Join the team for our recap an exciting race weekend at Indy and a finale for the TC Driver’s Championship. 8PM Central, 9PM Eastern, October 12th. In this live episode, we will be talking about the race weekend at Indy. Joining us live will be drivers, Clay Williams, Cristian Perocarpi, PJ Groenke, Bruce Myrehn and team owner Luis Perocarpi.
Sebring Recap 2023
Join the team for our recap of the race weekend at Sebring, 8PM Central, 9PM Eastern, September 28th. In this live episode, we will be talking about the race weekend at Sebring. Joining us live will be drivers, Clay Williams, Cristian Perocarpi, PJ Groenke, and team owner Luis Perocarpi.
Road America Recap 2023
Join the team for our recap of the race weekend at Road America, 8PM Central, 9PM Eastern, August 31st. In this live episode, we will be talking about the race weekend at Road America. Lots to talk about with a P3 for PJ Groenke and P2 for Cristian Perocarpi at Race 1 and a P1 for Clay Williams and P3 for Cristian for Race 2.
VIR 2023 Recap
Join the team for our recap of the race weekend at VIR, 8PM Central, 9PM Eastern, June 29th. In this live episode, we will be talking about the race weekend at Virginia International Raceway. With a weekend sweep of P1 in TC and a P1 finish in TCA, there is a lot to celebrate.
COTA 2023 RECAP
Join the team for our recap of the race weekend at COTA, 8PM Central, 9PM Eastern, June 1st. In this live episode, we will be talking about the race weekend at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Lots to discuss and some highlights of the weekend to share.
NOLA 2023 Recap
Join the team for our recap of the race weekend at NOLA, 8PM Central, 9PM Eastern, May 11th. In this live episode, we will be talking about the race weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park. Lots to discuss and some highlights of the weekend to share.
Sonoma Recap
Join the MIN JCW Team for a live recap of the Sonoma race weekend.. Thursday April 13th @ 8pm central, 9pm eastern
Watkin’s Glen Recap
TC
TC pole sitter Clay Williams in his #60 JCW Team MINI Pro TC was quickly able to build a 1.5 second lead over Jeff Ricca ( #78 Genracer / Ricca Autosport Hyundai Veloster N DCT TC) in the opening laps of the race. Meanwhile, Kevin Boehm (#9 CrowdStrike Racing with Skip Barber Honda Civic Type-R), Nicholas Barbato (#88 Genracer / Ricca Autosport Hyundai Veloster N TC) and Matthew Ibrahim (#6 DRS & Garagistic BMW M240iR) were battling it out for third place.
A caution came out 15 minutes into the race, caused by Ricca who stopped on track at the start/finish line. Immediately after the restart, the spectacular battle for third place resumed once again.
Williams led the race from start to finish in an impressive display of on-track dominance for his second win of the year. Boehm and Barbato completed the podium. This was the second consecutive podium finish for Barbato. Boehm maintains his TC championship points lead having scored five wins in the first seven races.
Williams remarked that, “Overall it was one of the toughest races I had. We have been developing this car all season and we are still working the bugs out. I’m super thankful to everyone at LAP Motorsports, Joey’s Coffee Co, and Donate Life America. Starting from the front tomorrow. Looking forward to it!”
The win moved Williams from fourth to second place in TC championship points, leapfrogging both Mat Pombo (#37 LA Honda World Honda Civic Type-R) and Ricca. The MINI team was racing in honor of legendary MINI racer Paddy Hopkirk who passed away at age 89 earlier this week.
TCA
The TCA category offered some of the most electrifying moments of the race. Qualifying on pole, Gresham Wagner (#21 TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ) led for the first 30 minutes of the event but was under pressure from Spencer Bucknum (#5 LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Si) and Cristian Perocarpi (#61 JCW Team MINI) up until the caution.
As soon as the race restarted, the Top five cars battled wheel-to-wheel across several laps. A display of Touring Car racing at its best saw Wagner, Bucknum, Perocarpi, PJ Groenke and Carter Fartuch separated by less than a second.
The race ended prematurely for Wagner and P.J. Groenke (#62 JCW Team MINI), as mechanical problems plagued both of them.
In the end, the win went to Cristian Perocarpi, ahead of Carter Fartuch (#16 Skip Barber Racing Honda Civic Si) and Tyler Delgado (#33 Bryan Herta Autosport W/ CURB-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N-Line). Spencer Bucknum (#5 LA Honda World Honda Civic Si) and Colin Harrison (#5 Skip Barber Racing Honda Civic Si) just missed the podium. This was the first win of the year for Perocarpi and gave MINI their first double race win with victories in both TC and TCA. It was also a season best performance by Delgado who enjoyed his first podium finish.
Perocarpi remarked, “It’s nice to get my first win, after having spent many summers at the Glen as a kid. It was definitely a hard race – to quote my mechanic it was ‘redonkulous’. I’d like to thank my team, MINI, my parents, and everyone in the paddock. This win is for Paddy Hopkirk. I can’t wait to get to Road America.”
Giant Killer - The Story of MINI Cooper
MINI. Motorsports. History.
Enjoy an exclusive sneak peek of Giant Killer: The Story of MINI Cooper presented by MotorTrend featuring the MINI JCW Team and its drivers Clay Williams, Derek Jones and Christian Perocarpi.
MINI JCW Team Takes Back-to-Back Manufacturers’ Titles in SRO TC America
Both Pombo and Mejia finish in top three in Driver standings
Woodcliff Lake, NJ, October 5, 2020. MINI USA and the MINI John Cooper Works Team once again captured the Manufacturers’ Title in the 2020 SRO TC America series, making it back-to-back championship seasons for the team. The team won the Manufacturers’ title and five total race victories during the successful debut season in TC America in 2019. These back-to-back SRO TC America seasons followed a Manufacturers’ Championship in 2018 by the team in the final season of the Street Tuner class of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series, where the team finished ahead of BMW, Porsche and Mazda.
The MINI John Cooper Works Team came in the finale weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the home track for the Brownsburg, Ind.- based team and LAP Motorsports team owners Luis Perocarpi and Rob Ridgley, with a 64-point lead in the Manufacturers’ title standings and maintained that lead to take home the trophy for the second straight year.
The MINI John Cooper Works race team fielded three cars for the finale, with Tomas Mejia, who sat second in the driver championship standings coming into the final race of the season piloting the #60, Mark Pombo in the #61 and Clayton Williams in the #62. Race 1 found a cold road surface that caused many cars to have difficulties staying on the track, however, Mark Pombo persevered in the #61 and skillfully crossed the finish line to take 2nd place securing the second Manufacturer’s Title in a row for MINI. Pombo would also take home 3rd place in the Driver standings.
Mejia finished 2nd place in the Driver standings, even after a difficult Race 1 on Friday. Early in the race Mejia made contact with another car that sent his #60 MINI John Cooper Works upright on two wheels for several seconds. The car was so high up that the impact back down on the racing surface broke the clutch. The MINI JCW Team was able to repair the vehicle allowing Mejia to race again on Sunday where he finished 4th place.
The team has had a strong season with an outstanding race weekend at Virginia International Raceway in early July, where the team took home six podiums, including two wins by Mark Pombo and a 1 – 2 finish with teammate Tomas Mejia in Race 1 of the weekend. The team then took home five podium spots at Sonoma Raceway. The team also opened the season strong with Pombo taking the checkered flag during the first race Circuit of the Americas with Mejia coming in second – completing the 1-2 finish for the MINI John Cooper Works team. Mejia also won the second race of the weekend.
Throughout the season, technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country help support the team with preparations, repairs, adjustments and pit stops during the race as part of the MINI Service Technicians Education Program (STEP).
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 117 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of five unique vehicles.
Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.
MINI JCW Team secures TC America Manufacturers Title
Las Vegas Motor Speedway was the site for the last two rounds of the SRO TC America Series. The MINI JCW Team came into the weekend looking to secure the Manufacturers Championship.
Race one saw the team score a double podium with Mat in the #61 STEP and MINIDealerCareers.com MINI JCW and Mark Pombo in the #59 STEP MINI JCW crossing the line in second and third place respectively.
Entering race two the team seemed to be the class of the field. MINIs ran 1-2-3 for the majority of the race with Mat leading the way. Nate Norenberg in the #60 and Tomas Mejia in the #62 Pledge to Humanity MINI JCW held down the next two positions under intense competition.
With two minutes to go Mat’s car suffered a right front tire failure, but Norenberg and Mejia were there to fill the gap. They held off two hard charging Mazdas in bumper to bumper racing to claim a 1-2 finish.
The win was the first for Norenberg in all competitions and proved to be an emotional moment for him. In addition to the first place trophy Norenberg’s finish secured the Manufacturers Championship for MINI and the MINI JCW Team.
With the Manufacturers title and five total race victories, three for Mark Pombo, one for Mat Pombo, and the aforementioned win for Norenberg, the team completed a very successful debut season in TC America.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
MINI JCW Team Heads to Las Vegas for final race of 2019
The MINI JCW Team will close out it’s inaugural SRO TC America season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The team is coming off another victory thanks to Mat Pombo, driver of the #61 STEP and MINIDealerCareers.com MINI JCW.
Pombo sliced his way through the field in race two at Road America. He had an amazing battle with series points leader Nick Witmer that culminated in an exciting drag race to the start-finish line.
The team will once again field four cars this weekend. Joining Mat will be his brother Mark Pombo in the #59 STEP MINI JCW. Mark has won three races this season and is still in contention for the drivers championship.
Nate Norenberg suffered a hard hit with the wall in race one at Road America and then had a nice bounce back in race two. He will once again be behind the wheel of the #59 MINI JCW.
Thomas Mejia continues to impress in the #62 Pledge to Humanity MINI JCW. He earned his second podium at Road America and should be a strong contender for another one at Las Vegas.
The collective efforts of the drivers have the team well positioned in the Manufacturer’s championship. They have a 13 point lead over Subaru heading into the weekend.
Race one at Las Vegas Motor Speedway takes place on October 19th at 4:40 PM EST. Race two is at 3:30 PM EST on October 20th. You can watch the livestream of the race at live.sro-america.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
Road America Weekend Recap
Stormy conditions delayed the start of race two at Road America for roughly 30 mins. With rain still falling and a very wet road course the field finally took the green.
Pombo in the #61 STEP and MINIDealerCareers.com MINI JCW started in eleventh place due to a rough outing in race one where the car developed a misfire.
The MINI JCW Team crew and MINI Dealer techs worked through the night to repair the cars for race two, including the #60 car which made hard contact with the wall.
What a great group of automotive service professionals!! I want to thank our MINI Dealer technicians that participated in this weekends SRO TC America race at Road America!!!! This group was with the team from sun up to sun down preparing these MINI JCWs!!!! So a BIG THANK YOU to Eric Sawers from MINI of Ann Arbor, Tim Dalipi from Patrick MINI, Chan Truong from Motorwerks MINI and Tyler German from Baron MINI!!!! Last but not least I want to thank a true MINIAC Tony Lechnie who always comes out to help support the team!!! The best part is they got to drink champagne twice!!! We have some of the best Automotive Service Professionals in the industry!!!”
Zdravko Miric – MINI JCW Team Engineer
The hard work the team did in preparing the cars for race two was rewarded as Pombo sliced his way through the field.
Pombo traded places a number of times with various competitors through the final 15 minutes as he fought to maintain the lead. On the final lap he was in front when Nick Witmer passed him in Canada corner, just a few turns before the finish line. Pombo continued to fight latching on to Witmer’s back bumper just before the final stretch.
As they came on to the straightaway Pombo faked right and then went left, pulling along side for a drag race to the finish. He unleashed the full power of his MINI JCW and simply powered by Witmer’s Subaru to win the race.
Tomas Mejia in the #62 Pledge to Humanity MINI JCW had another strong outing for the team in race one. He battled for the lead and ran the fastest lap in the class on the way to a third place finish and second consecutive podium.
After dominating at Watkins Glen, Mark Pombo in the #59 STEP MINI JCW had strong runs in both races but unfortunately didn’t get the results he wanted. Expect him to bounce back when the team heads out to Vegas to close out the season.
Nate Norenberg made heavy contact with the wall in race one. And again the hard work by the team crew and MINI techs was rewarded. Norenberg drove from last place all the way up to his finishing position of sixth in race two.
Next up on the calendar is the final two races of the SRO TC America season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on the weekend of October 18th-20th.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
Road America Pre-Race Report
The MINI JCW Team is traveling to Road America for rounds eleven and twelve of the SRO TC America series.
The 4.025 mile, 13-turn Road America is located in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin. It’s a track the team has visited plenty of times and they came away with a second place finish last season while competing in IMSA.
Mark Pombo in the #59 STEP MINI JCW dominated at the teams last stop in Watkin Glens. Winning both races that weekend and three in a row overall.
That performance has catapulted the team to the top of the team championship standings.
Additionally Pombo has reasserted himself as a contender for the driver’s championship. He currently resides in third, closing a 50+ point gap down to 15 heading into this weekend.
Nate Noreberg will once again be behind the wheel of the #60 MINI JCW. He has driven well at Road America in the past an will look for another podium finish this weekend.
Also returning this weekend will be Tomas Mejia in the #62 Pledge to Humanity MINI JCW. The teenager had a very strong run in his debut for the team at Watkins Glen. He was competitive in both events and came away with a podium finish in race two.
Mat Pombo will be replacing team owner Luis Perocarpi in the #61 STEP and MINIDealerCareers.com MINI JCW.
Mat certainly isn’t new to the team. He had multiple victories while driving for the team in IMSA, and helped lead them to the Manufacturer’s championship last season.
This will be his first race with the team since they joined TC America. But his experience with both MINI and Road America means he should be able to jump right into the fight.
There will be two 40-minute races spread across two days. Race one takes place on Saturday September 21 at 5:05 PM EST. Race two is the following Sunday September 22 at 12:10 PM EST.
