MINI Wins at Targa Newfoundland!

Sections: Motorsports Sep 17th, 2005 30 Comments

mini From the Targa Newfoundland website:

ST. JOHN”S ” The fourth annual Targa Newfoundland concluded with an exciting day that saw a juggling of some of the top positions. Competitors have driven more than 2,200 km, including 500km of closed road, flat out Targa stages during the past six days. The route passed through approximately 75 communities and involved over 2,500 volunteers. As per tradition, the competitors are parading down to George Street in St. John”s for the announcement of the winners and the champagne shower.

mini

For the first time, Targa Newfoundland included the Unlimited division. Topping the division are Ontario”s Jim Kenzie and Nova Scotia”s Brian Bourbonniere in a 2004 MINI Cooper JCW. In second are Rob Pacione and Brian Maxwell, both of Ontario, in their 1999 Ford Mustang GT. Rounding out the top three are Americans Dan Knott and Graham Fletcher in a 2006 Chrysler 300C SRT-8.

Congrats guys! You can read more about the effort at MINI.ca and you can check out some video of the race below:

[ Targa Newfoundland Video ] MINI.ca

And for more on the Targa, take a look at our previous story:

[ MINI Leads the Pack at Targa Newfoundland ] MotoringFile

Written By: Gabe

Bob

i love all the pictures!
Steve

Wow that is something for MINI and its fans to be happy about. and knowing it is pretty much a STOCK JCW,,, WOW
RB

Congratulations to the team! Well done!
Chris M

Beautiful! The video is spectacular.

Now just think what an AWD Mini could do ;-)
O(=^=)O Capn

Yes! AWD!
http://www.bancroftsonline.com Sean Bancroft

That was some awesome video. That course looked like an absolute blast!
Z4MINI

AWD =MORE WEIGHT.

Fuggedaboutit! Clearly it isn’t needed.

This proves we have a winning package! (Like we didn’t know already.)
http://whitemaleconsumer.com Zeke Wright

Coolio.
Allan

That video made me want to go to the dragon.
Yegor

This is the best news I’ve heard. I am so proud I have one (not JCW though) parked outside. Can’t wait to order a MCS JCW. The one I configured is over $40,000, however there is no other car that I would pay that much.

I am going to celebrate this evening.
Paul

Congratulations to the driver, navigator and crew! What a marvelous victory. Everyone — you ought to read the diary by the driver as posted on the MINI.ca site. Not only can he drive, he writes extremely well!
Tsukiji

I noticed that they fitted a “John Cooper Works Limited Slip Differential” to a 2004 MCS – what the heck is that?
O(=^=)O Capn

AWD =MORE WEIGHT.

Fuggedaboutit! Clearly it isn’t needed.

This proves we have a winning package! (Like we didn’t know already.)

I am just as excited about this as anyone. There are just a few things that I wanted to say in reference to the above comment.

There were no AWDs in direct competition with the MINI. Thats why it went into the unlimited.

Especially since we were running right at the back – i.e. the fast end – of the pack, mixing it up with the huge, Hemi-powered Chryslers, the monster supercharged Mustangs, and a fully race-prepped turbocharged Datsun 510 in the Unlimited class. Unlimited? Yep. We figured that at least one third of the cars running in the production-based stock and modified classes should have been in Unlimited. I mean, if a Subaru Impreza, purpose-built to be a rally car from a bare body shell with a 500 horsepower turbo engine (in fact, last year’s Canadian rally championship-winning car), or a 1972 BMW Bavaria body shell fitted with a race-tuned M3 power train and custom-built suspension are not “unlimited”, then what is?

So we figured – if they want to run in our class, we’ll run in theirs. In truth, our MINI is just about as “stock” as any in the entire field. Go into any MINI dealership, order a Cooper S, check one box on the form – John Cooper Works tuning kit – and you pretty much have our rally car.

There were only four cars in the unlimited class.

