I've decided to try One Lap of America this year with my Cooper S. Eight days, seven race tracks and 3900 miles of transit driving in between. The biggest obstacle I have at the moment is finding a suitable co-driver. Are any of you interested?

At a minimum, you must be willing to:
(1) keep Thursday, May 4 to Sunday May 14, 2006 free from work, family and other committments.
(2) actually enjoy driving a MINI at speed and over long distances
(3) co-drive nightly time trial / transit legs between tracks
(4) participate in at least some of the drag racing or skid pad competitions
(5) pay your share for lodging and food

Not required but helpful:
(1) high performance driving school experience (at least two BMWCCA-like HPDE events are required before you can drive on the track, but track-driving experience is not a requirement for co-drivers)
(2) entrance fee share (if you want to drive one or more of the on-track events, I'll expect you to help cover some of the entry fee, but if you're just helping with the transit stages and drag races, etc. no entry fees are needed from you)
(3) money for tires, wheels, parts, fuel, other consumables (I'll probably cover most if not all of that, especially if you're not driving on the track).

More information on the schedule and format of the competition is here:
http://www.onelapofamerica.com/histo...e.shtml?y=2006

I'd prefer a co-driver that is a fellow MINI enthusiast. If interested, please send me a PM with your qualifications, or any questions.

Thanks,
David

 

David,

Call Chad at Detroit Tuned about this ASAP, I think he wants to

See you there

Phil ... "Lap Dog"

 

after looking at the dates for the first time tonight, i realized i can not go. DT needs to be down at the Dragon, (only missed it by two days)but i would be just the guy for the job as fit all the items in your list to a T. Sorry but maybe next year. hopefully I'll be there with my car (crosses fingers). another year of drive schools would be really good also. i had this idea to get out to a bunch of great tracks this year to get some track time on a bunch of different tracks to build up skills. i am sure that would help a lot in this type of event. i hope you find someone. but feel free to give me a call any time.

Chad

 

David:
Best of luck to ya, I would be all over this, and I mean all over this opportunity, but my pregnant wife, 9 month old, and 3 year old think I should stay at home for a bit, and wait to do a one lap event in the future...

Do you have that new black 05 MINI S that was at NHIS last year?

Matt

 

I may be interested, i'll drop you a PM with my phone number so we could maybe discuss on the phone? I'm close to you in Montreal and am on my second MCS. Have had quite a bit of track experience in the MINI, did my first BMW HPD Events in my old e30 M3. I'm definitely a MINI enthusiast and am slowly converting the family into MINI drivers lol. Fiance's sister is about to order one this week I'd like to go over the costs/fees to be sure as I would be interested in splitting the track time as well.

oh, hope you have a LSD

cheers

Amit

 

I might be interested. I'll check out the One lap website if it is up already to see what portion of the entry fee and expenses I could swing. Where in NH are you? I lived in Goffstown until 2004 when work relocated me to SC.

 

Entrance fee = 2,500
Tires (6) = 800
Hotel rooms 70x7= 490
Fast food

You are looking at least 2,000 to "split" the expenses ...

I highly recommend it

 

Red Fury,

Can you elablorate a little more on the expenses. I've been looking all over the net for costs and can't find much. How much was your total budget last year? $4000? How much did you spend on Gas? Did you have any issues with the car?

thanks

Amit

 

I appreciate all of your encouragement and advice, everyone!

Phil, thanks for the cost estimates, they seem about right. I may lean on you for more advice as planning begins in earnest.

Amit, thanks for your interest! I'll reply by PM with some more details about me. I'm an ex- E30 M3'r too! A 50/50 split of entry fees, lodging and food is going to run about $2200 or so I think. (I blew through $150 in gas money on a round trip to VIR and for two days on track last fall). Unfortunately I dont think there is any rational way to squeeze three drivers in a MINI for week...

Matt, yes, I was at NHIS a few days last fall with a new 2005 Jet Black Cooper S with LSD. I live in Amherst, NH.

 

Budget?!! Badges??? We don't need no stinkin Budget ....LOL

Here is the easy way:

Split the track time, split the entrance fee and tire costs
Each one of you take 4 hotels to book... You will book the South Bend, Indiana hotel twice, Friday before the start at TireRack Wet skid pad and Friday before the finishing DrySkid Pad at TireRack (Brock Yates does a dry run and posts what the closest-best hotels for the tracks, prices, directions)

I highly recommend staying at the host hotel in South Bend
, since there is a party there... I also recommend paying more for the VIR stop, to stay at the VIR Lodge, trackside ... All 4 hours or so you may have to stay there are worth it

We alternated gas fill-ups and didn't sweat any differences ....Gas at the tracks can be very expensive, don't fuss over costs, just pay and drive fast!!!

I only had one awkward moment with my co-driver, he was a bit upset at not being early to a track he had already driven on day 6, I was exhausted and tried to write an e-mail to send to my wife, instead of hurrying...

It was an exciting event and very cool to do

 

David, Replied your PM.

Phil, thanks for the estimates, how you did the cost splits seems like a good way to go.

I was looking over the tire rules, I guess we can't use R Compounds so what is the best tire setup/brand for this sort of event. Also how are the cars classed? The onelap site is having trouble (none of the menu links seem to work).

