After recently getting back into a MINIs with an Ice Blue Edition F56, we're obsessed with MINIs again and tracked down an Ice Blue 2014 R55 and picked it up today.

It's got low miles, but a few dings/dents that we'll hopefully get figured out (like at the MINI emblem on the rear door). No biggie.

We've always wanted an R55, and figured now is the time before they're all old and trashed. More importantly, now we don't have to fight over who gets to drive the MINI! Also, the B-Spec race class rules recently added Clubman (and Coupe and Countryman and Paceman) to the list of legal cars, so this may eventually wind up doing that, too, or sharing parts with another B-Spec Cooper.

So, the details:

Ice Blue w/ Ice Blue Roof and black d-pillar trim
6-speed manual
No sunroof
15" R81 "Holies"

That's pretty much the list. I think it may actually have ZERO options. Halogen lights, non-sport Leatherette... maybe the floor storage cover in the back was on option? Not sure.

Ordered some Dunlop Direzza ZIII today. I have an extra set of orange 16" S-winders with Direzza Z1s from our old MINI, but we both love the Holies, so they're staying for the moment.

Probably going to do some Bilstein B14 Coilovers and Vorshlag Camber plates soon, per B-Spec rules. That and a brake refresh and it'll be ready for a track day, I hope.

And now, the pics:

 

Looks great! I love my Clubman. I think with the longer wheel base they make a great high speed runner. A “Justa” Clubman with full suspension would be a hoot on the track.

 

Love a clubby build. Can’t wait to see what you got planned. These things are a blast to drive, is it warm enough for dragon time yet?

 

First update! I ordered the B-spec series approved Bilstein B14 coilovers last night! 2-3 month backorder. Boo! Hopefully they get here in time for MOTD!

Thanks! Yeah, the people who are really racing near-stock MINIs right now, the B-Spec class, think the Clubman may have high-speed handling advantages, too. No one has run one in the series, yet, though, because the Clubman just got added to the approved vehicles list.

I'm definitely looking forward to getting it out on track, sometime this year. My old near-stock R56 Cooper was a blast, so I expect this to be even better with some more suspension mods.


Thanks. I want to eventually race this car or another similar MINI (in worse shape) in the B-Spec series, which allows *relatively* minimal mods: basically tires, lighter wheels, coilovers, swaybar, ditch the muffler, dyno tune, and weight reduction.

So, that's probably about what I'll do, minus throwing out the entire interior.

Can't wait for MOTD. We're actually planning to head up to North GA for the "Helenblitz" event. You going to that?

 

Got a link and any info?

 

http://www.helenblitz.com

Honestly, I have no idea what the schedule is or what people even do at this thing, but it's an excuse to make a trip in one of our MINIs and there will be a bunch of other MINIs there, so that's the plan.

 

website says feb 18-21, I’m planning a dragon trip at the end of February. My parents live in sevierville so I got a free place to crash. I might have to work the 21st.

 

Let's get this thing done! Maxspeed has more RRR dates for May and July 😁

 

Shouldn't have to twist my wife's arm to go to Savannah!

She was kinda on board for Road Atlanta in March with NASA-SE, but that might be too soon. I haven't even actually *driven* the R55 yet, besides getting it 3 miles home from where we bought it! Still cleaning it up and doing oil change, etc. And I'm not going to track the F56, I don't think. Too nice and harder to replace if something happened to it.

Good news is, now she's saying we need *another* MINI to be a *dedicated* track car! That was kinda supposed to be this one, but we went a little bit more upmarket than we originally planned and this one is probably a keeper/DD/occasional track day.

She was checking FB and such for a $4-5k R55/6 today, so who knows, but I'm going to check Maxspeed.

Do you prefer them to NASA-SE? Pros/Cons?

I think I would like to do RRR or Sebring as my first track day back (after a several year break) just since I've driven those before.

Oh, I see you can add a driver, same run group, for $75. Maybe I can convince her to drive, too!

 

I prefer Maxspeed. The run groups are capped at thirty cars, so traffic is minimal. You get six 30 minute sessions per day, and there is really no stress with getting to grid and getting on track on time. You are getting a lot of seat time, so if you want to skip a session, go out late or come in early, it's not a big deal. Additionally, because it is not as crowded getting through tech, finding a paddock spot just doing what you need to do to get through the weekend is very low stress.

NASA is good for what it is: a grass roots racing organization. If you want to get a comp license and race the clock or wheel to wheel, it's great. If you are looking for seat time to hone your craft and work towards the comp license, it is not really a great bang for your buck. NASA weekends are generally pretty hit or miss. We had 50+ cars in my run group last time I was there. The twenty minute sessions tend to get cut short, and with that much traffic sometimes it can leave you feeling frustrated. I think I will only use them for actually getting my license and doing time trial. My HPDE money is going to Maxspeed and Just Track It. The NASA family is huge and full of a lot of great people, but the ROI is not great. I feel like I spend most of my weekend running back and forth to the classroom (to sit through the same track video, flag presentation, and hours long discussion on the finer points of a point-by) and spending very little time behind the wheel. When I am behind the wheel, there's never enough laps.

 

Sounds good. I want to eventually do some actual racing, but I need a lot more seat time before then, and it sounds like Maxspeed is a great option.

Definitely sucks to waste a session in traffic. Even more annoying when it's just a single car that won't let you by because they can smoke you on the long straight even if you've been riding their bumper the rest of the track for several laps.

I need to figure out if there's a similar group driving Sebring, too, since that's quite a bit closer to me than even RRR.

The late May date might work. We're doing MINIs on the Dragon (you planning to go to that?), but that's the very beginning of May. Late July would be good for torture testing cooling systems, brakes, etc. haha

 

Take a look at HPDEjunkie.com for track days. I believe he has every event in NA listed and sortable by track.

I don’t plan on going to MOTD, but we’ll see what happens.

 

Thanks, I'll check out HPDEjunkie.

We're basically looking for excuses to go drive the MINIs in the mountains and such compared to being stuck here in FL, so we're planning to do Helenblitz in a few weeks, MOTD, MTTS, etc. Hopefully squeeze some track days in, too.