Someone should start a thread like this, if this is a real MINI racing forum. no?

The best road racing in the USA in beyond a doubt with the SCCA, and this weekend is the National Championship races at Mid-Ohio sports car course

The are several MINI Coopers and Ses in SSC class.

Actually, the provisional qualifying sheet shows a MINI on the pole(Pete Taylor), and one in second position(Joel Lipperini)! with another in 7th(Brad Davis) , and Tony Nuzzo in 20th! What's up with that, Tony? need to show more speed, eh?

*****some of those names may be incorrect, as there appears to be a discrepency with the entry lists ********** [disclaimer - surf SCCA.org at your own risk ]

 

sweet!!!!!!!

Thought this would at least get a few comments. Who has the fastest road MINI ?

This is where the b******t stops, when the green flag drops, as the saying goes.

 

I was at the Runoffs all weekend and saw the great SSC race Sunday morning. The MCS's in SSC had a good showing, coming in 1st (Taylor) and 3rd place (Lipperini). Lipperini was last year's SSC Runoffs winner in a Honda Civic, but I overheard him say after the race that something on his MCS broke during lap 4 (out of 20) and he was basically in survival mode the rest of the race and was able to hang onto 3rd place.

-Keith

 

I love the runoffs too!

I try to go every year on Friday.

 

Here is a link to some video of the start.
http://www.nuzzomotorsports.com/Video/MO%20lap1.AVI

 

Wow you got knocked around like a ping pong ball! I'l glad you didn't get nailed by that back Honda. As I watched the video I thought it was going to be a bad one. Glad you're ok. Thanks for the video clip. I'd sure like to see the rest of your race.

Chuck

 

It's a real shame that Mid-Ohio lost the runoffs. Great racing & good people. Next year it's a haul to Topeaka if you want to watch.

Chuck

 

I have to diagree with Pbraun that SCCA is the best road racing in the US. While it is the largest amature racing in the country and the Runoff's is the largest in North America and probably the world. It is far from the best racing. To race in SCCA you need a team of lawyers in your pits as there are more bs protests than there is racing. In the first qual session I was hit from behind by another car. This is supposed to be qualfying not NASCAR.
During the race you saw my video I was hit twice going into the first turn. I was spun around and luckily not hit again and serverly damaged. As I came over the hill in madness there was the car that hit me upside down. Two other cars were off into the wall on the right. Because of the spin I started last and managed to move up to 17th before I ran out of time. After the race my car had hit marks on all quarters. And it wasn't even my car.

There are some very good drivers out there and some that don't belong there. There are cars that are illegal and don't get caught and too many so called racers that love to file protests instead of driving better and faster than you on the racetrack. There are drivers that hit you in order to advance poaitions and don't get caught. Thats not racing.

So I don't call this the best road racing. Its fun for all that participate but its certainly not the best at least from my vantage point.

 

From what I've heard, and seen, unfortunately, I'd have to agree with Tony...

I could tell that you were more than just a little upset on the "out lap" in your video: http://nuzzomotorsports.com/

I think the NASCAR craze is starting to impact what I feel to be more pristine forms of racing... Sort of sucks...

 

I've been out of SCCA racing for some time, but it apears to me not much has changed. I'd have to say if I was second & the guy who took first wasn't legal then H*LL yes I'd file a protest. What I saw & still see are people in the back filing protests for stupid things that don't do anything, but ruin some poor racers weekend. As far as the NASCAR mentality goes I started seeing that around 1984. Until SCCA starts coming down on those clowns it's not going to get any better.

Tony,

I'm really glad you weren't really slammed in that ping pong match. That's got to leave a bad taste in your mouth. I know I've been there. It's one of the reasons that I no longer race.

Good luck in your future races.

Chuck

 

I don't get upset, I love racing too much and life's too short. Last week a driver was killed at Lime Rock. I wasn't happy about missing out on my chance at a top finish. I think it was Chad who hit me with the blue Honda. I haven't spoken with him but from the results of him ending upside down on the next turn I'd almost guess he had a throttle problem. If it was something else the I'd sure like to know. In any case we can't change the past.

In Grand Am if you get caught making what is deemed as avoidable contact they penalize you heavily. At Mid-Ohio two of the teams in the Championship hunt were assested 5 minute penalties and effectively taken out of the race. The drivers were all warned at the drivers meeting so it should have come as a suprise.

 

You are right life is too short. Stuck throttle or maybe the RED MIST. Starts are always a bit hairy & at the runoffs even more so.

I think Grand AM is doing the right thing as far as avoidable contact goes. I hope the SCCA gets the message too.

Chuck

 

Tony - Your point is well taken. In actual fact, my statement about SCCA having the best road racing in the USA was made mostly as an opening point for a discussion, which I think is great to see actually developing!

I raced a Mini in SCCA , class GT5 for 12 years, and did frequently get upset with the officials and the rules. That's certainly one reason why I am no longer racing. In that class, usually there was not much of the sort of bump and grind your runoffs race saw.
That was very unfortunate and shameful that the SCCA effectively ignores that sort of behavior. The SOM can and sometimes do protest entrants and penalize them for unsportsmanlike driving. Not enough.

At the runoffs, most of the drivers are good, but in any amateur sport, there are always some who really should not be on the track. Probably in most cases, that type of drivers don't qualify for the runoffs, at least they should not, in theory. One can, however, enter as many National races as one wants to, and can afford to, so therefore, finishing counts, and if you can finish a bunch of races and accumulate points, you're in the show, depending on how competitive the class is that particular year. At least that's how it used to work.

Then there's the money thing. Contingency cash can turn some drivers into maniacs and extreme risk takers overnight!

Gotta go for now - busy at work - I do have some more to say, later !
Cheers,

 

Peter,
I understood your comments and didn't mean any disrespect, Its just that this has been a tough year of racing, In SCCA I've been hit more times by competitors than I think I had been in the last 5 years in the pro ranks.
I like the racing a lot, some good drivers and some very well prepared cars.
My perspective was just a little jaded this week.
I'm off to VIR this week for our season finale in Grand AM CUp with the two MINI's.
TN

 

Yeah, no problema, Tony..any racing can be frustrating at times - hang in there!, and : .....best of luck at VIR !!!!! We're cheering for you!

 

FYI - to all who may be interested - a guy here in Connecticut is planning to offer "turn key" MINI Cooper S racecars for sale - soon! Very cool deal - Tim......
see : http://www.injector.com he has built many motors for MINI racers :smile: and has the knowledge to produce a winner! After that, it's up to the nut behind the wheel ! wish it was me!.......maybe again, some day soon.