I'm going to do more track day/hpdes next year, but I have heard that the MINI is not a great performer at all of them. Which tracks should I stay away from, or is that just a silly idea? The point of the track days is for me to learn, but I have no idea if an M3 flying past me at 150mph while I'm at 120 will rattle me.

I know that the MINI gets around LRP very well, and I've heard that one of the Pocono courses is "too fast" for our cars. Is this the case? Watkins Glen? Summit Point? Any experience?

Thanks for your knowledge/opinions/experience!

mb

 

Lime Rock would definitely be a great track for the MINI. In very general terms, shorter, twistier tracks would favor MINIs. Long tracks, with long straightaways would perhaps render your MINI's handling strengths less important.

Watkins Glen is the only track I've personally driven on, and there are two straightaways, (the back one being longest), but there are also plenty of great, tight curves too.

I say take the course anywhere you can. If you're really concerned about it, then go to Lime Rock. It's a small track, something like 1.6 miles if I'm not mistaken, versus the longer 2.65 mile Watkins Glen.

I wouldn't do a large high-speed oval track, or Pocono specifically, as high-horsepower cars are much more at home there. Besides, our cars love the road coarses...

 

Putnam Park (Indianapolis) and Mid-Ohio are the only two that I have been to and the Mini performs exceptionally well to the chagrine of the BMW's.

 

I was at Summit on the Shenandoah circuit in late June. It is a technical and very educational track. It has a concrete karussel like the Nurburg Ring that was fun. I was running a very stock 1275 classic Mini with a soft suspension and lots of body roll. She was hitting about 90ish on the long straight. The big MINIs were passing me. This was a good MINI/Mini track. I didn't see the Summit circuit but I would guess it is a bit faster. Jefferson circuit at this track looks very small.

 

Thanks for the replies. I am pretty comfortable with LRP - It's the only track I've been to (3 times in the last 7 years) and I've moved up to the "experienced" run group. I absolutely love it, but I want to learn and grow from other tracks.

Sounds like the others in the area are decent, too, with the exception of Pocono.

mb

 

I've done WGI and Pocono long course. The glen only has two main straights as said, but the uphill run to the back stretch can almost be considered one since your flat out through the whole thing (very fun), if your doing the long course, the boot is more technical but its not as technical as you'd think. Its a very flowing track which actually doesnt completey hamper a momentum car like our mini's. The glen is just a heck of a drive and I'd run it regadless (its like a giant roller coaster with all the elevation change) of whether you'd though you'd be out classed; plus if your in a lower run group you'll probably just get held up by some dope in a lotus or vette who's too scared to drive it hard anyway (not speaking from experience or anything......)

Pocono if you running one of the longer courses you get killed on the straights but the infield is tight enough that you can hang with the faster cars. the shorter South, east and north courses (I think thats all of them) are not as speed dependant and you should do better on those.

 

It is a great idea to go to other tracks to add to your skills. I really enjoy planning for a visit to a new track. You can usually find some video on line before going. So many people run camera equipment in their car and upload now. You can't always trust that the line you are seeing run on video is correct but you can get an idea of what you are going to see when you get there. You get a feeling of deja vu.

 

Thanks for the specific info, rpob5t. Queenb - you're right - if I can find some onasled footage I'll be all set.

mb

 

MB
I have been to most of the tracks on the east coast with "THDUKE", from Roebling Road, CMP, VIR, Summit Shenandoah, Mid Ohio, Pocono, WGI, and Lime Rock and have enjoyed each and every one with the MINI, of course there a few that have very long straights that allow the High Horsepower cars to get very high top speeds, so what you are not in a race you are there to learn and enjoy your car, every one of these tracks have areas where your car will excell, and lets face it unless you have a track prepped MINI with the correct camber and toe properly dialed in you are not going to hang with a track prepped well driven M3 no matter what course you are on. I know I will get a lot of flack for this but there is just no subsitute for a properly balanced and prepared rear wheel drive car at the track. At Shenandoah its not the MINIs that rule its the Miata and the Elise

 

Hahahaha! DUCK!! Flack flack flack!! :impatient :impatient :impatient

I have a MINI and an Elise. I have not yet been able to track the Elise. I've never driven rear wheel drive on track so I can't compare yet.

 

Thanks Trevor! I'm not sure you'll get flack for saying that, though, because I think most can/would agree...

mb

 

I've got film of my recent run @ WGI (the instructor I was with filmed and cut it down), I'll get it to you tube and post the link later

edit:

Just put up the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6br7SgFpV8

The driving might not be the best (this was my 2nd HDPE ever) but you get an idea of how the track goes.

I've got an in car video that I shot with my own camera (waiting on my buddy with a capture card to process it for me) that I'll get up ASAP if wanted

 

Great! Thanks!

mb

 

Jefferson is only a 1.1 mile circuit so it is pretty small compared to Shenandoah, but it's still loads of fun. There are only 2 real straight aways and they really aren't all that long, even with a high-HP car you're going to be hard pressed to hit triple digits before having to slow down quickly for another turn. Jefferson is also setup pretty much as a learning track as some of the turns have road crown so you really have to watch your line so you don't slide off the track (which isn't too easy to do). There is some limited elevation change, but one of the bigger changes is right before a deceptive 90 degree left, I've seen people get thrown off by this turn and slow down quite alot.

