[robbo mcs]

Hi,

I took the mini to the NSW BMW club motorkhana today.

I was intending to take my BMW, as Maddie only has 800km on the clock and she is only 10 days old. However, I couldn't help it! Given the choice of a bit fat BMW or a mini for a motorkhana which would you choose?

The event was well organised. During the course of the day there were 4 different courses set up, all different and challenging. The courses were set up with witches hats on a big skidpan. Some were very tight with multiple 360 degree turns, others were more high speed and sweeping slaloms.

Each course was set up for around 60-90 minutes and we all got multiple attempts at each course, with your best time counting. There were around 17 contestants, so we all got plenty of driving.

In the morning it was very wet, which was actually really great. In the afternoon it dried out and got a bit more difficult, and much harder on the cars and tyres.

There was a mix of cars, the highlights being e46M3, a couple of stripped out rally 2002 turbos with roll cages etc, WRX, mix of BMW's.

Everyone was very friendly, with tips being exchanged all around, and plenty of laughter whenever someone went the wrong way or cleared up a bunch of cones.

I had a ball, and would highly recommend people have a go.

The results.... drumroll

1st : Me and maddie!
2nd : E46 m3
3rd :2002 turbo (around 900kgs and 130hp).

A few interesting points :
* It is very hard on your car, especially tyres. I spent most of the runs on the rev limiter, and fried a lot of rubber. I think it is probably harder than actual track racing.
* The mini is perfect for these kind of tight, windy courses
* Driving the mini is very different to the high power rear wheel drive BMW
* Everyone there loved the mini!
* The guy who came second in the m3 is a guy who I usually just beat in my BMW, so I figure I probably would have had the same result in either car. However, I am sure it was more fun in the mini

Cheers
Robbo

PS : Hope everyone had fun on the drive today. Sorry I couldn't make it, hope to catch up with you all some other time.

[robbo mcs]

Hi,

One thing I forgot to say.

The 120kw was more than the car could handle on a motorhana. Having more power (eg works kit) would not have helped. It was a constant struggle going round tight corners trying to maintain traction, modulating the throttle etc.

On a race circuit it would be different of course, and more power on the straights would help the top speed.

However, it is an interesting issue. The strength of the cooper S is its handling and cornering ability. More power is not going to improve this.

However, I will still be looking seriously at the works kit when it comes out

Robbo

[Harry Morant]

Sounds like a fun day...you did very well indeed (not unexpected though)

[Boo]

Chalk one up for the mini...
Congratulations...
Hopefully i will be able to attend the BMW nationals at Oran Park in April...

[kuper]

Congrats! Which BMW do you have, if I may ask?

Andy.

[dsakko]

They're great in motorkhanas. I personally run Yokohama A032R tyres on the front to get the power to the ground.

Also, disable ASC+T. It screws up your handbrake turns (rear wheels are stationary, front wheels are spinning, computer instantly thinks you're spinning the wheels and takes corrective action!)

I took out 1st in class C in the SA motorkhana championships, and 5th outright / 1st class C in the local bitumen series last year. Looking forward to Aus championships in Sep this year (to be held in SA). Would be awesome to see heaps of new Minis out there.

[robbo mcs]

Hi,

Thanks for the response.

This was my first ever motorkhana, although I have done around 10 racetrack sessions before in my BMW.

My BMW is an E46 BMW M3, a seriously fast car. However, in my opinion the mini is more involved and engaging on the road. I have not yet driven the mini on the track, the comparison will be interesting.

In the motorkhana I ran dunlop formula R D01-J tyres, which are excellent. However they took a beating. I had DSC off most of the time. On a couple of occasions I forgot to switch it off (DOH!), but was still reasonably fast.

Cheers