Just a quick note .... more later.

2 DNF's . . . another broken axle!! in the 198 after a spectacular drive by Adam and Trevor. The track has very violent curbs that you MUST drive over to be fast. Curbs are bad for the axle boots . . . sure enough we tore one and that sidelined the 198.

The 196 lost the clutch slave cylinder after a top ten run by Jade and VJ. Another heartbreaker for the team. It was the second slave cylinder failure of the weekend and we are scratching our heads.

The 197 finished 21st after having a problem with the throttle at the race start. The car was not making full power but soldiered to the end. The 'end' included a flat tire a few laps from the end that turned a relatively good finish into 21st.

More details later . . . .

Randy

 

I like that photo Grey Bear. Thanks for sharing.

RSR, I can feel the frustration. Did't realize there were two DNF's. Sounds like you guys will have some time to figure things-out though...

 

It was very exciting to see Burrows running the MINI in the lead at the beginning of the race. The MX-5 put on a nice move to take the lead, then they lapped together for a while. He then battled with Miller in the 74 Civic for a long time, and eventually the Civic got him. Those Civics were running very quickly (just check out their 1,2,3 finish!).

All in all not the finish the team wanted, but we saw what the MINI can do there in the beginning - hopefully they can repeat that and sustain it.

BTW - Randy, Jan, drivers, etc - all great people who were more than generous with their time and spreading the MINI camaraderie.

mb

 

Opening a new thread for Lime Rock.

Schedule:

http://www.grand-am.com/assets/09Lim...fcialsched.pdf

Lime Rock is one of the better tracks for a Mini. Owen set a track record last year with a sub one minute lap.

This is Adam's and Trevor's home track.

Drivers:

196 Owen Trinkler and Jade Buford
197 Randy Smalley and Dicky Riegel
198 Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood

Hope to see you there!

Randy

 

Saturday 5/9 @ noon Eastern on Speed. Check your listings.

This was a exciting race for Mini Fans. Adam and Trevor led the race early and ran up front until the axle failed.

Tune in! and set up your DVR.

Randy

 

bump

 

Thanks for the reminder - just set the TiVo.

 

DVR is set!

 

It was a really good showing for MINI for the 1st half !

 

Hey are you guys gonna be at the Verizon Festival of Speed at Mazda Raceway/Laguna Seca on may 15th?

 

DVR set, thanks for the heads-up.

 

No . . . sorry, wish we were. The schedule is problematic.

Laguna and Lime Rock are back to back with the end of Laguna and the start of Lime Rock, only 4 days apart. Our transporter is a tractor-trailer subject to DOT driving restrictions. It is virtually impossible to leave Laguna and arrive at Lime Rock in 4 days.

Laguna is not a particularly good track for the Mini's. The long hill climb in the back at Laguna is not favorable for our low torque 1.6L motors. Laguna also has a reputation as a 'smash-um up' track as the race is combined with the GS class.

Conversely, Lime Rock is our BEST track. We hold the unofficial ST class lap record with a sub one minute lap. A difficult decision was made to skip Laguna in favor of Lime Rock. We apologize to our West Coast fans and hope you will make it to Utah in September instead.

Lastly, and this is a personal issue . . . my daughter is graduating from Medical school on the Laguna race day . . . Tim's (crew chief) son is graduating from High school that same day. We all race at the pleasure of our approving wives and knew that missing these graduations would be bad for harmony at home

So again . . . I apologize. All the driver's and crew knew this a while ago. Everyone wants to go but understands Lime Rock is THE important event for us.

Randy

 

Catch the third round of the 2009 Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge season, the Garden State 250, on SPEED at noon ET Saturday (May 9, 2009).

 

DVR, what's that? Setting the VCR - strictly old school. Thanks!

 

If you miss it . .. SUNDAY MIDNIGHT (EST) SPEED will rebroadcast.

 

I'm watching it now.

 

Lots of TV time for the 198

Also saw glimses of the 196 and 197.

Did you see Mick working on the 197 in the pits?

 

Too bad!!
Yeah Utah not really "Westish Coastish"
I hope they change the schedule next year so that MINIs can make it to West Coast.

 

Looked great for the first half.......what happened after the pit stops?

 

HP win races not torque, the Honda Civics of the Canadian Team C360 won 1-2-3 in the ST class. The Cobalt SS Turbo is a good contender if not of the air restrictor plate that they imposed to balance team.

 

The cars have more HP AND torque this yr

But let's not let facts get in the way of Internet myths

 

So how much TQ those NA 2.0 Civic Si make?

 

About 200 ft lbs
More than YOUR Mini makes

I'm sure you know about the Audi R10 that has Never lost a race....... Right?

 

I did some work? Don't remember that........Steve must have been sniffing the cleaning solution again.

 

Good showing! There was some good passing action with that miata running up front!