I've never been on the Summit circuit, but I would imagine it wouldn't be quite as fun because it looks a qhole lot more open and straight. I think they also have a carousel-like banked corner on that track too.

 

Just got back from the Glen in my Cooper.

Do not avoid a track because your car is not suited to it. That's just silly. Go and drive!

Yes, going up the hill in the boot was painfully slow in my car, but so what? There was very little traffic, so I rarely had to let people pass. And when I did, it was not problem. People weren't upset that my underpowered car was in the way.

Through the esses and onto the back straight, I'd get up to around 90mph in the esses and then ever so slowly accellerate up to a little over 100 before braking for the bus stop. My instructor's M3 was hitting 120... But, it doesn't matter. Just go drive.

Even Mont Tremblant, which may be a faster track than The Glen, was a blast in my Cooper.

And you MCS people have at least 50hp on me, so you have no excuse.

I'll post some video later, once I get it captured / edited - might not be until next week, though.

 

Yeah, you'll have a lot of people pass in the long straights, but so what? Drive, drive, drive! That's what it's about! And really, all those other guys will get to say how they passed a new Mini and have track stories, so you're really doing them a favor!

But really, unless it's a RACE, it doesn't matter that there will be faster (And slower) cars on the track. Just go out and have fun. Different tracks are a blast, but it's very helpfull to get to know one or two really well. That way it's easier to improve on technique, as you aren't learning a new line each weekend..... At least I've found that to be the case....

Matt

 

Snid,
Good to see that you made it home safely, the guy at the muffler shop was a no show when I got there so I drove "THDUKE" all the way back to Long Island with that loud noise, turned up the music as much as I could but that no muffler sound just filled the cabin.

I hope you had a great time and much fun in the rain that last session, again it was a pleasure hanging with you and Lance, next year I will make it north to your home track.

 

Agreed ! VIR full course is a horsepower track, but I give it my best and stay out of everyone's way. VIR north is a whole lot easier to keep up. I'm not the slowest guy out there, and I pride myself on my point-bys, so I'll back off every time to give them lots of room before the corner. Once they go by, it's great fun to see how well you can keep up, and believe me, the M3's rule, but by the time we get back around to the front, they aren't that much farther ahead. At ~115, I have less HP than any one there, and that just makes it more interesting. That's the whole MINI idea, isn't it?

 

OK... stupid question time...

I just got my Mini about a month ago - and had no idea people take their cars to the track to play.
How do you get started doing that?
Do you have to do anything special to your car?
Heck - any other info would be greatly appreciated!

 

http://www.bmwcca.org/

Start there, find your local chapter, look at their calendar for events and local contacts.

As far as car preparation goes, the only thing you will need(?) to do is get it inspected to make sure nothing is going to fall off or fail, and change your brake fluid and brake pads to something a little more heat resistant than the stock fluid and pads. You can probably survive with the stock pads and fluid if you want to.

After an event or two, you'll know what parts of the car need to be beefed up.

And, you'll need a helmet.

 

Look at http://www.trackschedule.com/sched.html for dates and places.

To start out, go to a BMWCCA or other top-notch school. They have the best instructors.

Some groups might give you a hard time about an MCSC, rollbar rules and such. The rollbar is supposed to stick up over your helmet 2 inches or something, I'm not sure, but you should check.

Mid-Ohio ought to be somewhere near you.

 

Not a stupid question. Being that you are in Cincy, two of your closest options are Mid-Ohio and Putnam Park.

http://www.midohio.com/

http://www.putnampark.com

Both of those sites have links to event calendars that list which clubs are running on any given date(s). If you see a time/place/group that you want to run with, then contact said group directly. There usually is a contact person for HPDE. Just tell them you are interested and they'll be happy to get you registered. Some groups might even have loaner helmets if you don't already own one. If not, you'll need to get yourself one (typically SA2005 rated). If you know someone who is good with a wrench, ask them for help to go over your tech inspection sheet, otherwise figure about $75 for a local garage to do the tech inspection for you. There is a second tech inspection once you get to the track so don't try to cheat -- if you do and something is found to be in need of repair or replacement, you will not be allowed to participate until the issue is resolved.

HPDE is very addictive. Hopefully your significant other is an understanding person and won't make you one of those meetings "Hi, I'm soandso, and I'm addicted to lapping. It all started harmlessly with my new MINI. I just wanted to try driving on a track once. But then I found myself surfing for all the on-track vids at YouTube, and I drained my bank account registering for all the events within a 4 hr drive from home. My spouse left me, my boss fired me, and then the bank repo'd my car because I was spending everything I had on that next event. I just had to get that buzz back. I couldn't function in society anymore, all I wanted to do was get that next fix of track time" *tearful sobbing*

 

Geoff I was they guy at the blue BMW at the winged warrior II. I hope to see you at some local Mini events in Indy or surrounding areas. Ordering Mini S on saturday Can't wait to take the Mini to putnam