Kansas City MINI Enthusiasts

Laurie, I got some good in car video that my wife is going to edit. When she is done, I'll post a link here. By the way, the second time is even more fun than the first!

Well, that was certainly a blast! This second time out to the track was much, much more fun than the first.

Here are some pictures of the first run of the advanced and intermediate groups. They aren't the very best, as I have a very poor digital camera and with the temperature and the wind, my hands weren't very stable.

Well, here are my two pictures:

Getting ready to leave The Legends for HPT


Packing it in after a day at the track

Great pics, guys!

Great colors in yours Laurie, what kind of camera is that? I'm looking for a small digital to travel with...........

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Sounded like everyone had GREAT fun at the track. How many went to the intermediate class group and how was it?

I wish I could have gone. As it was I ended up getting home after 7 PM.

Winter had better hurry up and change to Spring!

It was fairly evenly divided, with a few extras in the novice class........I think we had 4 MINI's go to intermediate this time.

The only problem was that our classmates included a full race Viper GTS, several Vettes, a couple of Subaru STI's and so on. We gridded up with them in the front so we wouldn't spend the first few laps doing nothing but pointing them by! The last session, somehow the order got reversed and I got passed by 4 or 5 cars by the second lap!

I will stay in the intermediates for the next year's sessions..........

Minidave wrote:Great pics, guys!

Great colors in yours Laurie, what kind of camera is that? I'm looking for a small digital to travel with...........

I have a FUJIFILM FinePix F30. It is a 6.3 Mega Pixel camera. It also takes video with sound. I like it for what I need it for, nothing fancy. I actually had the exact same camera Corey has before I upgraded to this one in January.

Wow! I hope everyone had a good time. I know I did.
I'm starting to get smoother and a little more confident. I'll have some video up very soon.

After talking with the guy who was running the program, I think I'm going to explore doing the HPDE that is put on by Audi and BMW in the spring.

That is too much fun!! Thanks to everyone who went.

Minidave wrote:No reason why you can't, there was a Chevy Aveo 4 dr there last time, I'll bet your Mini could keep up with that!

The next event will probably be next April, you should have her sorted out and ready to go by then...........

I don't think she could make the drive to Topeka...

Here's a view that I think you're all going to like. More to come!

On the last session of the night (and season), I decided to open up the wide angle on my camera which was set up between the back headrests. The perspective is actually really cool. I was first on the track in this session and I did everything I could stay their. On about lap 3 or 4, a kid from Sedalia, MO in a very fast Corvette passed me and for a minute there I was sure I was standing still - he made my 75mph look like I was driving Ms. Daisy!

You're going to feel like a backseat driver on this video!

I specifically choose this lap over several because I made several key mistakes (subtle, but key). Beside missing the late apex on several turns including 13, I struggled with a bit too much speed going into 7 on this lap and you can hear me let off - the car did not like that! I had committed myself to keeping the car no higher than 4th gear - so as to work on my line. As you see me going down the front straight, I max out fourth gear before I hit the hill and let off again (you'll see that twice). I think 110 over that hill is plenty! There are a couple of other things I want to work on and get better at, but I was much smoother overall and as a result much faster (as a by-product of being smoother).

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 5687&hl=en

Here's that Corvette I mentioned in my earlier post.

He pretty much caught up to me at the end of the front straight and was with me until we finished turn 7 and I waved him by. Then he was gone!

The corvettes that were out there this week were extremely fast!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 9210&hl=en

This isn't racing - we are all out there to enjoy what are cars can do and what we can do with them.

That being said, I'll post the one of George in front of the Supra next. George was doing a really good job of driving - You'll have to check out his line and how smooth we was! Coming up next.

Those are fun, I like the view from the back seat............

The quality seems better too.

Thanks for the video! I'm definitely going to use that one to memorize the course a bit better.

This is Mike, the guy with the Supra at Heartland Park. I was hoping you could post the video with me in front of you if you get a chance. Thanks mods for letting me have an account. I work with a girl who says she knows some of you from when she had hers, Jennifer Melching, a programmer.

Dustin, the guy with the Corvette was doing really well. He's been doing autocross for a while and was picking everything up really quickly. He'd also been training on the course the previous weekend.

There was at least one mini out there, light blue, that passed me up. You were doing really well, too. I don't feel any shame in it (but don't tell my 400hp car )

I wish the Supra community were more like you guys. We barely meet up, and the only Supra track days are drag races which get old quick.

There was at least one mini out there, light blue, that passed me up. You were doing really well, too. I don't feel any shame in it (but don't tell my 400hp car

I think that was probably me, it surprises me how fast these MINIs are too........

I'm loading the George, Mike R, Me video now. Should be up before the night is over.

Mike R. - I'm sure Baron Mini would be happy to take your Supra in on trade. Heck, it doesn't matter what you drive - you're welcome here.

Video is loading slowly.

Sorry for the delay. Here is the long await video #3.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 3530&hl=en

I think I like a little wider view, Alex, maybe not so wide as the first vids, but wider than the last one, FWIW........

I had the same problem as you on the uphill turn leading to the first part of the back straight, I was shifting in the middle of the turn. I found that if you shift while you're going straight - even if you're not at redline - and let the torque take you thru the turn, it'll go smoother, you'll have more control, and you'll end up going faster down the straight.

MikeR, glad to have you with us, you're welcome anytime.......

I don't remember passing you, but if you say I did..............

Hey HPT gang,

Sorry to sneak out and not caravan home with y'all. I had to get back to KC and finish up at work. Every minute saved on the return trip was applied to getting to bed a bit sooner... and I was tired after the 3rd session.

What a blast! The fun and confidence increases dramatically each time I participate. I cannot wait until 2008 season. And count me in for the HPDE events. Once the schedules are in place, let's start a thread for either the audi or bmw event. I think both are coordinated/supervised by the same guy, which is the guy in charge of the HPT 10/24 event.

Glad to see you first timers there and really hope you will give it a 2nd try. There are typically more instructors and you wouldn't be out there by yourselves (I think that was due to it being the last event of the season and shorter daylight time). Kudos for bravery, and now that you have the intro. to the basics, it will be more fun, especially with instructor co-pilots.

I forgot to mention in my previous post that I, too, welcome all to this thread--those with Supras, Vettes, Loti and Mustangs are all welcome. Diversity is great and doesn't hinder the brotherhood (sisterhood, too) amongst us mini/MINI nuts. Who would ever think that a 4-seater shopping cart could double as a fun track toy? I really love elises and exiges, but you have to admit, MINIs are quite fun on the track, yet they do have a practical purpose, too.

MikeR, it couldn't have been me that passsed you come to think of it, you were in the Novice group and I was in intermediate.

Must have been George in his Silk Green MINI that went by (but don't tell your Supra he only has 115 HP and an automatic! )

Count me in for the HPDE in the spring!

Thanks for the video. It's helping me a lot. I see the turns that I took incorrectly, especially at 1:30 and the one where you passed me.

Mike R, I don't think I passed you but I did run in front of you for a lap or two during the second session. Thanks for the video Alex.

Hope to post some of my in-car video in the next few days.

I've been watching for them! (taps toe impatiently.......)

You have to admit, the video doesn't lie. I see all kinds of things I could do better. That's what it's all about.

In fact, I'd like a SCCA lesson or two with OasisT. He looked fast out there and with all his "cone" time, he must a few speed tricks up his sleeve.