Ugly comment about MINI at Barber race
1st Gear
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Not all MINI Cooper Race Cars are Created Equal.
The worst part about this whole thing is the generalization that takes place.
There is a guy out of Baton Rouge (Paulo, on NAM) that does very well in
just about every race he enters. At No Problem (13 turns, 1.8 mile road course)
he beats cars he just shouldn't be beating (400+ hp Subaru's and Vettes).
Some tracks with more staights and less curves he doesn't do as well but always
performs very respectably.
There are just too many variables to address. It all depends on the track,
the cars and the DRIVERS.
The fact still remains: A well prepared MINI Cooper S, piloted by a competent
driver on a tight track will come out on top more often than not, even when
challenged by high HP cars.
There is a guy out of Baton Rouge (Paulo, on NAM) that does very well in
just about every race he enters. At No Problem (13 turns, 1.8 mile road course)
he beats cars he just shouldn't be beating (400+ hp Subaru's and Vettes).
Some tracks with more staights and less curves he doesn't do as well but always
performs very respectably.
There are just too many variables to address. It all depends on the track,
the cars and the DRIVERS.
The fact still remains: A well prepared MINI Cooper S, piloted by a competent
driver on a tight track will come out on top more often than not, even when
challenged by high HP cars.
Originally Posted by brmotoringadvisor
The worst part about this whole thing is the generalization that takes place.
There is a guy out of Baton Rouge (Paulo, on NAM) that does very well in
just about every race he enters. At No Problem (13 turns, 1.8 mile road course)
he beats cars he just shouldn't be beating (400+ hp Subaru's and Vettes).
Some tracks with more staights and less curves he doesn't do as well but always
performs very respectably.
There are just too many variables to address. It all depends on the track,
the cars and the DRIVERS.
The fact still remains: A well prepared MINI Cooper S, piloted by a competent
driver on a tight track will come out on top more often than not, even when
challenged by high HP cars.
There is a guy out of Baton Rouge (Paulo, on NAM) that does very well in
just about every race he enters. At No Problem (13 turns, 1.8 mile road course)
he beats cars he just shouldn't be beating (400+ hp Subaru's and Vettes).
Some tracks with more staights and less curves he doesn't do as well but always
performs very respectably.
There are just too many variables to address. It all depends on the track,
the cars and the DRIVERS.
The fact still remains: A well prepared MINI Cooper S, piloted by a competent
driver on a tight track will come out on top more often than not, even when
challenged by high HP cars.
Coordinator :: Gulf Coast & Panhandle MINIs
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,662
Likes: 0
From: In the Tube
Being there last week and seeing the race on TV today was… 
It was day and night. They didn’t show how much the pace car was out, they didn’t show how much they drove under a yellow flag, they didn’t show the entire bumper (nascar) type racing was going on and they didn’t have so many TV commercials.
True racing will have contact time to time, but not like this. How about getting back to true racing and not bumper car BS. Take that stuff to the stock yard; road racing has no place for it!
It was day and night. They didn’t show how much the pace car was out, they didn’t show how much they drove under a yellow flag, they didn’t show the entire bumper (nascar) type racing was going on and they didn’t have so many TV commercials.
True racing will have contact time to time, but not like this. How about getting back to true racing and not bumper car BS. Take that stuff to the stock yard; road racing has no place for it!
1st Gear
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Just to keep things in perspective, I did not buy a Mini to race. I bought a Mini because it stole my heart and the only way to get it back was to become an owner of one. If it wins races..Great! I consider it a David among Goliaths! I can't think of another car I would rather be driving for the price I paid for mine. IMHO she is the best money I have ever spent on an Automobile!
MOTOR ON!
MOTOR ON!
Coordinator :: Gulf Coast & Panhandle MINIs
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,662
Likes: 0
From: In the Tube
Funny you should put it in that prospective because it truly is. BMW knows that a bigger stock engine will make there own namesake cars look very bad on the track and I do believe this is why they don’t have a livelier HP engine for the stock MINI.
We all know it can out handle any car on the road let alone BMW’s, but give it more stock HP and it would win everything on the track as well and BMW couldn’t stand that.
We all know it can out handle any car on the road let alone BMW’s, but give it more stock HP and it would win everything on the track as well and BMW couldn’t stand that.
