MINI USA will feature its one-of-a-kind record-breaking MINI dragster at the Chicago Auto Show February 10-19. The award-winning MINI holds the impressive title, “World’s Fastest MINI.” Also highlighted in Chicago are enhancements to MINI’s 2006 model line, including several new packages and optional features. Most notable are a new Checkmate package and new factory-installed John Cooper Works package.
Record-Setting MINI Dragster
The outrageous carbon fiber MINI dragster, created in collaboration with extreme California based tuner FIREBALL TIM RACING (FTR), wowed crowds at import and tuner shows and events this past fall. The car was equally as impressive on the drag strip. The MINI USA/FTR dragster as the “World’s Fastest MINI” is potent, with the turbo, supercharged and nitrous powered MINI Cooper S dragster pulling a best-time of 11.26 seconds at 121.26 miles per hour in the quarter-mile run.
MINI USA provided FTR with a carbon-fiber bodied, 1700lb MINI Cooper S with the John Cooper Works kit and a supply of parts and accessories to create the 500 horsepower, twin-charged drag monster. Hollywood car designer and constructor Fireball Tim (Lawrence), and partner, import drag racer and tuner, Hubie Fuh built the show-stopping MINI dragster. The two specialize in creating all forms of extreme, record-setting street and race cars.
At the Hot Import Nights in Phoenix, Arizona this fall, the extreme MINI beat 300 competitors to win the “Best Engineered” award with its polished under-hood hardware and eye-catching graphics. The MINI USA/FTR creation also made its drag strip debut this fall and has appeared at select events over the last several months, including SEMA in Las Vegas, NV, the NHRA Sport Compact World Finals in Pomona, CA, Hot Import Nights in Phoenix AZ and Hot Import Nights in Los Angeles, CA .
MINI USA Press
All photos taken by Juan Calderon
Now that would make one hell of a JCW kit!!!
Hey, and they got the color right!!
Maybe a JCX kit, for “John Cooper XTREME!”
‘Cause you know, if it has an “X” in the name, it’s gotta be better. 😉
Thanks for posting. You can see way more of it here on MF than I was able to see last night at the show. It was kind of behind rope, etc. This is cool to see and read more information.
11.26 ? huh, almost as fast as my MINI. lol
Fireball Tim does it again…
-alpinamike
Hey, looks like MINIUSA is using my photographs! Either Tim or Hubie must’ve sent them in. (?)
Too bad I didn’t receive any compensation for them. 🙁
No matter, I’ll be at the Auto Show Saturday morning, snapping away!
Doh… that’s no good.
World’s ‘Quickest’ Mini?
If I’m not mistaken, that 11.26 was run without the nitrous!
Can’t wait to see what FTR has in store for this year!
I love those rear wheels!! What are those?
If MINIUSA used your photos without permission or compensation, bill them. Seriously. It’s not right for them to use them like that and was no doubt a misunderstanding but you deserve to be paid.
<blockquote>…but you deserve to be paid.</blockquote>
AT LEAST you should get credit.