If you can’t make it out to the track you can catch the livestream at TCAmerica.us/live.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
MINI dominates at Watkins Glen
Two races, two wins for Mark Pombo and the MINI JCW Team at Watkins Glen. Pombo had a dominating weekend in which he lead the majority of both races. He picked up right where he left off at Portland, earning a third consecutive win for the team.
Pombo in the #59 STEP MINI JCW lead a 1-2-3 train of MINIs through the early portion of race two with Nate Norenberg in second and team newcomer Tomas Mejia in third.
Mejia made the most of his run in race two behind the wheel of the #62 Pledge to Humanity MINI JCW. He spent the better part of the of the event in a fierce battle with series points leader Tyler Maxson fighting for a podium finish. He came away with a third place, putting a nice cap on his debut weekend for the team.
Norenberg had a strong run this weekend too, running as high as second place in both races. He had his own fierce battle with Maxson during race one on his way to a fourth place finish.
Race two started out well for Norenberg as well. He spent a large portion of it at the bumper of the leader Pombo. He was set up for a podium finish but unfortunately had a tire failure late in the race and finished in tenth.
Team owner Luis Perocarpi got in on the action as well this weekend. Stepping behind the wheel of the #61 STEP and MINIDealerCareers.com MINI JCW. He rose through the ranks in both events on his way to eight and sixth place finishes in race one and two respectively.
Pombo's three straight victories has him back in thick of the title hunt. With two more tracks and four more races to go it’s going to be an exciting end to the season.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
Watkins Glen Pre-race Report
Coming off the team’s first win in TC America at Portland International Raceway the team is riding high and hopes to continue that success.
Rounds nine and ten of the SRO TC America series takes place this weekend at Watkins Glen International Raceway.
The 11-turn 3.4 mile road course has been very kind to the MINI JCW Team over the past few years. They’ve won the last two races they competed in at the track.
Mark Pombo was victorious last season when the team competed in IMSA. That win followed up a second place finish the year before. There’s no reason to think that won’t translate to another strong run this weekend when he’s behind the wheel of the #59 STEP MINI JCW.
Nate Norenberg looks to continue his progression this weekend as well. He’s been steadily improving every time out, leading to a podium finish at Portland.
The MINI JCW Team will have two additional entrants this time around.
Making his first appearance for the team and his first start in TC America is Tomas Mejia. He will be behind the wheel of the #62 Pledge to Humanity MINI JCW. The young driver will bring lots of excitement to the team.
Team owner Luis Perocarpi himself will be piloting the #61 STEP and MINIDealerCareers.com MINI JCW.
This will be Perocarpi’s second time driving for the team he owns following last season’s finale at Road Atlanta.
He’s has had some recent success himself, visiting victory lane a few weeks ago while competing in a MINI at Trois-Rivières.
There will be two 40-minute races spread across two days. Race one takes place on Saturday August 31 at 4:55 PM EST. Race two is the following Sunday September 1 at 10:50 AM EST.
If you can’t make it out to the track you can catch the livestream at TCAmerica.us/live.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
MINI JCW Team Portland Post-Race Report
The MINI JCW Team traveled out west to the City of Roses for rounds seven and eight of the SRO TC America series. It was the team's first trip to the 12-turn 1.9 mile Portland International Raceway.
Nate Norenberg, driving the #60 MINI JCW had his best run of the season in race one. He ran in the top five the entire event, working his way up position by position on his way to a second place finish.
Mark Pombo in the #59 STEP MINI JCW made his breakthrough in race two. He had an up and down event, moving to second in the early part of the race before a big off sent him back to sixth.
After a lengthy red flag to repair a tire wall that was damaged in an accident Pombo restarted the race in 5th. With roughly five minutes to go in the race he quickly moved to fourth.
Pombo worked his way around points leader Nick Wittmer to take third before setting his sights on the top two.
On the final lap Maxson in the #74 Mazda was in second and made contact with race leader Halderman in the #69 Honda. Maxson got loose and Pombo stayed in the gas to take advantage. After passing Maxson he got side by side with Halderman heading into turn 10 where he was able to overtake him. Pombo sped through the final two turns and earned the MINI JCW Team it's first victory in TC America.
Next Event
Next on the schedule is Watkins Glen International on the Weekend of August 30 – September 1. The MINI JCW Team has had great success at Watkins Glen in the past and will look to make it two wins in a row.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
Portland Pre-Race Report
The MINI JCW Team will be headed out west again as they go to the City of Roses, Portland, OR.
They will compete in rounds seven and eight at Portland International Raceway (PIR). The MINI JCW Team will be visiting the 12-turn, 1.9 mile course for the first time.
Mark Pombo will be looking to improve his position by one after finishing second for the third and fourth time at Sonoma Raceway. His #59 STEP MINI JCW has had good speed all season and he's driven it to his current place of third in the driver standings.
Nate Norenberg continues to display his no-quit attitude fighting for positions week after week in the #60 MINI JCW.
Look for Norenberg to make another run at the podium this weekend and improve upon his fifth place position in the driver's standings.
Their will be two 40-minute races spread across two days. Race one takes place on Saturday July 13 at 7:00 PM EST. Race two is the following Sunday July 14 at 3:40 PM EST.
If you can’t make it out to the track you can catch the livestream at TCAmerica.us/live.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
Sonoma Post Race Report
The MINI JCW Team traveled out west to wine country to compete in rounds 5 and 6 at Sonoma Raceway.
Mark Pombo in the #59 STEP MINI JCW had a great bounce back weekend. Pombo started race one in fourth and quickly moved up, holding the lead for more than a third of the race. He would eventually cross the line in second place to earn his third podium of the season.
His fast pace in race one awarded him the pole position in race two, where he would earn another second place finish. Pombo now has four podium finishes this season.
Nate Norenberg also had a great start in race one behind the wheel of the #60 Lincoln Tech MINI JCW. After starting in eighth he quickly moved up and ran as high as third for a large portion of the race before finishing in fourth.
An early issue in race two sent Norenberg to the back of the pack, but no quit attitude enabled him to fight his way up through the field for a hard fought sixth place.
Next Event
Next on the schedule is Portland Raceway on the weekend of July 12-14.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
MINI JCW Team Heads to Wine Country
Sonoma Raceway will hosts the next two rounds of the SRO TC America series. The MINI JCW Team will be competing at the track for the first time in their history.
Both cars are making the trip out west with Nate Norenberg looking to build upon his strong run at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in the #60 Lincoln Tech MINI JCW.
Norenberg earned his first podium in the series, fighting though some intense battles en route to that achievement.
Mark Pombo will be looking to rebound this weekend. Pombo's #59 STEP MINI JCW looked like it was a winning machine in both races at VIR, unfortunately his events were brought to an early end due to tire failures.
Sonoma presents a new challenge for the MINI JCW Team. The twelve turn course features multiple elevation changes as well as the always entertaining hairpin of turn 11.
Luckily history shows that they can succeed at a new track, just as they did with their victory in their debut at Mid-Ohio last year.
Their will be two 40-minute races spread across two days. Race one takes place on Saturday June 8 at 4:30 PM local time. Race two is the following Sunday June 9 at 1:45 PM local time.
If you can't make it out to the track you can catch the livestream at TCAmerica.us/live.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
VIR post-race report
Virginia International Raceway (VIR) hosted races three and four for the TCA class of the SRO TC America Series.
The MINI JCW Team saw success in their debit at the Circuit of the Americas, earning two second place finishes behind the runs of Mark Pombo in the #59 STEP MINI JCW. The team looked to ride that momentum into a track they’ve run well at before.
Pombo showed great speed again, taking the lead early in race one. He endured a fierce battle with #74 Mazda of Tyler Maxson and the series leading #91 Subaru Nick Wittmer.
They fought for the lead throughout most of the race, with Pombo regaining control of the lead with just 10 minutes to go. Pombo looked to be on his way to the teams first victory in TC America when a tire failure struck, taking him out of contention.
The bad luck followed Pombo into race two as well, where suffered another left-front tire failure with just 5 minutes to go while riding in second place.
Nate Norenberg had a masterful start in race one while driving the #60 Lincoln Tech MINI JCW. He quickly moved from his starting position of eight up into fourth place. He held off a hard charging Civic for most of the race before coming across the line in third to earn his first podium in TC America.
Race two started out well for Norenberg as well. He jumped from fourth to second right at the start of the event. This gain in position saw MINI running 1-2 for a good portion of the race.
Norenberg found himself in a heated battle for the entire 40 minute race, ending with a 5th place finish.
Next Event
Next on the schedule is Sonoma Raceway on the weekend of June 7-9.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
MINI VIR TC America pre-race report
The MINI JCW Team is headed to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) to take part in the second round of action for the TCA class in the SRO TC America series.
After a sensational debut in which the team scored two second place finishes at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), they will look to ride that momentum in hopes of securing their first victory in the series.
Once again the team will field two MINI JCW hardtops. The #59 STEP MINI JCW will have Mark Pombo behind the wheel. He came oh-so-close to winning for the team in their debut.
Nate Norenberg will once again be piloting the #60 Lincoln Tech MINI JCW. Norenberg spent the majority of COTA in hard fought battles; getting a good taste of the strong competition the team will experience throughout the season.
The weekend consists of two races – one on each day. Start times are 3:55 PM on Saturday, April 27 and 3:15 PM on Sunday, April 28. You can catch all of the action live on the TC America website at https://www.tcamerica.us/live.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
MINI finishes initial TC America races at Circuit of the Americas strong
The MINI JCW Team began their journey in the SRO TC America series this past weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. Being their first races in TC America you might have expected there to be some growing pains. But that was not the case.
The practice sessions showed that the MINI JCW Team had the speed to keep up with the competition. And they proved it was no fluke as both drivers had strong runs throughout the weekend.
Veteran team driver Mark Pombo guided the #59 STEP MINI JCW to two podium finishes. Pombo started race one back in sixth place before quickly working his way to the front. Holding off a hard charging Mazda, Pombo was able to cross the line in second.
Race two saw Pombo starting in second position, which he held throughout the entire race, staying in the mirrors of the eventual race winner.
Nate Norenberg was behind the wheel of the #60 Lincoln Tech MINI JCW. He started race one in seventh position, challenging for a top five finish at times before finishing where he started.
Norenberg spent both his races in the thick of the battle. The tough competition in TCA saw him swapping positions time and time again. He improved upon his performance in race two where he finished fifth.
Next Event
The second round of events for the TC America series takes place on the weekend of April 26th-28th at Virginia International Raceway.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
MINI JCW Team Prepared for New Challenges in TC America
A new season, a new series, a new challenge as the MINI JCW Team begins their journey in the SRO TC America series.
The MINI JCW Team went out on top with a manufacturers championship in the sunsetted ST class of the now Michelin Pilot Challenge.
This year the team takes their championship winning JCWs to the SRO TC America series.
The first event takes place at the Circuit of the Americas(COTA). While the team didn't visit the track last season, they did visit the track every season between 2015-2017. Experiencing some success, including winning the pole with Derek Jones in 2017.
This year they will be fielding two MINI JCWs at COTA. Veteran team drivers Mark Pombo and Nate Norenberg will be behind the wheel of the #59 and #60 respectively.
MINI USA’s STEP technician education program will be supporting the #59. The MINI Automotive Service Technician Education Program (STEP) is a 16 week, MINI-specific technician education course designed to prepare students a career with MINI. The application process is open to graduates of post-secondary school automotive programs (trade school or college) to further their knowledge with a MINI technical education. To learn more about the program visit www.bmwstep.com/programs/mini/.
The #60 MINI, driven by Nate Norenberg, will be carrying the Lincoln Tech banner. Lincoln Tech is the sole off-site training provider for MINI STEP (Service Technician Education Program) - making the Grand Prairie campus the only place in the country where MINI training is offered outside of a BMW facility. Eligible students from Lincoln Tech schools around the country can add this four-month training option, which is paid for by BMW of North America. For more information on Lincoln Tech’s STEP program visit https://www.lincolntech.edu/about/partnerships.
The MINI JCW Team will be comprised of their usual fulltime race crew supported by the local MINI technicians from Momentum MINI, MINI of Plano, MINI of Austin and MINI of San Antonio. These are the same technicians that repair consumer MINIs, and have proven time and again that their knowledge transfers to the racing world.
The drivers will participate in two 40-minute sprint races across two days. They will face increased competition this season as there are 17 entrants from manufacturers like Honda, Mazda, and Subaru.
Race one takes place on Saturday, March 2nd at 2:35 PM EST, and race two takes place on Sunday March 3rd at 11:40 AM EST. You can watch the races live on the SRO website at World-Challenge.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS TEAM TO ENTER 2019 SRO TC AMERICA RACE SERIES
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 31, 2019 – MINI USA proudly announced today that the MINI John Cooper Works Team (MINI JCW Team) will enter the 2019 SRO TC America race series (TC America). MINI USA will continue its partnership with Indianapolis-based LAP Motorsports and will sponsor a vehicle in the Touring Car A (TCA) Class of the 2019 TC America, which kicks off at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) on March 1, 2019 just outside of Austin, Texas.
Most recently, the MINI JCW Team took home the 2018 Manufacturer’s Championship in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series, beating the likes of BMW, Porsche and Mazda.
“As we enter into our fifth year partnering with Luis Perocarpi and LAP Motorsports, we’re thrilled to take the MINI JCW team into TC America for 2019,” said Patrick McKenna, Department Head, MINI Product Planning and Consumer Events . “Given the incredibly hard work and success the team has achieved over the last few years, John Cooper can rest easy knowing his namesake racing team continues to exemplify the racing spirit he started almost 60 years ago.”
Continuing MINI USA’s successful program from last year, technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country will help to support the team throughout the entire season as part of the MINI Service Technicians Education Program (STEP).
