Andrew's MINI Adventures

USF1 Team Rumor.....

2009-02-05T17:12:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken at a party in Indy during one of the recent USGP races. I made all the races until there were no more. Peter Windsor and I were at the Speed party in this shot. Peter still does the driver interviews for F1 at the end of every race...check the latest rumor....not sure I am biting on this one but I am already a fan if it happens!!

Here is a link to the logo:

http://www.usf1.com/

F1 »

New F1 team set for 2010 – Made in USA?

Despite the fact that motorsport worldwide is reeling from the current global credit crunch, it has been revealed that a new Formula 1 team could be set to take to the grand prix starting grid in 2010 – made in America.

German website motorsport-total.com has reported that the new squad – called USF1 – has been in the offing since last summer, with at the helm former Williams and Ferrari team manager Peter Windsor and highly-respected IndyCar technical and design guru Ken Anderson, whose cars have triumphed in no fewer than five Indianapolis 500 races and claimed four IRL crowns.

Having in the past worked alongside such F1 luminaries as Nigel Mansell, Carlos Reutemann and John Barnard, Windsor now plies his trade as an esteemed journalist and television pundit. The 56-year-old is well-known in the States by dint of his commentary for SPEED TV. Anderson previously featured in F1 with Ligier and Onyx back in 1989 and 1990 respectively, and has also worked with success in NASCAR circles, with Haas/CNC Racing.

It is claimed that the new team – which began to take shape following the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix and is said to have received the blessing of the sport's commercial rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone – will be unveiled to the public before the end of this month, and hopes to be ready to make its Formula 1 debut as early as 2010.

USF1 will allegedly have its base in the heart of NASCAR country in Charlotte, North Carolina, with an agreement in place to make use of the new Windshear wind tunnel in the Deep South state. There could also be a European headquarters in Bilbao in Spain.

Other rumours, meanwhile, suggest that Anderson – who is understood to have attempted to purchase the defunct Super Aguri outfit last year – is formulating a bid to buy-out Honda F1.

It is claimed that Anderson's goal in the USF1 project is to provide a showcase for both American drivers and technology. The last US-born driver to compete in the top flight was Scott Speed back in 2006 and 2007, whilst the only American drivers to have lifted the world championship laurels have been the late Phil Hill in 1961 and Mario Andretti in 1978. The sole time an American driver and American car have run together as a combination was Dan Gurney in his Eagle more than four decades ago.

A Parting Shot from a Nice Day at the Track

2008-10-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

As you look over my MINI you can see the green grass of the the grounds at VIR. Every time I think of VIR I think of a country club setting. This place is just awesome. Look over the bridge and you can see the new brick condos. (click the picture to enlarge it) That's a place for the ultimate in race track living.

Until next time, I'll see you down the road.

98 Octane Baby...

2008-10-05T22:18:00.000-07:00

As I walked by the fueling station I noticed the yellow octane sticker on the pumps. That is some strong medicine! I used to run 103 in my 1974 MG midget. This liquid is sort of like rocket fuel!

Just a Random Photo

2008-10-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

As the title of this post says this is just a random photo I caught with my pocket camera as I was walking the paddock area. There were some nice cars here and it is always fun to walk through the garage area to see how racers move their equipment and work on cars at the track. Now if I could play some audio for this picture it would be the sweet song of a Porsche at full throttle.

A Couple of R32 GTIs...

2008-10-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

I am just back from VIR http://www.virclub.com/ and I thought I would share a few sights from the trip. This weekend VIR held the three day Koni Challenge. http://www.konichallenge.com/

I really like these cars. This is some serious horsepower in a small package. I stuck my head inside one of them all all you could smell was leather. Very nice.
http://www.vw.com/R32/en/us/

PL Newman

2008-09-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

Paul Newman. I knew the day would come when he would be gone. He was reported to be sick months ago and was looking rather thin now for the last couple of years. I never met him but I saw him from a distance several times. I met his racing partner of many years, Carl Haas in Indianapolis at the US Grand Prix. I should show you that photo sometime.

This morning I was chatting with a list of friends from around the world as we watched the Formula One Grand Prix qualifying live from Singapore. A friend of mine from Canada told me via a chat message that Paul has just died. Bummer.

In the picture above you can see the red, white, and blue Oldsmobile with Paul driving in 1990 at the F1 USGP in Phoenix. His car usually said "PL Newman" He never really liked anyone to know who he really was. He was an awesome driver and from the local talk on this day he had his pal Tom Cruise in tow for the weekend. They were just hanging out for the weekend watching F1. He had a chance to drive in this warm-up race and went for it. And he was good at it. I took this 35mm print with my old Pentax ME Super from my seat that day.

