MTTS Coverage: Day 1 Kick Off

Sections: MTTS | Podcast Aug 21st, 2006 13 Comments

I got Todd on the line for the kick off of MTTS! Complete with marching band and all the MINIUSA execs.

As promised. This is about as live as it gets. This was recorded about 20 minutes before the post went live!

Watch for more interviews and in car coverage today, including a few minutes with Fireball Tim!

Download | 11:29 | 7.91MB | WRR @ iTunes

Written By: DB

jordan

ROFL
jordan

whats the music at the begining?
http://dbmini.us DB

It’s something that Todd put together over a year ago.
lTZMTOR

Well I’m home from MTTS & Monterey Historics. I decided not to do the leg to Santa Barbara and just got up and left for Altadena, SoCal around 4:30 am today (8-21). Took 6 hours down the HiWay 101.

I got to give away a lot of T-shirts announcing my new MINI venture and got a lot of kool feedback from those people who got one, met a lot of really nice folks and got rousted by the Laguna Seca track people about leaving my flyer on MINI/Mini windscreens… they also said that they had heard I was giving T’s away and said NO, No to that also but then they left… ;Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬)

I guess the biggest disappointment was not getting to get on the track as promised for the Cooper “Fan Lap”. Then the next morning I heard that I left too early, 4:45 p.m., and that someone was supposed to have let all MINI/Mini folks know that later that day we would be able to get on the track as most did…. that pissed me off even more that the original disappointment. Badly planned by the track people… Badly! A Tersly worded email and demand for one days $$$’s back is on the way.

I also found out that some of the Mini folk did not think we MINI folk should have gotten on the track at all or at least only after them. ???

Ricardo Zonta and the F1 car was amazing and even more impressive knowing that it’s not even that great and F1 car and how fast the Renault and Ferraris must be.

Other than the nice new friends I have and the fine meals I had the most fun I had was on the Hiway 1 on the way up. I was just sort of taking it easy when about 10 miles after Hearst Castle I was being followed by a… GT40, M3 and one of those Z06 Corvette things.

I let them pass and decided to tag along and too my amazement I actually passed the Corvette and hung with the GT and M3. Don’t know if they were really full tilt but we did hit 110 in a few spots. When we got to some of those loner straight aways they took off but I did catch back up and hung on the M3′s bumper the rest of the time. He was generally 5 car links behind the GT.

Considering how rusty I am, those crappy Dunlop Sport Maxx’s, and I haven’t been on Hiway 1 since 1972 I think I did well. Did scare myself pretty dang good a few times though! Of course it’s always easier to follow on any course.

90 plus miles of fun minus the occasional motorhome and I was told buy a Dragon driver… well I won’t get into that.

Also I missed meeting the MF poster Vanwall and Todd.

Sorry for the long post.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tclement/ STORMCOOPER

Just left the Hotel here in Santa Barbara and everyone is starting to arrive. The new GP is Freakin Sweet! Im going to be posting some photos a little later on the MTTS Flickr page.

Looks like fun, but sad to say I have to work. Its A Bitch when your the Boss, for I won’t belive myself when I try to call in Sick!
Siddhartha

We bagged the speeches and hit the road early. After following way too many old ladies (of both sexes) down CA 1, we got off just below Lucia and headed up above the marine layer on the Nasciamento-Ferguson Road chasing the togue through Los Padres National Forest and out through Fort Hunter-Ligget, where Mel Gibson filmed “Once We Were Soldiers”.

As fearless leader, seriously tried to lose them, but they all hung in there. A great group of talented MINI driver are the Maverick MINIs.

Now I’m beat in Santa Barbara and heading for bed. There’s only so much fun I can handle in one day. Tomorrow it’s off to Las Vegas, Baby!

Cheers, Sid
Yegor H.

We had the best driving experience ever heading to Monterey from LA on Saturday, 19th.

A brand new black Ford GT40 with silver stripes reached me around Santa Barbara, being tale gated by a white BMW X3. There was a couple inside the GT.

They didn’t get too far, since the traffic was heavy. In 2 minutes I was behind the GT, thinking if I should keep going with him. Shortly we hit a pile of cars (a usual thing for 2 lane freeway). By the time the GT was trying to pass between the cars I passed the entire pile with 6 or 7 cars without braking, then slowed down. The X3 of-course disappeared. The GT reached me again and there is another pile up and I pass through them as if there were cones moving 70Mph. So we keep driving together with thumbs up and waving to each other for more than 40-50 mils and 18-20 car piles and most of the time I was able to lead.

Before reaching Guadalupe the GT was behind me. A silver VOLVO “S something” (I assume it was the most powerful model) jumped in front of me thinking we were racing and floored the accelerator. He almost overtook me, but at 113+Mph we hit another pile of cars and… the VOLVO vanished.

I slowed down again. The GT reached me on the left side and asked to drop down my window. The couple inside were laughing with thumbs up. They were amazed. I invited them to lunch. They told me they couldn’t stop and I realized by the time we were talking the entire traffic jammed behind us. So I got off the freeway with a triumph and great enjoyment.

And all this was done with my MCS automatic (my JCW delivery was delayed until 27th), four people inside and fully loaded. Unfortunately the camera was in the back.

It’s 10:13pm and we are in Santa Barbara right now waiting for tomorrow’s trip. I have many pictures to post. I am taking 3 legs up to Flagstaff with my wife and 2 daughters. They are so excited. My little one didn’t even rest after 6 hour trip, can’t wait to hit the road again.
Charlie

Yegor, Give me a break! Doing 100+ in your MINI, darting in and out of traffic with your wife and two daughters in the car. That’s nothing to brag about…………..
Siddhartha

really. take it to the track, man, and leave the kids in the paddock.
lTZMTOR

Hum, Is the fire calling the kettle black here?

As fearless leader, seriously tried to lose them
O(=^=)O Capn

Yegor, was it a GT(mustang) or a GT40?
Yegor H.

It was GT40.
Yegor H.

Hey guys, I absolutely understand your reaction and think you’re right, it wasn’t smart, just couldn’t resist.

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