Another win for MINI, this time at Watkins Glen. Actually it was a 1 - 2 finish, brother to brother. Did anyone watch it?

 

I sure did! I was worried when 3 MINIs had an issue right at the start of the race. But they had some serious speed and charged right back up to the front.

 

They did great, even in the rain. I do not know who the IMSA announcers were, but their biased against MINI came through. The "commuter cars" comment showed their stupidity. These Brits really need to drive one, or maybe they just enjoy living in their Mazda past.

 

I watched the entire race. Very well done on strategy and speed. I don't know that the announcers were biased against MINI ... they just had to point out how they were the most upright cars on the track and that they cornered on three wheels. When I raced my vintage Mini I'm not sure I had any wheels on the ground.

 

The announcers were funny....at times they disagreed with each other on what happened in an off track shunt or simply argued over various analogies of events during the race....quite humorous imo...all in good fun!

The best commentators imo are the Formuls 1 trio! They really compliment one another...a racer (David Hobbs), an experienced F1 mechanic (Steve Matchett), and an all round auto enthusiast professional live announcer (Leigh Diffey), plus Will Buxton covering the pits/track on site.

 

I guess they have never seen a FWD Honda or Nissan 3-wheel it through a corner.

The 6 hr race has already been posted to YouTube. I wonder how long it will be before they get this race up there.

 

Yes, congrats on the win! That's huge.

 

Some great pictures of the WGI victory here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4314292

 

The Continental Tire race at WGI has been posted on YouTube:

What a great race!

The rain really rearranged everything. However the track really doesn't collect standing water as the announcers said. It does get running water when it rains that hard. As you can see the track does dry fast once the rain stops.

The thing that I did noticed was how much power the MINIs have now. In handling, the MX5s were quite a bit better and the MINIs seemed about equal to the Porsches but able to out drag race either of those cars on the straights. However, none of this is to take any credit away from the two brothers who showed a lot of skill and drove a great race.

And, yes, the announcers were pretty hysterical in their arguments.

 

Another podium for the MINI team.

They took third in the MoSport Canadian Tire race making for 2 cars in the top 10 in that race.
It also looks like a fourth JCW MINI - Team Octane - has joined the fray. Maybe this is a good indication that MINI is recovering their reputation after the disaster of the second Gen MINIs.

 

I believe the main reason the JCW's weren't doing better, besides the typical getting the bugs out and tweaking things is that IMSA was not initially allowing the cars to run with stock JCW parts which hurt them on power & braking. Now, they are serious contenders every race, which is great & about time!

 

On the Gen III MINI, I understand about how the JCW team developed, and the changes IMSA has made to allow it to be competitive. And it was great that someone took the risk to race a new model.

My comment had to do with my disappointment with the Gen II MINIs (I owned a N14 and have an N18) and the the disasterious N14 engine that they put into it. It also has no room to get cooling to the brakes (I've tried). Both things kill it for racing. MINI developed a great reputation with the Gen I MINI, with the R53 in particular and people raced it. They killed that reputation with the Gen II. The N18 is better but still not race worthy.

I am happy to see MINI/BMW saw the mistakes they made and have made a car that once again is seen as the giant killer, 3 wheeling and all.

I am eagerly awaiting the next race installment to show up on YouTube and to head out to LRP to see them in person.

 

Iam very impressed, and wish we would have something similar in Germany, the BMW on its brake disc in the pit - you see pure stock.

Does the JCW comes complete stock, except slick ? the cars are made from scratch but only using stock parts ? the removed trim, plus the cage come to 1.100 kgs ?

Anyway thanks giving the JCW third generation back its honour !

 

The cars are stock based. The brakes are the stock JCW with race pads (Carbotech XP23 in front; at least that was last year). The basic suspension is stock (mounting points, control arms, etc), but I believe bushings, springs, shocks, and sway bars are not. The engine computer ( controlling turbo boost and what not) is not stock but is a supplied sealed unit. The car is almost all gutted and race seats and roll cage installed. Lastly big, fat, gumball 225-45x17 Continental race tires are added.

This is based on observations. I may be a little off on a point or two, but what is really nice about these car is I could see myself building one in my garage (but I am not that motivated )

 

It would be interesting to compare the US JCW Mini Team Racer against the present UK Challenge version.

 

I read last season's IMSA rules and everything (except cage, seats, safety stuff) had to be "stock" for the MINI. Did not look at this year's rules yet. Other makes had all kinds of "exceptions" like electronic gas pedal systems, turbo chargers, etc. It appears that it has changed slightly this year or MINI/BMW has added a few new accessory parts like the aero kit, etc. It takes a couple of seasons to iron out all of the small problems, for each track setup, and the extra speed handling. The team still has a electronic problem when the car engine quits-they think it has something to do with the speed limiting feature. They have to restart and motor on. Hope it rains at Limerock.

 

The JCW parts do help. Those challenge MINI cars are really modified.

 

Maybe they can use here in the States some of their parts, the Black Band bodykit is available too, i think it takes 245/40/17 Dunlops, around 270HP are not much, as well the weight which is around 1.100 kgs, racing with R56 they are def faster

 

^^ that challenge car is crazy awesome.

 

Wow!
I want one!

 

I think everyone does.

 

Looks to have a proper rear diffuser also! Now that's Spartan! I'm sure some of the Challenge's features will carry over to the Gen 3 JCW GP when it hits the market! ;-)

 

My car'll trash that thing. lol.

 

OMG
What a freaking great race up at Mosport!
From the drop of the green flag to the checkered flag type of excitement.
This was what you go to races to see. Only one full course yellow in the whole 2 hrs and for more than the last half hour the 37 MINI lead ST with only a half second between it and the third place car - MINI, Porsche, Nissan going round and round together. Until that smallest of small mistakes in the last 2 laps cost the MINI its lead.

Check it out

The best part is the new found respect the announcers have for the MINIs and how much video time they spent on them after the 1-2 win at WGI.

Even more excited to see them at LRP tomorrow

 

LRP wasn't too kind to the MINIs it appears! Lots of bumpin & bangin hurt the JCW Team's chances. I believe #73 finished 12th....as high as the MINIs got. :-(