Mini JCW GP: What’s it like to track the most po...

Why a Mini John Cooper Works GP?

Mira Knava. Picture by J.A. Ackley

To grasp that attraction, think about that each Mira and Romana come from a background with a special type of horsepower–precise horses. Mira participated in horse racing, going from a jockey to a coach, whereas Romana did equestrian.

“I had a very unhealthy accident with my horse,” Romana explains. “The physician stated I couldn’t journey anymore. I wanted to search out one other adrenaline [rush].”

“She all the time had a ardour for vehicles,” Mira provides. “I used to be like, ‘Okay, I like vehicles,’ however she had ardour for vehicles–muscle vehicles, racing, Components 1, rally. So, I stated, ‘Let’s purchase some enjoyable vehicles.’ Romana all the time needed to have a Mini Cooper due to ‘The Italian Job.’”

Mira first discovered a extra standard Mini for Romana.

“We had a really sluggish Mini,” Romana remembers. “I wish to drive quick. He discovered the GP on-line, and it was going to be the quickest Mini ever. It obtained my consideration.”

In the event you noticed a Mini zipping by in Chicago, it might have been Romana.

“I believed it was a Components 1 automotive the primary time I took it to work,” Romana calls. “It was my every day driver.”

A good friend of a good friend, maybe correctly, urged to Romana that she ought to observe it. “Again then, we thought you would not go on the observe until you’re an expert race automotive driver,” Romana notes. “[He said,] ‘No, you are able to do it. I’ll inform you how. Go to SCCA.’ I took [a driving school]. I began passing Porsches, Mustangs. Oh my gosh, I used to be like, ‘This was the perfect automotive ever.’ That was three years in the past, and the dependancy was fashioned.’”

To not be outdone, Mira looked for a Mini GP for himself and obtained one, too. Now you could find the couple at time trial occasions with their 2021 Mini GPs.

Picture by Tradd’s Pictures/Racing for ALS.

Few Issues to Mod

Picture by Tradd’s Pictures/Racing for ALS.

Mira and Romana compete with comparatively inventory GPs. The got here from the manufacturing unit with efficiency in thoughts, so the one mods they made concerned to the brakes, consumption and exhaust.

“Loads of instances, below braking by way of the turns, my again wheel is up within the air,” Mira says. The GP got here with Brembo four-piston calipers, 15-inch rotors and Brembo road pads. They’d a tough time discovering an organization to construct a brake bundle that also stays inside the guidelines of SCCA’s Sport 4 Time Trial class.

Picture by J.A. Ackley

Finally, an Italian firm, Tarox, got here by way of. Tarox upgraded them to eight-piston alloy calipers, F2000 grooved discs, Competizione brake pads, stainless-steel traces and high-performance fluid. They retained the inventory Brembo two-piston calipers within the rear.

Picture by J.A. Ackley

The U.Okay.-based Eventuri crafted the custom-made consumption. “They’d simply designed a brand-new consumption for the C8 Corvette,” Mira says. “Actual carbon fiber. The craftsmanship was unbelievable. I approached them and stated, ‘I like your work, are you able to do one thing for a Mini?’ They informed me that they had a prototype for a Mini, however they wanted to get approval.”

Eventuri wanted to cross European Union rules and in addition get hold of approval from Mini to place the half into manufacturing, in accordance with Mira. As soon as the corporate obtained the okay, Mira and Romana outfitted their Minis with Eventuri intakes. In keeping with Eventuri, the system gives “decrease consumption temperatures than the inventory airbox and avoids warmth soak, which is a typical challenge particularly on greater powered Minis.”

The Bluetooth-enabled controller for the JCW Professional exhaust. Picture by J.A. Ackley

Lastly, the exhaust. Mira and Romana didn’t dig the inventory setup. Too quiet.

They approached Mini, which supplied them a JCW Professional exhaust package. It has two modes, managed by a Bluetooth distant, one for the observe and one for the road. Mira definitely enjoys sound from the observe model.

Okay, So What’s It Prefer to Drive One?

A front-wheel-drive automotive with a whole lot of energy and torque? Sure, that creates a recipe for one main challenge.

“The largest drawback you face with this automotive is torque steer,” Mira says. “It’s a must to be light. In the event you push too quickly, it would spin the wheels.”

General, Mira and Romana just like the strengths of the front-wheel-drive setup. “You don’t face oversteer a lot, however understeer, sure, it sucks,” Romana admits. “With a front-wheel-drive automotive, it doesn’t flip the way in which you need, however with an understeer automotive, you may cease after which simply hold going. It’s extra forgiving.”

Picture by J.A. Ackley

The GP comes with two modes: Sport and GP. “Now we have it on observe in GP mode, however simply the primary stage,” Mira says. “The primary stage will rev your engine greater. The second will flip your nannies off. We nonetheless hold the nannies on.”

And, sure, there’s no third pedal with the GP. “It’s an eight-speed computerized,” Mira notes. “That’s what lots of people complain about–you’ve misplaced engagement with the automotive–however I don’t. At Highway America, we’re doing 141 mph on the straightaways, and also you assume you may have time, with the torque steer, to take your palms off the wheel altering your gear, and again on? No thanks. I’m completely happy I can have each palms on the steering wheel.”

Picture by J.A. Ackley

Entrance-wheel-drive? Automated? Certain, these points may be a turn-off to some. However mix the 300-plus horsepower with the renown go-kart-like dealing with of a Mini, and it’s straightforward to see why Mira and Romana depart the observe with smiles.

Mira Knava (68) and Romana Smela (44) through the SCCA Time Trials Nationals at NCM Motorsports Park. Picture by Tradd’s Pictures/Racing for ALS.