Schedule
2004 Grand-Am Cup Series

_________________

Treasurer, SCMM | paul@scmm.org

 

According to the entry list Tony Nuzzo is the only person carrying the MCS flag.

Competition promises to be stiffer this year, 5 RX-8s are listed for the ST division!!

Go Tony!

 

I'll be at least three of those!

 

Which races are you attending?

You should let Tony know beforehand, I'm sure he would love to meet you.

If there is a MINI at California Speedway, I will be there

Cheers.

 

>>According to the entry list Tony Nuzzo is the only person carrying the MCS flag.
>>
>>Competition promises to be stiffer this year, 5 RX-8s are listed for the ST division!!
>>
>>Go Tony!


Last I spoke with "Sterling", they won't be bringing the car out. It was offered to me to run Solo II with, so it seems it may just sit for the season. I guess we'll see.

Brian

 

>>Which races are you attending?
>>
>>You should let Tony know beforehand, I'm sure he would love to meet you.
>>
>>If there is a MINI at California Speedway, I will be there
>>
>>Cheers.

I'm on the "right coast". (Met Tony last year @ The Glen.)

Plan on going to:

Watkins Glen (June)
Mid-Ohio (August)
VIR (October)

 

Thats a shame. When they ran last year they were fast.

 

I had a fantastic time meeting Tony and the rest of the team last year at Barber Motorsports Park. Great bunch of folks and it is definitely worth going out and watching these races.

 

I found out that Vesko Kasarov will be campaigning an MCS again in 2004!

They ran the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill last December and probably would have won their class if not hit by other cars. They qualified on pole and led for a large portion of the race.

Look for some well sorted, fast MINIs in 2004!

 

Quite a few Mazda Rx8s entered in the ST class this year ... wonder how fast they will be??

 

The answer is ... quite.

The killer thing about racing rotaries (use to have a street RX-2) is that they can't blow-up. They have astronomical redlines and when uncorked, are the loudest machines on earth not originally designed to be. They were dominant in IMSA for as long as they were allowed, even when they were the only racing cars to carry a muffler. In an old issue of Kit Car, the editors decided to have a 13B rotary built for a Banshee. Rebuilt with new seals, ports matched and joined, and a 2-barrel down-draft 48 Weber, the engine put out 375 hp. This was considered a mild rebuild. IOW, stuff you would do because it was out of the car. A rotary weights less than 200 lbs. The car weighed less than 1500 lbs when done.

There's a first-gen RX-7 that runs EM in the Pac NW that has 10" wide tires that spin and spin and spin. It reminded me of a scolded cat on a wood floor.

I love rotaries. They're always entertaining.

[Monty Python]
Let me know if this embarrasses you...Wankel Rotary Engine.
[/Monty Python]

 

I remember that IMSA RX-3s and RX-7s were deafeningly loud. It was a shriek, actually.

I wonder what mods the Grand-Am folks are allowing on the Mazda?

 

I'll answer my own question..

MCS 2003
Final Drive - 2.74:1
Fuel Capacity - 17.0
GAC Wt - 2200
Options - Tire size 225/45/17. Boost OEM. Minimania rear control arm kit # NMS5010 allowed.

Mazda RX8 2004
Final Drive - 4.44:1
Fuel Capacity - 17.0
GAC Wt - 2700
Options - Tire size 225/45/17. RPM limit TBD. MAZDASPEED aero#QSEA-50-020-X1, QSEA-51-96Z and QSEA-70-900-X1 are allowed.

Hopefully the RX-8s will be thirsty and hard on tires. MCS has a big weight advantage.

 

Miami 250 at Homestead

Practice session 2 has ended and Nuzzo/Lewis are 0.427s behind the quickest ST car (BMW 330).

Excellent!

Yes that is a Cadillac CTS! It was 5th fastest in GS during FP2. Not bad for a brnad new car!

_________________

Treasurer, SCMM | paul@scmm.org

 

Shane Lewis qualified the MCS on pole with a 1.32.521!!!!

The next car was an RX-8 at 01:33.507!!

Outstanding Shane, way to go Nuzzo!!

Shane Lewis, co-driver of the Nuzzo Motorsports No. 20 Mini Cooper S, ST class pole winner

_________________

Treasurer, SCMM | paul@scmm.org

 

Oh no!! :???:

#20 car shown stuck at 8 laps on live timing and scoring on GrandAm website

Mechanical problems again???

 

They had an electrical fire. :???:

Sucks, they were in the lead at the time.

 

I can't wait for April 10th. My local dealership (owned by Roger Penske) is having it's annual reunion. This is a free event for MINI owners. Last year they had catered BBQ and a deep discount on accessories. I expect there'll be more this year. Then afterwards, we'll caravan to PIR together and do pace laps. Then we get to watch the night race. All free of charge!! Gotta love a deaership owned by the racing great Penske. :smile:

 

Bummer, looks like no MINIs at Mount Tremblant.

 

Interesting.. I wonder if we will ever see the MINI again in the Grand Am.

Too bad, I was looking forward to the MINI's running.

 

I'm sure we will.

I think its a question of focusing resources. An for Nuzzo I'm sure they want to ensure that any gremlins are taken care of for their next race. Sux to be on pole then drop out for an electrical problem.