Howdy y'all... Are those pesky Subies (and now the RX8) giving you a run for your money?

In NER I've a gent in an RX8 who is DEFINITELY going to be hard to beat this year. This is the first year of the last seven where I've a competitor who is not scarey fast (had plenty of those) or learning the trade (which is always a treat too).

A very nice gent in an RX8 who'd have beaten me in the opening event except for a few pesky cones on his fast runs.

We meet again tomorrow, and I'll have to be on my toes because I know he isn't going to be generous twice in a row...

I can't wait.

Cheers,

Charlie

Ps: Photo courtesy of Eddie Savage (furballracing.com)

 

Hello Charlie, my Dad and I will be running a 2009 Mini Cooper JCW in STX this year. He will be running a full season with the Virginia Motor Sport Club in Richmond, VA and I will be joining him for the NeDiv Solo Championship event, the Virginia Commonwealth Games autocross, and the Solo Nationals in Lincoln. We autocrossed together while I was in high school and in college, but I live in Texas now so I will just be joining him for the bigger events.

Your post has good timing. We just finalized our plans for the year and decided to build my Dad's Mini for STX. We are in the process of researching and purchasing parts now to get ready for the NeDiv Solo.

I'd love to get your advice on our STX build if you don't mind. There are not many running now, so it's hard to find any info on the net. I'll shoot you a PM.

 

where's the PM? :-)

see you in Landover at FedEx Field!

Cheers,

Charlie

 

PM sent your way. Thanks for the info and see at FedEx.


Dave

 

Was going to run STX this year but the MCS keeps running into reliability issue's so I'm running the 2010 speed3 in DS instead.

 

Nice to meet you and thanks for beating me! Nice drive. See you again I hope.

 

Well I met another STX Mini at the Finger Lakes National Tour this last weekend.

Here's to Mr. Quinn, and his immaculate red Cooper, and a pleasure to meet you.

And surprise surprise, there's a Cooper in this coming Sunday's Regional as well.

 

It was nice to meet you to. Good luck the rest of the season.

 

I have been running STX for the last three years in my cabrio. This year, a pesky Eclipse GSX has been nipping at my heals, and he finally beat me a few weeks ago. Not making excuses, but I was not on my AutoX tires. The Kumhos I had been running needed replacing, and they were on back order everwhere I looked.
I decided to try to put something wider below and put 225 45 16 on by 16x7 Traklites. Toyo R1R tires. Got the Eclipse by .2 this past weekend.
Nice and wide for a MINI, but when the National Tour and Pro Solo event came to Wendover a few months back, seeing those RX8s in STX with huge wide tires, I got width envy.
First impressions of the wider Toyos...seem pretty good, but not as lively, but I would expect that from a wider tire.

 

We were able to put 17x7.5 wheels with 235/40 Direzzas on the stock suspension without spacers. When we add the KW coilovers, we had to go to to 15mm spacers on the front. The RX-8s do get a big advantage on tire, but they too can be had. We are pretty pleased with this setup so far.

 

I have the pleasure of going head to head with a very nice gent in an RX8 this year up in NER territory. It's fun to have someone within a few tenths to compete with.

The car holds its own regionally, but I have no illusions nationally.

There is an outside chance that I might have a very distinguished co-driver at Lincoln. If that works, then we'll have a real data point for the JCW in STX - if it's just me driving then not so much. We shall see.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Hey, Chariie. Dave and I were in the black JCW at the NEDiv at FedEx. We were running on a stock suspension then other than camber plates. Chike in the RX-8 beat Dave by a couple of seconds. Two weekends ago at the Commonwealth Games in Danville, Dave got Chike by a second. The MINI now has its coilovers, front and rear bars, endlinks, etc. Look forward to seeing you again in Lincoln.

David

 

 

I'll 2nd my Dad's comments Charlie. With the new setup and parts on our JCW, it was a completely different animal as you would expect. It's hard to pinpoint where exactly we picked up time, but I think mainly in the transients - slaloms and lane changes. Steady-state higher speed corners were much improved too because it was much easier to get the car to rotate on corner entry. Where before we were having to slightly trail-brake to load the nose on entry, now we can get the car to rotate properly by just breathing off the throttle.

At our autocross on July 18th, I was 0.8 seconds back from Chris Cline in his STX BMW. Chris and his co-driver in the BMW have won three national tour events this year (every one they entered) including one where his co-driver beat the reigning national champ by 1.6s over two days. This was our first-time driving on the new setup, so I was very pleased to be within 1 second of a national tour winner. With more time in the newly modified car and continued work on the setup, I think a trophy finish at nationals is not out of the question. Depending on the course, a well-driven Mini can compete IMO. Solo Nats will be the true test! Look forward to seeing you there.