I don't have much to say about Paul that the media hasn't already said. I will say I love the fact he was good at what he did no matter what is was. He lived well and was true to his friends and family. He gave his time and money to the greater good. A true mentor, I never met him in person but I will never forget him.

Red Bull P1 in Monza.....

2008-09-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodromo_Nazionale_Monza
\

It's been a bit slow on the MINI adventures lately. Sorry I have been VERY busy with all my interests! I never stop. I only slow for corners to hit the proper apex in life.

Ok it is no secret I am a Ferrari Formula One fan. Always have been, always will be. I watch every practice, qualifying, race, you name it...and I have the tape and dvds to prove it..9 USGPs to date attended and here is hoping for a return for F1 to the US in 2010...oh yeah..sorry I have a Nick Heidfeld hat to wear at BMW events as he is my next favorite. If I had not been a Ferrari fan since I flew my red flag in Phoenix in 1989 I would be a BMW fan.

http://www.motorsport-magazin.com/nickheidfeld/en/home.php

Back to the title of this post....I was... naturally visualizing a Ferrari 1/2 finish at the Italian Grand Prix!
What I got was a Ferrari P1 finish alright, except it was the Red Bull chassis with a Ferrari engine! Well. My numero uno sports drink I buy by the case and drink once a day whether I need it or not...they win! Formerly known as the Minardi team they have NEVER won a race. Well it rained, Sebastian Vettel leads from the pole and beat everything on the track! Well I would have bet BIG money against that outcome.

At any rate...I have to say Congratulations to the Red Bull team. You earned it. A historic finish and well done. Cheers Dietrich Mateschitz! (That's him in the middle of the picture)

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/05/08/formulaone.future/index.html#cnnSTCText

A Nice End to a Fine Day...

2008-08-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

The parking lot down the street in Elon at the Piedmont Ale House. Great fried pickles and fried green beans! The local micro brews and Euro-offerings were not bad either....this is a great place made even better with your MINI friends there.

And the Cake was Served....

2008-08-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

What a nice cake...there was so much great food at this event I would have to fill the page with the descriptions. When MINI owners throw a party they throw a party....

The Burgers and Hot Dogs Were Grilling....

2008-08-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

Mark sporting his best burger cookin' style...

The Banner Was Posted...

2008-08-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

The Cat makes a Getaway...

2008-08-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

I saw several dogs at the event, some with some nice clothes and a really cool Bulldog...but I didn't see any of them actually driving a MINI....

Snoopy Checking Out the MINIs

2008-08-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

Snoopy is giving us the once over from the sky! Our cigar smoking canopy was setting up the smoke screen so I am not sure what he saw....

UFO Photo?

2008-08-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

Here is another picture of the parking lot at the blast this afternoon. If you click on the picture and enlarge it you can see the small object in the sky behind in our group of MINIs. No it's not a UFO, it is the Met Life blimp!

The Tar Heel MINI Motoring Club August Blast...

2008-08-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

The line-up in the parking lot today at Springwood Park in Burlington, North Carolina.
The Tar Heel MINI Motoring Club was having a Club Blast and it was a good one...someone said there were almost 100 cars there. I really lost count in the afternoon...
http://www.tarheelminis.org/

Here is a link to the Newspaper article in the Burlington Times....

http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/cars_16470___article.html/inspire_mini.html

John Force!!

2008-05-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

The NHRA legend. John Force. This guy is the nicest person on the block. His team brought the car they had just raced in Bristol and several drivers. They had all barely slept but they signed everything in sight and John kept everyone entertained with his personality. I can't say enough good things about him. He is the man. I am a big fan of his, as a driver and most of all as a real person. You rock dude.

http://www.johnforceracing.com/

From John's web site...

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Now that he's driven in his 500th NHRA race, won his 1,000th round, made his 201st final round appearance and celebrated his 59th birthday, all within the last three weeks, John Force acknowledged Wednesday that he may be ready to take the final step in his recovery from career-threatening injuries suffered last fall in a 320 mile-an-hour crash.

"Every race I'm feeling more comfortable in the car," proclaimed the 14-time series champion. "The car's gotten better. I'm better. I think we're ready to win again."

Racing Girls...

2008-05-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Rock....Ashley Force. Fresh in from Bristol.

http://www.ashleyforce.com/

http://www.johnforceracing.com/index.html

I Ran Into.....

2008-05-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

Tony Stewart today at work....fresh off his helicopter which landed right in front of our building from Charlotte.

Oh my MINI was parked about 30 feet from all the action...with the sun shade on the dash and under the shade of a nice tree....

http://www.tonystewart.com/

Miles of MINIs

2008-05-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

The MINIs look like they stretch for miles...this was the line-up for the group picture in front of the dam. It was raining for the panaramic five foot photo...but we did it anyway. Nothing like getting wet for a picture of your car.