Amit

 

Tires have to be DOT street legal (minimum tread rating 140) and sold by Tire Rack, so that leaves out Toyos. Bridgestone, Michellin, Yoko, Kuhmo, Dunlop, etc., are usable. Each car is only allowed 6 tires for the whole week, and has to finish with at least 2/32" tread remaining on 4 of them. I ran S03's at HPDE's on the E30 M3 in 2003/04 and last year on the MINIs, on 15" Kosei K1-TS's, they hold up quite well. My experience is that Yokos don't seem to have the same lifespan, but Kuhmos defintely rock in the stickyness department.

Phil, what did you guys run for a brake setup last year? How well did the pads and rotors hold up? Street pads will be toast after about 2-3 days. I've been figuring on at least using up a couple sets of Performance Friction pads; also been looking at springing for a Wilwood or other big brake kit.

The Lodge at VIR was quite nice, I stayed there during O'Fest last fall. Morning coffee on the front porch watching Will Turner and James Clay mix it up -- definitely one of the highlights.

David

 

Tires -easy pick one of these: You can use 205 or 215 width, 40 or 45 sidewall, I run 17s

1. Bridgestone S03 Pole PositionBridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position
-Work very well, but stiff sidewall
2. Goodyear Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3, worked well for another driver

Both are UNI directional tires, order 3 right, 3 left

I ran the TCE Wilwood Big Brake Race kit -13" on the front -I must now run 17s (Contact Todd, tell him what you are doing - a sponsor here), http://www.tceperformanceproducts.co...s.pl?record=13

"Red Stuff" pads on the rears with ATE Big Blue Fluid - I stayed ON track the whole season

 

Don't forget to join the SVRA, they insure the OneLap Drivers, you'll need a physical form signed too

You also need a Race Suit, entry level will do, about 100$

 

I'm pleased to announce that I may have found a co-driver, someone who is local here in New England. That should make preparations a bit easier. Next step is for us both to join the SVRA and pass the physical.

Will keep you posted. Thanks again for your encouragement -- South Bend is looking closer all the time!

 

Cool ...Good Job

Remember, you will be in the Retro class, about 5 cars in the class.. PT Cruiser, 2 or 3 Minis, maybe 4 and possibly a HHR or whatever thopse things are

 

Yes ...here is a quote:

"To follow up .... the HHR and SSR will be allowed in the Retro Class.

Brock"

 

There are 3 MINIs in the ONELAP so far ,,,, Mine, Amit or David and Stu Sacks (NY)

 

Hmmm, I only see two MINIs on the official registration list, Phil and me (David). Looks like there's an HHR in the mix now, driven by a very experienced team.

Had a talk with Brock Yates Jr. the other day while making another progress payment towards registration. I didn't realize that both he and his Dad own MINIs..

 

Yes, they are MINI fans ...Brock Sr. just sold his, he has tons of fancy cars, nice rare collection of old racers. Brock Jr... or "Brocker" ... has one that he beats on and lets his wife drive

I just got my tires for the 1Lap .... I switched to Dunlop SP Maxx 215-45-17s

Stu Sacks has not sent his money in YET ... but he will. He souped his ride up and has done the OneLap several times, he usually drives ALL the tracks and finds someone to drive the transits ... Silver 03 MCS I believe

 

Getting Close ...CANNONBALL time

3 MCS in the Retro Class , 6 cars in our class .... 93 cars entered

 

Hey LePew, you found a co-driver yet?

 

OMG that sounds like a blast!!! oh i wish that i could go, maybe next year.

*hallie

 

Here are the tracks and dates we will be racing, timed for 3 laps, morning and afternoon events, not truewheel to wheel-unless you catch and pass the guys in front of you:

1. Saturday May 6 9am: Tire Rack Skid Pad-WET South bend, Indiana
Noon: Autobahn Country Club-Joilet, ILL -North track http://www.autobahncountryclub.net/
2. Sunday May 7th Mid-America Motorplex -Iowa http://www.midamericamotorplex.com/
3. Monday May 8th NoProblem Raceway Belle Rose, LA http://www.noproblemraceway.com/
4. Tuesday May 9th Roebling Road - Savannah, GA http://www.roeblingroad.com/
7pm Oval Track -Florence Speedway S.C.
5. Wednesday May 10th Virginia International Raceway, Danville Virginia http://www.virclub.com/
6. Thursday May 11th Putnam Park Raceway -Indiana http://www.putnampark.com/
Dag Strip Event -Drag and bracket - http://www.us41dragway.com/
7. Friday May 12th Road America - Wisconsin http://www.roadamerica.com/
8. Saturday May 13th -Dry Skid Pad -Tire Rack -South Bend, Indy

Come on out if you can, 3 MCS will be competing

Here is last years Car and Driver Write up of the results ...

http://www.highlanddesignstudio.com/.../05-page1.html

 

Yes found a fellow MINI enthusiast - Joe Rose - as a co-driver. Spent this weekend preparing the car. We're just about ready to go.

If you can't make it out to see us in person, please check our website at www.sooper.us. We're carrying a bullet cam and several digital cameras, and hope to keep the site updated daily. One of the other competitors will be posting copious amounts of video every day at www.lake-effect-racing.com

Phil - a question for you. We'll have a rear caliper tool with us in case a pad change is needed during the week. Do you plan to carry a belt tensioner tool (in case we snap a serpentine belt?)