 

Congrats!. See you in Lincoln most certainly.

My battle with Mr. Thomas' RX8 continues...

Date, Order, Margin:

4/11 Charlie, David 1.04
4/25 Charlie n/a
5/2 David, Charlie .28
6/6 Charlie, David 2.04
7/18 David, Charlie .26
8/15 David, Charlie .33
8/22 Charlie, David .27

 

OK, I am officially all a twitter. I've nailed the hotels on the way, and the one in Lincoln, but not the overnights headed back east.

Leaving Friday for a planned three day driver, to arrive Sunday. That'll allow reg/tech/etc on Monday, and competition Tues/Wed.

Should be back either Fri/Sat depending.

Hopefully heading out early Friday will help with the traffic. I 80 West after the first half day, which is just 90 W to 84 SW to 80.

Turners just looked at a sound I was hearing in the right front corner, that had me thinking CV joint or wheel bearing, and which made me nervous in the face of this odyssey. Turner's diagnosis - right REAR wheel bearing! Replaced, and of course they were right, so now Gollum should be good to go.

I reckon one has to appreciate a car that can be sanely driven over 1,500 miles with adequate storage and reasonable expectation of both reliability and good fuel economy - and then compete in the largest motorsport event in the country (and hopefully not run DFL...). Every little boy's dream mebbe? This little boy certainly!

Fingers crossed...

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Look forward to seeing you in Lincoln, Charlie. We leave Thursday from Richmond to arrive late on Friday or Saturday. Dave will drive up from Texas on Saturday. Test and tunes on Sunday and Monday, first heat on Tuesday. We are really looking forward to it.

David

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ogburn/...7624816158504/

 

see you there. thanks for the pics - that Cooper looks nice and settled.
Those pictures are with the new suspension right?

What camber are you running up front?

 

Yes. Those pictures were the third event with the new suspension. We are running negative 2.1 in the front.

David

 

I do believe I'm at -2.5 or so. EIther way, with the absence of body roll the front tires look happy...

 

Good luck out there, Charlie.

 

Thanks very much.

 

...trying to get my head wrapped around Heat 3 on the West course at Lincoln Nebraska...

will the Duralast battery booster I bought really make sure the car starts every time I need it to, despite my stupidity in not replacing the original battery?

will I remember the course? if not, then how helpful will a 6:45 am course walk be, given that sunrise is about 7:20?

will Gollum keep up with the competition at all? At the National Finals? What about all those scary looking BMWs and RX8s?

should I have forgone this dream, and taken the family on vacation instead?

fingers crossed...

And best wishes and "break a leg" to Dave and David - that newly sprung JCW looked very capable on the practice course yesterday!

 

Best wishes!! Can't wait to hear the results when you guys get back!

 

... and the jury is in...

this old fart beat over twenty other drivers from around the country in an STX class with 54 competitors.

final position was 31st, about 4 seconds off the pace. a huge victory for me, considering my goal was not to be the slowest.

Dave Ogburn and his father David (or is it David, and his father Dave?) competed in what I think is an '08 JCW - very nicely prepared. They both did well, and the younger of the pair did quite well indeed. A beautiful car, and well driven.

Considering that the cars to have in STX are BMW, or RX8, or even a Civic (as ably demonstrated by Andy Hollis who won the STX National championship) I felt the Mini honor was upheld.

Of course the "Justacooper" (why that name?) took yet another National Title in H Stock, and many many other Minis placed in the trophies in several classes in this most demanding sport.

I am just amazed that it is possible to have a car that can be driven (not trailered) half way across the country returning over 35 mpg, and compete fiercely at one of the toughest motorsports in the world with respect to handling, agility, and overall performance.

I hope that the ghost of Sir Alex is proud.

Most importantly, the huge gathering of folks at the SCCA National Solo Finals are an eclectic collection of treasures - bound together by their ingenuity, cameraderie, family, and common interest in this devilishly difficult form of competition.

I salute all of them, and from the bottom of my heart I declare that for me this was a bucket list item - and I do not regret a minute, nor a penny.

Ps: err... young Dave -- ya mighta mentioned that you are a Goodyear test driver when we first met in DC - that was a revelation, and in retrospect pretty darned amusing too. I expect that you will be a champion at some point if you so choose, and I wish you well.