In the modern division there were 8 Subies out of 37 entries.

It is true that when they had the camera car (an STI) follow the MINI, with a good head start, it was never able to completely close the gap. But he did make up most of it.

Now, what would it have been like if they were competing and were head to head?

More power and AWD!!!
Steve

When is the “HOOD AIR INTAKE EXTENSION” and JCW BRAKE COOLING DUCTS” going to be available??? That JCW rear spoiler looks differnt than the one i’ve seen offered? and yea, whats up with the JCW LSD? congrats to the drivers and crew, job well done
http://www.jayandjennifer.com MrV

Yes. I too noticed those two new JCW accessories. I don’t know that I would necessarily go for the air intake extension what with my union jack hoodscoop, but the brake cooling ducts are definately very “cool”.
edward n.

If you’re lucky enough to live in the uk and and can drive your MINI to John Cooper Garage, you can get the race parts. ;)

Fitment at the Garage only. :( These parts were developed for the Cooper Challenge that is held in Europe.
tanya

====================================== ATB Differential (Cooper S) JCM70 Limited Slip Differential

Supply and fit only at JCW. Price shown includes fitting charge. Please call 01903 784784 for further details Ã‚Â£1,155.00 ex.VAT Ã‚Â£1,357.13 inc.VAT

====================================== Brake Duct / Throat Kit (Cooper S) JCM579 Air ducting for Cooper S Front Brakes.

Supply and fit only at JCW. Price shown includes fitting charge. Please call 01903 784784 for further details Ã‚Â£410.00 ex.VAT Ã‚Â£481.75 inc.VAT
O(=^=)O Capn

Fitting charge? Is that Queen’s english for installation?
http://bravo5.org/blog blalor

The hood scoop extension was a one-off. I wonder how much of a gain it provided…
John Jaggard

What’s with the TWO DIFFERENT JCW MCSs in the video? Did the team raace two cars?
O(=^=)O Capn

I asked that in the other article. The answer is yes.
Richard

Who would have thought? One of the cars raced with S-Lite wheels!
ChrisLW

Odd that the URL says “2004″

http://www.mini.ca/en/MoreMINI/TargaNewfoundland_2004/Video/default.aspx

I didn’t realize this race takes place over six days…what do the locals do if they want to get out and run to the store?

Seriously, looks like a lot of fun, sure would be a blast to be able to legally cross the yellow line and thread those curves.
MINI_man

[quote]Odd that the URL says “2004″[/quote] That’s last year’s race bud… the 2005 video is ‘coming soon’
Greg W

Is this the first official win for a MINI in a competitive event?
Vedubauman

Any idea when Speed Channel will be airing this? If I remember correctly they usually air this during December. Can anybody confirm?
csdmmnt

Go here:

http://www.mini.ca/en/MoreMINI/TargaNewfoundland/Vehicle_Highlights/default.aspx

Click on “Side” …

… what wheels and tires are those? Does the vehicle have the JCW Brake Kit. Those wheels look like 16″ non-Run Flats, if they fit over the JCW Brake Kit I think I want some!! Exactly the look I’ve been searching for but want them to fit over JCW Brakes.

Thanks ahead of time.

Seize the moment!
Alex

I want those Brake Cooling Ducts!
#1008 Targa 04 & 05

In 2004 there were two mini’s entered, one in the Touring Class and one in Targa class, in 05 there was just the Mini piloted by Jim Kenzie with Brian as his navigator.

“I didn’t realize this race takes place over six days…what do the locals do if they want to get out and run to the store?”

Yes the event is 6 days long, on average you do about 8 stages (closed road sections) a day, but the stages are constantly changing. In most places the roads are only closed for a couple of hours, then open again. You only do a couple of stages twice, and when you repeat a stage it’s usually in the opposite direction.

“Seriously, looks like a lot of fun, sure would be a blast to be able to legally cross the yellow line and thread those curves”

It’s the most fun I ever had in a car with a guy!
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