Opening a thread for NJMP.

http://www.grand-am.com/assets/2010N...elimsched4.pdf Schedule

196 Craig Conway and BJ Zacharias
197 Sarah Cattaneo and VJ Mirzayan
198 Randy Smalley and Owen Trinkler

The 198 will return at NJMP with the Bosch engine management system operational.

New Jersey is a good track but not one that has historically favored the Mini's. We have never raced here with the latest engine spec so it should be better than years' past. There is an extended hill climb after turn one that catches the Mini in just the wrong spot in the torque curve that makes it difficult to get a run down the back of the track.

Last year the Compass 360 Honda's went 1,2,3. They will be strong again.

Randy

 

Don't look now but the 198 is leading with 20 minutes to go!! Green flag conditions and an 11 second lead....

Go RSR!!!

 

Hurray!! Team RSR wins!! Great job guy's! Looks like the #64 ST BMW grabbed fast lap by almost 2 seconds over you, that seems like a rather large gap (over any ST car) so is that car an actual ST car or GS car?

 

Congrats on the win! I knew the MINIs would get a win this year

 

Thats been a long time coming for Team RSR, Congrats

And fastest lap in the race

 

Nice job Randy and Team RSR!!!!!!!!! Now I can have Margaritas again!!!!!!!!
Thanks!

 

Great job Randy!!!

 

WOOOHOOOO!!!! Congrats Randy and RSR. You've deserved this win for a long time!

 

Well, hot damn, congrats RSR!

Not sure when I last posted on NAM, but this is a pretty big deal. Might this be the first MINI win in GA racing? I've been out of the loop for a while, but I don't recall a victory for Team Nuzzo and others who campaigned a MINI...

 

 

GREAT JOB Team RSR!!

Very, very, very well deserved!

 

Randy, big congrats man.........awesome........never give up, never surrender
Ali

 

Wow . . . what can I say, a great weekend and a long time coming.

198 FIRST Randy Smalley & Owen Trinkler
197 7th Sarah Cattaneo & VJ Mirzayan
196 25th (DNF) Craig Conway and BJ Zacharias

This is the first win EVER for a Mini in Grand Am racing and our second podium in 2010.

196 - Not certain what happened to the 196. The ECU was acting up in the heat and tripping into fault mode. A few band aid repair attempts resulted in the engine letting go. Craig was driving at the time.

197 - Sarah and VJ drove a GREAT race. Fast and consistent. The race was hot and humid so the factory ECU was in play. Their key to success was staying out of the draft and keeping the engine cool. When it mattered . . . on the last Lap . . . VJ stuck it to our 'favorite' competitor, Nic Johnson, and executed the perfect pass at the end of the main straight for 7th. Nic had nothing for him after that.

198 - Owen paced the field all weekend. Fastest lap on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The lap charts show another car, 64 BMW with fastest lap but it was an error.

I drove the first 40 minutes with the goal of saving the car and staying out of trouble. Once Owen was in the car, we moved right to the front. A late stop was needed and we pitted the car under caution with 45 minutes to go. Owen came in while leading . . . he returned in 6th with fuel and a fresh set of front tires . . . within a few minutes he was back on top. Owen eventually cleared the field by 16 seconds. It was an amazing drive and proves again . . . Owen Trinkler is the best driver in the Continental Series.

The weather and track conditions played into our hands. The track was hot and greasy causing trouble for everyone. The Mini's 'best in class' handling was the unfair advantage as Owen was reeling in the other cars by one to two seconds a lap.

Thanks to the Mini owners and fans who stopped by. There was lots of celebrating in the paddocks.

It's off to Three Rivers next. Last year at GP3R we won the pole, led 40 laps and lost the lead when the driver's seat rail jammed. It turned the pit stop into a 3 minute repair. We should be fast there again.

Thanks to all the sponsors for their support. Thanks to fans as well.

One extremely happy car owner

Randy

The race will be televised next Sunday at 1:00 Eastern on Speed. The Cameras were in our pit for the last 30 minutes so we will have plenty of coverage.

 

TV coverage on July 25th - 1pm, Speed. Hopefully the ST cars get more coverage than normal...

 

Big grats to everyone at RSR!

 

I bet it was so nice to write that report Randy

 

...feelin good for you Randy!
Seems like you are shedding the old skin and on the right track now. Just need to Bosch up the other cars and some good dependable motors in them now and you guys could very well double podium SOON! Better do it sooner then later before Grand Am get's you back up to 3K lbs. Haaa.

 

Congrats Randy and Owen! Now you've got one in the bag the rest will be easier.

 

Congratulations RSR!!!!!!! Whoooo hooooooooooo!!!!

I am thrilled to see your hard work and persistence paid off!

Time for a beer in your honor!

 

Thanks to everytbody for all your support for RSR
Very Good weekend we had the best car all weekend.
It was hot in NJ and the Mini was just hooked up

Owen Trinkler

 

Congrats to team RSR!!! It was a long hard slog, but you guys did it. I along with every other MINI owner are very proud of all your efforts.

 

Congrats Randy and everyone on the team!

 

Yeehaw! Congratulations! Cannot wait to see the race on Speed TV tomorrow!

 

Thought I said "Congratulations"! but can't see it here, so have another!!!!!!!!!

Job well done, Team RSR ! Finish the season the same way!

 

Congrats on the win. Sorry for the Delay on the Congrats.

When I heard about the win I thought ,Wasn't that the car that was on fire at Barbers?

Well I guess that fire turned out to be a good thing.

Great Job.