It is now official, MINI will be represented in the Grand Am Koni Challenge.

RSR Motorsports will field a car for the Koni Challenge at Daytona with drivers Randy Smalley and Mark Congleton. The 2007 Koni Challenge rules have added weight to the fastest cars in this class which should bode will for the MINI. This program will be a serious effort and grow as the season progresses.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for all or a portion of the 2007 season. Interested parties can PM me for detailed information.

Stay tuned for additional updates as the team grows. Wish RSR Motorsports well, we look forward to seeing you at the track!

Mark Congleton

 

There will also be a MINI gathering that day as well with the SSM club, there to support the MINI teams!

(If you'd like I can put you in contact with some of those working to organize the meet, and if you have any photos or information I can update the gathering post as well)

 

Great news guys, Congrats!

Do you know which other races you intend to contest?

 

Current plans are to run at least 10 of 12 races. If you have seen the Grand Am scehdule for '07, you will see why 10 and not a full 12. . . . back to back races on the West and then East coast. It's too aggressive for a one car team. . . you can't be in two places at once!

We are also hoping to field a R56 Turbo a little later in the year. The current car (#197) is a new '06. We will post some pictures next week.

We missed the Daytona test this week due to shock issues. The late announcement that Koni would sponsor the series caught us by surprise.

Daytona will be the first race outing for the new car so expect some 'teething' problems. However, we are pretty confident. The car should be competitive right out of the box. At 2300 lbs (new '07 higher minimum weight) we are still the lightest car in the field.

The car has been professionally built by the best Mini race shop around and with the best components (aka expensive). We have a great primary sponsor in Cruise America . . . the motorhome rental people . . . so we have the funding to get the program rolling. We hope to add some additional sponsors as we prove ourselves.

Thanks for you interest and support. We hope to see you at the races.

Randall Smalley
RSR Motorsports Inc

The Black car shown below is my Spec racer and NOT the Grand Am car !!

 

Who's that?

Congrats on this huge endevor Mark and Randy. Please keep us posted.

 

Sounds great, do share your mods with us and let us know if you need help or support on our local tracks ...

Phil from Ohio

 

Randy and Mark, you will have a loyal following around here! Best wishes. I will follow all your races.I believe Laguna Seca and Lime Rock are one of the dreaded back-to-back weekends. Coming to CA? It really is a great track, esp for the MINI... but heck, so is LRP...Best to you guys!

 

Best of luck this season. Is Nuzzo running in 2007 also? Shoot me a message is you ever want some help in the pits .

-Brian

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rsstopper
.........

The car has been professionally built by the best Mini race shop around and with the best components (aka expensive)..........

Who's that?
----------------------
Marren Motorsports (aka: Marren Fuel Injection) in Oxford, Ct . . . built the car and the engine.

Tim Marren (203-267-FUEL) is the owner and contact. Call him. Tim has extensive experience with Mini's . . . and lots of success. He fielded 5 Mini's at the SCCA Runoffs and placed 5 in the top seven.

You will be impressed when you see the car. I will post some photos soon.

Off to Daytona soon !

Randy

 

Outstanding!

Best of luck!

 

Thanks everyone!!

I am getting excited! The offers of assistance are great, it doesn't appear Nuzzo will be back so RSR will have to carry the MINI torch.

Gentleman start you engines!!!!!

 

Use us, we can give you lots of Support !!!!

Phil

 

On behalf of myself, Mark C, RSR Motorsports, team and crew . . . thanks. We really appreciate the support. We will take you guys up on your offers of support at the events.

We just hope we can live up to your expectations. Honestly, and I don't want to jinx the effort . . . but we are pretty damn confident as the season starts up in Daytona. We have some limitations there because of aerodynamics (the flying brick??), but we think there are some real positives too. This is going to be the first outing of a new car so we expect some teething pains. But we also have an experienced builder, experienced crew and there are not many drivers that have more time and experience in Mini Coopers than Mark and I. We think the positives out-weight the negatives.

We think the new weight rules have leveled the playing field a lot. Grand Am added 100 lbs to the Mini (now 2300 minimum) but added a lot more to some of the other cars.

As we all know, a Mini can turn underneath just about any car on the track, but is hampered by lack of power relative to the other cars. The new higher weights for everyone will help to equalize the HP disadvantage and adds to our turn-in advantage.

The times at the Daytona test last weekend were almost 3 seconds slower than last year. I'm pretty certain the added weight is the reason. We think we will be right in the hunt. Unfortunately, we missed the test because of the new Shock rules. We were ready to go but no shocks!

