WAY Back in the USA
That's right. The rumors you have heard are true. I'm back in the USA after claiming my prize for winning the 2006 North American MINI Cooper Championship. The prize was a trip to England, homeland of our MINIs. The trip included the use of one of the UK MINI Challenge cars to race at the final round of the UK challenge at Donnington Park. The biggest "challenge" for me was to learn how to drive sitting on the right side of the car and shifting with my left hand. I didn't have much time to practice though as most of my education took place during the two races at Donnington. In race one I qualified 15th out of 35 entries and was able to finish in 10th place. Race two had an additional twist with pouring rain. I started in 13th place and finished 8th. Not a bad result considering the handicaps I had to overcome. You can see pictures from the race on the MINI Challenge website. Go to minichallenge.co.uk and click on photo gallery tab. Select 2006 MINI Challenge and then Donnington, rounds 15 and 16. My loaner race MINI was a traditional red and white #69 S. That is quite a bit different from my colorful green and orange MINI.

I didn't spend all my time in England racing. I took advantage of anything MINI related that I could. I visited several MINI dealers to compare and see anything that was different from what our dealerships offer. I was treated to a private tour of the MINI plant in Oxford. That didn't seem like such a big deal until I got there. Tours had been discontinued until December so this tour was just for me. I was able to see the new R56 MINI being built alongside the current models. I got to check out the R56 completely, inside and out. The only thing I didn't get to do was drive one. Another real treat was the Heritage Museum, including a tribute to Alex Issigonis, the designer of the original Mini.All three of the original Monte Carlo Rally cars were on display along with several prototype classics, a moke with 2 engines, and a mini roadster that was never built.



This was one of the greatest MINI trips ever for me. My pictures of the trip are HERE if you would like to take a look.
I know I keep saying this, but I can't say it enough. Thank you, thank you. Thanks to everyone that helped me throughout the year with the race series that allowed me to reach this point. I am very grateful to my sponsors, M7, Bilstein, Wilwood, Helix. I appreciate Phil Wicks for starting the US race series. But the most important thanks goes to all the customers who GOT MODSfrom Way Motor Works. Without all of you none of this would have been possible for me.

WAY