My company sponsors Tony Nuzzo and it sucked watchin him in the back of the pack the whooooooole race running 12-16 postions. Havent talked to him after the race but im sure ill get some info on what he thought about the run.
What company are you with?
Originally Posted by 1FSTMINI
My company sponsors Tony Nuzzo and it sucked watchin him in the back of the pack the whooooooole race running 12-16 postions. Havent talked to him after the race but im sure ill get some info on what he thought about the run.
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,354
Likes: 0
From: Overthemountain, AL
The sports editor for the B'ham News just emailed me asking for my city of residence so he could publish the email I sent to him. He said I made some really good points. I have no idea what I wrote as I can't seem to find the email 
Keep an eye out for it & hopefully I didn't say anything too stupid that will embarass all Mini owners lol
Keep an eye out for it & hopefully I didn't say anything too stupid that will embarass all Mini owners lol
7th Gear Gal
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 36,087
Likes: 3
From: Weeblegabber West (aka WLA)
Originally Posted by bamatt
The sports editor for the B'ham News just emailed me asking for my city of residence so he could publish the email I sent to him. He said I made some really good points. I have no idea what I wrote as I can't seem to find the email
Keep an eye out for it & hopefully I didn't say anything too stupid that will embarass all Mini owners lol
Keep an eye out for it & hopefully I didn't say anything too stupid that will embarass all Mini owners lol
After watching the crummy coverage of the race on SPEED recently, what a travesty of a race it was! It looked more like amateur night at a bumper car ride at a carnival than a professional race. Tony didn't have a chance to get any momentum going, (nor did the other racers), but is sure was a thrill to see him on tv, if only for so brief a time!
Clover
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,354
Likes: 0
From: Overthemountain, AL
In the email the editor asked me if I could please reply today or tomorrow so I think it will be in the paper no later than Sunday. I will be sure to post a link to it in here as soon as it appears.
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,354
Likes: 0
From: Overthemountain, AL
I finally found the email I sent to the sports editor & they kind of published what I wrote in the "Sound Off" column in the 8/21, Sunday Birmingham News Sports Section. They edited what I wrote heavily (which I expected since the intent of the email I sent was written to express my anger & disappointment at their comments. My email was not written with the intent of it being published.)
Here is the email I sent:
Don't insult Mini Coopers
Here is the email I sent:
This was in the Birmingham News July 31st 
WORST OF BARBER
Worst excuse for a race car
You can take a Mini Cooper and cloak it in bright colors, paint a number on the side and add a sponsor's name, but a Mini Cooper is still a Mini Cooper. The Mini Cooper that was entered in Saturday's race looked like some kid had sneaked a pedal car into the race. It also ran like a pedal car.
I don't know if you had someone from the Gardening Section or maybe the Classifieds go to Grand Am race at Barber & then write the above B.S. cutesy comments because they simply are not true & they were also quite unnecessary. While the Nuzzo Mini did not have a great day by finishing 36th overall & 16th in their class there were plenty of other racers finishing behind them. Why didn't this idiot writer make the same comments about Ford, BMW, Porsche, Acura, & Mazda because those brands had cars finishing behind the Mini? I am not even sure if you had a reporter at the race because if this so-called reporter had actually been there then they would have commented on how no other car on the track cornered like the Mini. All (& by all I mean every single car) used the outer edge of the track when cornering & many ran off the track into the dirt but not the Mini. It was amazing to watch the Mini drive right down the center of the track like it was a straightaway. Tell your so-called reporter to get in his street legal car & try that.
This article has been posted on the North American Motoring website & in other Mini Cooper forums. It has angered many Mini owners & racing fans and also further perpetuated the pre-existing National belief that all Alabamians are raving idiots. As a resident of Alabama I am embarrassed by the untruths you published & I feel that the Birmingham News should write a factual retraction & publish it in the paper, post it on the North American Motoring website, & forward it to Nuzzo Motorsports.
Here is what they published today: WORST OF BARBER
Worst excuse for a race car
You can take a Mini Cooper and cloak it in bright colors, paint a number on the side and add a sponsor's name, but a Mini Cooper is still a Mini Cooper. The Mini Cooper that was entered in Saturday's race looked like some kid had sneaked a pedal car into the race. It also ran like a pedal car.
