCA also allowed a cabrio in the novice run group. i'm not sure if they have any further restrictions.....hope this helps.

 

Most PCA clubs I am familiar with are OK with a cabrio as long as you leave the top up. If you want to run with the top down, you must have proper rollbar and it must pass the "broomstick test"*

I have been told that BMWCCA does not allow cabrios, targas, or t-top cars. You'll have to check with your locals to verify this.

If you are going out for your first time to one of these, I would recommend you avoid NASA. From my experience, they are not as well organized as the major marque groups. YMMV.

*If you aren't familiar, here is the scoop: Sit in driver's seat with helmet on, belt in, roof down, etc. Rest a broomstick on the top edge of the windshield and the top edge of the rollbar. If you slide the bar evenly side to side and it touches the top of your helmet, you fail.

 

SCCA has a PDX (performance driving experience?) program that you might check out. I never thought they did HPDE-type events, but they do, at least in New England. Don't know about their convertible policy.

The Phil Wicks MINI Driving Academy allows stock MINI convertibles, but I'm not impressed with their organization or dedication to safety, so I won't be running with them again.

 

join the club!

Phil Wicks all but ruined most peoples first time experience on the track for more then 50 minis and their owners

the Florida event last year had tons of participation and after the event there was such a backlash that we have a hard time getting any of those people out to any other track days, now that we run with PBOC, PCA or any other group that does run a great event

 

I would try & talk you out of doing any track driving in a cabrio. On a track one drives at high speeds. That roll bar & windshield header aren't going to provide adequate protection in a roll at track speeds.

 

Yeah, I know. I've seen the A-pillars fail in low-speed highway rollovers... yikes. Though the spec Miatas seem to do OK... and the rollbar has to be high enough to enclose you even if the car is resting on the bar and the front strut towers (i.e. A-pillars are gone). And you'd normally have to wear arm restraints...But people DO die at track days in hardtops... not often... but it happens...

Before I get into REAL track driving I'd get a basic MCS hardtop and make a track car outta it. I just want to do a few HPDE's...

But I'm curious - do you know of anyone who has rolled a MINI in track conditions? I know of several who have rolled across a ditch, through a field, etc....

 

Yes I do know of a few. The one that really sticks in my mind was a high speed roll at a HPDE & if that car would have been a cabrio or even had a sunroof it might have been tragic. They were lucky to only receive bumps, bruises & airbag burns. Track driving is fun, but things can & sometimes do go terribly wrong.

Yes people can & sometimes do get killed on race tracks. You assume that risk whenever you pull onto the track. I except that risk, drive to my abilities & try not to overstep those bounds.

As far as Spec Miata goes, they have a full cage & all the safety equipment that goes into a race car. I have a Miata & even with a roll bar I wouldn't feel safe enough in it to track drive it.

Have fun be safe.

 

PCA chapters used to pretty much have their own on what can be run... but national has been clamping down more and more (along with tracks)...
the broomstick test is done with the top down and while seated, the broomstick cannot hit your helmet while it rests on the roll bar and windshild header...

Waktins, & Summit Pt have gotten stricter recently.
I have yet to run my Mini with PCA or BMWCCA.
You can also try "open" track days with clubs like Track Quest
http://www.tracquest.com/ (runs VIR on Indep. day wkend)

Also check http://thetrackschedule.com/ to see what groups are running VIR what weekend... you might find you can run with a Lotus or Cobra group...

(FYI I ran a completely stock Porsche 924S with a whole 170hp on all-seasons at Watkins Glen against a 427 blown cobra... and ran away from him and hid... its all in the corners

HTH!
(HPDEs will make you a better driver! and its fun too!)

 

+ 1

 

Check with Phil Wicks, they have a VIR date this year and I always see cabrios there at his HPDE events. Fun school too.
Tim

 

Like crashton said. i'd stick to a slower speed track in a cabrio. I'm pretty sure VIR doesn't allow cabrios with out a full roll bar but then again it's a high speed track. That isn't where you want to be in that car. Check out CMP in South Carolina. There are a few NASA events there this year in both the new and old track setup.

hope to see you there.