May 2012
4 posts
Fiat Abarth
When I was at the spring sprints one of the first Fiat Abarth 500’s was being shown around the track. I don’t know how it performs, I would think its performance would be close to a cooper S, I would still perfer the Mini. However the wheels on this thing were stunning, I had to take many photos.
Corbeau Seat belts.
My seat belt malfunctioned at the second to the worst moment. I believe the worst moment would be if your head was accelerating toward the windshield. Second to worst would be when you are signed up for a track day, and the instructor that really wants a ride in a classic mini sits down and it refuses to fasten. The buckle part that has that little press here button in red fractured internally...
April 2012
2 posts
First Classic Mini on the Track in Shelton WA
In most ways it was a fantastic day, I had the jitters from overexposure to massive amounts of velocity. Hooked on Driving coaches were amazing as usual, but with a broken passenger seatbelt clip I was left running by myself in a lead follow, and couldn’t really get into as much speed as she was capable of. Maybe that was a good thing, I’ve broken this car before on a track and...
March 2012
3 posts
The Ridge (again)
Attending Mini Thunder last month was spectacular. It isn’t often (at least it isn’t often done without incarceration) that we can let our cars breath. When we can let the valves clatter and feel the tires heating and the brakes heating from friction created by excessive speed. It was joyous, there was no competition, it was more pure, mostly dudes just out to experience what...
The Ridge →
The Seattle Area Mini Owners Association (SAMOA) will be touring around hood Canal this Saturday and will also be at the Ridge Motorsports Park and may if allowed do some parade laps at 12. These could possible by the first classic Mini’s to grace this track and we will be there…
Hooked on Driving
I still can’t shake the memory from two weeks ago, screaming into turn 1 at Thunderhill at 100 pennies, triple digits, 100mph. Feeling the car react at speed, that little body roll, hearing the engine and feeling the tires slide just slightly. I wasn’t flogging, I was driving. I’m starting to learn the difference, flogging is thrashing around, like when we learned to...
February 2012
4 posts
The Gap...
I had my reservations on the track this weekend. Truth be told my idea was to look for clues as to which mini had the advantage on the track, old vs new. Now I’m convinced it will take much more than one track day and one venue to determine that. There is a gap between what you think a car will do and what it will actually do. I discovered this with the new Mini and speeds over 100mph,...
January 2012
14 posts
Nice road and track article on the 2012 Monte
http://blog.roadandtrack.com/tags/monte-carlo-rally/
I couldn't find the Mini's at Dakar?
Until I looked at the top….
http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2012/us/summary/rankings/overall-cars.html#ancre
Check out the maps...
Take a moment and flip through some of the route maps for the 2012 Monte Carlo historique.
There’s a lot I would sell to drive the classic mini on just one of these roads…..
left testicle perhaps?
http://www.acm.mc/page-tab-histo.php?id_menu=5&id_sousmenu=27&lg=en
Mini Monte Carlo 2012 Adventure →
Follow Mad Dog Rallying on twitter.
@MadDogRallying
Mad Dog racing facebook link →
Bill Richards Racing (Monte Carlo 2012) →
Another cool site... →
Monte Carlo 2012! →
New years!
Looking out toward the apex at the coming year Portland will be the main event for the Mini in me. I’ve never been to the Portland historic race and really want to go. Especially when it’s tied to the swap meet. Only minor tweaking with Lillibeth just some refinements (like maybe a new high flow head) and she’ll be right again.
See you on the road again soon.
November 2011
1 post
October 2011
2 posts
Maybe she's done?
I’m in a really strange place with the Mini, thinking maybe she’s done. I’m not talking about finished like I should crush her in some sick love/hate kind of way, just that maybe there’s nothing more I can do. This car has been an organic evolution, not an all out overhaulin overnight change. Because of the slow organic growth I’ve learned a ton from this car,...
miloknows asked: loving them stripes man
September 2011
5 posts
Bling
This year Lillibeth earned 3 awards.
1. Best in class at VanDusen in Vancouver. Stunning me as this is one of the most prestigious shows on the west coast. It was raining like stink so I don’t think they noticed the rust in the doors.
2. Best in show at the Spectre 341. Proud of this as well because the trophy is bigger than the car, it’s gaudy and huge and 6ft tall dwarfing...
August 2011
1 post
Podcast RSS feed →
Cooper Stripes 12 Humble in the USA →
I talk with Mike Kearney from Seven Mini parts, Fortech Racing about the early days of racing a classic.
July 2011
10 posts
Mike Kearney and Seven Mini parts
I had a great conversation with Mike at the NW historics this year. I will add it to the podcast, but I wanted to give folks a heads up and keep watch as I edit the audio. (Much better this time) Mike has been racing Mini’s and working on Mini’s most of his life. I wanted to highlight the fact that even though he and Doug Peterson have been so loyal to Mini in the US they really...
NW Historics 2011 →
June 2011
25 posts
Cooper Stripes 11 Doug Peterson legendary Mini... →