MINI trackside patio for the Ultimate Daytona Trackside Experience

With 2016 already here, fans of the MINI JCW Race Team are already anticipating the opening Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at the famed Daytona International Speedway on January 27-29. In an effort to give fans the ultimate trackside experience MINI USA has worked with DIS and are pleased to offer three-day tickets for both the CTSCC and the Weathertech Sports Car Championship Rolex 24 at Daytona races. The ‘MINI Patio Hospitality at DIS’ will feature a private Patio located on the front straight with views of the pitlane and the start/finish line. Admission to the patio is limited to the first forty fans signing up. The first twenty-five MINIs that sign up have the added bonus of being able to reserve MINI/Mini Only Parking. In addition to the great views of the Daytona front stretch the fans will have two TVs to see all the on-track action while in the lunch area. Tickets are going on sale at the incredibly attractive price of $115 per person. Those wishing to see the MINI JCW team run their practice and qualifying sessions on Wed/Thurs will have to organize their own tickets to gain entry to the facility.

The tickets are for Friday to Sunday, allowing fans to take in both the Continental Tire race where the MINI JCW Racing Team will compete and the entire Rolex 24 event for sports cars. Friday’s MINI JCW activities starts with a final practice at 9:35 to 10:05 before the cars are assembled for the CTSC grid walk at 12:45. The grid will be cleared at 1:35 for the formation laps. The two and a half hour long BMW Performance 200 event will start at 1:45.

The WeatherTech Championship drivers will be available Saturday morning in the Fanzone for an autograph session before being introduced to the fans at 12:40. The grid opens up for the Grid Walk at 12:45 – 1:45. The race starts at 2:10 and runs until 2:10 on Sunday afternoon.

Times are subject to change. Location for MINI only parking to be advised.

3-day tickets can be purchased by signing up at www.motorsportreg.com/minidis

 

The MINI Corral and Hospitality Patio is a wonderful opportunity for MINI owners to attend and experience a race that promises to be a historic one. MINIs will be in the Continental race on Friday. The Ford GT will start its first race at the 24 Hours on Saturday. Lamborghini is entering IMSA for the first time.

MINI owners will be able to catch all the action from a private patio area along pit road where the cars leave the NASCAR oval and turn into the infield road course. The MINI Hospitality Patio and MINI Corral is a first for the 24 Hours of Daytona.

The #73 MINI finished second at the final 2015 IMSA race at Road Atlanta. The long straights of Daytona will be a challenge to the MINIs that excel on the tight road courses.

We will be there. Thank you Norm for making this enhanced experience possible.

 

The MINI John Cooper Works Team had a good weekend at The Roar Before the Rolex 24 practice at Daytona. They will be competing in the Continental race on Friday, January 29th, preceding the Rolex 24 Hours on Saturday and Sunday. The #37 and #73 cars posted times faster than some of the Porsche Caymans and BMW 328s, even though the long straights of Daytona put the MINIs at a disadvantage.

The 2016 Rolex 24 Hour race will have many interesting aspects, making it a special event. It is the first race at the newly improved ($400 million renovation) Daytona International Speedway. It is the first race for the new Ford GT and the first Lamborghinis in IMSA. The Roar gave an interesting view to maybe a different race as the two fastest cars were Honda powered prototypes.

This year is also the first time MINI has had a car corral and a Hospitality Patio at the Rolex 24. Reserved parking, an enclosed patio along pit road with elevated seating, and access to the garage area will make for a great weekend of racing. We will be there. Hope to meet some NAM members at the races.

http://www.motorsportreg.com/events/...4#.VpPL-fkrLrc

 

Can you tell me where the patio is?

 

Patio is an odd name for these enhanced viewing areas, but it is the term that Daytona International Speedway uses.

The patios are located along the exit end of pit road, immediately behind the pit wall. You can look across pit road, and the grass infield, to the front straight/trioval, and a bit to the right to see the start/finish line. This is the area where the cars reach their highest speeds, then brake hard to enter turn one. Many passes are made here and the brake rotors will be glowing cherry red at night.

The patios are multi-story structures constructed of metal framing. The ground floor is enclosed with canvas/vinyl walls and roof. Forty people can be seated inside. January is winter, even in Florida, and there have been times at the 24 when it was cold, or rainy, or windy. If the weather is unpleasant, it would be great to have a place to hide from the elements. There will be two TVs. I once thought it would be crazy to watch a race on TV while you are at the race, but last year I found the TV broadcast to be informative and you could keep up with the race while taking a break. The TV feed is a live IMSA broadcast, with no commercial breaks and no talking heads - just views of the track and pits with good commentary.