20 MPH?

2008-05-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

In a MINI? Not.

MINI Bee

2008-05-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

There was a car show and this car was my favorite.

Mr. Clean

2008-05-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

"Mr. Clean" sits adjacent to the car washing station. I must have washed my car five times in four days. Between the rain and the bugs it was tough on the old boy. Should I mention the complimentary products we used to wash our cars? Awesome stuff..my personal favorite is a product called 'Slick." I left with several bottles of these products. They Rock.

http://www.detailersparadise.com/View.asp?Id=6511292005451212-691513519625

Deal Em'

2008-05-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

Did I mention there was fun to be had at the Second Annual MINI Monte Carlo Night?
Thanks to all from the PittStop MINI Club....
http://www.pittstopmini.org/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_id=896476&item_id=4444

It's Monte Carlo Night!!

2008-05-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

Can you tell it's Monte Carlo Night?
http://www.racerchicks.com/auto/miniMC.html

Inside the casino is setup and we are ready for some fun!

To the Rescue...

2008-05-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the culprit. The Fire Department got the situation under control and electricity service was restored many hours later...

Where there is Smoke...

2008-05-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

Not a good sign. I was standing by my car as Sumpter, who works for Dan at Grassroots Garage, installed an engine damper on my car. Suddenly we hear what sounds like fireworks in the distance. Then we see smoke. On my radio I was told balls of electricity were flying down the wires behind the houses on the side of the mountain. With all the wind we were having at the time this was not a good thing. The nearest fire department was quite a ways down the road.

A Pair of Vintage MINIs

2008-05-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

I thought these cars were so cool I stopped just to capture a picture....

On the Tree of Shame in Deals Gap

2008-05-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

This bit of a MINI was spotted on the "Tree of Shame" in Deals Gap.
http://www.dealsgap.com/tree.htm
Remember you can click the picture to make it larger.

The Most Photographed MINI of the Weekend

2008-05-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you drive hard and roll your car. I must say when this fellow drove through the village he got a round of applause! He was all the way from Canada!! This image is a testimonial to the structural integrity of these cars. Other than a bad windshield the car survived the altercation with the embankment and the resulting roll pretty well.

Checking Out Fontana Dam

2008-05-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Fontana Dam, the view from down below. I just thought this was a cool picture...
http://www.tva.com/sites/fontana.htm

Stoopid Girl Working on My MINI

2008-05-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

It didn't take long to make it down to the giant venor tent and start flashing my cash.

Here I am getting an install from the seller of MINI eyes. Nice job Stoopid Girl! Here are links to her sites:
http://rogueminis.com/3.html
http://stoopidgirl.blogspot.com/

Early Arrivals into Fontana Village

2008-05-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday afternoon we arrive into Fontana Village and the place is pretty quiet. Just the calm before the storm of hundreds of MINIs inbound for adventure.
http://www.fontanavillage.com/

On the Way to MOTD 2008...Black Mountain, NC

2008-05-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

Another year, another MINIs on the Dragon. We had a small caravan this year out of Clemmons, NC and we collectively decided to stop at a very nice local pizza place in Black Mountain. http://www.myfatherspizza.com/

After a really nice lunch we all decided to stretch our legs and visit some very cool local shops. This place has that old small town feel and the shops are worth visiting for some really unusual stuff. This picture shows a view back down one of the streets.

The Mobile Version of Grassroots Garage

2008-05-11T03:15:00.000-07:00

A picture of one of the best MINI mechanics in the USA. Dan Zipkin. We are lucky to have him so close to us in North Carolina. Here he is seen in action installing yet another supercharger pulley. He must have installed a truckload of pulleys this weekend!

http://grassrootsgarage.com/

The MINIs on show

2008-04-21T04:05:00.000-07:00

Some of the clubs members had several cars on display. Here is a shot of two of them. There were quite a few MINIs there, my only comment is we needed more room to park them. This place is not small and it was packed with cars! I have this event on my calendar for 2009.

My Favorite Car.

2008-04-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

The inside of the engine compartment of a red Austin Healy Bugeye Sprite. What a nice car! I have always liked these cars and I owned a MG Midget myself. One day I need to dig some pictures of my car out...In the mean time I have to stay away from these cars, if one were to come up for sale I might be tempted to pull my wallet out.

Uh oh.

2008-04-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

So much for the tire dressing!

Line 'em Up.

2008-04-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

A whole line of classics with the bonnets up. There were so many cars at this event there is no way I can post all the pictures. This was a lot of fun.

A view across the hill...