I don't know if you had someone from the Gardening Section or maybe the Classifieds go to Grand Am race at Barber & then write the above B.S. cutesy comments because they simply are not true & they were also quite unnecessary. While the Nuzzo Mini did not have a great day by finishing 36th overall & 16th in their class there were plenty of other racers finishing behind them. Why didn't this idiot writer make the same comments about Ford, BMW, Porsche, Acura, & Mazda because those brands had cars finishing behind the Mini? I am not even sure if you had a reporter at the race because if this so-called reporter had actually been there then they would have commented on how no other car on the track cornered like the Mini. All (& by all I mean every single car) used the outer edge of the track when cornering & many ran off the track into the dirt but not the Mini. It was amazing to watch the Mini drive right down the center of the track like it was a straightaway. Tell your so-called reporter to get in his street legal car & try that.
This article has been posted on the North American Motoring website & in other Mini Cooper forums. It has angered many Mini owners & racing fans and also further perpetuated the pre-existing National belief that all Alabamians are raving idiots. As a resident of Alabama I am embarrassed by the untruths you published & I feel that the Birmingham News should write a factual retraction & publish it in the paper, post it on the North American Motoring website, & forward it to Nuzzo Motorsports.
Don't insult Mini Coopers
I don't know if the Birmingham News had someone from the Gardening section or maybe the Classifieds go to the Grand Am race at Barber Motorsports Park, but the cutesy Worst of Barber comments about the Mini Cooper--it "looked like some kid had sneaked a pedal car into the race"--were untrue & unnecessary.
While the Nuzzo Mini did not have a great day by finishing 36th overall & 16th in its class, there were plenty of other racers finishing behind them including Ford, BMW, Porsche, Acura, and Mazda.
Why didn't the reporter comment on how no other car on the track cornered like the Mini? Every other car used the outer edge of the track when cornering and many ran off the track into the dirt, but not the Mini. It was amazing to watch the Mini drive right down the center of the track like it was a straightaway.
This article, which has been posted on the web, has angered many Mini owners and racing fans, and has further perpetuated the pre-existing national belief that all Alabamians are raving idiots.
While the Nuzzo Mini did not have a great day by finishing 36th overall & 16th in its class, there were plenty of other racers finishing behind them including Ford, BMW, Porsche, Acura, and Mazda.
Why didn't the reporter comment on how no other car on the track cornered like the Mini? Every other car used the outer edge of the track when cornering and many ran off the track into the dirt, but not the Mini. It was amazing to watch the Mini drive right down the center of the track like it was a straightaway.
This article, which has been posted on the web, has angered many Mini owners and racing fans, and has further perpetuated the pre-existing national belief that all Alabamians are raving idiots.
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 349
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster, PA
Originally Posted by bamatt
This article, which has been posted on the web, has angered many Mini owners and racing fans, and has further perpetuated the pre-existing national belief that all Alabamians are raving idiots.
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 163
Likes: 0
From: North east Alabama
I'm glad they printed your reply, I've been writing them since 1987 and have never gotten a response. their idea of sports is very narrow, they don't cover F1, or the America's Cup at all, when motorcyclists from Alabama do well in racing they don't get any mention, but the dirt track scene is well covered, here's an example of something exciting happening that gets no ink,
Today at the gulf at Orange Beach Alabama the offshore powerboats are racing, http://www.offshoresuperseries.com/news60.shtml
and the Birmingham News has not mentioned it all week, 150 mph boats racing on open waters and not a word about it.
I've been writing them since 1987 and have never gotten a response. their idea of sports is very narrow, they don't cover F1, or the America's Cup at all, when motorcyclists from Alabama do well in racing they don't get any mention, but the dirt track scene is well covered, here's an example of something exciting happening that gets no ink,Today at the gulf at Orange Beach Alabama the offshore powerboats are racing, http://www.offshoresuperseries.com/news60.shtml
and the Birmingham News has not mentioned it all week, 150 mph boats racing on open waters and not a word about it.
Im lost for words on how much you guys are devoted fans of Tony. Its nice to see a community of people like you Mini owners be so loyal and commited to Tony's race team and the sport. Its weird though being i know him personally being my company works with him for the cars and help in whatever he needs. I see Tony from time to time and we talk when we can at work and its like just seeing another person im close with on a friendly level and also as a work stand point. Keep on with your support, b/c its people like you guys who make this all possible or there wouldnt be a reason on any of us doing what we do to show you guys some good racing. B