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 it’s a long drive home.
What I took from today at the track.
1. It takes a better driver than I am to get a classic mini to speed.
It is necessary to use all of the 80hp for every bit of the track and the secret is to not lift your foot off the throttle, I don’t have the cojones yet. Lines have to be different and perfect so momentum carries the little car out of the corner fast, possible, I felt it but couldn’t do it consistently.
2. new Mini’s are faster….
Again if a better driver was at the wheel of the classic and I was in the new Mini it would probably have been different, but it is much more difficult to drive the classic well. Since I have both to compare, and I’ve driven both on the track I can firmly say for an amateur driver it’s much much easier to get to speed in a new Mini.
3. Classics are cooler.
Cute corner workers smile at you as you go buy, and they all ask about the car, instructors want to ride in the classic and even though you may go slow there are things the classic will do that will blow your mind. It still gave me the jitters, I was just barely into a drift on many corners, had I pushed it a little more we would have seen that smoking drifting sideways holy shit mini photo from the 60’s
Worth every penny of admission. Watch the video.
Cheeers!
Greg