2008-04-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Looking back at the large building that houses the gift shop, a huge tasting room, and other things you can see the music shell on the hill. This building will be the stage for some awesome music this year. Take a look at the schedule...these people have most of the classic beach music bands that ever hit a stage....I will be back. Soon.
http://www.sheltonvineyards.com/default.aspx?shelton=39

Shelton Vineyards...Beautiful in the Spring.

2008-04-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have seen the vineyards in California but there are no vineyards that exceed this place in layout and beauty. As I came through Dobson for my first visit to this area I was stunned at the large entrance gates and the detail in the landscaping. I am a landcaping nut myself and this place reminded me of some of the best I have seen. I thought I had arrived at Biltmore! Nice job folks!

Had Your Pork Chop Sandwich Yet?

2008-04-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

On the way to the vineyards we stopped by Mount Airy. http://www.mountairy.org/

This is a very nice town I really enjoy walking around in.

The Snappy Lunch is the place to get your pork chop sandwich. Just remember it closes at 1:15 sharp on Saturday! http://www.visitmayberry.com/detailsnorthcarolina.asp?BusinessID=58&BusinessCategoryID=85

On the way to Shelton Vineyards!

2008-04-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

As I motor down the road on my way to the British Car gathering at Shelton Vineyards http://www.sheltonvineyards.com/ I picked up a bit of a caravan of really three nice English automobiles. I captured this picture in the western edge of Rockingham County from my driver mirror. I thought it was cool that we just casually met on a country road.

Dirtgasm...

2008-02-02T21:55:00.001-08:00

You have to understand something about my car. It lives a protective life. I watch the weather constantly and if there is a chance of rain my car stays in the garage. That is the temperature controlled garage. I never let it get dirty and it has only been driven in the rain once when I got caught in the rain at the Dragon run last year. At this point the car even still has the new car smell in it..well this trip I was made fun of for my "pristine MINI." OK by me I like my cars in like new condition baybe. SO I finally named my car. He is now "Mr Clean."
As we finished our day at the Hickory Tavern for some fine British Ale and great food this picture was taken in the parking lot by some MINI paparazzi...Not to matter...I was out in 30 degree weather the next day washing Mr. Clean and detailing the fender wells...All is good...

A detour....

2008-02-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

We continued our ride through a bunch of twisty roads and through a mountain pass. We tried to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a short stint but the road was closed due to snow. So we changed the planned route and had to detour. Our leader was using google maps on his Iphone. I asked him on our radio frequency if he was lost. He said trust me and I did. The next thing I know we are on a frozen dirt road! OMG. There were all kinds of people making comments on the radio like..."if I had known we were going four wheeling I would have brought my WRX!!" "Don't look now, he has a gun." "I swear I hear banjo music." As I crossed a bridge of hand-hewn trees I prayed the weight of my car would not break it. Rifle Range Road...what a story.

Now our trip has become the Ned Beatty Classic" adventure canoe trip / world rally championship training run...

All Lined up on Stone Mountain....

2008-02-02T21:37:00.000-08:00

All the MINIs lined up in the parking lot. We paused to stretch our legs, chat, and take a few pictures. The park ranger rolled though and smiled at our pack of cars. Everyone loves the MINIs.

Yes it Was a Bit Cold...

2008-02-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

A picture of me with my layers on to keep the cold way....Love my Ferrari F1 team coat...that is one warm coat.

The GPS View....

2008-02-02T21:33:00.000-08:00

My view of the GPS while cruising the area around Stone Mountain....I love my Garmin Nuvi 360. Remember you can click the picture to enlarge it for reading..

Surrounded by Deer....

2008-02-02T21:31:00.000-08:00

There were deer everywhere in the Stone Mountain area. They were all over the side of the road. I counted over twenty in one field alone...

Headed to Stone Mountain, North Carolina

2008-02-02T21:26:00.000-08:00

The MINI line headed for Stone Mountain last Saturday. It was a cold day. We started in Winston-Salem with about 20 MINIs. We had a nice twisty route up to Elkin and into Stone Mountain Park.

Headed Down the Mountains Back Home....

2007-11-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

As we headed home..some of the gang went to the winery, some went to the Woolwine Festival..and we had a bit of fun on the twisties...although there was some slow traffic in front at times the roads are great...here is a link to a short video of one of the runs...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PXjRWgI96s

The Pic-a-Nic!!!

2007-11-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

We made it to the picnic!! Here we are at Rocky Knob right off the Blue Ridge Parkway which you can see in the background up the hill just beyond the fence.....I never saw Yogi or Boo-Boo. But we had some great food! We also had lots of fun talk and music supplied by our fellow THMC members Jennifer and Van.
http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?AttrID=29395

The Line-up at Mayby Mill...

2007-11-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

We made it to Maybry Mill and we had so many cars we parked in the overflow lot. We are not far from the site of the pic-a-nic...

