I've read (AutoWeek, etc) that
the John Cooper Works Cooper and Cooper S
are coming to the USA.

No doubt many threads about these cars
here on MINI@.com.

Regarding SCCA Solo2 classing:

Are these cars 'factory orderable' and
considered stock, or would they
run in street prepared, street touring
(Cooper), street modified (Cooper S).

These cars have 18 by 7 wheels, an
extra 10 hp (Cooper) or extra 40 hp
(Cooper S), and better seats.

No word on suspension, camber plates,
or LSD on the JohnCooper . co .uk site.

I too have asked this question. I am hoping that the upgrade will simply move the MCS to a higher alphabet ranking (faster car is higher). Currently in my region anyway I am running in G stock I am hoping that instead of street prepared or modified ect... However, I have had no luck with my region guys getting answers, it seems everyone has knowledge of their particular class, but very little knowledge of the over all situation. I guess that makes some sense as I must admit that I am only concerned with the MCS and its class and couldn't care less about the vette, stang, groups ect...

It's not "factory orderable" that makes the difference, it's "factory installed." If the parts are not installed at the factory on at least some of the models (ie, not port-installed nor dealer-installed), there is no way a car so equipped will be in a stock class.

My dealer told me that all USA JCW kits would be dealer installed, which would take them out of stock class. I will inquire further next week. If it was a factory installed option then they still might have to meet the 1,000 car minimum in the USA rule for a stock class car.

Once the JCW cars are out in the USA and their performace is really known, then perhaps the owners can petition the SCCA to get classed where they think is appropriate.

If the JCW kits were body kits
wheels, and 'add ons', it would
make sense to add them at the dealer.

But these kits also include a new
cylinder head. That could be an expensive
install.

Are foglights dealer installed? I got the impression from posts elsewhere that they were, but I don't know for sure. Does that mean they would take a Mini Cooper S out of GS if they were not explicitly allowed?

I think 13.2 explicitly allows them

"Accessories, gauges, indicators, lights and other appearance, comfort and convenience modifications which have no effect on performance and/or handling and do not materially reduce the weight of the car are permitted."

and foglights are lights, right??

Does anybody know which of the options from the standard brochure are dealer installed?

OK, never mind. They're all factory installed, to answer my own question.

I would be surprised if the JCW packages are classed in stock.... as the packages are not factory installed and do make a performance difference.... Time and the SCCA will tell on this one....

This year the JCW certainly would not be Stock since they would be 'dealer installed,' which is expressly mentioned in the rules as not stock and clearly are more than the backdoor allowance of 13.2 since the engine mods certainly aren't

"Accessories, gauges, indicators, lights and other appearance, comfort and convenience modifications which have no effect on performance and/or handling and do not materially reduce the weight of the car are permitted."

Now inre factory installs, it doesn't necessarily make it automatically stock class either. Agree with dukesantos, once a number of JCW constituency evolves, then they should petition the SCCA where they think it belongs.

GCRAugs

The trick will be getting the scca to look at JCW cars in the same light as a type r integra... meaning the JCW cars will likely be put in a higher class than a standard cooper or cooper S ... To make that happen will take a number of letters to the right people at SCCA National office... if anyone out there is dead set on running stock with a JCW car anytime soon now is the time to start writing those letters..... or in the case of a MCS be ready to run street modified since that is the lowest class a JCW MCS could run.. (because of the altered boost levels)

My non MINI is a SM class Datsun.... once done it will be very fast ;) a reg. JCW MCS would not stand a chance without major suspension mods....

true jason, and a limited slip differential, which isn't included in the $5k package.

TireSmokeAugs

LSD is good mkay ;)

In the July Fastrack, the SCCA Solo Events Board announced that the MINI Works equipped cars would be excluded from Stock class. The ruling does not preclude them a Modified class.

This is not surprising for the reasons many people mentioned. They have always been firm about not including dealer installed performance/handling options in Stock classifications.

If I recall correctly Brian G and maybe some others posted last year that he S was barely faster than the Cooper on many Auto X courses because without LSD it couldn't get the power down, which I guess is why it was moved down to G/S from D/S where it was classed last year. I expect the Works equipped S would have the same limitations without LSD and of course it would have to be a factory available option for SCCA to consider it in stock class anyway.