“The entire LAP Motorsports team is incredibly excited to continue our partnership with MINI,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “I used to race Classic Minis with my father and uncle, so owning and running this race team has been an absolute dream come true. We can’t wait to tackle the challenges that await us in 2019.”
With a super-wide stance, ultra-rigid body and incredibly precise handling, MINI has a long history in motorsports and has always felt right at home on the track. Ever since John Cooper first recognized the racing potential of the classic Mini in the early 1960s, his name has stood for success and performance on the race track with MINI. The MINI JCW Team competes with a fleet of production-derived MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop race cars closely related to the John Cooper Works Hardtops that are currently on sale at MINI dealerships across the U.S. For information about the MINI JCW Team visit MINIJCWTeam.com.
About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 125 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of five unique vehicles.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team has competed in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and will enter TC America in 2019. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Road Atlanta post-race report
It all came down to this. After nine races and 22 hours of racing the manufacturer's championship in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge was separated by just two points. The MINI JCW Team needed to finish in front of BMW in order to take home the trophy.
This was going to be no small feat. All season long BMW and MINI had been swapping victories, coming into the FOX Factory 120 with four wins a piece.
Taking on the challenge were the familiar faces you've seen all season, as well as the team's fearless leader Luis Perocarpi. Perocarpi was filling in for Colin Mullan, who was headed to Europe after winning the prestigious Team USA Scholarship. Perocarpi joined Mark Pombo in the 52, a car that had won two races this season.
The 37 was once again manned by Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg. Norenberg ran the fastest lap for the MINI JCW Team in qualifying, winning the outside pole.
All of the opening drivers, Perocarpi, Norenberg, and Mike LaMarra in the 73, did well during their runs. Maintaining their positions on the lead lap and never allowing the 81 BMW to get to comfortable. As the race approached the pit window a full course caution came out for an accident on the track. This allowed the MINIs to complete service and driver changes, as well as pull back up to the bumper of the 81.
Shortly after the race resumed, the 73 now with Mat Pombo behind the wheel, found himself in third. Pombo, knowing he needed to finish in front of the 81 proceeded to push the car to the limits. Hounding the second place Porsche lap after lap, eventually getting by him to take over the position. With that task complete he set his sights on the leader. With forty minutes left in the race he was eight seconds back. Pombo continued to push, closing the gap to just over three seconds with twenty-four minutes left in the race.
At that race pace fuel consumption was an issue and Mat was forced to bow to the pursuit. The 81 started to open up it's lead again and the championship seemed to be slipping away. But with seven minutes to go the unthinkable happened. The 81 entered the pits for fuel, apparently not having enough to make it to the finish.
If you're not familiar with the history of MINI, it was bread out of a need for a fuel efficient car after the Suez canal crisis sent fuel prices soaring post World War II. How fitting was it then to see the 73 MINI, despite being pushed as hard as it was, still have enough fuel to make it to the end.
After four years of hard work the MINI JCW Team was rewarded. Mat Pombo drove the 73 across the line for victory. The finish winning the manufacturer's championship for MINI, sending the team and manufacturer out on top in their final race, and the last race ever for the ST class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Road Atlanta Fox Factory 120 Broadcast
Watch the full Fox Factory 120 broadcast of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race from Road Atlanta.
MINI JCW Team Takes the Manufacturers’ Championship in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge ST
MINI USA Official Press release
Mat Pombo’s victory in the #73 MINI JCW secures Manufacturers’ Championship for MINI over Porsche, BMW and Mazda
MINI USA and the MINI JCW Team are proud to celebrate the Manufacturers’ Championship in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series this afternoon at Road Atlanta. The Fox Factory 120 was the final race for MINI with the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and also the series finale for the Street Tuner (ST) class. After a long battle for second place against the #21 Porsche Cayman, Mat Pombo took the second place spot behind the leading #81 Bimmerworld BMW with roughly 45 minutes to go in the race. Pombo had put himself in a great position for an unexpected fuel stop by the #81 Bimmerwold BMW with less than five minutes to go. The win not only put Pombo and 2013 ST Driver Champion Mike LaMarra on the top of the podium, but also put MINI in the lead for the Manufacturers’ Championship standings ahead of BMW, Porsche and Mazda.
“It has been a dream come true to not only own and run this race team but also to win a Manufacturers’ Championship for MINI,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “I cannot be more proud of this team, including the drivers, their families, our MINI service technicians and everyone at MINI USA. This is an amazing racing family that will be a part of me forever.”
Perocarpi, who drove the first segment of the race in the #52 to fill in for rookie Colin Mullan, who was awarded the prestigious Team USA Scholarship sending him to Europe to compete for the chance to win a scholarship for the world renowned Mazda Road to Indy driver development program.
“We are so proud of Luis and the entire MINI JCW team for their hard work over the past four years,” said Patrick McKenna, Department Head, MINI Brand Communications. “John Cooper would be extremely proud that his namesake racing team continues to embody the ‘David vs. Goliath’ racing spirit he started nearly 60 years ago.”
Perocarpi was joined by co-driver and Atlanta-native Mark Pombo in the #52 MINI JCW who finished fourth place behind the #21 Porsche Cayman and the #81 Bimmerworld BMW. MINI JCW team veterans Nate Norenberg and Derek Jones piloted the #37 MINI JCW to a fifth place finish.
Throughout the entire season, technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country help support the team as part of the MINI Service Technicians Education Program (STEP). This weekend at Road Atlanta the team was supported by seven MINI technicians, two from Global Imports MINI in Chamblee, two from Mall of Georgia MINI in Buford, two from Tom Bush MINI in Jacksonville, Fla. and one from Cincinnati MINI in Ohio. The MINI service technicians went above and behind the call of duty, changing out an entire engine on the #52 MINI JCW in between practice and the races on Thursday evening.
The Indianapolis-based MINI JCW Team competes with a fleet of production-derived MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop race cars closely related to the John Cooper Works Hardtops that are currently on sale at MINI dealerships across the U.S. For information about the MINI JCW Team visit MINIJCWTeam.com.
About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 128 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of four unique vehicles.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.
Road Atlanta final ST race in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge
It all comes down to this. The tenth and final round of not only the season, but the ST class in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. The MINI JCW Team heads to Road Atlanta in prime position to secure the manufacturer's championship for MINI. Four years of hard work and dedication all comes down to this final two-hour race, the Fox Factory 120.
After breaking through for a historic victory at Daytona last season. The team has continued to show that they are a force to be reckoned with. Building on that win and anther at Watkins Glen, the team came into this season very optimistic that they could win a championship in the final season of the ST class. After struggling in the opening event of this season, the team quickly rebounded to earn a victory at Sebring.
From that point on it's basically been back and forth, splitting victories with the 81 Bimmerworld BMW. Both MINI and BMW have earned four victories a piece. As they enter the final race of the season the two manufacturers are separated by only two points. The formula for securing the championship is simple, the highest finishing car out of BMW and MINI at Road Atlanta will take home the trophy.
Hoping to secure the championship is the familiar driver's you've seen all season long, as well as one new driver, but not a new face. Team owner Luis Perocarpi will join Mark Pombo behind the wheel of the 52 for the finale. Rookie sensation Colin Mullan will miss the final race after winning the prestigious Team USA Scholarship and is headed to Europe.
It’s an incredible feeling to have the opportunity to drive one of the MINI JCW race cars that I built and represent the brand in the last ST race, the last race for MINI with IMSA and the last race with Continental Tires. I could not be happier for Colin and his future in racing. He brought amazing talent to this team. I have big shoes to fill but anyone who knows me knows that I’m always up for a challenge. - Luis Perocarpi
Mat Pombo and former series champion Mike LaMarra will be looking to earn their third victory of the season. The pair have been strong all season, winning at Mid-Ohio and Lime Rock. That strength combined with Mat's great run at Road Atlanta last season has to be confidence inspiring.
Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg will be in the 37. The pair have consistently improved as the season has progressed. They would love nothing more than to break through to victory lane in the finale, winning the championship for MINI.
The Fox Factory 120 takes place on Friday, October 12th at 1:15 PM EST. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Road Atlanta Meet and Greet
Join us for the last race of the season at Road Atlanta! The team Meet and Greet is on Friday, October 12th at 11am ET in the MINI JCW Team paddock. There will be a raffle during this time for Hot Laps and MINI Swag. Sign up with a MINI Representative at the MINI display in vendor row on Thursday or Friday morning in the team paddock. Winner must be present at the Meet and Greet to win.
Laguna Seca Pre-Race Report
The MINI JCW Team will head to Monterey California for the ninth round of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. The team still maintains a one point lead in the manufacturers standings for MINI after the tough event at VIR.
The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 will feature two hours of intense racing around an 11-turn, 2.238 mile course situated in a dry lakebed. WeatherTech Raceway is highlighted by its signature cork-screw turn. The blind up-hill approach combined with the twisting 18 meter drop is a challenging feature that creates some exciting racing.
The MINI JCW Team will once again feature three MINIs on the track. The 52 of Mark Pombo and Colin Mullan will look to rebound after having their victory at VIR taken away post-race due to a technical infraction.
I’m gutted for Mark, Colin and the team. During Mark’s stint the 52 engine electronics switched into a safe mode when it sensed a certain engine temperature fluctuation. To protect the engine, the electronics push extra air and fuel through the engine to aid cooling. This consequently creates a high boost situation, but it doesn’t actually add performance. Unfortunately, the rules state we are still in violation even if the high boost infraction was not to our advantage. - Luis Perocarpi
The good news was that the pit crew and strategy were on point, and they should have no trouble repeating that performance at Laguna Seca.
Mat Pombo and Mike Lamarra are still alive in the driver's championship after a third place finish at VIR in the 73. They've had good speed all season and a strong run at Laguna Seca would really help them in their championship hopes.
Nate Norenberg and Derek Jones round out the MINI JCW Team lineup in the 37. With two races to go their still looking for their first victory of the season. They've had some promising runs lately a will look to build on them this week.
Car Corral and Meet and Greet
If you're headed to the track on Saturday be sure to head to the MINI JCW Team paddock at 12:30 for the team Meet and Greet. There will be a raffle during this time for Hot Laps and MINI Swag. Sign up with a MINI Representative in the team paddock on Friday or Saturday morning. Winner must be present at the Meet and Greet to win.
The BMWCCA has opened their corral to MINI Owners. Information regarding the BMW Car Corral can be found on this website https://ggcbmwcca.org/event/2018/monterey-grand-prix-2/
MINI USA will be providing snacks and soft drinks in the corral on Saturday.
How to Watch
The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 will take place on Saturday, September 8th at 6:15 PM EST. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
Laguna Seca Meet and Greet
There will be a Meet and Greet on Saturday, September 8th at 12:30 in the MINI JCW Team paddock. There will be a raffle during this time for Hot Laps and MINI Swag. Sign up with a MINI Representative in the team paddock on Friday or Saturday morning. Winner must be present at the Meet and Greet to win.
The BMWCCA has opened their corral to MINI Owners. Information regarding the BMW Car Corral can be found on this website https://ggcbmwcca.org/event/2018/monterey-grand-prix-2/
MINI USA will be providing snacks and soft drinks in the corral on Saturday.
VIR Post-Race Report
Virginia International Raceway hosted round eight of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. The two-hour Biscuitville Grand Prix proved to be an exciting race with everything from door to door battles to inclement weather.
Team owner Luis Perocarpi was hoping for rain at VIR. He felt wet conditions would really favor the MINIs, and it didn't take long for Mother Nature to answer his call. Five minutes into the event heavy rain began to fall, and the MINIs handled it without issue while the competition slid off track.
Colin Mullan in the 52 took advantage of the situation; completely eliminating an eight second gap between himself and the 81 BMW. The two had an epic battle, swapping the lead multiple times.
Mike LaMarra drove the opening stint in the 73 MINI JCW. LaMarra was able to take advantage of the track conditions as well, keeping the first place battle within view. Eventually LaMarra found his way around Mullan; moving into the lead for a period of time before pitting.
The Biscuitville Grand Prix ran caution free. Shortly after the leading BMW pitted for rain tires the 52 and 73 came in for their stops. The MINI JCW Team continued to show that they have one of the best pit crews in the series. Performing flawless stops and getting the 52 and 73 out in front of the 81. Not only did they exit the pits out in front with a 25 second lead but the team engineers, led by Rob Ridgely, opted to dare Mother Nature by continuing the second stint on slick tires.
Nate Norenberg pitted shortly thereafter. Norenberg had an outstanding first stint, exchanging track position with his teammates as they battled for the lead. The 37 held the lead briefly before pitting to hand the car off to Derek Jones. Once again, the team's engineering staff had to make a daring call, and decided to keep the 37 car on the same strategy as the 81 BMW in an effort to secure a good finishing position if Mother Nature accepted the challenge.
Mat Pombo was now in the 73 and was clearly in control of the race. Brother Mark Pombo was close behind in second, and thanks to another blistering fast pitstop from the crew, the 37 was in third as Derek Jones literally burned the Continental rain tires off the car to complete the MINI 1-2-3 running order. With 30 minutes left in the race the 73 suffered steering rack failure, caused by contact with a TCR car during LaMarra’s stint, forcing Mat’s pace to slow considerably and taking him out of podium contention.
Derek Jones closed out the race with an exciting finish. The 37 lost second place by the nose of the 21 Porsche who was pushed across the finish line by a GS car. An unfortunate miscalculation lead to Jones only accumulating 44 minutes of drivetime, when a minimum of 45 minutes is required. A penalty was issued post race, dropping the 37 from the podium.
Mark took over the lead when the 73 was no longer in contention for the win. After a brilliant call by the team engineers, coupled with the extraordinary handling of the MINIs during poor weather conditions, Mark found himself with a staggering gap; not something you often see in the series. As the 52's race wound down, it suddenly encountered electrical gremlins forcing Mark to nurture the car to the finish line. The huge lead he had was whittled down to 15 seconds by the final lap, but he was able to hold on and cross the line in first place.