The Staging Area...

2007-11-01T17:32:00.001-07:00

A group of MINIs waiting for the run to Mayby Mill...by now we are getting hungry for that Pic-a-nic basket!!

A Car Guy's Kind of Bird House...

2007-11-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

I really liked these bird houses. They make a cool picture too.

The Lovers Leap Birdhouse Store...

2007-11-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

Always a cool stop, the Lover's Leap Bird House store.
http://www.featheredphoto.com/
There were so many cars in our caravan we had to visit in stages with a big part of our group hanging out in the parking lot back at Lovers Leap.

The Pit Stop Scene...

2007-11-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

A quick pit stop near Stuart, Virginia where we all over-ran the rest rooms and filled our boots with fresh apples and mountain produce...

Those Cotton Fields of Home...

2007-11-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

You never know what you might see on a day of cruising....I put on some CCR and hit the gas pedal....
When I was a little bitty baby
My mama would rock me in the cradle
In them old cotton fields back home

http://yu.ac.kr/~bwlee/lyrics/cottnfld.htm

An Invasion of MINIs

2007-11-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

The MINI invasion hits the Quick Stop parking lot. We needed to get the gang together as we moved through the traffic lights and multiple stops. The lady in the store said "The MINIs are here!"

You Ready for a Pic a nic Boo Boo?

2007-10-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

The Beginnning of the Yogi & Boo Boo's Great Adventure....

2007-10-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

We joined up at the Lowes parking lot in Winston-Salem from many miles around to create an adventure called Yogi & Boo Boo's Great Adventure...yes it was the day of the Pic-a- nic in the mountains and fun with some cool people driving MINIs.

Grand AM MINI !!!

2007-10-07T12:53:00.001-07:00

There were two MINIs on the track yesterday. Here is a picture of one of them. This was a long race that ended well into the night but it was a fun one!! I have attached a link to a very non-professional video I made with my digital camera yesterday. This video will give you a feel for how the cars sounded as they go by. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7195356497834331408

My Loaner 2007 MINI...

2007-10-07T12:43:00.001-07:00

Here is my 2007 MINI loaner car number 42 from flow MINI. I have been driving this one for a few days as my MINI is in the shop getting the OEM custom Digital Power Sound Module installed. http://www.motoringfile.com/index.php?s=dpsm
I can't wait for my 660 watts of power although I doubt my system will see the 128 db rating. I will tell you more about it in a future post. There is a 30 hour break-in required!
Meanwhile I am driving this R56 MINI with paddle shifters. As you can see I have given this one a bath before coming to VIR to view the Grand Am race as I always want my ride to look good. As they say, "It is better to look Good, than to feel Good." Actually I prefer both....

Grand Am Racing at VIR Yesterday!

2007-10-07T12:30:00.001-07:00

The Number 69 Mazda RX8. http://www.speedsourceinc.com/
Our friend Jose Armengol from Miami was in town and we made the annual visit to VIR to see him race.
http://www.mondialforwarding.com/index.cfm?template=news
I think this year is the first year in several years that the race was held in the dry. Man we need the rain but it was a very nice day.
Not a bad picture huh? I took this one with my Sony digital from the edge of the s turns. I have many close ups of this car but I really liked this one. Here is a report from the race last night:
Mazda struggled through an uncharacteristically difficult day and an 18th place finish by the No. 69 Mondial Forwarding/SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 was the manufacturer's best showing of the race, but even that came with a silver lining. The result, which came only after a mid-race front suspension repair, was good enough for lead driver Jose Armengol to take third place in the ST drivers championship with 262 points. Armengol was capably supported Saturday by co-drivers and former Grand-Am KONI Challenge ST Champions David Haskell and Sylvain Tremblay.

My MINI in front of Graylyn...

2007-09-27T17:43:00.001-07:00

A closing shot for the day. My car with Grayln in the distance. Off to the right you can see a few of the Ferraris present. There were some Bentleys in the white tent and some really nice British cars off to the left. I was surprised just how many Alfa Romeos were there. Many nice cars....This was a fun day. Quite hot for late September. Thankfully Amy Helton and company from Hanover Park Winery was there and let us cool off at their tent with a nice glass of North Carolina Chardonnay. Ah life is good.
http://www.hanoverparkwines.com/

Lambo Pipes!!

2007-09-27T17:32:00.001-07:00

There are exhaust systems and then there are LARGE exhaust systems. The back of this Lamborghni has a serious set of pipes. Of course I have another picture of the price list for this car...can you say $282,000 including a $3000.00 gas guzzler tax? But it gets 17 MPG on the highway! There were many cars on the lawn at this event but this tent was particularly cool. There were several yellow Lamborghinis, all new, and man they were nice. I heard Steve's Sport Auto is moving from Summerfield, NC to Greensboro. I actually like the rural location he is in right now but I hear the new Lamborghini dealership is going to be a two story building on Wendover Avenue. Cool.
http://www.sportauto.cc/

Our line-up on the lawn.....

