What’s the John Cooper Challenge you ask? The ultimate way to test your skill and your JCW MINI. As another season of the JCW Challenge is about to get underway we thought it might be a good idea to give some of the MINI newbies a little background on the series (from JCW PR):
The 2005 John Cooper Challenge is a race series based on the road going MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S but specially built, and race prepared by John Cooper Works. It was set up as a low cost formula for amateur and novice drivers and created by Mike Cooper in 2002 to celebrate his father’s unique association with Minis old and new. The John Cooper Challenge was conceived as a ‘package’ with all technical, sporting and marketing assistance and management provided to the competitors, and co-ordinated with the promotional and marketing activities through press and television exposure.
In its fourth year the 2005 championship calendar is made up from 6 weekends, all double headers boasting 12 rounds. All races are supporting the prostigious F3 and GT series. The season starts for the competitors with an exclusive Test Day at Goodwood Circuit in March to ‘shake down’ the cars.
The mighty John Cooper Works MINI Cooper S will be uprated for 2005 to 210 bhp. 12 of the 210bhp racers will share the grid with 18 of the existing Cooper Works cars as the Challenge heads through its fourth season.
“The new 210 bhp Works Cooper S is an unbelievable car,” says Mike Cooper, chairman of John Cooper Works. “2004 showed us some brilliant racing and I am sure this will continue for 2005.”
A maximum of 30 cars across the two classes are eligible for the 2005 John Cooper Challenge, thus ensuring that all competitors can be accommodated on one grid.
MINI offers a similar series in Germany called the MINI Challenge (seen above at the Nurburgring). Of course the big question is, when can we expect a series on the other side of the pond?
You can read more, including class specifications, at the link below.
<p>You know, in that first picture I thought they were a little too close for comfort.</p>
<p>Then, in the second picture, the result of that closeness became apparent.</p>
<p>I could never risk my Mini like that; especially if I shelled out the money for JCW.</p>
<p>Love it! I posted it on my site earlier… really interesting stuff!</p>
<p>I’d like to see a local broadcast of that!</p>
<p>Wow Miles – you did. Nice work. BTW I love your chair pic at the top of that page.</p>
<p>Very interesting to see a picture of a Mini with all fours off the ground…and with a pretty big wing on back. Harry Potter, we’ve found you a new ride!</p>
<p>Where did you see that picture with all four wheels off the ground? I want to check that out.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Thanks Gabe!! I appreciate the compliments :-D</p>
<p>Me dreaming= It would be interesting to have a series of stock MINIs in two classes, Cooper and “S”, no mods, just a rollbar, 4 point seatbelt and guts!!! With so many clubs I think is a matter of organization, Here in FL we have at least 4 good racetracks to do an 8 race series . Rent one for a day and… I guess? I would sign up tomorrow if something like that existed. I would rather show off the scars of battle than the dings of the parking lot.
OK,I stopped dreaming now.</p>
<p>Mini Challenge? Do it yourself!</p>
<p>I did a training last weekend which now entitles me for an official racing licence type “A”.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.hubertus.net/bitburg/">Check the pictures here</a></p>
<p>This was one of the best things I’ve ever done, a great driving experience!!</p>
<p>Motor on!
