Places to race my Mini

[Minicross424]

As some of you are already aware i race my 1300cc former Minicross mini at SEMSEC as well as the odd TRC race.
Next year i fancy a few away days at various circuits round the country.
Perhaps pembray, silverstone or snetterton?
Who do i need to contact and in you guys view would i have anything to race against of would i be blown away?
Your thoughts please?

[graham bahr]

you've already found the answer TRC!

a mini can be very competitive, just look at bill richards he won the trc championship, although i suspect where ever you look to go your need a bit more tuning to run with the rest of the pack, no offense ment, its just that most circuit racing mini's are very highly developed, whilst if i'm correct mini cross cars were built to a set lower powered and heavier spec.

[Minicross424]

I agree with you Graham
Bill Richards racing is now devolping the car for me but i cant strech my budget to a new engine at present.
However the handleing is much better and over the winter im having it uprated again.
I was considering putting a webber on my current engine but im not sure.
any thoughts?

[graham bahr]

re weber, good move dependant on engine spec, if you have got a 1.75 inch su you wont get much more power from a sidedraft weber until the engines in a very high state of tune, if going for the weber make sure its a 45mm carb 40 is too small for real power on an A series, if you've only got a 1.25/1.5 inch carb, BIN IT NOW!

[big andy]

ive raced minis and metros in the nsscc for three years with some good results,its not cheap running a modified A series, if you dont use the very best of everthing they brake and it ends up costing more ,dog boxs,steel rods are a must .Here i am leading the pack after a wet practice session http://www.whatnonegatives.com/2005/...HTML/index.htm

[Al Weyman]

I agree with Andy having raced minis in the past and now race big bangers, on paper the big iron looks more expensive but apart from a bit more petrol they work out a lot cheaper. Minis will break your heart in the end apart from that they are sodding dangerous little things that unfortunately I have first hand knowledge of having lost my only son driving one, he got hooked on them watching the Rason brothers exploits in the ModProds. Build yourself something else and enjoy your sport.

[Snapper Baz]

M'424, have you thought about talking to Rodger Tello regarding the Xtreme Mighty Mini championship? Peter Weston won the championship outright with a rather slow but relaiable ex Metro Cup car due to the class structure. A superb friendly brigade run with the BRSCC.

[mig]

Minis dangerous,I think that you mean that motorsport is dangerous.I have been involved with Minis and people that race them for a lot of years and I know of more people that have been hurt in other cars other than Minis.
If the thought of being involved in a accident is worrying then it might be time to take up fishing.Most people get hurt through bad preperation or driving with their brain dis-engaged.Stick with the Mini it becomes satisfying when you beat bigger cars.

[The STIG]

Originally Posted by Minicross424

Next year i fancy a few away days at various circuits round the country.
Perhaps pembray, silverstone

Pembrey - try the wrda sports and salloons championship, they do both Pembrey and Silverstone. website is www.wrda.co.uk

your opposition is very varied. Ranging from Rover 216 GTis to a ex Paul Radisisch V6 Mondeo

[Ian Sowman]

... and Radicals, Jades, a Stealth...

[Mad Dog]

I have been racing Minis since the 70s and have competed in every type of circuit racing there is and have raced all over the world including the USA.
Over the years I have had some monumental accidents and always walked away from them.With the advent of better materials Minis are now safer than they have ever been.If the thought of getting hurt in an accident is worrying then it is time to give up.A race circuit is the most safe place to drive fast.

[Al Weyman]

Ok they are safe as houses, I personally would just like have a bit more than what, an 18" crush zone in front of me thanks but each to their own.

Also you cannot deny they are awful expensive to keep these things competitive for what they are and the young fella that wrote this post with respect seems to be on a budget especially if he is still running on SU's. He will chuck a ton of cash at the thing and it still will get blown off by a Fiesta, they have had their day in this type of multi-car racing you will just beat yourself up trying to be on the pace. The Rason bros. chucked a lot of money at them and when they went well they went well but many times they never finished or they fell off the track trying so hard to catch a Fiesta or the almighty Pugs, one of the other Mini stalwarts in the ModProds actually went out and bought a Pug and started immediately winning from an also ran previously. In Mini only races fair enough but not in this type of thing which is why I gave up with them when HotRod racing.

