Mar 3rd, 2014
While comedian Jay Leno is famous for a great many things in his professional life, such as The Tonight Show, it’s his passion projects that have our attention. In particular, his web series Jay Leno’s Garage is a semi-weekly look into Jay’s automotive and motorcycle interests. The show is mostly a vehicle-by-vehicle tour of the enormous warehouse facility Jay refers to as his garage — his own private automotive museum. However, Jay also brings in guests from time to time who have something he thinks his viewers might be interested in. MF readers may remember a couple months back when Jay featured the TWINI — a twin-engined JCW R53 racing car — on the show.
In this week’s episode, Jay leaves the comforts of his garage for the heat of the desert to meet up with Nani Roma, this year’s winner of the Dakar Rally, and to get a better look at his Team MINI racing car.
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Jan 24th, 2014
The Mini Monty Carlo Rally three-peat is a staple of MINI enthusiast culture to this day. While familiar to most, it’s not an accomplishment to be taken lightly. Severely out-classed, the Mini team showed what small can really do. Today MINI’s motorsports presence has evolved, but is no less accomplished. Racing in MINI-only leagues, GRAND-AM (now part of AMLS), WRC and now three time Dakar champions, the MINI brand keeps having fun going fast. While the racing landscape has changed tremendously, MINI has kept racing a priority and that is a remarkable thing. From the nearly stock in Class B GRAND-AM, to the highly specialized BMW Group monsters of Dakar, we’re just excited that there are MINIs out there being driven in anger. Even better when they win!
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Jan 18th, 2014
Joan “Nani” Roma wins the 2014 Dakar Rally // Three MINI ALL4 Racing cars on the podium.
Official Release: He has done it! Joan “Nani” Roma (ES) in the yellow MINI ALL4 Racing has won the 2014 Dakar Rally. The Monster Energy X-raid Team driver finished the toughest rally challenge in the world just 5:32 minutes in front of his teammate Stéphane Peterhansel (FR) in the black MINI ALL4 Racing. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QT) in the predominantly white MINI ALL4 Racing finished 3rd. The podium was firmly in hand of the MINI cars, which once again proved to be reliable and fast throughout the whole event.
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Jan 18th, 2014
So much for asking Peterhansel to slow down…
Official Release: Stéphane Peterhansel (FR) in his black MINI ALL4 Racing has won the 13th and penultimate stage of the 2014 Dakar Rally. The Monster Energy X-raid Team driver finished the day 3:38 minutes ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah (QT) in the predominantly white MINI ALL4 Racing, Joan “Nani” Roma (ES) in the yellow MINI ALL4 Racing, which is based on the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman, was in 3rd place.
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Jan 17th, 2014
Official Release: Orlando Terranova (AR) in his orange MINI ALL4 Racing has won stage 11 at the 2014 Dakar Rally. The Monster Energy X-raid Team driver finished the 605km-long route from Antofagasta to El Salvador (both CL) in 5:58 hours, his teammate Joan “Nani” Roma (ES) finished 10:57 minutes behind him in 2nd place.
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Jan 17th, 2014
For days now the lead MINI X-Raid driver Stephane Peterhansel has been battling back from earlier issues and spectacularly making up time. But with that speed comes risk and while Peterhansel had gotten within two minutes of the lead MINI (driven by Nani Roma) the team asked him to slow down and not take any undue chances. To be more specific, it appears that MINI Motorsports has made the request. Read on for the details.
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Jan 14th, 2014
Official Release: Stéphane Peterhansel (FR) in his black MINI ALL4 Racing topped the timesheets on stage 9 at the 2014 Dakar Rally. The Monster Energy X-raid Team driver dominated today’s 422km-long stage from Calama to Iquique (both CL) and finished 2:17 minutes in front of his MINI teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah (QT) in the predominantly white MINI ALL4 Racing car.
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