Nuzzo Motorsports Wins First Pro Pole for MINI
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3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 162
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March 29, 2004
Dear Corporate Partners, Friends, Family and Fans,
Nuzzo Motorsports Wins First Pro Pole for MINI
Nuzzo Motorsports driver Shane Lewis piloted the #20 MINI Cooper S to a lap time of 1:32.521 in qualifying to win the first professional pole position for the MINI Cooper S. In route to the pole, the track record was shattered by nearly three seconds and bettered our nearest competitor by a full second. This is the second track record we have earned in the last three races. We set fastest race lap at VIR last year.
Grand Am impounded us right after qualifying and would not let us touch the car. We were in impound for hours as they checked out the car. They cleared us and released us to race. Before the morning practice session, GA came to me and said they wanted to look at some other things on the car. I told them to get their equipment and whoever or whatever they needed, and do it right now before the session. They did and we missed the session because of that. Had we gone out in that practice we may have had the fire then and could have repaired the car and won the race. But!!! Anyway, GA inspected us and the Technical Director cleared us to race.
We started first in class and 21st overall. On the opening lap, we moved up to 11th overall and had a 20 second lead over our nearest competitor. On lap 2, we were 13th and on lap four, back up to 11th. A full course yellow came out and no passing is allowed. That's when the smoke began in the cockpit. Shane brought the car into the pits and we looked over the car. We didn't see anything and sent him back out we were now running 46th. The track went back to green and Shane immediately began to work through traffic. But the smoke began to fill the car again, this time accompanied by flames. Shane some how got the car back to the pits. We put out the fire and assessed the damage. Unfortunately, our day was over. Everyone worked so hard to get us here. We had a commanding lead and thought lady luck was looking after us for a change. But it wasn't meant to be. So we packed up and headed home. We went from the highest high to the lowest low in less than 24 hours.
We will get both cars ready and head to Phoenix in two weeks (April 8-10) for a split race. This means GS and ST will have their own separate races and we will have a shot at the overall win. We will be ready to earn the MINI its first professional win.
Please welcome our newest partners: RPM Racing http://www.Rpmracinginc.com that is race prepping the cars. MINI Mania http://www.MiniMania.com who is helping with R&D and providing performance parts.
Shane Lewis:
About qualifying: "Sometimes you've got to 'think small' before you can go big. That was the *****-i-est lap I have ever turned at Homestead. Period. I had three of my competitors come up to me and say 'you are one brave man.' I knew what it was going to take to put it on the pole and that was a lap you could never turn in a race. I knew what I was doing but I knew there was an extremely high risk factor in that lap. The crew guys did an awesome job. Tony and Nuzzo Motorsports have stayed behind this program since the start of last year when it would have been a lot easier to give up. I wanted to see if I couldn't give them something back. We have new help from RPM Racing starting with this race and they have done an amazing job!"
About racing the MINI Cooper S: "We knew the platform of the MINI Cooper would be an awesome race car. It is still our goal to be the first team to win a professional race in the States in a MINI Cooper but now I can say I was the first guy to put a MINI Cooper S on the pole for a professional race. We think we have a great race car for tomorrow and I am eager to get out there and show how good of a car the Nuzzo MINI is."
See you at the races.
Tony
Thanks to all of our partners for supporting our effort during the 2004 season. Please visit their web sites and use their products and services. They are listed below.
MINI USA http://www.MINIUSA.com
Habberstad MINI http://www.HabberstadMINI.com
Grafik Dezine http://www.GrafikDezine.com
BOSCH http://www.BOSCHUSA.com
BBS wheels http://www.BBS.com
The Drive Shaft Shop http://www.driveshaftshop.com
RPM Racing http://www.Rpmracinginc.com
Mini Mania http://www.MiniMania.com
Marren Fuel Injection http://www.injection.com
Autosport Image http://www.Autosportimage.com
Cyntex Tuning - 610-738-8804
KW Suspensions http://www.kwsuspension.com
Phantom Grip http://www.phantomgrip.com
Shane Lewis http://www.shanelewis.com
Photos by Juha http://www.Photosbyjuha.com
For further details, please contact Tony Nuzzo at 516-674-1441
In addition, visit http://www.nuzzomotorsports.com for race news, photos and video.
###
Dear Corporate Partners, Friends, Family and Fans,
Nuzzo Motorsports Wins First Pro Pole for MINI
Nuzzo Motorsports driver Shane Lewis piloted the #20 MINI Cooper S to a lap time of 1:32.521 in qualifying to win the first professional pole position for the MINI Cooper S. In route to the pole, the track record was shattered by nearly three seconds and bettered our nearest competitor by a full second. This is the second track record we have earned in the last three races. We set fastest race lap at VIR last year.
Grand Am impounded us right after qualifying and would not let us touch the car. We were in impound for hours as they checked out the car. They cleared us and released us to race. Before the morning practice session, GA came to me and said they wanted to look at some other things on the car. I told them to get their equipment and whoever or whatever they needed, and do it right now before the session. They did and we missed the session because of that. Had we gone out in that practice we may have had the fire then and could have repaired the car and won the race. But!!! Anyway, GA inspected us and the Technical Director cleared us to race.