What looked like Mark's third and Mullan's second victory was not meant to be. A post-race inspection discovered a boost infraction on the 52, and they were sent to the rear of the class.
"I’m gutted for Mark, Colin and the team. During Mark’s stint the 52 engine electronics switched into a safe mode when it sensed a certain engine temperature fluctuation. To protect the engine, the electronics push extra air and fuel through the engine to aid cooling. This consequently creates a high boost situation, but it doesn’t actually add performance. Unfortunately, the rules state we are still in violation even if the high boost infraction was not to our advantage." - Luis Perocarpi
Despite the difficulties in this race the team continues to have MINI in the lead for the manufacturers championship. With two races to go and only a point separating them from second place BMW, it's going to be an exhilarating fight to the finish.
Next up on the calendar is the two-hour event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on September 8th.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
VIR Pre-Race Report
Virginia International Raceway (VIR) will host the eighth round of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. The two-hour Biscuitville Grand Prix will take the MINIs through 17 turns on a 3.27 mile course.
With only three events left for the season the competition will surely ramp up. MINI maintains a three point lead in the manufacturers standings over BMW. The Pombo brothers and Mike LaMarra are still within striking distance of the drivers championship as well. With both titles still in reach, team owner Luis Perocarpi is looking forward to VIR.
The season is winding down and at this point, to compete for the championship, we’re going to need Mother Nature on our side since we’ve lost our speed in the dry. Needless-to-say, I’m optimistic since She’s always a factor at VIR. We’re all starting to rain dance!” - Luis Perocarpi
Practice and qualifying will take place on Friday, August 17th. Colin Mullan, driver of the 52 MINI has qualified on the front row for the past four events and will look to continue that performance in search of his first pole position.
Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg will once again be in the 37 and are coming off of their second podium finish of the season at Road America. This was especially exciting for Norenberg since it was his home track.
After 8 years of racing at Road America and some 12 years before as a fan. I finally got a podium finish at my home track thanks to our amazing [MINI JCW Team], LAP Motorsports, [MINI USA] and my awesome co-driver [Derek Jones]! - Nate Norenberg
Norenberg and Jones will be looking to follow up that finish with another strong run at VIR. The Biscuitville Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, August 18th at 2:10 PM EST. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
Road America 120 Race Broadcast
Watch the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge 2018 Road America 120 Race Broadcast
Road America Post-Race Report
The MINI JCW Team went to Road America for the seventh round of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series. The two-hour Road America 120 was a thrilling race that saw an extremely hard fought battle in the ST class.
The team was due for a good result after the past two results at the track. In 2016 Mat Pombo was leading the race when he ran out of gas on the final lap. 2017 saw all three MINIs running well and in position to battle for the lead, but a red flag weather condition ended the race and their hopes of winning.
Starting the race this year was Mike LaMarra in the 73, Colin Mullan in the 52, and Nate Norenberg in the 37. Before they could even settle into a rhythm a large wreck involving GS and TCR cars occurred.
Once the event resumed they focused on running a clean race and keeping contact with the class leading BMW. They circled the four-mile course with lap times just over two-and-a-half minutes. After roughly forty minutes of drive time a scary accident occurred involving two GS cars, one of which burst into flames. Thankfully both driver's were able to exit their vehicles under their own power.
That incident led to a full course caution just as the pit window opened for the team. This created another "stacking the pits" situation. A difficult task in which the team pits all three cars with their two pit crews. The MINI JCW Team was up to the challenge once again, winning the race off pit road with the 73.
When the race went back to green Mat Pombo had a real fight on his hands. The 81 BMW and Mat drove basically nose to tail for twenty minutes. Multiple times the 81 got side by side with Mat but he was able to hold him off and maintain the lead. Though Mat was driving a heck of a race, in the end he wasn't able to keep the 81 behind him and finished the race in second place.
During that battle Mark Pombo was driving the wheels off of the 52. Working hard to make it a three way fight for the lead. But unfortunately the 52 had sustained damage after contact with the 21 Porsche on the restart. The 52 eventually succumbed to the damage and ended Marks charge to the front. With the 52 out of the race the 37 with Derek Jones behind the wheel assumed third place. Jones put considerable distance between himself and the fourth place Porsche in route to a third place podium finish.
Next on the schedule for the MINI JCW Team is VIR, Virginia International Raceway.
“I’m looking forward to VIR. The season is winding down and at this point, to compete for the championship, we’re going to need Mother Nature on our side since we’ve lost our speed in the dry. Needless-to-say, I’m optimistic since She’s always a factor at VIR. We’re all starting to rain dance!” - Luis Perocarpi
The two-hour Biscuitville Grand Prix takes place on August 18th.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Road America Pre-Race Report
The MINI JCW Team will head to Road America for round seven of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. The 14-turn, 4-mile course in Elkhart Lake, WI provides a very different challenge compared to the last event at Lime Rock Park. At over twice the length their will be plenty of space for the drivers to flex their muscles.
Historically the team has run well at Road America, but simply haven’t gotten the expected results. Last season’s event is a prime example. The team had all three cars in good position to battle for the podium when a thunderstorm brought an early end to racing action. This year, the team hopes to ride the wave of success they’ve had and change their fortune at Road America.
With the season winding down a good run will be necessary. While MINI currently has the lead in the manufacturers standings, Mark Pombo and the 37 duo of Mike LaMarra and Mat Pombo still have some work to do if they want to take the drivers championship lead.
The Road America 120 takes place on Saturday August 4th at 5:05 PM EDT. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Road America Meet and Greet
The MINI JCW Team will host their Meet and Greet at Road America on Saturday, August 4th at 1:30 PM in the Team Garage. Register at the MINI Display for the chance to win a hot lap in a JCW MINI driven by team owner, Luis Perocarpi. Winner will be announced at the Meet and Greet.
MINI JCW Team Conquers The Bullring - Wins at Lime Rock Park
The famous bullring that is Lime Rock Park hosted the sixth round of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. With 36 cars spread out over a mile-and-a-half there was never a dull moment in the Lime Rock Park 120.
Lime Rock's relatively short length and high speeds makes for the wildest traffic jam you will ever see. The race can become more about survival for the MINI JCW Team than pushing to the front, especially while navigating GS and TCR traffic. In addition to the difficulty for the cars and drivers, the weather tends to be unbearably hot and humid creating an uncomfortable environment for the entire team.
The MINI JCW Team hasn't had the same success at Lime Rock like they've experienced at other tracks. Expectations where tepid to begin the weekend.
Colin Mullan looked to change that view in qualifying. Mullan put the 52 on the front row for the third straight event. The 16-year old has proved to be an excellent driver this season and has been a major highlight for the team. The young driver's success has brought back some found memories for team owner Luis Perocarpi.
Lime Rock Park was the first track I ever went to as a race mechanic, 20 years ago. I was a crew chief for the Barber Dodge Pro Series, a racing division of Skip Barber Racing School and our young drivers were some of today’s biggest names in IMSA and Indycar, like Jon Fogarty, Michael Valiante, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Townsend Bell. Coming back to Lime Rock with Colin Mullan is kind of a flash back! - Luis Perocarpi
Surprisingly good weather greeted the team this time around at Lime Rock. The race opened with Mullan in the 52, Mike LaMarra in the 73 and Nate Norenberg in the 37. The trio of drivers drove nose-to-tail for much of the opening portion of the race. They cleanly navigated the traffic while keeping in close contact with the leading BMW.
As luck would have it, as soon as the team's pit window opened, a full course yellow was displayed. While perfectly lining up to meet the minimum drive time for competitors, it did create a situation for the team.
Three of the usual over-the-wall crew members were unable to attend the event. MINI technicians from local dealerships, the same ones that work on customer MINIs, stepped up to the challenge in filled in for the pit stops. But even with a full complement of crew, the team only fields two pit crews, and all three cars came into the pits at the same time, something they refer to as "stacking the pits."
"Stacking the pits is impossible to rehearse. One of the two pit crews has to serve two of the cars, one after the other, and based on how the first two pit stops go, it determines which crew gets the third car. Yup! If this isn’t confusing enough, for the crew to perform the third car after they serviced the first one, they must reset all of their pit equipment and organize the next set of new tires and fuel without assistance from any other team personnel." - Luis Perocarpi
With such a tough challenge it would have been forgivable if someone made a mistake. But the MINI JCW Team crew did what they've been doing all season. They executed flawless pit-stops, in what Perocarpi described as "the most amazing sequence of pit stops EVER."
The result of that effort was Mark Pombo taking the 52 out in the lead and Mat Pombo racing the 81 to the pit exit. Derek Jones took over the 37.
With pit stops complete, the team was able to switch from survival to fighting mode. Which is exactly what they did for the second half of the race.
Mark Pombo kept the 52 in the lead for a quite a while, holding the BMW back before traffic got in the way.
"My co-driver [Mark Pombo] drove an excellent stint, but some unfortunate luck with overly aggressive traffic put us down to third." - Colin Mullan
Mat ended up taking the place of Mark, putting the 73 in the lead and making a MINI sandwich out of the BMW. He successfully navigated traffic and fended off the BMW in a strong finish to the race. Mat was able to bring the 73 home in first place, earning the team it's fourth victory of the season.
The victory extended MINI's lead in the manufacturer's standings to six points over BMW, Porsche, and Mazda.
Next Event
Next up on the calendar is the two-hour Road of America 120 on Saturday, August 4th at 5:05 PM EST.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
MINI JCW Team Heads to Lime Rock Park
The MINI JCW Team heads to Lime Rock Park for round six of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC). Lime Rock Park marks the start of the second half of the season. The competition will surely ramp up due to the tight championship battle.
MINI holds a three point lead thanks to their three victories in the first five races. Mark Pombo currently holds second in the driver's standings. He will look to rebound this week with co-driver Colin Mullan in the 52.
The remaining driving pairs stay the same, with Mat Pombo and Mike LaMarra in the 73, and Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg in the 37. Jones and Norenberg are coming off of their best finish of the season, placing second at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
The MINI JCW Team is in for an exciting race at Lime Rock Park. The very fast 1.5 mile course tends to feature lap times just under a minute. With 37 cars spread across three classes, there won't be any time to take a break, as there will be cars covering every portion of the course.
Those heading to the track have the option of joining in on the MINI USA sponsored car corral. The corral includes exclusive parking, the team meet and greet, as well as two meals served on the day of the event. To purchase tickets head to tickets.limerock.com.
The Lime Rock Park 120 takes place on Saturday July 21st at 11:10 AM EDT. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
MINI CORRAL and MEET AND GREET AT VIR Update
The MINI JCW Race Team will host their Meet and Greet at VIR on Saturday, August 18th at 12PM. Arrive early to sign up in the team paddock to register for the Hot Lap and Swag bag giveaway prior to the drawing.
The 2018 MINI Car Corral!
This year the ticket pricing includes premier parking at the corral in close proximity to the hospitality tent and the North Paddock. Refreshments will be available throughout the weekend and a lunch will be provided Saturday. There will be parade laps based on availability. There is no hospitality offered on Friday. Friday packages include admission and parking only. Sign up early and we look forward to seeing you again this year!
This corral includes exclusive reserved parking for MINI’s only. Ticket holders must have a Mini in order to park in the designated corral. No exceptions
MINI JCW Team Finishes Second in Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 120
The MINI JCW Team went north of the border for round five of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. They were looking to make it four wins in a row with a victory in the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 120.
The two and a half mile course is comprised of 10 turns and features several elevation changes. The team has shown good speed at the track before, resulting in a podium finish last season.
The Balance of Performance (BoP) hasn't been in favor of the team this season. And that was quickly evident after only fifteen minutes of action. The top running MINI, the 52 with Colin Mullan behind the wheel, trailed the leading 81 BMW by 26 seconds.
The 73 of Mike LaMarra and Mat Pombo was the first MINI to experience an axle failure. LaMarra ran a good opening stint, holding down a podium position for the majority of his run. After a solid pit stop by the always amazing crew, Mat Pombo took the car back out in third position.
Mat has had solid closing stints this season, bringing home the victory for him and LaMarra at Mid-Ohio. But only minutes into his run the car came to a stop in turn 5.
The 52 looked to have the best chance at bringing home victory for the team after the solid start by Mullan.
"I was able to work my way back up to second and had great four way battle with my teammates and the Bodymotion Porsche. I built up a large gap before handing the car over to Mark Pombo." - Colin Mullan
The full course yellow brought out by the 73 did have one fortunate side effect, it bunched up the field. This put Mark in perfect position to fight for the lead. And fight he did. The 52 and 81 had a fierce battle, occasionally making contact as they battled for the lead. They traded the position a number of times, with Mark finally getting the better of the 81. Mark was pulling away when the 52 suffered the teams second axle failure, just minutes before the end of the race. This left the 37 as the teams last chance of coming away with a victory.
The 37 had it's best run of the season. Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg drove an excellent race. They've shown good speed throughout the season, with Norenberg getting the pole at Sebring. The duo have dealt with their fare share of bad luck in the previous races but were able to put it together this week at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, earning a well deserved second place finish.
"Bittersweet result yesterday overall but @djoneser [Derek Jones] and I still put a MINI on the podium in 2nd! Big thanks to the crew at LAP and MINI for putting the car back together for Mosport this weekend in only 2 days!" - Nate Norenberg
MINI still holds a three point advantage in the manufacturer's standings, and will look to build on that in the next event.
Next Event
Next up on the calendar is the two-hour Lime Rock Park 120 on Saturday July 21st at 11:10 AM EST.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
MINI of Manhattan Special Event Wednesday July 18th, 2018
MINI of Manhattan invites you to attend an evening of championship performance with members of the MINI John Cooper Works Racing Team, details below.