Philip</p>
<p>does anybody have any Hi-res pics of coopers racing, ie background material? currently i’m looking at a Zonda Roadster. not that i mind</p>
<p>Someone say…MINI Challenge? Do it yourself?</p>
<p>Funny you mention that!</p>
<p>We’re doing it.</p>
<p>West Coast Buttonwillow May 8th
East Coast BeaveRun May21</p>
<p>Check it out… we are/will be taking registration! Come on out and sharpen your skills!</p>
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<p>Oh </p>
<p>PS – Mind you that this is not a wheel to wheel race it is a Time Trial. </p>
<p>Your times will be compared to all East and West Coast results.</p>
<p>This is where Bragging rights are made.</p>
<p>I wish I could take part of this. But first I’ll need to put in a JCW kit, RIM/ 2 sets of TIRES, Big bucket sits, roll bar, 4 point seat belts, and a extra vehicle just in case I crash and rude my MCS. Hmmm … hope is that gonna cost me … 8000-9000K just for the parts … And by then.. I’ll be racing down the autocross playing my favorite beats … its go something like this ….. ” I DON”T BELIEVE IN MIRACLES … WHERE U FROM !!!!! U SEXY THINGS !!!!! ” hahahahha</p>
<p>I wish I could but I have trouble organizing my life let alone a local series. I might talk to the clubs here in Florida and see if we get enough people to rent Moroso or Homestead. Hey, if the Ferrari people do it why not a bunch of MINI crazies? We have less to cry about if we scratch the car. We’ll see… If somebody can pick up this and lend a hand more than welcome, just let me know to sign in!!</p>
<p>I’ll join a South Florida race a Homestead.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.hubertus.net/bitburg/">Check the pictures here</a>“</p>
<p>Must.. have… Abarth.</p>
<p>I would love to do a track day at homestead with all MINI’s. But i wouldn’t do wheel to wheel racing in my daily car. One day i’ll get a dedicated car. I did a track day with PCA at Moroso and it was a blast, especially passing a few Porsches hehe. </p>
<p>Anybody know where you can download broadcasts of the MINI races?</p>
<p>It looks to me like the drivers are sitting on the wrong side of the car, no wonder there are crashes……he he.</p>
<p>Like I said above, The closest you’ll get to a real challenge in the US is our Time Attack.
West Coast Challenge is at Buttonwillow in CA on May 8th.<br />
Our East Coast Challenge is at BeaveRun in PA on May 21st.</p>
<p>DETAILS HERE</p>
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<p>We have worked hard to bring this to everyone. I hope to see many of you out there. </p>
<p>Gabe, Thameth, JAG…Check it out.</p>
<p>Thanks Doug. </p>
<p>For those in other areas of the US there are many ways to get some track time. A local MINI or BMW club is a great way to get involved. Otherwise the SCCA has plenty of events.</p>
<p>Then there’s always track schools like the ones Phil Wicks offers. In the past he’s had a few sessions where quite a few are on the track at the same time and there is a bit of “mixing it up” going on.</p>
<p>T.E.A.M. Racing will sponsor a track day on April 4th at Thunderhill Raceway, a very nice fast track north of Sacramento, CA. C Group is instructed, B Group has limited passing, A Group has unlimited passing. There are six twenty minute sessions; 2 hours of track time. The fee is $200. </p>
<p>Last time out I found that my JCW was a match for a well driven turbo Miata and a not so well driven Lotus Elise! Lotsa safe fun. Come join us!</p>
<p>Check this URL for the cars and drivers signed up (starring Siddhartha in Group A as the Handsome Windblown Driver, and Sad Arthur as the Miata Eater . . . mmmmmm Miatas for lunch!)
<a href="http://home.onemain.com/~bonster/driverlist.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://home.onemain.com/~bonster/driverlist.html</a></p>
<p>“Me dreaming = It would be interesting to have a series of stock MINIs … no mods, just a rollbar, 4 point seatbelt and guts!!!”</p>
<p>As Gabe said, SCCA is what you’re looking for. Showroom Stock class is just what the name says. The only mods required are for safety (roll cage, harness, firebottle). The only other mods allowed are minimal; street legal tires, brake pads, exhaust behind the cat., air filter, driver’s seat, steering wheel (I may have missed something).</p>
<p>I just returned from a great race weekend at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA were Bill Hagerty cleaned up in the SSC class with his 2005 MCS. He won both the Saturday & Sunday National level races.</p>
<p>See this photo (956 KB) of Bill’s MCS next to Doug Peterson’s GTL tubeframe original Mini.
<a href="http://sports.racer.net/images/events/Thunderhill" rel="nofollow ugc">http://sports.racer.net/images/events/Thunderhill</a><em>19Mar2005/117</em>1778.JPG</p>
<p>The SCCA reclassified the MCS down a class from SSB to SSC for 2005, and the car should do very well. MINIUSA also has a prize program for drivers who win in a MINI.</p>
<p>will be racing this weekend 04/03/05 in denver colorado in a usa scca event in a mini cooper s prepared by me and driven by a 17 year old kid.Will post some pictures of the car.I have a trick water to air laminova intercooler system with twin radiators to keep temps way down.Big field of cars and we will run in the 3.0 litre and under class at second creek raceway 1.7 miles long in the denver colorado area.</p>
<p>i think minis are great but i still think the new wons look a bit fat</p>
<p>Phat.</p>