Ok, first off thank you for any sugestions, secondly here's what I'm up against. My wife works for a large metro police dept. and one of her friends/bosses is the driving instructor for all the cops in my town. Now I DO NOT street race, or condone it, but in my situation I have access to the police proveing track....so I was talking about my new MCS and how fast it is and the handling, etc...one thing led to another and I am getting ready to race the police driving instructor. I don't have time/money for any serious mods but I think with the help of this community I have a chance to at least make an impression. I haven't driven the track yet so not too much info on that. Anyone have info on what to expect from the police charger, other than it's gonna kill me in the straight aways? What race day prep can I do with the MINI to help at all? Thinking about the advantages I have and how to max them out. I.E. weight, thinking show up with little fuel in tank? How about leaving air box top off for more air? Am I thinking right or is this counter productive? Using octaine booster day of? Tire pressure on track, a little low? Any ideas are welcome, even if you just want to call me stupid.
This car is bone stock, 2011 MCS

 

A high flow intake can boost your HP a bit. If you have $900 laying around, ALTA's AccessPort would really help. A rear sway bar will help you corner better, which is really the most bang for the buck, helping you shoot out of the corners.

 

Well for one I would find sticky tires that can keep your car stuck to the road when cornering. That is the cheapest thing probably.

Then a tune but not sure when you are going to do this so that may be out of the picture.

Other than that just try to stay in from of him and block him. If he gets around you then the only place yo may be able to catch up is the corners.

 

Tires. Ditch the run flats. Go with some dunlop star specs or Hankook rs-3's

 

hrmm...I hate to say it but you're probably gonna get smoked. My previous car was a saturn sky redline that would leave any stock mini in the dust and one day I got the chance to go up against a charger with only a modified exhaust and it left me in the dust. Those chargers, especially if it's been modified, are FAST. The Mini will handle the corners much better but I don't know if it'll be enough.

It sounds like you're going to have a blast though!!

 

Get a few HPDE driving lessons ASAP.

 

LOL what area are you in ill sub in and hand the charger its @$$


21psi FTW! KW for the riding on rails! COJONES for the sinker!

 

I know I'm gonna get killed, but I'm not just going to give up. I know the corners are mine, and that should be a factor as this is a course for training. This is purely a chance to have fun and see what I can really do. At the end of the day I hope to have learned something about myself and my car.

 

This. The single biggest advantage your opponent has is a lot of driving experience, especially on that particular track. He'd probably beat you in a non-S Mini considering he probably has a couple thousand laps there.

At least go to an autocross.

All that said, go and have fun and go for a ride with the instructor to learn a few things.

 

Come on down to Oklahoma anytime Bigprfed! I never turn down a chance for a good time! He hasn't seen the car yet ether. May bring my bike to the track also just for fun.

 

Newest update, admiting the clear advantage he has over me with the car and track knowledge, the race will be a time trial. His first lap vs. my best lap.( I get several chances, he gets one) Second, he will show me what the charger will do (one lap) then he will challange me driving my wifes countryman with auto trans. A car he has never driven. This is getting more interesting....

 

Get some track or high speed driving instructions.

Stock 2011 MCS, rear swarbar upgrade, light wheels with sticky tires Dunlops or the RS3 mentioned or a bit cheaper the Hankook 212s.

Mostly it is all about you, smooth, know the line control in the corners, peddle like hell in the straights.

Enjoy, sounds like a lot of fun.

Let us know how you do and what the Countryman does under his control.

Don

 

That sounds a lot better. Go into it as a learning experience and have a lot of fun...don't push yourself to win. My previous boss was a track instructor and had a few cocky students tape their wallets to the dashboard to remind them how bad it would suck to push themselves too far.

- Andrew

 

This sounds like a blast, what a great opportunity! Most of us don't get to race the cops unless we want to end up behind bars!

 

I don’t think that will help...lol.

Depending on the instructors background, most of them guys can DRIVE!

A great driver in a crappy car will out run the best car on the market. If you can’t drive, it doesn’t matter much what kind of car anyone is driving.

I’m with the rest of the guys.

Cheap.... tires
Expensive.... tune.



Good luck, let us know.

Mark

 

You guys are dead on so far with all the advice. I know this is a David and Golioth senario to say the least, but would any of you say no? I doubt it. Having fun and trying to learn how to be a better driver is motavation enough for me to get out. That said, a buddy of mine told me of a local filling station that sells from 93 to 106 octaine fuel. I know MINI recommends 91. 93 doesn't scare me. So how much is too much? I have seen the minimum fuel requirements posted, but how far can you go without harming some secret magical sensor MINI has hidden somewhere or something? I am not even considering the 106 by the way.

 

Don't forget the secret weapon...it's all in the springs man, it's all in the SPRINGS!

This sounds like a blast peichor, good luck!

"Anyone can drive a fast car, few can drive a car fast."

 

The two local police training racks out here are VERY tight . I think you will have a lot more corners than straights . They are mostly car control layouts IE: lots of turns and perfectly paved . Get a decent set of tires on there and have at it .

Randy
m7 Tuning

 

Absolutely not... I wouldn't pass at the opportunity. You'll have a blast.


Absolutely not again... I'm glad you're smart enough NOT to put 106 in the fuel tank. 93 is about as much as you want to go on a stock engine.

Obviously on a time and cost level, do 2 things.

1) get decent tires... it will make a world of difference.

2) watch some videos on some driving techniques. It takes time and practice to perfect them but it might help on some small level.

Mark

 

Have fun, but you are going to get smoked.

I went to the BMW 3 day drivers school at the Nurburgring back when I was racing SCCA Nationals and Trans-Am. (I was pretty decent...lol) Our group instructor was driving a 318Ti, and BMW gave me a new 328 with M Tech suspension to use. That guy flat walked away and could hide if he wanted to.

I was talking to him, and it turns out he is a test driver for BMW at the Ring, and probably has several 100,000 km's on the Ring. Local knowledge is key...

Have fun, don't take it personally, but he probably has a LOT more seat time going fast than you do...

 

I agree but like the OP said, there ain't no way I'd pass it up...lol.


He'll have a blast.

Mark

 

Sounds like fun. Be sure to post a video of the race.

 

While you will get eaten alive, there is no way I would pass that up. Sounds like tons of fun!

Maybe he would let you run a lap or two in the Charger too? Seems only fair if you are letting him use the CM

 

This would be your only disadvantage unless this is some sort of specially modified charger, the police chargers are pigs.

Even with the hemi, straight line acceleration would likely be on par with a stock MCS. The MINI will stop faster and corner better. The charger will be an auto, you have a manual. Experience will be key as everyone else noted!

 

Please explain how stock for stock their straight line acceleration will be on par?


Without an aggrssive tune and some other mods... the charger will out accelerate the mini s period.