Dude, Mini = Racecar

 

Gates open at 6:00, but don't worry, we'll save a place for you.

We'll be setup just north of the Time Trailers (to the right in the North Paddock map).

NASA charges everyone $10 at the gate, good for both days.

 

Im sorry , did someone say hot? June 2006; in the paddock under canopy.



So whats the deal on the race series? Im in for 1/3 of a car if we can get a team together...I just have no place to store a car, so I would have to split it...have race license will draft for food....

 

Sorry? What race series?

 

damn. I saw MINI Challenge and I was all excited...

 

Yeah, I wish.

No, see, there are a bunch of SoCal Mini guys who are bragging about how fast they are, so I challenged them to a NorCal/SoCal Shootout at Buttonwillow during a testing day on September 21. We're still working out the details, rules and how to qualify who gets to run, but it will be limited to 10 cars, all racers or advanced drivers.

So far there are 2; me and Strom. Everyone else is strangely silent.

 

I'll be at Infineon on Sunday representing the OFG (old fat guys) at the kart track. I should be able to come down and visit at the Mini corral. Hope to see some new faces or returning old faces I haven't met. Poor Jerry is getting lonely. Hopefully the wheel fairy will visit me soon and I can get back on track with y'all.

 

I'll be reppin' the PPMM (pleasingly plump mature men) in the paddock.

Just be careful if the wheel fairy asks you to bend over and help with the wheels.

 

I'll be there Sunday.
I'm not sure if can make the norcal team, but i'm willing to try. If they have any intermediate drivers i'm in.

 

If the wheel fairy were to bring some wheels (say sunday to Infineon) 'wink, wink' I would be happy to bend over (to kiss the fairies feet) and to be eternally grateful to said fairy and of course come up with an acceptable reimbursment plan that the fairy could live with knowing that said fairy is providing a great service to the Mini community by allowing a poor and starving track junkie to get a much needed fix.

 

Randy,
What time you headed out on Sunday......been thinkin' about a road trip myself.

 

Dude. You sayin' I'm gay? Whatcha winkin' at me for?? You think I'm cute?

j/k

Actually, it was too difficult to mount the new tires on my orange wheels, so they're mounted on the silver ones as illustrated above. So you can look them over and make me an offer if you want, but you can't wear them home. Sorry.

 

I'm not sure Willum, give me a call 545-5430 will talk about it. After 6:00pm i dont get home till then.

 

OK....probably sometime tomorrow.

 

I have a great time at Infineon on Sat, specially the last group 4 section. Thanks Jerry

BTW I will work on my driving skills and get the hat off your hand in the future.

 

Yes! We finally got some fast Minis together on the track!

Donald led with his black on black MCS (with new orange wheels - stylin!), Mickey followed in his blue and white MCS, and Sad Arthur brought up the rear. Soon we were zooming around nose to tail. I stood that as long as I could (not long), and when an opening appeared, I charged around Mickey and set out after Donald. Soon I reeled him in as well and then tackled the rest of the field. It was really good practice, but it emphasized why I went to TT.

Time Trials is really an offshoot of HPDE 4. Anyone who runs 4 is eligible for TT. You'd think the two groups would be on the same level, but they are not. The goal of TT is to stagger everyone on the startting grid according to their best laptime and encourages them to improve their laptimes on a clear track. Since I started running TT in April, I've dropped about 5 seconds off the best laptime I ever ran in HPDE 4. Consequently, dropping down to 4 was like sending the dog out into a flock of pigeons.

Today I'll find out from Group 4 Leader if I pissed anyone off passing in traffic. I hope not, because it sure was fun!

More fun today. With the tires scrubbed in, I hope to lower my time a little more. Yesterday I achieved my goal of breaking into the 50's with a 1:59.770. I also went off in turn 10 next to the Green Wall 'O' Death and lived to tell about it. Going too fast and pushed two wheels off, stayed on the gas, held 'er steady and didn't even lose my place. Another podium finish, but only a bronze as I still couldn't stay with either Black Bob's 944 or Zane in his R32. Today a lady hotshoe joins us with her very fast Spec Miata so I probably won't make the podium. Oh well.

 

It was nice to meet some new people and be able to put some faces to thier NAM names. I was able to meet Checkers and Willum and thier nice Mini's! Saw a couple of other Mini's but I was there at lunch time so missed a few people. Jerry, great time getting into the 50's! How were Sunday'stimes?
I had a mostly good day at the Kart track. Qualified on pole with a new track record for my class. In the heat race I started on pole and led for 8 laps until a kart flipped back in the pack and the race was red flagged. The driver was OK with just a few bruises. Since the race over half way they just ended it. So I started on pole for the main race but had a poor start and dropped to 4th, passed to third on 2nd lap and chased down 2nd place. On lap 7 My Shift linkage semmed to stick and kept down shifting when I would accelerate. Turns out the motor mount broke so I was done for the day. Overall a good day, I had made some chassis adjustments that really worked well.