2007-09-27T17:27:00.001-07:00

There were a few cars over my shoulder as I took this shot but I liked this one the best of all the ones I took. We had quite a line of cars and I believe we had the highest turn-out of any of the marques on the lawn last Sunday. You can almost see Twister way down at the end of this line...oh yeah... if you click on the picture you can zoom in on my new club badge on my grill...

MINIs on the way to the Concours....

2007-09-27T17:19:00.001-07:00

A long line of MINIs on the way to the Concours de Graylyn.
http://www.concoursdegraylyn.com/
I took this shot out of my sunroof while motoring doen the road. At this point we had two lanes full of MINIs going through town. We started in Winston-Salem and went out west to Yadkinville. We twisted our way back through the scenic views of East Bend and even a Vineyard. Soon we were back in Winston-Salem at Graylyn.

My Brake Light will now Pulse!

2007-09-26T18:06:00.001-07:00

The view just before the replacement of my third brake light led array. The board is installed....man those wires are tiny!! Thanks to Go MINI Go...awesome customer service and super fast shipping. High marks from me. http://www.gominigo.com/

Ah the Music....

2007-09-26T18:02:00.001-07:00

Just a quick shot of my Milltek exhaust tips before I fire up for another MINI adventure....
http://www.millteksport.com/

My Milltek Serial Number....

2007-09-26T17:54:00.001-07:00

A UK exhaust for my UK made car. I should mention that I really like this exhaust. It is very close to stock for the MINI S but it talks when you put your foot down. I can feel the power difference as the dyno says a nine HP gain comes after you add this piece. I believe it.
Thanks to my neighbor Jim Smith at The Exhaust Center in Eden for the install. His work is top shelf.

Milltek Installation!

2007-09-26T17:31:00.001-07:00

Busy Weekend. Here is my new Milltek exhaust at 8 AM last Saturday on the rack about an hour after pulling into the shop.
I want to mention that I bought the exhaust at Outmotoring from Aaron Cornaby. http://www.outmotoring.com/pages.php?pageid=4
I met him in person at MOTD this year. His price was the best on the web for this exhaust. His customer service was exactly what I expect. Prompt e-mail, prompt shipping, an e-mailed tracking number, and an arrival spot on. Thanks Aaron!! 10 out of 10 from me.

MINI Karaoke....

2007-09-26T17:24:00.001-07:00

A recent picture of the MINI line outside Van and Jennifer's house. Inside the house was rocking with karaoke from all the drivers and riders...just another example of how MINI owners and the members of the Tar Heel MINI Club know how to have fun.
http://www.tarheelminis.org/

Marketing using a MINI.....

2007-09-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

A friend sent this picture to me. The marketing guys at FHM magazine had fun with this paint scheme. I can't imagine driving this girl around in traffic....

New Mod Report!

2007-08-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

OK so I have a new mod under the hood!! And it does rock! If you click on the image and drill down to the real deal you will see my JCW cold air intake (CAI) which I purchased from a really cool place http://www.minspeed.net/

You should call Pete for your MINI part needs. He is down in Florida, a really nice guy who wants to live in North Carolina, and best of all he has great prices, fast shipping, and he packs his orders like a pro. Anyone who knows me will say I am picky as #### about my toys...Pete will not disappoint. Give him a try.

As far as the modification! I travelled to Flow MINI to get this item installed. Why? To get the factory warranty! And they do great work. The guy who did it was Ryan Draughn and he does fine work.

Now my car is pretty much stealth sounding until 4,000 RPMs, then the flap opens and the supercharger screams. Love the power baybee. 'Nuff said.

One of My Favorite Houses...

2007-08-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

On the way back down to Carolina from DC I stopped by a favorite place. http://www.monticello.org/

Thomas Jefferson's house. My saying is "That man was an alien..." He was so cool and so far ahead of his time. I love his house and the story of his lifestyle..I never tire of hanging out at this place. I am ready for the dome tour next time. Maybe one day I can be a volunteer tour guide...

It won't be long until I have another report on this stop for you. Several of us MINI owners are plotting a nice future trip in the area....

I have tons of pictures of the gardens and the area. The wine with his name is great and I now have several bottles in my cellar....yes, life is good....

Hey I Spotted Your 2007 MINI in DC....

2007-08-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

As I am spending my last day in DC I see this new MINI parked on the mall. OK so I can't help myself...I took the picture.

And no the catering company truck parked in the background cannot have free ads on my blog...Heheh.....

