The MINI JCW team took 1st and 3rd today in the IMSA race today at VIR. I was at the race and visited several different locations on the track during the race. The Street Tuner Class that MINI competes in starts at the end of the field. Several laps in there was a good shower and where many of the exotics and American muscle could not handle well on the wet track that resulted in the MINIs moving up into the middle of the pack for a short time. I commented to those I went to the race with that had it rained the entire race with the way VIR is laid out, MINI could have taken an overall win.

Mark Pombo and Colin Mullan won the race with team mates Nate Norenberg and Derek Jones taking 3rd.

 

Unfortunately it seems the 37 of Nate and Derek got moved to the back of the field due to drive time infractions (didn't meet the minimum drive time) for Derek Jones. So MINI came in 1st, 4th, and 5th. Waiting for the official results to be published though to confirm.

 

Did not have a radio and for the most part could not hear the TV guys and when you did they were not talking about the ST class so really had no idea who was in what place. I was on the south end when they made driver changes and did note that all the MINIs were out there longer than either the BMW or Porsche and then the 37 stayed out while the other two MINIs pitted. Somebody screwed up if they did not get the change completed in time.

While on the south end at Oak Tree Curve it was raining a little. It was enough that some some bigger horsepower cars had some rear end dancing coming into and exiting. The Yellow 52 MINI that won came in hot. He did not lose it but came really close, lost 3 places but did get them back.

 

 

Hmmm, the Motley Hampton Roads Crewe.

Great video. When it started raining Nascar Corner was like watch mice scatter when you turn the light on, that being all except the MINIs.