Above the enclosed area is elevated seating in a tiered grandstand style. Thirty people can sit in this area and there is some standing room. The seats have a roof structure overhead.

 

Thanks so much. I have been to Daytona many times but as you said the word "patio" was throwing me off. Sounds awesome!!

Here is a pic from my favorite trip to Daytona.

 

Tommy,

Thanks for sharing the photo. Looks like you have some fond memories of Daytona. Congratulations on your win, even though it was a few years ago.

I, too, have spent some time on the track at Daytona - racing enduro karts. While I would prefer being out on the track, it is more practical to enjoy the sport of racing with other people investing in the cars.

Look forward to meeting you at the Daytona MINI Hospitality Patio. It will be a race of many "firsts" and should create many good memories.

 

I am waiting to be sure my schedule is clear but I hope to buy my tickets before the end of the week. I was told the MINI Coral is outside the speedway.

 

Getting a spot inside the speedway is impossible. The Porsche Corral, a group that has been hosting Corrals at Daytona for 50 years, cannot get enough space inside the track for all the cars attending and have a parking area outside. Most of the space inside the track is rented as camping sites. Those who have rented a place for their motorhome keep it for years, prizing their space as much as a rabid football fan prizes their seat ticket seats. The same motorhomes are parked in the same spaces every year.

Parking for those not having a special parking pass is difficult. Last year there was no general parking anywhere on the speedway grounds. We parked in a DIS owned lot about 1/2 mile north of the track and walked up and over the bridge on US 92 to get to the track. It was well over a mile to the closest tram stop. One friend paid a motel on US 92 $40/day to park in their lot and felt they were getting a deal. Having a parking area on the speedway grounds will be a big benefit.

A map of the Daytona International Speedway facilities is pasted below. The area where those attending the MINI Hospitality will be able to park is in Lot 1 - on the lower right of the map. There is a tram stop nearby where people can jump on a tram and get a ride through the tunnel under NASCAR turn 1 to the garage area/Fan Zone. Being able to park in this lot will save many miles of walking.

 

I just signed up. I'm fired up!! I booked a room on the beach for Friday an Saturday.

See you there,
Tommy

 

The MINI Corral is just below the orange Lot 1 marker, right next to the Lamborghini Corral. The MINI Patio is along pit road at the red SI marker.

Hope this helps everyone visualize where the MINI events with be for the Continental and Rolex 24.

 

That s going to be an excellent place to watch the race from. I mapped out a nice route that is nearly a straight shot from Atlanta to Daytona. No interstates, just back roads

 

More details on the MINI Hospitality Patio at the Daytona Rolex 24 Hours has been released. Should be a great race and a good party.


MINI USA will be providing a full menu on race day, Friday January 29th, beginning with a Continental Breakfast at 9:00AM. On Saturday there will be Chips and Dip served at 2:00PM and Meatball Sliders at 6:00PM. On Sunday at 9:00AM a Continental Breakfast will be served and at 11:00AM there will be Buffalo Wings served. Soft Beverages will be served all three days.

Meet and Greet with the team is scheduled for 10:30AM on Friday in the garage area. (pending the availability of the drivers, this time could change)

 

Do you know if we will be receiving our tickets and parking pass in the mail or do we pick it up at will call?

 

Tickets will be mailed. Should arrive Monday before the race.

 

Thanks, I just received confirmation. Right now the weather is looking perfect. It's going to be a great time.

 

This weekend will be cold, but the forecast shows perfect weather for the race weekend.

Many factors are in place for an amazing race weekend - big field of cars, new cars such as the Ford GT, preferred parking in the MINI Corral, Hospitality Patio with food and private grandstands, all at a price less than general admission, topped off with beautiful weather. Life can't get much better.

I do not understand why the MINI event is not sold out. Hopefully, some additional people will get the message and join us at the race.

 

I have posted about in as many groups as I can but few people even acknowledge it. I hope enough people show up to make it worthwhile to do again next year. This would be a terrible thing to lose due to a lack of interest.

 

 

Got my tickets yesterday and drove on down to the beach today. I'm good to go!!

 

The #37 MINI JCW qualified second, starting on the front row. Qualifying on Thursday was wet, a good situation for the car and the driver.

All the MINIs were running strong, but it took little time for difficulties to arise. After a couple altercations with other cars and a couple issues, laps were lost and finish positions did not indicate the quality of the cars. Result page linked below.

http://www.imsa.com/sites/default/fi...ialResults.pdf

The weather was beautiful, the MINI Corral wonderful and convenient, the Hospitality Patio comfortable and upscale, the race close and exciting. A great day at the race track.

Thanks to MINI USA and LAP Motorsports.