My Travels to DC

2007-08-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a several day trip to Washington, DC. Great town! After several times of being there I actually had time to explore on this trip!

9999 and Counting....

2007-08-09T16:03:00.001-07:00

Hmm...time for the 10 K service and a tire rotation. This car is getting better by the day....9999 trouble-free miles and free dealer service is due. Ahhh...Steve over at Flow just took care of the oil change, cabin filter change, and windshield wiper blade changes. My second oil change at this point, my MINI is purring again and still smells like new.

MINIs Motoring Against Cancer!!!

2007-07-02T19:23:00.001-07:00

OK here is a group of people from all over the Carolinas region coming together to have fun and start raising money for a great cause. This was an idea started from Mr Magoo in the picture here (in the hat third from the right of the red car) . All of the People in this picture helped raise over $600 on this day alone. We even got donations from visitors on Mt. Mitchell....The banner you see in the picture was created in Hickory, North Carolina. The banner will now find its way across the USA and the world to raise money for Cancer research and prevention. From MINI club to MINI club. Coast to coast....Very cool indeed. It is a good day when you can have this much fun and throw some dollars at a good cause. Great job all.....I am proud to have friends like these people.

MINIs at the Summit!!

2007-07-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

How about this shot? Taken from atop an old container most of the MINIs on the trip are here...You can see the clouds in the distance as the Spruce trees touch them. This is one nice location. My car is way in the back but that is no big deal. It is very cool just to be a part of this journey.

A Nice Picture...

2007-07-02T19:17:00.001-07:00

I like Natural Landmarks.....

Acid Rain..Power Plants, Soapbox Moment...

2007-07-02T19:07:00.002-07:00

This is a sad picture. 6600 feet...At the higher elevations the trees are dead. The earthworms are gone. I am hopeful that we are starting to make a move towards solar energy and alternative fuels. We are too smart to let this happen. Maybe in 1-200 hundred years people will see a clear sky and no more pollution from fossil fuels and coal-burning power plants. We have a long way to go but little time to make a difference. I hope for the best. Time will tell....let's make a change!!! Acid rain and global warning is a real phenomenon. BMW is working in the right direction and I will keep supporting them!

The Entrance...Mt. Mitchell....

2007-07-02T19:00:00.001-07:00

Here we are at the entrance as we climb the mountain to the peak. I can feel my ears going crazy. 6600 feet? Wow we are at the highest point east of the Mississippi. http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/momi/home.html
http://www.northcarolinaoutdoors.com/places/mountains/blacks.html

Tunnels? Yep We have Plenty...

2007-07-02T18:56:00.001-07:00

There were plenty of tunnels along the way and it was cool that we were burning lights, front and aft....and blowing horns as we past thru them...as only a MINI caravan can do.

Spiral Curves??

2007-07-02T18:47:00.001-07:00

Man there are some long and winding roads here....check that sign out!!
A sports car drivers dream...How about those rodedendron bushes on the side of the road? ...huge!!! Awesome stuff. Nice scenery for sure.

Entry to the Viaduct....

2007-07-02T18:43:00.001-07:00

Here is a shot of the entry to the Linn Cove Viaduct... nice road....North Carolina has some very cool places...

Linn Cove Viaduct in the Distance. ..

2007-07-02T18:38:00.001-07:00

Wow....a nice engineering marvel in the distance...we all pulled over for a distant shot of the Linn Cove Viaduct...very cool...yes, I know this picture is a very distant view...enlarge it!!
http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/linncove.htm
This shot was from Julie's camera through the sunroof of my MINI.

A parking lot full of MINIs in Boone, North Carolina!

2007-07-02T18:17:00.000-07:00

After we collected all the cars along NC highway 421 at the various interstate junctions we made our way to Boone, North Carolina for lunch. This was the coolest place. Blues and BBQ....MY kind of place...there were posters everywhere of Blue Legends from all over the building and they had crawfish on the menu...can you say YES? I had my share......cool music too...Stevie Ray to Elmore James....ahh....
A funny story as we are eating. A fellow comes in as he is driving a 2007 MINI though town. His girlfriend says, "Hey we just passed a MINI dealership!!" Nah we just had the whole lot full of MINIs!! Cool eh?
It was nice hang with MINI owners from Charlotte to Roanoke, Virginia. A real eye-catcher...all those MINIs coming through town.

Line 'em Up!!!

2007-07-02T18:12:00.001-07:00

Here is a small line getting ready for the Mt. Mitchell run on Saturday morning, June 23. I have been so busy I haven't had time to post these shots up. Trust me we had a BLAST!! A very nice trip with a huge turnout of MINIs from all over North and South Carolina as well as Virginia. Here are a few of the early birds waiting west of Winston-Salem. We picked up others from Charlotte, etc. as we rolled west. Great fun!!

