MINI of Charleston started the 2003 racing season at Carolina Motorsports
Park in Kershaw, SC Feb. 22nd and 23rd. The 2002 MINI Cooper competed in
the SCCA National Racing Series for the first time with the MINI Sport
package, including 16" wheels and tires. The red Cooper qualified 2nd in
class Saturday in the wet and rainy weather but dropped to 5th when a
second qualifying session was added Sunday morning. "The rainy weather
and poor track conditions are ideal for the incredible handling of the
MINI" said MINI race driver Brad Davis, "but some of our pre-race plans
for breaking in new brake pads and tires during Sunday's warm-up left us
in a bad position when the race started on a dry track Sunday afternoon."
A pair of Honda Civic SI's and a pair of Mazda Protégé's finished ahead of
the lower horsepowered MINI. "The strong headwind on the main straight
overcame the faster cornering speed of the MINI on CMP's main
straightaway." Davis was part of the 3rd through 5th battle for several
laps until the "green tires" (no break-in on Saturday as planned) started
to go away and eventually blistered.

Overall the weekend was a success as the MINI and driver held up well in
their first event of the new year. The event also marked the first outing
of the newly formed Carolina MINI Club (actually formed the night before
in Charlotte). About a dozen MINIs were at the track as guests of MINI of
Charleston. Everyone knew there was a serious "motoring crowd" on hand.

The team's next event will be the non-spectator SCCA National at Roebling
Road Raceway in Pooler Georgia March 8 and 9. The next spectator events
for the MINI of Charleston team will be Road Atlanta in Braselton Ga.,
March 29-30 and Summit Point Raceway, Summit Point W.Va., April 5-6.

 

damn it missed it :evil: