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Update by Scott Lear to the Mini Cooper S Club Racer project car
Jan 29, 2009

We’re taking a look at our goals and figuring out where we want to make improvements.

Our new-to-us 2005 MINI Cooper S has nearly completed its transformation into a proper wheel-to-wheel race car. Before we hit the track for real competition, we’re taking a look at our goals and figuring out where we want to make improvements. Since we’re going to be competing in NASA’s Performance Touring category, we have to select our modifications carefully, as each one will add points to our up-classing tally.

The Cooper S has a base class of PTE*, where the asterisk means plus seven points. We’re pretty sure we can get the car where we want it and still be in the PTC class, although PTB is a possibility. It’s trickier for NASA to classify forced-induction cars, so either way we’re going to dyno the MINI before our final class is determined.

One of the big items on our to-do list is a fully welded cage. Bethania Garage (also known as Hard Dog Fabrication) will be performing the cage installation fairly soon. We’ve got to wait for this job to be done before we can mount our Recaro racing seat in the MINI.

We’ve already got a few items from M7 Tuning waiting on our parts shelf, including their killer Strut Tower Brace ($199) and a foam-filter M7 MINI Cooper S Cold Air Intake ($249). We’re going to dyno test the intake versus the existing setup when we perform the baseline dyno test.

Though it wasn’t on the track, our MINI pulled its weight this past weekend during the Rolex 24 At Daytona by helping to promote the GRM Experience in the infield. The MINI was on display at the Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop just down the road from the track courtesy of longtime GRM friends Jim Anderson and SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup racer Todd Buras. The store had GRM banners around the entire perimeter, the staff wore GRM T-shirts, and they gave out tons of old copies of magazines to customers. Our huge thanks go out to the Daytona Beach Krispy Kreme staff.

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Comments

getfast Reader
1/29/09 9:08 p.m.

We had driven all night - 700 miles - to get there on Friday morning.

First order of business, breakfast from the drive-thru at the Steak & Shake across the street from that Krispy Kreme, which we then ate on the beach.

And what did we see on the corner? A very familiar MINI! First thought was "I wonder which GRM'er is getting donuts on their way into the speedway." But an hour later as we were passing back by, it was still there. We figured it was either on display, or you guys were getting a WHOLE LOT of donuts. ;-)