MINI JCW Team Repeats at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International played host to round four of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC) series. The MINI JCW Team has always performed well at the track, culminating in last season's 1-2 finish.
A year has passed since that historic victory, and the race has doubled in length, going from two to four hours, but the result was very nearly the same.
The driver lineup was unchanged from the last event at Mid-Ohio. Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg were behind the wheel of the 37, Mike LaMarra and Mat Pombo were in the 73, and Colin Mullan, making his second start for the team, joined Mark Pombo in the 52.
Mullan is proving to be a solid addition to the team. He had an excellent qualifying run, putting the car on the front row, just under two seconds behind the pole sitter. The pairing with veteran Mark Pombo has worked tremendously well, as shown with the second place finish at Mid-Ohio.
Mark had a successful run at Watkins Glen last season as well, finishing in second with co-driver Jay Salinsky.
Mullan ran an excellent opening stint, squeezing every ounce of performance out of his 52 MINI in an attempt to stay as close as possible to the leader. Mullan held on to second place for the entirety of his run while also building a large gap to third before handing off the car to Mark Pombo. When the final round of pitstops began the crew was ready to win it. For the fourth straight race the team put in another excellent performance, servicing the car and completing the stop flawlessly, putting the 52 machine in the lead.
Mark took advantage of Mullan's stint, as well as the teams execution and race strategy. He put together another impeccable Pombo style winning drive to the checkered flag, bringing the MINI JCW Team it's second consecutive victory at Watkins Glen, and third in a row this season.
"Mark was incredible at getting me up to speed since it was my first time at Watkins Glen. The MINI JCW Team was fantastic at getting the setup right and nailing our pit stops, which played a huge role in getting us the win!" said Colin Mullan
The 73 of LaMarra and Mat nearly provided the 1-2 finish to match last season's event. After running well throughout the event they found themselves in 2nd, with two laps to go. But it wasn't meant to be as the car suffered an axle failure related to a torn CV boot. This is the same issue experienced at Daytona, and is simply a result of the drivers pushing the MINI JCW beyond its limits in an effort to stay close to the competition.
It's no secret that the MINIs haven't had the same top speed as their competitors. This was evident during qualifying. The series regulated Balance of Performance (BoP) has favored the other manufacturers. BoP is how the series attempts to level the playing field, giving and taking from the different cars in an effort to keep the competition fair.
Despite this disadvantage, the MINI JCW Team has proven time and again this season that they can overcome. The execution of the crew and MINI dealers' technicians as well as the management of the race is one place where the team excels above all others. When you pair this with the quality of drivers the team has, it's not surprising to see how well they have overcome the challenges.
The win at Watkins Glen adds to MINI's lead in the manufacturer's standings over second place BMW. Mark Pombo having two different co-drivers this season stands alone atop the driver's standings.
Next Event
It's a quick turnaround as the team heads to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) this weekend. The two and a half mile course is comprised of 10 turns and features several elevation changes. It's a favorite among drivers and has hosted some exciting CTSC races in the past. The team has had some success at CTMP as well, finishing on the podium in last season's event.
The two-hour Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 120 takes place at 3:05 PM EST on Saturday, July 7th. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, the IMSA Roku app, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Mosport Race Fan Hospitality
Come cheer the MINI JCW Race Team in action when they defend their title in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race on July 7th at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
The MINI JCW Team will host fans in their paddock, at 1:00 PM. The ‘Meet and Greet’ will offer opportunities to talk with the drivers and crew of the MINI JCW Team. Fans will get to see our race prepped cars up close before they head out to the starting grid.
Attendees who register at the paddock on Friday with a MINI rep, will receive a chance to win MINI swag and/or a hot lap at the meet and greet.
All questions can be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
MINI JCW Team Returns to Watkins Glen
The MINI JCW Team returns to Watkins Glen for the fourth round of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. The Continental Tire 240 At The Glen will be a four-hour endurance race that tests the limits of the vehicle. The MINI JCW Team has had success at Watkins Glen before, scoring a 1-2 finish in last season's event. Despite the race being twice as long, and including new competition in the form of Mazda, the team will look to repeat their success.
The permanent course at Watkins Glen International opened in 1956 and has evolved into the 3.4 mile course it is today. The course features 11 turns and hosts almost every north-American racing series.
The team will once again run three cars. Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg will man the 37 car, and look to build on some of their recent fast runs. Colin Mullan will make his second start for the team, after debuting at Mid-Ohio. Mullan will be be joined by veteran Mark Pombo in the 52. The Mid-Ohio winning duo of Mat Pombo and Mike LaMarra will return in the 73, hoping to make it two wins in a row.
The MINI JCW Team will host their Meet and Greet on Saturday, June 30th at 11AM in the Team Garage. Fans can register at the MINI Display for a chance to win a hot lap in a JCW driven by team owner, Luis Perocarpi. The winner will be announced at the Meet and Greet.
The Continental Tire 240 At The Glen will take place at 1:55 PM on Saturday, June 30th. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, the IMSA Roku app, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Lime Rock MINI Corral Saturday July 21st
MINI USA will host hospitality in the MINI Corral for the IMSA CTSC race at Lime Rock Park on Saturday, July 21, 2018. The day will begin with a Continental breakfast from 7:30am-10am in the Corral hospitality tent. The race team Meet and Greet will be held at 8:30am in the team paddock. Lunch will be served at 11am in the hospitality tent. You must have a corral parking pass to enter the tent. To purchase tickets to the race and a MINI Corral pass go to tickets.limerock.com
Watkins Glen Meet and Greet
The MINI JCW Team will host their Meet and Greet at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, June 30th at 11AM in the Team Garage. Register at the MINI Display for the chance to win a hot lap in a JCW MINI driven by team owner, Luis Perocarpi. Winner will be announced at the Meet and Greet.
IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge 2018 Mid Ohio 120 Broadcast
Watch MINI's 1 -2 class victory at the Mid Ohio 120! Read the official race report here.
MINI JCW Team Wins in Mid-Ohio Debut
The magnificent Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course played host to the third round of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC). The series last visited the track in 2013, creating a unique opportunity at a level playing field for the Mid-Ohio 120. The two hour event offered some thrilling racing which, once again, saw the MINI JCW Team take on the likes of Porsche and BMW.
Nate Norenberg continued his excellent qualifying form, putting the 37 on the front row for the third straight event. Most of the ST class was within a second of each other during qualifying, proving that it would be a challenging race. Norenberg showed that his qualifying run was no fluke. After initially falling to the back of the field, he had a strong run. Eventually racing his way back to the front, before handing the car over to Derek Jones.
Colin Mullan made his debut with the team, driving the opening stint in the 52 car. Mullan, who has previous experience at Mid-Ohio, had a strong debut. He kept the car clean and in close contact with the leaders throughout his stint.
A crew of five MINI technicians, one from Tom Bush MINI, and four from Cincinnati MINI performed pit road duties. They put together three solid stops, quickly getting the cars back in action midway through the event.
After pit stops, the Pombo brothers entered the race as well, with Mat entering the 73 while Mark got behind the wheel of the 52. With 45 minutes to go in the race all three MINIs were in the top three and on course to pull off an impressive podium sweep.
But it wasn't meant to be for the 37. During their pit stop, team technicians noticed CV joint grease all over the inside of the left front wheel well. There wasn't much that could be done and the car was sent back out. Unfortunately, the joint wouldn't survive the punishment of the track and failed with a half an hour remaining in the race.
Despite the issue with the 37, the other two MINIs looked to be in perfect form. Mat and Mark were holding down first and second much as they did at Sebring. The only difference being that the positions were swapped. With neither the Porsche nor BMW drivers able to close in the race was left to the Pombos to decide. As the race wound down Mark closed in on Mat, reaching his rear bumper. But Mark was unable to pass and Mat crossed the finish line in first.
The team is really starting to hit their stride. Team engineers Brad Moase, Zdravko Miric, Bill Stoddart, and lead engineer Rob Ridgely called a perfect race, leading to the team's second consecutive and third overall 1-2 finish.
The win moves MINI into first place in the championship standings, and proves that they are a contender to win it all this year.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
MINI JCW Team Makes Mid-Ohio Debut
The MINI JCW Team will head to Mid-Ohio for the fourth round of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC). This will be CTSC's first trip to Mid-Ohio since 2013. Being five years since the last event, a unique challenge is created, with all teams operating on a level playing field.
Mid-Ohio originally opened in 1962 as a playground for area businessmen to enjoy weekend sports car racing. Since then it has grown in to an amazing facility that hosts many top level series events. The 2.4 mile course has 15 turns and sits in Lexington, Ohio.
Mid-Ohio will also feature another debut, as driver Colin Mullan joins the team. The MINI JCW Team has been working with Mullan since last year and is excited to see him make his debut. Mullan will join Mark Pombo in the 52, which scored a victory in the last round at Sebring, for the remainder of the season.
Mullan has experience at Mid-Ohio, having participated in Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program (MDD) for a race in the F4 US Championship. His track experience combined with Pombo's driving prowess gives the 52 a good shot at making it two wins in a row.
The remaining driver pairs are unchanged, Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg are in the 37, with Mat Pombo and Mike LaMarra in the 73. Norenberg won the pole at Sebring and qualified second at Daytona. Look for another strong qualifying run from him as he's shown good speed all season.
The team will be looking to build off of their 1-2 finish at Sebring as they fight for position in the championship with Porsche and BMW. MINI is currently tied for first in the manufacturer standings.
The Mid-Ohio 120 will take place at 2:20 PM on Saturday, May 5th. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, the IMSA Roku app, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Driver Colin Mullan Joins LAP Motorsports MINI JCW Team for IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challeng
Mullan Makes his Official Debut at Mid-Ohio
Driver Colin Mullan joins LAP Motorsports MINI John Cooper Works (JCW) Team and makes his official IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC) debut at Mid-Ohio on May 5. Following the gripping action at Sebring where the LAP Motorsports MINI JCW Team finished with a 1,2, 4 victory, the team prepares for Mid-Ohio where at sixteen, Mullan, will join the team for all eight races remaining in the 2018 season. Mullan joins talented, veteran driver Mark Pombo to co-drive the Number 52 LAP Motorsports MINI JCW alongside teammates Mike LaMarra, Mat Pombo, Derek Jones, and Nate Norenberg in the MINI JCW 37 and 73 cars respectively.
In 2017, the MINI JCW Team earned two victories and even more podiums in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, including a phenomenal win at Daytona. Team owner Luis Perocarpi has assembled a stellar team, proving they’re a force to be reckoned with and he expects that to continue this season.
“We are really excited to have Colin join our LAP racing team. With the support of his team mate, Mark Pombo and the rest of our drivers, our engineering staff and crew, I’m confident it won’t take long for Colin to be a podium contender,” said Luis Perocarpi, Owner LAP Motorsports, LLC.
Mullan began racing in 2008 at age six and has built up an impressive resume of accomplishments across a variety of racing platforms including quarter midgets, mini cup stock cars, karting, and most recently in Spec Miata, FormulaSPEED and F4. In 2017, while racing in the Formula Car Challenge with World Speed Motorsports, Mullan also participated in Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program (MDD) for a race in the F4 US Championship at Mid-Ohio. The upcoming CTSC race will be his second time on the 2.4 mile circuit.
A high-school Sophomore, Mullan is well aware of the unique opportunity to participate in motorsports and especially to race among an elite field in the CTSC. His on track performance has earned him a reputation as a mature and methodical driver - working hard for each position earned during a race. Off track, Mullan combines his passion for racing by helping to raise awareness for Parkinson’s Disease. This year he’s teamed with the Parkinson’s Institute in Sunnyvale, California to raise awareness for Parkinson’s research.
“I’m incredibly excited to have the opportunity to join the MINI JCW Team and work with such amazing and supportive people like Luis and Mark. It’s been my dream to race at a national level and I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from Mark and all my teammates this season,“ said Colin Mullan. “MINI is such an iconic car brand with a large following around the globe. I’m proud to be a brand ambassador and a part of the factory USA team.”
MINI has a long, rich racing history starting with racing legend John Cooper who transformed the humble classic MINI into a head-turning rally champion in the 1960s. According to Perocarpi, “The newest MINI JCW Hardtop 2 Door is the most powerful stock MINI the company has built.”
Already with experience on most of the west coast tracks including Sonoma Raceway and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Mullan is excited to have the honor to drive with his new team and MINI family at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Watkins Glen International, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Lime Rock Park,
Road America, Virginia International Raceway, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
About LAP MotorSports LLC.
Luis A. Perocarpi founded LAP MotorSports LLC in 2008 and established LAP as one of the leading service providers in building, operating and managing race programs and teams in North America and Europe. Clients include ChampCar programs of Patrick Racing, Team Rahal, HVM, Herdez Competition and Minardi Team USA and series such as Formula Atlantic, Indy Lights, Superleague Formula, USF2000, Pro Mazda, Grand Am, ALMS, Ferrari Challenge, SCORE International, IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.
Mid-Ohio Meet and Greet May 5th
IMSA Returns to Mid-Ohio for the Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge and we've scheduled a Meet and Greet for you to come by the team paddock on Saturday, May 5th at 9:30 AM.
IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge 2018 Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 Broadcast
Watch MINI's 1 -2 class victory at Sebring during the Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 Broadcast. Read the official race report here.
MINI JCW Team Wins at Sebring
Sebring International Raceway was the site for round two of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC). The two-hour Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 was filled with excitement and quality racing from the MINI JCW Team.
After showing good speed in practice, Nate Norenberg followed it up with an amazing qualifying run. Norenberg earned his first career pole in the 37, as the MINI JCW Team locked up the front row with Mike LaMarra qualifying the 73 in second. Jared Salinsky qualified the 52 in fourth.
Three Fast MINIs
The MINI JCW Team took advantage of the break since Daytona to get the cars well prepared for Sebring. This allowed them to focus on speed in the practice sessions.