We started first in class and 21st overall. On the opening lap, we moved up to 11th overall and had a 20 second lead over our nearest competitor. On lap 2, we were 13th and on lap four, back up to 11th. A full course yellow came out and no passing is allowed. That's when the smoke began in the cockpit. Shane brought the car into the pits and we looked over the car. We didn't see anything and sent him back out we were now running 46th. The track went back to green and Shane immediately began to work through traffic. But the smoke began to fill the car again, this time accompanied by flames. Shane some how got the car back to the pits. We put out the fire and assessed the damage. Unfortunately, our day was over. Everyone worked so hard to get us here. We had a commanding lead and thought lady luck was looking after us for a change. But it wasn't meant to be. So we packed up and headed home. We went from the highest high to the lowest low in less than 24 hours.
We will get both cars ready and head to Phoenix in two weeks (April 8-10) for a split race. This means GS and ST will have their own separate races and we will have a shot at the overall win. We will be ready to earn the MINI its first professional win.
Please welcome our newest partners: RPM Racing http://www.Rpmracinginc.com that is race prepping the cars. MINI Mania http://www.MiniMania.com who is helping with R&D and providing performance parts.
Shane Lewis:
About qualifying: "Sometimes you've got to 'think small' before you can go big. That was the *****-i-est lap I have ever turned at Homestead. Period. I had three of my competitors come up to me and say 'you are one brave man.' I knew what it was going to take to put it on the pole and that was a lap you could never turn in a race. I knew what I was doing but I knew there was an extremely high risk factor in that lap. The crew guys did an awesome job. Tony and Nuzzo Motorsports have stayed behind this program since the start of last year when it would have been a lot easier to give up. I wanted to see if I couldn't give them something back. We have new help from RPM Racing starting with this race and they have done an amazing job!"
About racing the MINI Cooper S: "We knew the platform of the MINI Cooper would be an awesome race car. It is still our goal to be the first team to win a professional race in the States in a MINI Cooper but now I can say I was the first guy to put a MINI Cooper S on the pole for a professional race. We think we have a great race car for tomorrow and I am eager to get out there and show how good of a car the Nuzzo MINI is."
See you at the races.
Tony
Thanks to all of our partners for supporting our effort during the 2004 season. Please visit their web sites and use their products and services. They are listed below.
MINI USA http://www.MINIUSA.com
Habberstad MINI http://www.HabberstadMINI.com
Grafik Dezine http://www.GrafikDezine.com
BOSCH http://www.BOSCHUSA.com
BBS wheels http://www.BBS.com
The Drive Shaft Shop http://www.driveshaftshop.com
RPM Racing http://www.Rpmracinginc.com
Mini Mania http://www.MiniMania.com
Marren Fuel Injection http://www.injection.com
Autosport Image http://www.Autosportimage.com
Cyntex Tuning - 610-738-8804
KW Suspensions http://www.kwsuspension.com
Phantom Grip http://www.phantomgrip.com
Shane Lewis http://www.shanelewis.com
Photos by Juha http://www.Photosbyjuha.com
For further details, please contact Tony Nuzzo at 516-674-1441
In addition, visit http://www.nuzzomotorsports.com for race news, photos and video.
###
4th Gear
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 507
Likes: 0
Great job Tony, I hope you can get the car to it's first class win. I wish the Grand Am coverage was better so I could get more than seconds worth of MINI Race viewing during a televised race. Keep making us MINI owners proud! 
7th Gear Gal
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 36,087
Likes: 3
From: Weeblegabber West (aka WLA)
Big congrats to you and Shane, Tony! Where will Team Nuzzo be in May? I'm leaving Cali for the Tail of the Dragon Meet in North Carolina (4/29-5/2) and would love to see your team race! Andrew & I enjoyed hanging with y'all at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham last year. Any chance you may be coming back?
Clover
Clover
Coordinator :: Gulf Coast & Panhandle MINIs
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,662
Likes: 0
From: In the Tube
Tony, congrats on the pole and record. Let's hope Shane and the team can come home with a win next one out. I'll be watching Speed to see if the race will be shown localy.
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta/Amsterdam
Congrats.
Why does the team seem to run into a problem every race with the car breaking down or other problems?
Why does the team seem to run into a problem every race with the car breaking down or other problems?
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1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Hey Tony I really enjoy reading your race reports. It must be frustrating to run soooo well @ each race only fall out. I have a question: HAVE BMW/MINI SUPPORTED YOUR TEAM IN ANYWAY SUCH AS OFFERING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE?
Peace
Peace
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3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2002
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The races are televised if you are not happy with the coverage write to SPEEDTV and Grand American Road Racing Association and tell them.
Cloe we expect to be at Barber again this year, as you know we were leading there when an electrical problem took us out on the front straight.
Problems are part of racing. There is no formal Motorsports division for MINI like there is for BMW. Most everything we have done is on our own as privateers. We have had some technical assistance for MINI but not the type of support factor supported race teams get.
Yes, the top third fastest cars are usually impounded and checked. Also, any other cars GA wished to look at.
Cloe we expect to be at Barber again this year, as you know we were leading there when an electrical problem took us out on the front straight.
Problems are part of racing. There is no formal Motorsports division for MINI like there is for BMW. Most everything we have done is on our own as privateers. We have had some technical assistance for MINI but not the type of support factor supported race teams get.
Yes, the top third fastest cars are usually impounded and checked. Also, any other cars GA wished to look at.
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