A Parting Shot of the USGP Podium...

2007-06-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

Well I need to move on to the next adventure so I will end this segment with a parting show of the podium. I took this shot from my race day seats. Is that a cool podium or what? Remind me to show you my pictures of me and the grid girls in front of the podium some time. Hmm...

This is the inagural year of a new F1 superstar, Lewis Hamilton of the UK. I don't believe I have ever seen so many Union Jacks flying at a grand prix! Everyone loves a winner. Sorry I am not a Mclaren fan, but Lewis, now he can drive. He is a real sensation on the track. It is good to see some new F1 legends in the making.

The Yard of Brick.

2007-06-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

OK so I didn't leave my cigar on the yard of bricks. I just put it there for a moment while I took this picture. This is a very cool feature of the track and I never get tired of taking pictures of the bricks. The funny thing is you see quite a few people doing really stange things to these bricks! Hmm...not me....I'll never tell. http://www.usgpindy.com/news/story.php?story_id=4162

Formula One Live on Speed!!

2007-06-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a shot inside IMS during the F1 team interviews which was being broadcast live on Speed. http://www.speedtv.com/
David Hobbs and Peter Windsor are interviewing Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock of the BMW Sauber F1 team. http://www.bmw-sauber-f1.com/html/en/index.html
Robert Kubica was in his medical check at the time from that really bad crash the week before in Canada. Ultimately Sebastian Vettel drove the car for Robert and placed in the points. He set several records for a teenage rookie at this USGP that are likely to stand for some time. Great job Sebastian!

The BMW Sauber F1 Garage...

2007-06-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

Now this is a garage! Check out those overhead lights and the video screens in the back. This looks more like an aircraft hangar than an automotive garage. Plenty of spares are present in all directions. And the interesting part of this is the fact that it has to be flown here in a plane for the two North American races. Can you say $$$ ?

Me & Mari George!

2007-06-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

I really like this picture! Thanks to my lovely wife for taking it! As you are walking around IMS you never know who you will run into. Here I am with Mari Hulman George, the current Chairman of the Board of IMS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari_Hulman_George

This is the lady that you see on ABC every Memorial Day say "Start those engines!" She also is also present during the trophy presentation for the USGP.

She was very nice to take a picture with me. Cool lady. Now if I could just borrow that F1 Pit Pass credential she has on her lanyard....

United States Grand Prix 2007!!

2007-06-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

June 14, 2007, the pagoda tower in Indy. My 9th USGP including one in Phoenix many years ago. OK so I left the MINI at home and flew up here. Actually wish I had brought my car given all the happenings at the track. I took this picture during the pit walk. More on that in a minute.

http://www.usgpindy.com/modules/images/trackmap/usgp05-map-lrg.jpg

MINIs take over the Track.

2007-06-25T17:43:00.001-07:00

Off in the distance you can see the car in front of me. (Remember you can click the picture to enlarge it) This space allowed some nice lap times on this track. In the mirror you can see three cars chasing me. Much fun. If you have never turned a lap at VIR in your MINI you need to set a date soon.

Lining up for the Patriots Course!

2007-06-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a whole line of MINIs lining up for some laps on the Patriots Course which is on the inside of the maintrack at VIR. I shot this picture over the roof of my car. This event was made possible by the fine people at MY dealer, Flow MINI. http://www.flowmini.com/ In fact my car is on the web site right now parked between the two hot orange beauties at VIR! I just saw that...very cool stuff. We had a blast on this course and the only thing that made me slow down was the fact I was heating my run flat tires up and I began to worry about the amount of money each lap was costing in terms of rubber expense! What a blast!

A Vintage MINI in the garage area...

2007-06-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a MINI getting ready to hit the track in the VIR Gold Cup races. We toured the infield section right after lunch. The grand marshall of the races was Carol Shelby. http://www.carrollshelby.com/
He made a lap in a very nice Cobra with his black hat on...a nice touch to the 50th anniversary of this track.

The Oak Tree at VIR...

2007-06-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

Earlier this fine morning I had met two hot orange MINI cabrios on the highway to come to the track for some laps.I had one in front and one in back of me. Both pals of mine from the Tar Heel MINI Club. If you look closely over the tires you can see the retro Chevy SSR truck pacing the lap. This turn is fantastic and leads onto a straight that is a blast to open up on.

Back at VIR on the Track!!!

2007-06-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

Three weeks ago, Sunday June 10th, on the track at VIR http://www.virclub.com/vir/ in my MINI coming down the straight, I shot this picture over my dash. This track is very cool and the grounds are in very good shape. We are lucky to have a nice track like this so close to home.