"The MINIs were flawless and didn’t give us any issues. We were able to use the track time to make the cars fast." - Luis Perocarpi
All three MINIs had great speed during the race, with each one leading the race at some point. When it came time to pit, the crew performed flawlessly. Getting the 52 into the lead with Mark Pombo at the wheel, and beating the 81 BMW out of the pits to give Mat Pombo second place. The Pombo brothers were in excellent postion to close out the second half of the race.
As the race resumed, Mark and Mat took off putting considerable distance between themselves and the remainder of the ST field. They spent the entire rest of the race closely together, with Mat every so often taking a peek around Mark, looking for an opportunity to grab the lead from his younger brother.
While Mat and Mark battled it out Derek Jones was having his own battle with the 21 Porsche for third. Jones did an excellent job with the wounded 37, despite losing power steering and having reduced braking capablitues due to earlier contact in the race. He swapped positions back and forth with the Porsche until the end very end, eventually crossing the line in fourth.
With Jones keeping the Porsche busy that left the battle for the win to be decided by the two MINIs. Mark held strong, and the brothers crossed the line in first and second, scoring the team their first victory at Sebring.
“I am so proud of all three of our cars today and the entire MINI JCW team, including our MINI technicians in pit lane. Sebring is one of the toughest tracks we will battle this year and the team and our equipment proved we are ready to bring home a championship this season.” - Luis Perocarpi
Historic Win with a Historic Number
Sebring Marked the third anniversary for the MINI JCW Team in CTSC. What better way to celebrate than with the 52 in victory lane. The number 52 has a rich history with MINI, dating back to their win in the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally with Timo Makinen and Paul Easter. Now Mark Pombo and Jared Salinsky get to add their names to the record books for MINI, and enrich the history of the number.
53 years later and MINI is still showing that it can slay giants.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
MINI JCW Team Ready for Sebring
Round two of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge will once again take place at Sebring International Raceway, the track where the MINI JCW Team made their IMSA debut back in 2015.
Sebring, which was built upon an old WWII air base, still uses some of the same concrete runways that were built for the military installation. It's a favorite amongst competitors, including MINI JCW Team owner Luis Perocarpi.
"Sebring is one of my personal favorite race tracks we compete at in IMSA but with it’s old concrete surface, it creates the most demanding conditions for the cars" - Luis Perocarpi (Team Owner)
After struggling in their first two seasons at the track the team has definitely figured things out. Last season the team brought home a 4th place finish, something they will look to build upon this year.
The driver lineup will remain mostly the same with Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg in the 37, Mat Pombo and Mike LaMarra in the 73, and Mark Pombo with Jared Salinsky in the 52.
Competition will again be tough with BMW and Porsche as competitors. But with three previous events under their belt look for the MINI JCW Team to be a real contender for the win.
The Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 will take place at 2:45 PM on March 16th. You can watch the race live on IMSA.tv, the IMSA Roku app, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.
Sebring Meet and Greet
The MINI John Cooper Works Racing Team is heading to Sebring for their second race of the season. Sign up at the Team Paddock on Thursday, March 15th for a chance to win a hot lap and MINI swag. Winners will be announced at the team Meet and Greet on Friday at 12:00PM in the teams paddock.
MINI JCW Team Perseveres Through Challenging Daytona
After a successful Roar and excellent qualifying session, the MINI JCW Team was confident that they had a chance of repeating last season's historic victory at Daytona International Speedway. Nate Norenberg was the top qualifier for the team in the 37. He briefly held the pole position before being bumped to second by the 81 BMW, whom happened to be drafting off of him.
The team's strategy for the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge, was to allow the competition to control the first three hours of the race, and then seize control for the final deciding hour and bring home another Daytona trophy.
For the first hour things were going exactly as planned. The competitors were kept within reach and the drivers put in consistent laps. But as the first hour wound down, Mike LaMarra experienced a failure with the right front axle in the 73, forcing him to pit for repairs.
As the race continued on, the MINIs started to move forward. Norenberg guided his MINI JCW to the front and was leading comfortably when suddenly the 37 experienced it's own right front axle failure. "Our race weekend outcome stings. Our MINIs are extremely reliable, so to fall out of this race with mechanical issues is extremely disappointing. After the race, we discovered both right side CV joint axle failures were caused by torn CV boots allowing the grease to escape causing the CV joint to overheat and ultimately fail. We're not sure what caused the boot to tear since we've never had this issue before. What's interesting is after performing 21 laps for the IMSA VIP hotlaps in our MINI hotlap car it also tore a CV boot but on the left axle." - Team Owner Luis Perocarpi
With the 37 headed to the pits for repairs, the 52, which was shared by Tyler Stone, Jared Salinsky and Mark Pombo, inherited the lead. Unfortunately, the 52's time up front was short-lived as the car sustained radiator damage as a result of debris from an accident that occurred in front of them.
The LAP Motorsports crew was amazing throughout the weekend. In addition to flawless pitstops the team of six technicians from Tom Bush MINI and Orlando MINI killed it in the garage, replacing both axles and the damaged radiator to return all three MINIs to the track. This is especially impressive considering at one point they were simultaneously replacing the broken axel on the 37 and the radiator of the 52.
While the 52 would eventually succumb to overheating, the 73 with Mat Pombo behind the wheel would go on to complete its fastest lap of the race, a testament to the amazing work done by the crew.
The team is extremely thankful to MINI of Daytona Beach, Tom Bush MINI and Orlando MINI for their hospitality and support.
The MINI JCW Team will now focus their attention on preparing the cars for the March 16th race at Sebring International Raceway.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Image (Credit: Eddie Cosme - MINIRaceFan.com):
MINI JCW Team Ready to Defend Daytona Title
The off-season is over and the MINI JCW Team is ready to get back to business. Round one of the 2018 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season takes place at Daytona International Speedway.
For the second year in a row the season will begin with a four-hour event, the BMW Endurance Challenge. All three MINI JCWs will be hitting the pavement again, looking to defend last season's historic victory at the track. Derek Jones and Mat Pombo, the duo that drove the 73 to victory lane twice last season, will be returning to the team this season, although this time around they will be driving in separate cars.
Jones will be joined by Nate Norenberg for the entirety of the season in the 37 MINI JCW. Pombo will be joined by former class champion Mike LaMarra in the 73 for the full season as well. The 52 will feature a three driver lineup for Daytona. MINI JCW Team regulars Mark Pombo, Jared Salinsky, and Tyler Stone will perform driving duties for the event.
The competition will be tough as the MINIs will take on the likes of Porsche and BMW in their attempt to repeat. The team's Roar Before The 24 results showed that they haven't slowed down a bit and will be up to the challenge.
You can watch the race live Friday January 26th at 12:50pm EST on IMSA.tv, the IMSA Roku app, or on the IMSA mobile app. Qualifying will be on IMSA radio and you can keep track of timing and scoring for all events at scoring.imsa.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Article Image (Credit Halston Pitman):
Daytona Meet and Greet on Friday January 26th
The MINI John Cooper Works Racing Team is heading to Daytona to defend their title in the BMW Endurance Challenge on Friday January 26th at 12:50pm EST.
Register at the MINI display for a chance to win a hot lap and MINI swag. Winners will be announced at team Meet and Greet on Friday January 26th at 10:30AM at the MINI JCW Team Garage.
MINI JCW Team Has a Successful ‘Roar’
The Roar Before the 24 is complete and the MINI JCW Team is happy with the results. After three days of testing the 37 with Mat Pombo behind the wheel ran the fastest lap in the ST class. The team looked impressive whipping the MINIs around Daytona. Reminding everyone in attendance of their dominant performance at last year's BMW Endurance Challenge.
Six different drivers got seat time at the Roar. Derek Jones and Nate Norenberg also took their turns behind the wheel of the 37 while Mark Pombo, Jared Salinsky, and Mike LaMarra piloted the 73 around the track. The Roar results proved that the team won't be taking a step backwards after last season's success.
The MINI JCW Team is primed and ready for another successful season in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI's most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Image Credit: Halston Pitman
MINI JCW Team Ready To Roar at Daytona
2017 was a breakout season for the MINI JCW Team in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Earning two victories and even more podiums, the team showed their strength. Team owner Luis Perocarpi indicated as much, saying that the team proved they’re a force to be reckoned with and he expects that to continue this season.
MINI JCW Team celebrates historic Daytona win in victory lane.
The four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona is just weeks away and the team will be looking to repeat their historic victory.
But before the team takes on that challenge, they will take part in the Roar Before the 24, IMSA’s three day test session that will be the final rehearsal before the season begins.
The team spent the offseason rebuilding their cars and will put them through a shake down at the event. Over the three days, six different drivers will take to the track including Derek Jones and Mat Pombo, the drivers that drove the 73 into victory lane at Daytona.
Joining them at the event will be other MINI JCW Team regulars Mark Pombo, Mike LaMarra, Nate Norenberg, and Jared Salinsky.
The Roar will allow the team to fine tune the cars for the upcoming race and finalize their driver lineup for Daytona and beyond.
Fans can follow Roar action by tuning into IMSA radio. Timing and scoring will be available at scoring.imsa.com.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports (@lapmotorsports), drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door John Cooper Works. The team competes in the fiercely competitive IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
MINI JCW Team Closes Out Second Full Season in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series
OFFICIAL MINI USA PRESS RELEASE
- MINI JCW Team working with MINI USA to explore options and determine 2018 racing plans
- #73 MINI JCW drivers Jones and Pombo commit to MINI JCW Team in 2018
The MINI JCW Team and MINI USA completed their second full season competing in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series with a hard fought final race of the season on Friday at Road Atlanta. The team qualified P9, P10 and P11 after an early morning qualifying session on Friday.
The #73 MINI JCW driven by Jones and Pombo had a strong day, starting 10th and quickly climbing through the field to put the team in seventh place. With under 10 minutes left in the race a caution came out to pack up the field which gave Pombo a great opportunity to gain position before the checkered flag. As the field prepared to take the final restart, the third, fourth and fifth place cars collided. Pombo maneuvered through the wreckage to emerge in 3rd place.
With several dozen MINI owners on hand standing side-by-side with MINI USA executives and the entire MINI JCW Team in victory lane, Atlanta native and local favorite Mat Pombo and co-driver of the #73 MINI JCW Derek Jones were ready to take their well-deserved podium earning them 4th place in the championship standings and putting the team in third place in the Manufacturer’s standings.
Moments before the final podium announcement and the popping of the champagne, the MINI JCW team was notified by IMSA Race Control that the finishing order was being reset because positions gained while avoiding the late race crash approaching the restart was technically still yellow. Although questionable, this relegated the team back to a fourth place finish in the race. As a result, the team’s hard fought season came to an end with Jones and Pombo finishing fourth place in the series championship and the team finishing fourth place in the Manufacturer’s points.
“I could not be more proud of the entire team for what they endured and what they accomplished this season,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “We stepped up and showed the competition we are a championship contender and we have high expectations again for next year.”
After starting 9th, the #37 MINI JCW was sent to the paddock after rocks and track debris in the esses in the bottom of turns 4 and 5 punctured several holes in the radiator and cracked the windshield of the race car driven by Mike LaMarra . The punctures to the radiator caused the engine temperatures to spike and forced the #37 to the paddock, ending the day for LaMarra and co-driver James Vance. The unfortunate incident was no surprise to the team, as this was the second radiator to be replaced in 24 hours and the sixth windshield from rocks and debris on the track.
The #52 MINI JCW driven by Jay Salinsky also had a shorter day than expected when he spun the race car into the tire wall in turn 1, ending the day for Salinsky and co-driver Mark Pombo . The #52 car had started 11th.
The 2017 season was certainly an exciting one for the team lead by LAP Motorsports Team Owner Luis Perocarpi and Lead Engineer Rob Ridgely. The team started the season with the #73 MINI JCW driven by Jones and Pombo winning the season opener at the famed Daytona International Speedway in January. Later in the season all three MINI JCW Team cars had a 1, 2 and 5 finish at Watkins Glen International , with the #73 MINI JCW bringing home the win and the #52 MINI JCW sharing the podium in with a second place finish. Not long after dominating Watkins Glen, the team went on to grab a podium finish at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, when LaMarra and Vance piloted the #37 MINI JCW to a third place finish.
“Rob and I are just happy that we’ve been able to represent the underdog spirit and racing heritage of the MINI brand in this very competitive series,” Perocarpi added. “We met so many MINI owners at the track this year who had just watched a MINI race for the first time and they were ecstatic to see MINI racing. That’s what it’s all about.”
Throughout the entire season, technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country help support the team as part of the MINI Service Technicians Education Training Program. Over the weekend at Road Atlanta the team was supported by four technicians from Atlanta area dealers, includingMall of Georgia MINI and Global Imports MINI.
No different from other race weekends, the technicians sprang into action alongside the LAP Motorsports crew replacing a transmission, radiators and several windshields.
The Indianapolis-based MINI JCW Team competes with a fleet of production-derived MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop race cars closely related to the John Cooper Works Hardtops that are currently on sale at MINI dealerships across the U.S. For information about the MINI JCW Team visit MINIJCWTeam.com.
About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 127 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of four unique vehicles.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car line-up lives up to the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.
Road Atlanta MINI JCW Race Team Meet and Greet Information
The MINI JCW Race Team will host a Meet and Greet with drivers on Friday, October 6th at 10:00am in the team’s paddock. Sign up with a MINI Representative beforehand at the MINI display on vendor row or in the paddock for a chance to win a hot lap and MINI swag. Winners must be present at the Meet and Greet to win!
Laguna Seca Meet and Greet
The MINI JCW Race Team will host a Meet and Greet with drivers on Saturday, September 23rd at 11:00am in the team’s garage. Sign up with a MINI Representative beforehand at the teams trailer for a chance to win a hot lap and MINI swag. Winners must be present at the Meet and Greet to win!