 

Very good Vince! If that thing will stay together, it sounds like you've got a first place finish in you. Congratulations! Sorry I missed seeing you.

Checkers and Willum showed up in time to watch me run around the course mostly by myself but most importantly, watched me get hugged by the Brolly Dolly on the podium for a third place on Sunday at the last Thunderhill event, and a third place on Saturday at Sears. I need the cred. Otherwise, how will the rest of you know I'm not just making this stuff up? Anyway, that makes 6 podium finishes out of 8 tries so far in a field of 10. I am second in points for the year after Black Bob in his potent 944. He and Zane in the R32 with his new suspension are about 3 seconds ahead of me. I don't know where I'm going to find 3 seconds, but I'm still looking and my times are still coming down. Best time of the weekend was a 1:59.330. Black Bob turned a 1:56 and change. Looks like I have some work ahead of me. I think there is more to be had in turn 3, maybe in 4, probably in 8 and definitely in 1.

My worries about Laura in her fast TTD Spec Miata never materialized as the best she could do at Sears was a 2:01. When I asked her why she was so slow, she replied that she was having a bad brain day. They can be daunting, those bad brains!

When I returned from lunch, the guys were not on station so I went walkabout and when I returned, just saw Randy and William pulling out. I waved, but I don't think they saw me. Thanks for showing up, guys. I hope to see you on track next time. Leo was also present, running in Group 1 and Mickey and Donald were running Group 4 so we are getting a good turnout of Minis at last.

 

Randy and I were hoping to see you run again, but it looked like you weren't going back out until 4:30. I needed to home by 5 (family duties) so we bailed out. All 'n all, it was a good day at the track. Next time it will be "on" the track.

 

I ended up with an extra chair bag. Is it yours, Randy?

 

OK. Im going back to NASA after my HOD adventure in July. Ive got all new rotors and pads and will soon get a fuild overhaul and allignment done. Doubt Ill be running below 2:00, but I should be able to get Jerry to talk about me

 

What group will you be running, Matt?

If it's HPDE 4 I feel it's only fair to drop down there for one session and give you guys a run at the FMOD hat. I start behind all the Minis and try to catch and pass them. It's fun, and it makes for a good show as the Minis charge through the field.

 

I ran 3 last time, probably 4...

 

Was this event that you and others attended strictkly HPDE 1-4? I'm looking at NASA's web site and they have all these different classes that you can choose to race in. i,e, Porsche 944 challenge, Honda Challenge, spec E30 and others. Or are these totaly different than the ones you have attended in the HPDE groups?

 

Many people think that any event taking place on a racetrack is by definition "racing". It's a common misconception. In High Performance Driving Events racing is strictly prohibited. Passing outside the strict passing zones will result in sitting out some sessions or going home for the day. Safety is the primary concern. Learning to drive your car quicker is the other priority, and to this end, experienced instructors are available to ride along with the drivers in HPDE 1 thru 4.

Neither can you show up with, say, a Spec E30 racecar and just go racing. You have to work your way up through the ranks and qualify for a competition license before you will be allowed on the track with others whose lives will depend on your skill, experience and predictability.

Currently, I'm the only Mini running in NASA NorCal Time Trials. TT, mainly because it requires rollover and fire protection, a race seat and at least a 5 point harness, is one step above HPDE, and one step below wheel to wheel racing. We grid according to our previous lap time and run against the clock with prizes given to the first three finishers in each group. My JCW MCS is in TTD. Classes are set according to the car's power-to-weight ratio, so classification may be different for other Minis. BTW, TT is considered a competiton event so wave bye-bye to your insurance coverage if you decide to participate.

Everyone else in this thread (as far as I know) runs some form of HPDE, either with NASA or with various other clubs. These are considered non-competitive, instructional events and as such, any damage your car suffers MAY be covered by your insurance, always dependent on your insurance company and their policies.

If I were to go racing, it would be in a Spec Miata because they are very quick and because the first thing you must do if you go racing is write off the racecar. There is absolutely nothing you can do out on the track that will increase the value of your car, to quote Albert. You can get into a competitive Spec Miata for around $10K and replacement parts for Miatas are CHEAP! They are a whole lotta fun for not many bux.

Currently there is no Spec Mini series in the US, although interest and participation in the European Mini Challenge Series is extrememly high. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me that we have nothing comparable in this country, but I guess racing is just not the Mini's niche market.





Sid's car with two fast Miatas in the background. Despite the Mini's horsepower advantage, a well driven Spec Miata will give me fits on the track.