[robbo mcs]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blacky (original)

Porsches are around $20,000.00 a round (buy a drive), so I don't see mini's being anywhere near that.
Rock up and drive + airfares + accom + damage

Hi,

Unfortunately you are completely wrong

$20k x 8 rounds sounds pretty much on the ball, maybe even more.

Remember, this is not in your own car, it is a control series, so you have to use the provided cars.

Also, the event will be running on the calender with the carrera cup series, which should mean lots of TV coverage, etc.

The series is not aimed at mini enthusiasts drivers (although a few will compete ) but is aimed at young drivers on a mission to progress their career. The ideal driver target will be good young drivers looking to progress their career. Obviously the target viewing audience will be aimed at car enthusiasts, and hopefully encourage them to look at the mini .

They could have made the series much, much cheaper, by running it at state rounds, with no TV coverage etc, but then it would not have attracted talented drivers, and would not have helped promote the brand for BMW germany.

Cheers

Robbo

[Blacky]

I guess time will tell about the actual cost, but with comments like this I would doubt $20,000.00 around is affordable.

"With MINI Challenge we will be bringing an affordable, competitive and very exciting series to Australia. It will be good for racers, spectators, sponsors and for motorsport in general," said Justin Hocevar, National Manager MINI.

[dsakko]

What do you think - are there any non-critical body parts I can auction off on eBay to get into this series? Would anyone here offer $80k each for some testicles? (I don't want kids anyway! )

Sooooo tempting.

And I doubt they'll be GPs since they are collectors items (being a limited run) and are unlikely to be risked on the race track. Hope they're at least JCWs though - still waiting to hear the specs of the new kit. I hope BMW stay behind the JCW brand the way they've stood behind M-Sport.

[Blacky]

Reading through the release I beleive they will be using the new R56, not the R53 JCW as in NZ.
This also leads me to think the series will be run / supported by BMW??

I think by going with the R56 this will run th cost up, as they will not be able to use old ex Mini Challenge cars from OS.

I guess we will just have to wait and see.

[MAD Always]

MotoringFile » Archive » Details on MINI’s R56 JCW Challange Racer

Could be the cars mentioned in this link.

[StuJones]

From the horses mouth

Cars will be R56 custom factory one make cars with specification limits, etc inspired by Carrera Cup. i.e. stripped shell, built in air jacks, fixed components, control tyres, etc, etc with little chance for setup changes.

Final cost will depend exactly where they end up racing and how much TV coverage is required and what level of event naming rights sponsor is achieved. More TV coverage, higher cost, better sponsor exposure. Nothing finalised yet but likely to be no change out of $100k.

Teams will buy a frachise/seat into the series and must buy control car and race all rounds otherwise financial penalty and possible loss of franchise.

Pretty much exactly the same as Carrera Cup, even the event technical specifications are almost like for like.

As the series is 99.99% being run and managed by the same guys as do Carrera Cup then I would think there is a pretty good chance it will run the same rounds.

As Robbo said this could end up an great transition ground for young kart, formula ford, etc drives to transition to Porsches or V8's

At the end of the day it will depend how the V8 powered taxi obsessed motorsport public embrace these cars

[Blacky]

$100K is not so bad if you are purchasing the car, and getting a Franchise.
Getting that sort of money together is another thing.
Will be interesting seeing as the current owners of The Carrerra Cup did not start the sport in Australia.

[steve11]

Challenge Cup Minis & Porsche GT3s on the same card should be great, now if only they would ditch those pathetic V8 taxis i may be tempted to actually attend a round or 2.
Seriously apart from tarmac rallies 'profesional' motorsport in OZ has been a joke for years.

[Paul]

You may have already seen this "official" MINI press release, but anyway:

MINI Challenge 2008 - Australia

[MickyD]

Quote:

Testosterone levels will reach critical as MINI Challenge visits eight of the most exciting tracks across all Australian States and Territories.

what idiot wrote that line? way to alienate any women who felt like competing....

[MickyD]

in fact that whole press release is utter garbage.

[Paul]

It's got to be the most OTT press release I've seen.


Which is kind of why I reprinted it in full.

New guy at MINI PR, or just over excited do you reckon?

[dsakko]

Or maybe they're appealling to the "stereotypical" v8 crowd???

You've got to get out to a V8 Supercar round to fully appreciate it. Not meaning to be offensive or degrading to anyone reading this, but what's in the press release is the stuff that sells national racing serieses (is that a word?) these days. And no doubt trying to discourage the thought that it's a "shopping cart" category for girlie cars.

There have been some good categories (ie Mitsubishi Mirage racing and Toyota Corolla Cup rallying) that have been great learning grounds for racers, but died off whereas the V8 Brute series is going strong.

[steve11]

Quote: Originally Posted by dsakko (original)

Or maybe they're appealling to the "stereotypical" v8 crowd???

You've got to get out to a V8 Supercar round to fully appreciate it. Not meaning to be offensive or degrading to anyone reading this, but what's in the press release is the stuff that sells national racing serieses (is that a word?) these days. And no doubt trying to discourage the thought that it's a "shopping cart" category for girlie cars.

There have been some good categories (ie Mitsubishi Mirage racing and Toyota Corolla Cup rallying) that have been great learning grounds for racers, but died off whereas the V8 Brute series is going strong.

So true. Unfortunately Oz motorsport such as the V8 supertaxis is no longer geared towards motoring enthusiasts but rather the general redneck population of which there is a majority.
Stuff like Nations Cup & Gtp gets largely ignored while we are forced to watch dinosaur V8haybaylers manned by the likes of football players that do lap times you could walk faster than.
A great deal of this situation can be blamed on the media who beat up this V8 rubbish to the extent that meatheads actually believe these cars bear some resemblance to the 'Falcodores' they drive around in. Thank god for targa tassie & the like.

[MickyD]

final nail in the coffin for the v8's with me was when they started letting them run plastic front guards this year.... FFS, it's supposed to be a 'production' category.

[dsakko]

They have run a non-standard set of front and rear panels since the VP Commodore and EB Falcon. They are a good couple of inches wider than a standard car with flared guards for the wider tires. And the interior is totally custom with carbon fibre door cards etc etc.

[steve11]

What about the Hollinger gearbox & 9" hemisphere rear end.God only knows what engines they are running now.Some years ago both Ford & Holden were running small block Chevs.Then theres the identical front suspensions & front undertrays.What a farce, i can't believe people buy into the whole charade.
It hasn't been production based since Group A, but that had to stop because the big tuff V8's got their arses kicked by turbo 4's & 6's (Sierras & GTR's).

[minigolf]

The Sierras were okay, because they were Fords though. It was that nasty Nissan that caused all the problems.

[brett]

stu are you going to have a run??? or perhaps you could employ those other drivers that you used a couple of years back!! that drama was to fund your mini challenge, wasn't it!!

[dsakko]

The last production based Grp A Commodore is the VN SS GrpA. Worth around $60k for one in average condition. Kicking myself that I didn't buy one advertised in the local paper for $12k a couple of years ago.

But ENOUGH of all that. If I can get 100,000 friends together to give me $1 worth of loose change just think of the fun I'll have next year.....

..... and once the daydreaming is over, Stu please say that you're entering, and PLEASE say you need a pit crew! I can make coffee that's drinkable 2 out of 3 times.