VIR MINI CORRAL
Come cheer the MINI JCW Race Team in action when they compete in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race on August 26th at VIR.
The MINI hospitality tent will be hosted by MINI USA. Lunch will be provided by FLOW MINI of Winston Salem. For tickets and information, please contact www.VIRnow.com or call 434.822.7700 ext. 106
The ‘Meet and Greet’ on Saturday at 11:30 in the team paddock will offer one-on-one opportunities with the drivers and crew of the MINI JCW Team. Fans will get to see our race prepped cars up close before they head out to the starting grid. Attendees who register at the paddock on Friday or Saturday with a MINI rep, will receive a chance to win a hot lap Saturday afternoon. Winner must be present at the Meet and Greet to win. Questions should be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com All times are subject to change and the availability of the team.
SportsCar America Feature – James Vance Loves his Mighty MINI
It’s a MINI feature this week on SportsCar America with MINI JWC Team’s James Vance after his podium finish at Canadian Tire Motorpsorts Park.
Road America Meet and Greet
The MINI JCW Team will have a ‘Meet and Greet’ on Saturday, August 5th at 2:00PM offering one-on-one opportunities with the drivers and crew of the MINI JCW Team. Fans will get to see our race prepped cars up close before they head out to the starting grid at 3:35pm. Raffle for MINI swag and hot lap opportunity will be held at this time. Registration for the raffle will be available at the MINI display in Vendor Village until 1:00PM on Saturday.
MINI JCW Team Revs Up for Lime Rock after Two Consecutive Commanding Performances
The MINI JCW Team and MINI USA are gearing up for another big race this weekend at Lime Rock Park in their quest to sit on top of the Manufacturer’s standings in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series. After all three MINI JCW Team cars finished inside the top five at Watkins Glen International, including the #73 and #52 MINI JCW’s in victory lane, the team went on grab a podium finish at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, the following weekend, when James Vance piloted the #37 MINI JCW to a third place finish after an aggressive battle to hold his lead against the race’s eventual winner for more than an hour. Vance will be joined once again this weekend by Mike LaMarra.
Team owner Luis Perocarpi, lead engineer Rob Ridgely and MINI engineer Zdravko Miric have been hard at work piecing the #52 MINI JCW back together after driver Jay Salinsky was pushed hard into the wall by an opponent at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on July 9th leaving the vehicle almost unrecognizable. Nate Norenberg and Mark Pombo will be in the #52 this weekend.
The #73 MINI JCW will once again be driven by starting driver Derek Jones and closer Mat Pombo, who currently sit in second place in the series championship points and have two victories so far this season.
“Our team is fired up coming off the successful weekends we had at both Watkins Glen and Mosport and we will continue our push to the top of the standings,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “We are the only team that has been able to challenge the top team in the standings so far and even they have not outperformed us during the first half of the season. Our MINI JCW race cars will be fast again this weekend and we will be driving hard for the win.”
Throughout the entire season, technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country help support the team as part of the MINI Service Technicians Education Training Program. This weekend at Lime Rock the team will be supported by technicians from New Country MINI in Hartford, CT, Prestige MINI in Ramsey, NJ, Prestige MINI of Duchess County in Wappingers Fall, NY and MINI of Allentown in Allentown, PA.
Perocarpi added, “I cannot be more proud of our drivers and crew so far this season. They are as passionate and professional as any team owner could ask for and we’re going to kick some butt this weekend.”
The MINI JCW Race Team is currently second in the Manufacturers standings behind Porsche and ahead of Nissan, Mazda, Audi and BMW. Mat Pombo and Derek Jones are ranked second in the Driver’s Championship. The #73 MINI JCW is also ranked second in the Team standings. The team also won the season opener at the famed Daytona International Speedway in January.
The next race for the MINI JCW Racing Team in the Continental Tires SportsCar Challenge Series is this Saturday at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut. For information about meet and greet times and locations visit MINIJCWTeam.com.
The Indianapolis-based MINI JCW Racing Team competes with a fleet of production-derived MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop race cars closely related to the John Cooper Works Hardtops that are currently on sale at MINI dealerships across the U.S.
About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 128 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of four unique vehicles.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car line-up lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.
Lime Rock MINI Corral
Come cheer the MINI JCW Race Team in action when they compete in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race on July 22nd at Lime Rock Park.
The MINI Corral and hospitality tent will be located in the Outfield spectator area of Lime Rock Park, accessible by the Track Office entrance on July 21st – 22nd. (497 Lime Rock Road, Lakeville, CT 06039)
THIS CORRAL DOES NOT INCLUDE TRACK ADMISSION – THAT MUST BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY
Friday, July 21st - MINI Corral Parking- $20.00 per car includes:
- MINI Parade Lap:
- Participants need to be at their vehicles at 8:55 a.m.
- Staging of vehicles at Ambulance Bridge will take place at 9:05 a.m.
- Parade Laps will leave from the small bridge over the Salmon Kill stream at 9:20 a.m.
Saturday, July 22nd - MINI Corral Parking- $20.00 per car includes:
- MINI Parade Lap:
- Participants need to be at their vehicles at 12:05 p.m.
- Staging of vehicles at Ambulance Bridge will take place at 12:15 p.m.
- Parade Laps will leave from the small bridge over the Salmon Kill stream at 12:30 p.m.
- All day beverage service: Coffee, juice and pastries to be served in the hospitality tent at 7:30 a.m.
- Meet and Greet the team at 8:30AM in the team paddock.
- Baguette lunch to be served in the hospitality tent at 11:00 a.m.
- Food and beverages are compliments of Prestige MINI of Ramsey and Prestige MINI of Duchess County.
The ‘Meet and Greet’ will offer one-on-one opportunities with the drivers and crew of the MINI JCW Team. Fans will get to see our race prepped cars up close before they head out to the starting grid at 9:15 a.m.
Attendees who register at the paddock on Friday or Saturday with a MINI rep, will receive a chance to win a hot lap Saturday afternoon.
Questions should be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com or info@limerock.com
All times are subject to change and the availability of the team.
Watch MINI’s 1 - 2 finish at the 2017 Continental Tire 120 from Watkins Glen
Watch MINI's 1-2 victory in ST at the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, Continental Tire 120 from Watkins Glen Race Broadcast.
MINI JCW Team Dominates at Watkins Glen with 1 – 2 Finish
OFFICIAL MINI USA PRESS RELEASE
Team confident heading to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park this weekend after second win of only their second full season in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series
- #73 MINI JCW records second win of the season
- #52 MINI JCW puts down fastest lap of the race on way to 2nd place
- #37 MINI JCW drives from back of the field to take 5th place
The Fourth of July holiday weekend was one for celebration for the MINI JCW Team and MINI USA after the team landed in victory lane for the second time this season in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series. It wasn’t just the victory that got the team excited, as all three of the MINI JCW Team cars finished inside the top five at Watkins Glen International, one of the most storied road course race tracks in North America. The team also won the season opener at the famed Daytona International Speedway in January.
Under the direction of team owner Luis Perocarpi and lead engineer Rob Ridgely, all three MINI JCW Team cars battled adversity and showed amazing speed throughout the day at the upstate New York road course known for long sweeping turns and elevation changes. The efforts by the entire MINI JCW Team were obvious with 12 minutes to go when brothers Mat and Mark Pombo dominated the field running 1 – 2 in the #73 MINI JCW and the #52 MINI JCW, respectively, and the #37 MINI JCW driven by James Vance running fourth but pushing hard for the third place spot.
The #73 MINI JCW faced some electrical complications early in the race forcing starting driver Derek Jones to drop back from his second place start position to tenth right from the green flag. After rebooting the ECU, Jones quickly pushed the #73 MINI JCW back through the field and into the top spot before handing the vehicle off to Mat Pombo who drove it all the way to victory lane.
Newcomer to the MINI JCW Team, Jay Salinsky wasted no time getting comfortable in the #52 MINI JCW. Salinsky started in 14th position for his first race with the team and quickly drove to 7th before handing off to Mark Pombo who continued to push the vehicle to its limits, putting down the fastest lap in the race as he pushed to catch his older brother Mat, the race leader, ultimately finishing in 2nd place and joining his brother on the podium.
The #37 MINI JCW faced the biggest challenge from the start of the race, and in true MINI fashion rallied through the field to finish in fifth place. Mike LaMarra faced electrical complications right from the beginning as the car went into limp mode pushing him all the way to rear of the field. After rebooting the vehicle’s electrical system, LaMarra pushed the #37 MINI JCW back up into 10 position before handing the vehicle off to teammate James Vance. Charging through the top ten eager to join his MINI JCW teammates on the podium, Vance used every bit of speed and tires that were left on the #37 and with minutes to go was battling for third place. Vance ultimately finished fifth after a hard fought battle.
“Heading into this past weekend we were preparing for two back-to-back races where we had the potential to be podium contenders – at both Watkins Glen and Mosport in Canada,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “As you can imagine, we are more than thrilled to come out of Watkins Glen with the momentum of a 1- 2 finish and three cars in the top five. Our cars were fast, our drivers were fearless and our pit crew and MINI technicians were flawless. We are now even more pumped up and ready to win this weekend at Mosport.”
Throughout the entire season, technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country help support the team as part of the MINI Service Technicians Education Training Program. This weekend at Watkins Glen the team was supported by two technicians from MINI of Allentown in Pennsylvania and one technician from MINI of Mount Laurel in New Jersey. The three technicians helped to tune, repair and prep the cars at the track for the race weekend and served as members of the pit crew. This race weekend was not ordinary weekend for the two pit crews who pitted three MINI JCW vehicles at one time on pit road.
The MINI JCW Race Team is currently second in the Manufacturers standings behind Porsche and ahead of Nissan, Mazda, Audi and BMW. Mat Pombo and Derek Jones are ranked second with the #73 MINI JCW. The team itself is also ranked second in the standings.
The next race for the MINI JCW Racing Team in the Continental Tires SportsCar Challenge Series is this Saturday at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. For updates and future meet and greet times and locations visit MINIJCWTeam.com.
The Indianapolis-based MINI JCW Racing Team competes with a fleet of production-derived MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop race cars closely related to the John Cooper Works Hardtops that are currently on sale at MINI dealerships across the U.S.
About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 128 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of four unique vehicles.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car line-up lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.
MINI JCW Team Drivers Mat Pombo and Derek Jones talk to SportsCar America
Mat Pombo and Derek Jones talk to SportsCar America about their victory at Watkins Glen for MINIJCW/LAP Motorsports, and the significance of the 1-2 MINI finish with Mark Pombo in the No. 52 MINI Cooper. The pilots of the No. 73 MINI also discuss the development of the car over the past season, the close-knit atmosphere of the MINI team, and winning the first Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge four-hour race at Daytona. The two racers have more than just a history of driving together, and their family involvement in the sport and a lifelong friendship provide a solid foundation for their unique approach to competition and the racing business.
Mosport Race Fan Hospitality
Come cheer the MINI JCW Race Team in action when they defend their title in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race on July 8th at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
The MINI JCW Team will host fans in their paddock, at 11:30AM. The ‘Meet and Greet’ will offer one-on-one opportunities with the drivers and crew of the MINI JCW Team. Fans will get to see our race prepped cars up close before they head out to the starting grid.
Attendees who register at the paddock on Friday with a MINI rep, will receive a chance to win a hot lap prior to the race.
All questions can be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
New Partnerships for MINI JCW Team driver Dr. J. Salinsky
We are proud to announce that Dr. J Salinsky, driver of the #52 Fuse Lenses MINI, has forged a new partnership with the renowned company Big Ass Fans! This awesome company is well known for their huge fans, which are found in airports, warehouses and other large facilities. They are a fun and energetic company that made their mark on the airflow industry with products that can save literally thousands of dollars per month. Their fans keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. And now they have Big Ass Lights, too. Whether industrial, commercial, or residential, their LED fixtures are the strongest and most powerful lights on the market. Stop by the MINI race trailer, or come visit us at the Meet and Greet on Saturday, July 1 at 11 am. Ask about Big Ass Fans and get a fun bag of goodies!
Representatives from Steady Returns, LLC will also be on site giving away bags of goodies and a chance to win a new iPad! Steady Returns is a registered investment advisor, dedicated to building stable financial portfolios of any size. With a longstanding relationship built on trust and friendship, Jay is proud to have Steady Returns as one of his trusted advisors. Owners Michael Burr and Chris Burr (the Burr brothers) will tell you, “Everyone needs great financial advice. It doesn’t matter how much money you have. It’s about making the best possible decisions with the money you do have.” Their team will be walking around signing up fans for a chance to win an iPad at both the Watkins Glen International and Canadian Tire Motorsports Park races.
Fuse Lenses, the primary partner of the #52 will also be giving away swag at the races. They make custom cut replacement lenses for almost any sunglasses, including prescription! Whether you have scratched lenses, need specific lenses for outdoor activities, or just want to change up the look of your sunglasses, Fuse Lenses can make it happen. Stop by the MINI trailer to pick up some free swag and coupons for a new set of custom lenses. Also look for them later in the season at the season finale, Petit Le Mans, where they will be cutting lenses on site and giving away prizes to some lucky fans!
Teammates Mark Pombo and Jay Salinsky are set to take the green flag on Saturday, July 1 at 2:15pm EST at Watkins Glen International Raceway. Watch live online at imsa.tv and future TV broadcast on FOX Sports 1, July 9 at 10:00am EST.
Watkins Glen 2017 Meet and Greet
Come join the MINI JCW Team at Watkins Glen International for the Continental Tire 120 At The Glen. During the race weekend, the MINI JCW Race Team will host a Meet and Greet with drivers on Saturday, July 1st at 10:00am in the team’s garage. Sign up with a MINI Representative beforehand at the teams trailer for a chance to win a hot lap and MINI swag.