Please watch this thread on NAM during the live sessions . . . eventually leading to the Friday main race. I am bringing my Laptop with wireless broadband access. We will keep you guys posted on the results and how the car is progressing. We plan on 'being live' at every event we race. And while I can't be pecking at the computer while driving, you will hear the inside scoop first . . . right here.

Thanks again !

Off to Daytona . . . 15 days and counting.

Randy

 

Randy, I can feel your enthusiasm!

The MINI weight increase was less than the others, but what about %-wise? Going from 2,200 to 2,300 pounds, is a 4.5% increase over last year...

I look forward to the "live" coverage also! The Grand Am website also provides a live feed of stats, and even a radio sometimes.

When the time is right, please share more info about your cars, and what was done to make them race ready. Hope you can make it out to Laguna!

 

[QUOTE=

Please watch this thread on NAM during the live sessions . . . eventually leading to the Friday main race. I am bringing my Laptop with wireless broadband access. We will keep you guys posted on the results and how the car is progressing. We plan on 'being live' at every event we race. And while I can't be pecking at the computer while driving, you will hear the inside scoop first . . . right here.

Thanks again !

Off to Daytona . . . 15 days and counting.

Randy[/QUOTE]

As they said in the 60s - "Far out ! " Ya'll go kick butt, now.

 

Hey Guys
Good luck with your venture. The live updates will be great for us guys waiting to see how you do. Will you be at the Glen this year? If so let me know. My home track and and a short drive to lend a hand.

GP0088

 

Planning on it. The Glen was the scene of the one and only podium for a Mini. We would like to repeat.

Randy

 

4.5% sounds like a big increase but don't let the numbers fool you. Since the GA rules did not allow carbon fiber and other weight saving items for Mini's, the old 2200 lb weight limit was unrealistic.

Many of the other cars WERE allowed carbon (Honda's, Acura's, Cobalts . . .) and that advantage has been eliminated.

We prefer ALL the cars to carry more weight, including us. We will still have the lightest car on the track @ 2300lbs and anyway you cut it . . . that is a plus for us.

Mini's already have high cornering speeds allowing the car to maintain momentum . . . the lower comparative weight should give us the highest cornering speed on the track. This makes up for our decided disadvantage in HP.

Since virtually all the cars use the same tires and have the same fuel capacity in 2007 . . . the simple laws of physics are on our side.

We shall see . . .

Randy

 

Randy, thanks for the comments on this topic. I'm guessing the MINI will then out-corner and out-brake it's competitors.

Same tires, and probably everyone with Konis? The track type and driver skill seem to be critical factors, or wildcards...

I think it's in Mark's gallery, but what is the MINI T-boning? Hope everyone was ok...

 

We actually view the brakes as the weakest part of the car. Rules don't allow larger brakes. This is a work in progress and we think this could hurt us at some tracks.

It shouldn't be a factor at the 1st three races . . . Daytona, Miami/Homestead and Iowa are basically NASCAR ovals with a road course in the middle. Not to much stress on the brakes and plenty of cool down on the long banked turns.

Laguna should be the first track that would test the brakes but we may not make Laguna because of the scheduling . . . sorry Tony !
Laguna is tough on brakes . . . Lime Rock is not . . . this also weights in on the decision of which race to choose.

But again. . . this is a work in progress and we are working to find a solution.

Let's see what happens.

Randy

 

Are you running the larger JCW brakes off the GP on your car?

 

Rich P. swears by his ducting method to keep his stocks cool. Give him a shout if you have not already figured something out on your own.

-Brian

 

Randy, I was hoping with your relative proximity to Laguna, you might make it here; but I understand, especially with the braking demads that you mentioned.

Indeed, JCW brakes... and as Brian said, cooling via directional ducts would be beneficial. Hope those will be options for you guys.

 

At this point, there are no endurance race pads for the JCW brakes. This could be an option in the future when and if pads become available.

The JCW brakes are better . . . probably still not good enough though . . . and they seem to fit within the rules.

, , , but then, I'm probably spoiled with brakes. I have the huge StopTech brakes on my Spec Mini and they are really great.

And to answer ' TheBlackBrian ' . . . we have all the ducting that the GA rules allow, which unfortunately, is probably not enough.

Randy

 

I LOVE Laguna. The picture below was taken at Laguna in my Spec Mini. There are also a few more Laguna shots in my Gallery.

If at all possible, we will be at Laguna.

Shame on GA for the scheduling.

Randy