It's a little late notice, but I thought I would mention that Phil Wicks Driving Academies (http://www.minidriving.com/) will be holding a 2 day event at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, SC (outside Columbia) on September 23rd and 24th (I know it's the same weekend as the annual meeting). CMP is a great little track with both large sweepers and tight technical corners. The driving school is a great introduction to track driving and safety and will improve your driving abilities no matter what level you are (complete novice to experienced track driver). I have instructed for Phil for over a year (will be my 6th event) and every one of my students have loved their long day at the track (you do get a lot of track time and you will be tired by the end of the day). If you have any questions about the event please feel free to PM me. To sign up go to www.minidriving.com and call or email Phil. You can attend one or both of the 2 day event.

In addition to the driving school, the last 2 points events of the North American MINI Cooper Challenge race series will be held in the afternoon of the school. This year has been a great year for MINI racing and these events will no doubt be no different. Waylen Hunsucker (current points leader) will be in attendence to try to win the series. I will be racing both days as well as instructing so be sure to stop by and watch the action. Spectators are welcomed (there may be a fee of $10, I'm not sure) and are able to participate in a couple parade laps of the track during the lunch break, usually at noon. I hope to see lots of M2C2 members there and could use all the support I can get.

 

Oh man, I want to go so bad, but "life" is getting in the way! Will you do it again next year, sometime?

 

Phil does CMP every year, and some years twice, so next should should be doable. Sorry to hear you can't make it.

 

Good luck and have fun, Miniwildcat! WCM is rooting for you.

 

I just got off the phone with Phil and am planning to do the school both days. I have never been to CMP but he says, as Miniwildcat said, it is a great learning track.

 

We have annual meeting Saturday but plan on attending the race on Sunday. Hope to see you all there. Luke President Mini Motoring Club of Carolinas.

 

The discount deadline for this event is coming up soon, September 9. It looks like a number of MINIs coming out of the Atlanta area. Also, I think, one from Florida that enjoyed his time at Sebring.......nothing like a track full of MINIs.

We stay in Camden at the Colony Inn instead. The address is 2020 W. Dekalb St. in Camden, SC. The phone number is 803-432-5508. Mention CMP and get a discount on the room. Very clean and inexpensive place to stay and is about 20 minutes from the track.

We'll gather up anyone around on Friday night and eat at Ruby Tuesday in Camden. On Saturday night we'll leave straight from the track and head in to Kershaw to eat at Gus's House of Pizza. It is really neat to fill downtown Kershaw with MINIs on a Saturday night. The first time we did it we made the front page of the newspaper! I think the paper has all of four pages.

I won't be bringing the Lotus as I had planned because a poor dog ran out in front of me in the second hour of a 14 hour rally across the backroads of Tennessee. I was grateful for my days spent in driving schools and at track days. I didn't see the dog at all. The hit rotated the Lotus to the right and I quickly had four wheels off on wet grass sloping down to the trees on the side of Chilhowee Mountain. Luckily I had enough grass to right the car and get back up on pavement before reaching a low rock wall. Although I was able to finish the rally from the TN/NC border to the Mississippi River, the Lotus needs a front clam. Ouch!! And the dog didn't make it.

Let me know if you are coming and if you will join us for dinner Friday night and/or Saturday.