Interesting. I wonder what will become of the 3rd RSR MINI, then.

 

Hi Peter!

The 3rd car will used as a backup and will run selected events when additional drivers are available. Expect to see it on the track for some of the bigger events.

Running two cars full time will allow us to focus on the real goal ... putting a Mini on the podium and in the winner's circle.

Randy

 

Because, the partnership will add to the expertise and resources of RSR. Why wouldn't it help?

 

Automatic Racing Expands To Include Street Tuner Cars

Nov. 18, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. (Nov. 18, 2009) - Automatic Racing is joining forces with RSR Motorsports to race a pair of Mini Coopers in the Street Tuner (ST) class during the 2010 GRAND-AM KONI Sports Car Challenge season. Following eight years of success in the Grand Sport class of KONI Challenge, this marks the first time that Automatic Racing has entered the ST arena. The team will continue to campaign their two BMW M3s in the Grand Sport class, as well.

In the new partnership between Automatic Racing and RSR, Automatic's veteran crew will handle the management and preparation of the Minis.
"We've wanted to do an ST program for a long time, but the timing and circumstances haven't been right until now," said Automatic Racing's David Russell. "Mini is a part of the BMW family, and we expect these cars to be competitive: this is a championship effort."

RSR team owner Randall Smalley agrees, noting that in the team's four years of competition, RSR has already built a successful program. In 2009, RSR earned two poles en route to nine top-10 finishes. RSR's longtime sponsors Four Winds International and Cruise America will return in 2010. Collaborating with Automatic - the 2007 Grand Sport champion - was a natural choice.
"Automatic Racing's experience speaks for itself, and of course there's synergy between BMW and Mini," said Smalley. "Dependability will be key. We have the speed already, and this opportunity with Automatic will give us the reliability we need to be a championship contender."

Smalley and Owen Trinkler will share driving duties in one of the RSR Minis, and additional drivers will be announced soon for the second Mini and for Automatic Racing's two M3s.
Automatic Racing is already preparing the RSR Minis at their shop in Orlando, Fla., and testing will begin soon. The Automatic Racing BMW M3s and the RSR Mini Coopers will be racing in just two months during the KONI Challenge season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 29.

Keep up with Automatic Racing online at www.AutomaticRacing.com. RSR's online home is www.RSRMotorsports.com.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvQOK...layer_embedded

 

Correct!

Example, we will have a shock engineer to help with the Koni setup. We will have an electronics engineer. The combined resources of RSR and Automatic makes this to happen.

The relocation to Florida also allows some winter testing that was not possible in the snow and cold of CT.

More to come . . .

Randy

 

Sounds like a good plan Randy, espically the spare car deal, would that become themain test mule to keep the other two fresh?

Do you think there is a lot more to come out of the suspension? Do you datalog suspension movement on each corner?

What does the electronics engineer look after / do ?

 

We do believe there is opportunity with the suspension. The Mini's already handle better than most, so working the suspension has not been as high a priority as it should be.

Data logging is not allowed by GA

The electronics engineer will work on the ABS as an example. The electronics in the cars are so complicated and so intertwined with the ultimate performance that we view this as real opportunity. There will be crossover between the BMW's and the Mini's.

Randy

 

Great to see Owen..... Can't wait to get to Daytona this yr to get that intial testing in with the new setups!!!!!

Here is to a great 2010

 

Amen to that!

 

Hope for a great next season!!
I would like to make it out to a race in 2010, wish Laguna Seca was in the cards. Daytona....hmmmm? Sounds like that might be a party with plenty of beer, I'm interested. Time to use up all my Skymiles and Hilton Rewards maybe.

 

I honestly don't think there is enough beer in Daytona to fill you up

come on down... it will be fun!

I think Ian will be there too

 

Some 2010 Sports Car Challenge (FKA Koni) is now posted on the Grand-Am website:

http://www.grand-am.com/competition/

... including "tentative" dates for all races.

Only one split-class race weekend (Lime Rock) listed

Trois-Rivieres race is Friday @ 7:00 PM

 

I don't have much excuse. It's 20 mins from my house.

 

Great news, looking even more forward to this season!!!

 

Sounds like a trip to Florida.

 

 

dumb question but any plans to develop an R56 or are the plans to stick with the "tried and true" R53"?

 

We will stick with the R53 this year. Grand Am gave us some performance improvements towards the end of the season in 2009 and we were on the pole in two of last three races. All the teams will raise the bar in 2010 but we should be a contender even at the 'aero' tracks.

I have asked GA to class the R56 and so far the rules package they will allow is not competitive. We'll see where this all goes as the season progresses.

Randy

 

 

http://www.grand-am.com/news/index.c...es=k&cid=24496

Cattaneo, Mirzayan To Run Second Mini in 2010
Dec. 11, 2009

MESA, Ariz. - RSR has announced that VJ Mirzayan and Sarah Cattaneo will co-drive one of the team's Mini Coopers in the Street Tuner (ST) class during the 2010 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season.
The announcement comes just three weeks after RSR announced that team owner Randall Smalley and veteran competitor Owen Trinkler will share another of the Automatic Racing-prepared Minis. With their team roster complete, RSR is ready for testing at Daytona next month.
Mirzayan and Cattaneo have both driven under the RSR banner in the past, but this will mark the first time that they have been co-drivers. Mirzayan is optimistic about the pairing.
"I'm excited to co-drive with Sarah," he said. "She's very focused, and we'll be working together to accomplish the same goal. Good chemistry is very important and I think Sarah and I will have that."
For Cattaneo, it's also important to have good chemistry with the team itself. Returning to RSR was an easy choice for the Scottsdale, Arizona resident.
"Randall (Smalley) is wonderful! He's from Arizona, too, and we met in 2007 through local racing there," Cattaneo said. "He runs a great team and I'm thrilled to be back with RSR."
Mirzayan is no stranger to the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire Challenge: he's been competing in ST since 2006, with a long list of top-10 finishes. His accomplishments include a trio of second-place finishes at Iowa Speedway, Laguna Seca and Virginia International Raceway. The Fresno, Calif., resident is also a driver coach.
Twenty-three year old Cattaneo got her first taste of Continental Tire Challenge competition in 2008, when she raced at Virginia International Raceway with RSR. Cattaneo returned in 2009 for select rounds, earning a best finish of sixth at Barber Motorsports Park, which she names as her favorite track on the schedule. Although she used to enjoy a different kind of horsepower - jumping horses competitively - Cattaneo is right at home behind the wheel of a race car, and already has two NASA regional championships to her name.
RSR, whose sponsors include Cruise America and Four Winds International, can be found online at www.RSRMotorsports.com.

 

Glad to see things moving forward in such a positive sounding direction for 2010! Will see about making the drive up to Miller again this year!

 

I am looking forward to the 2010 season getting underway. Do you think the Koni series will ever try to bring the horsepower to weight ratios closer together. to allow the Minis to be more competitive in ST class?

 

i think that has already happened. The RSR Mini's were the fastest cars at the last three events. Grand Am gave us some upgrades and we are starting to put that to use.

Merry Christmas!

 

Sweet!