PS Stig, how many times do you think that Mondeo would lap him at Pembrey 3 or 4 even if he spent thousands on it? That thing is like quick, and that is my point.

[Mad Dog]

To be honest if you want to win then racing aint cheep.Speaking to Richard Brent he spent a fourtune this season trying to win the trc championship and I dont think that Rods Escort is that cheap to run.As for reliabilaty my Mini was one of the only cars to finish all of the races it entered and I was entered in two championships.As most moddified saloon car championships have a multi class structure the Mini or other small engined cars are always in with a shout of winning just look at this years championship five class D cars in the top ten.

[Al Weyman]

I am sure Rod's is not cheap to run but then again it is head and shoulders above most others out there and I dare say could be knocked down a bit on the spec/boost etc if money became issue. With a Mini you are at 10/10ths with it all the time. Also I know you can win a championship with a small car, a point that has always erked me a bit especially if it is extra points for more cars entered in the class but do you really want to be finishing first in class but 4th ir 5th from last every round?

[Mad Dog]

Dont know where the 4 or 5 from back comes from I finished 3rd overall at Brands beating most of the big cars and arnt you supposed to be driving at 10/10ths if you are racing.Maybe you can come out next year and show us how it is done.

[Al Weyman]

Yeah I may do that. But first you tell me honestly and the original poster how much (£'s) you have in that Mini. Or even more to the point how much it would cost to bring his car up to your spec so he can get on the pace because that is the real issue here.

[Al Weyman]

Oh if I do it will be in this beasty not the yellow tank, hey whats that in the background

[big andy]

AL i dont think you can call a well moded mini slow im pretty shaw mine would beat your camero at most uk tracks,and their cheap compared to racing big yanks

[Alan Cherry]

Originally Posted by Mad Dog

As for reliabilaty my Mini was one of the only cars to finish all of the races it entered and I was entered in two championships..

Not everones as fit as you Bill (Croix)

[Al Weyman]

Only if it is a class A space frame car and maybe at Stowe, Lydden or other Mickey mouse tracks but lets go to Snett or Thruxton and see what happens I cant see a Mini hitting 170mph down the back straight at Thruxton somehow and I never said they were slow I just question the amount of money you have to throw at them to get them to a) Hold together and b) Be on the pace. Anyhow I will give you one thing there is nothing like a good old Mini vs Big Yank battle on the circuits is there?

[big andy]

[QUOTE=Al Weyman Anyhow I will give you one thing there is nothing like a good old Mini vs Big Yank battle on the circuits is there?[/QUOTE]


couldn t agree more ive been doing a few c/t rounds hoping to bump in to a few ,cadwell next year AL if its not to MICKY MOUSE for you

[mig]

As I built both Bills car and look after Tris mini I reckon £6000 would get him on the pace I probably could not even buy a quality 2 ton yank for that.The variaty of cars in the championship is what makes it great if you loose the small class you then loose a big chunk of the grid and the championship would not have gone down to the wire.Spectators like to see a variaty of cars of all different sizes.Look forward to racing you next year the more the merrier.I also have loads of photos showing Minis in front of larger cars.

[Al Weyman]

No thats a bit too twisty and turny for me, and no nice long straight to stretch me legs, also I always seem to upset officialdom there (I can't think why!).

[Al Weyman]

6k I would say that is honest and how about keeping them running as i always found things breaing with alarming regularity. The engine in my black car cost me about 5k but it puts out over 500bhp and does not need a rebuild every 4 or 5 meetings.

Sorry typo shuld have read 6k. Also I should say I paid someone to build that engine and that took car of about 2k, I am currently building a stout piece from various sourced parts and I recon it will stand in what £2500 max. The engine in my Yellow car could be built easily for that sort of money and is about 400bhp.

[The STIG]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

PS Stig, how many times do you think that Mondeo would lap him at Pembrey 3 or 4 even if he spent thousands on it? That thing is like quick, and that is my point.

I have seen a mini holding off a bright yellow Camaro before now...

You've got a point though. that mondeo goes - and would run rings round the mini - however, a Mini has won the championship in competition against it!