COTA Race Fan Meet and Greet
Come cheer the MINI JCW Race Team in action when they take to the track in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race on May 5th at Circuit of the Americas.
The MINI JCW Team will host fans in their paddock, located in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge B Paddock at COTA on May 5th at 9:45AM. The ‘Meet and Greet’ will offer one-on-one opportunities with the drivers and crew of the MINI JCW Team. Fans will get to see our race prepped cars up close before they head out to the starting grid.
Attendees who register at the paddock on Thursday or Friday with a MINI rep, will receive a chance to win a hot lap prior to the race or a hot pit tour, organized by IMSA.
All questions can be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
MINI JCW Team Targets Sebring Success
The ST Championship leading MINI JCW Team heads back to Florida for the second round of the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge this week for what will be a special weekend for the Team. Not only are they coming off a fantastic first win at Daytona earlier this year, Sebring also marks the Teams second anniversary with MINI USA. Team co-owner, Luis Perocarpi explained, "Two years ago this weekend we started out what has turned into an incredible relationship between MINI USA and LAP Motorsports. We have come a long way since that initial race weekend and for our team, being the Official Race Team of MINI USA is a real honor. The friendships and relationships that we have built up have been amazing and we are proud to be working with such a great company and group of people".
This weekends race also sees a new driver for the #52 car with Jay Salinsky joining the Team and with the car sporting a catchy new livery for primary sponsor Fuse Lenses. Jay will be joined by the highly rated Mark Pombo for this weekends race. Rob Ridgely, team co-owner and lead engineer continued "We are happy to welcome Jay to the team as we go into this weekend determined to repeat the success we enjoyed at Daytona. Competition in the CTSCC is tough, but we feel confident we can come away with another strong result and put MINI back in Victory Lane".
The #73 and #37 MINI JCW's feature unchanged line ups with Daytona race winners, Mat Pombo and Derek Jones in the #73 and Mike La Marra and James Vance in the #37. Practice begins on Thursday, with qualifying on Friday morning. The green flag drops for the second round of the Championship at 3:40pm ET on Friday.
Tune in for the Sebring 150 at Sebring International Raceway Friday March 17
The exciting Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge continues its 2017 season with the Visit Sebring 150 at Sebring International Raceway, which will stream live on IMSA.tv and the IMSA mobile app on Friday, March 17 at 3:40 p.m. ET! This race is not one to miss, with all the cars you’ve come to love as well as exciting new cars tearing around historic (and bumpy) Sebring!
Sebring Race Fan Hospitality
Come cheer the MINI JCW Race Team in action when they defend their title in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race on March 17th at Sebring International Raceway.
The MINI JCW Team will host fans in their paddock, located in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge section at Sebring Raceway on March 17th at 11:30AM. The ‘Meet and Greet’ will offer one-on-one opportunities with the drivers and crew of the MINI JCW Team. Fans will get to see our race prepped cars up close before they head out to the starting grid.
Attendees who register at the paddock on Thursday or Friday with a MINI rep, will receive a chance to win a hot lap prior to the race or a hot pit tour, organized by IMSA.
All questions can be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge 2017 BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona Broadcast
Watch MINI's historic ST class victory in the 2017 BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona Broadcast.
MINI JCW Team Wins Their First IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series Race at Daytona
January 27, 2017 – The MINI JCW Team took the checkered flag earlier today at Daytona International Speedway, winning their first race ever in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series. With LAP Motorsports Team Owner Luis Perocarpi on top of the pit box, drivers Mat Pombo and Derek Jones held off heavy pressure from a number of competitors for more than four hours in order to bring the #73 MINI JCW to victory lane. The 2017 season is only the second full season for the team in the series.
“We knew going into the race today that we were going to be fast and that we’d have a good chance to win this race,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “I am so proud of everyone on this team for their hard work. A win at the high banks of Daytona to start the season is just amazing.”
Jones started the race in third position and right away faced heavy pressure from the competition to stay in the top three. While trying to stay conservative for the first half of the grueling four hour endurance race, Jones managed to push the #73 MINI JCW into the lead before swapping seats with Pombo. Pombo aggressively kept the #73 MINI JCW near the front for the second half of the race to put the team in a good position to win. Heading into the last hour of the race, the team had to make a few pits stops for fuel during caution laps but managed to stay in front of the pack before confidentially pulling away from the competition in the final laps to take the checkered flag.
The #37 MINI JCW driven by James Vance and Mike LaMarra was running second behind the #73 MINI JCW as the time ticked away toward the end of the race. Unfortunately, in the final two laps they were forced into the wall by a competitor bringing out the final caution of the day. They finished 12th in the Street Tuner class.
The #52 MINI JCW driven by younger Pombo sibling and Army veteran Mark Pombo and Nate Norenberg rubbed fenders with another vehicle early on in the race. The #52 MINI JCW was quickly put back together by the pit crew, which included six technicians from MINI dealerships in Florida. The technicians, three from Orlando MINI and three from Tom Bush MINI of Jacksonville, replaced the right front wheel hub bearings and axle shaft that was damaged from race contact and got the #52 MINI JCW back out on the track to finish 17th in the Street Tuner class. Technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country help support the team through the season as part of the MINI Service Technicians Education Training Program.
The next race for the MINI JCW Racing Team in the Continental Tires SportsCar Challenage Series will be at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, on March 17. For updates and future meet and greet times and locations visit MINIJCWTeam.com.
The Indianapolis-based MINI JCW Racing Team competes with a fleet of production-derived MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop race cars closely related to the John Cooper Works Hardtops that are currently on sale at MINI dealerships across the U.S.
About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 126 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of four unique vehicles.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car line-up lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
MINI JCW Race Team Gear Up Second Full Season in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series
January 25, 2017. It’s that time of year again! MINI USA and the MINI JCW Race Team, with LAP Motorsports Team Owner Luis Perocarpi at the helm, are getting ready to compete in their second full season in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series. The team plans to field three cars for the ten race season, which now includes two four-hour and eight two-hour endurances races. The season kicks off this Friday, January 27, at 12:15 pm EST with a four-hour endurance race at the world famous high banks of the Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
The MINI JCW Team will welcome back full time drivers Mat Pombo and Derek Jones in the #73 MINI JCW, the pair who landed the team’s best performance last season with a second place finish at Road Atlanta. The team will also welcome back part time driver from the 2016 season James Vance, who will drive full time this year with Mike LaMarra in the #37 MINI JCW. Mark Pombo and Nate Norenberg will also pilot the #52 MINI JCW this weekend at Daytona.
“Our MINI JCW race cars are the most technologically advanced production cars in the series and tested well here during the Roar Before the Rolex 24 testing sessions earlier this month,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “We ran the fastest lap in the last session and in the top three all weekend during the Roar. We cannot be more ready to get this season started.”
Last season kicked off with a front row starting position for the #37 car driven by Mark Pombo at Daytona International Speedway, and later included a front row start at Watkins Glen International with Derek Jones taking the pole in the #73 car and a podium finish at Virginia International Raceway.
The 2016 season saw the team finish in fifth place among the six automakers competing for the Manufacturers Championship, ahead of Audi and only three points behind sibling rival BMW. The near-production MINI John Cooper Works Hardtops hope to keep the MINI spirit alive and remain thorns in the side of the larger, more-established race teams all season long.
“We are very excited about the upcoming season and cannot wait to see the MINI John Cooper Works race cars back out on the track,” said Patrick McKenna, Department Head, MINI Product Planning & Aftersales, MINI USA. “Luis and the team truly embody the enthusiasm and spirit of our rich racing heritage that started all the way back in the 1960s during the Monte Carlo Rally.”
Perocarpi will once again have a great deal of support both on and off the track. His longtime friend, business partner and lead engineer Rob Ridgely will be by his side once again. His longtime girlfriend Wendy Doyle and engineers Brad Mose and Zdravko Miric, as well as Doyle’s son Charlie, who serves as a team engineer, will all be on hand for the 2017 season.
Meet and greets with the team at Daytona International Speedway are scheduled for Friday, January 27th at 9:45AM, in the Center paddock Inspection Bay, located on the south side of the garages at the Daytona International Speedway. For updates and future meet and greet times and locations visit MINIJCWTeam.com.
For the second year in a row, the team will also get paddock and pit road support from technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country as part of the Service Technicians Education Training Program. The technicians either volunteer their time or are rewarded by their managers for exceptional performance at work with the chance to serve as the team’s pit crew and technical support at the track. Last year approximately 50 different technicians from more than 35 dealerships helped out during the season.
The Indianapolis-based MINI JCW team competes with a fleet of production-derived MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop race cars closely related to the John Cooper Works Hardtops that are currently on sale at MINI dealerships across the U.S.
With a super-wide stance, ultra-rigid body and incredibly precise handling, MINI has a long history in motorsports and has always felt right at home on the track. Ever since John Cooper first recognized the racing potential of the classic Mini in the early 1960s, his name has stood for success and performance on the race track with MINI.
About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 126 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of four unique vehicles.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car line-up lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona MINI JCW Team Meet and Greet
Join the MINI JCW Team Meet and Greet on Friday, January 27th at 9:45AM in the Center paddock Inspection Bay, located on the south side of the garages at the Daytona International Speedway, kicking off the 2017 CTSCC Season! Sign up to receive MINI news at the MINI display or the MINI transport before the Meet and Greet and get your raffle ticket for a goodie bag or hot lap before the race!
Hot Laps at Daytona
See a few of the adrenaline filled, heart pounding reactions to a hot lap around Daytona International Speedway with LAP Motorsports/MINI JCW Team owner Luis Perocarpi.
MINI John Cooper Works Race Team: History, Passion, Performance | Talks At Google
MINI has had a long history in racing with it’s small, nimble front wheel drive cars that can get around corners faster than most of the bigger and more powerful race cars in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Street Tuner (ST) Class IMSA series.
MINI USA celebrates first complete season in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series
Reposted from http://www.sportscarillustrated.com
MINI JCW Race Team and LAP Motorsports Team Owner Luis Perocarpi on completed their first full season of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in the Street Tuner class. The first factory-supported race team for MINI in U.S. sports car racing built on the momentum of the partial season last year that concluded with the No.73 MINI JCW driven by Mat Pombo and Derek Jones on the podium with a second place finish at Road Atlanta.
In true MINI fashion, the team was the underdog among the competition in a class that included well-funded race teams from Porsche, Honda, Audi, Mazda, Nissan and BMW. Under the direction of LAP Motorsports Team Owner Luis Perocarpi, the near-production MINI John Cooper Works Hardtops, three in total, lived up to the feisty, never-say-die attitude of the legendary Classic Mini drivers of the 1960’s by remaining a thorn in the side of the larger, more-established race teams all season long.
“We could not be more proud of Luis, the drivers and everyone at LAP Motorsports who supported the team both at the shop and at the track on race weekend,” said Patrick McKenna, Department Head, MINI Product Planning & Aftersales, MINI USA. “The team’s enthusiasm and spirit is a true testament to our rich racing heritage that started back in 1964 with our first victory at the world famous Monte Carlo Rally.”
The season kicked off with a front row starting position for the No.37 car driven by Mark Pombo at the high banks of the Daytona International Speedway, and also included a front row start at Watkins Glen International with Derek Jones taking the pole in the No.73 car and a podium finish at Virginia International Raceway. The team also recorded the fastest race lap at Road America and finished all three cars in the top 10 at Circuit of the Americas and two cars inside the top 5 at the season finale at Road Atlanta. The team finished in fifth place among the six automakers competing for the Manufacturers Championship, ahead of Audi and only three points behind sibling rival BMW.
“The MINI JCW Hardtops were incredibly fast every weekend and always outperformed our expectations,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “There is no other vehicle I would rather take to the race track every weekend. I grew up racing Classic Minis with my father and uncle, so I guess you could say both myself and MINI have racing in our DNA.” A well-known and well-liked personality at the track, Perocarpi seems to have every race team quietly cheering for him and the team behind their haulers each weekend. A racing veteran who started racing Classic Minis with his father and uncle as a kid, Perocarpi embodies the true MINI racing spirt, having competed in CART, INDY Car, Score International Offroad and Superleague Formula racing, to name a few, throughout his career.
Perocarpi also had a lot of support both on and off the track. By his side were longtime friend, business partner and lead engineer Rob Ridgely, longtime girlfriend Wendy Doyle and engineers Brad Mose and Zdravko Miric. Doyle’s son Charlie also serves as a team engineer.
Driving for the team throughout the year were brothers Mat and Mark Pombo, sons of production sportscar racing legend Pepe Pombo, along with Derek Jones, Ramin Abdolvahabi, James Vance, Tyler Stone and Nate Norenberg. While Mat Pombo and Derek Jones piloted the No.73 car all year long, the rest of the drivers would often switch vehicles from race to race in order to find the best performance combination and personal chemistry. Both Pombo and Jones plan to return for the 2017 season with the hopes of bringing home a championship in the No.73 MINI JCW.
In addition to the hundreds of MINI owners that joined the team each race weekend to cheer them on from the MINI USA corals, technicians from MINI dealerships all over the country volunteered their time to serve as the team’s pit crew and technical support at the track. In total, approximately 50 different technicians from more than 35 dealerships helped out during the season.
“The support we had from the MINI dealer technicians was invaluable,” said Perocarpi. “Because we’re running production MINI John Cooper Works Hardtops with only minor racing modifications there is no one I’d rather have in the garage with us. They were instrumental to our success.”
Through a partnership with national non-profit Hire Heroes USA coordinated by Army veteran and team driver Mark Pombo, the team was also supported by a four-member pit crew comprised of military veterans at the season finale race at Road Atlanta.
The Indianapolis-based MINI JCW team competes with a fleet of production-derived MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop race cars closely related to the John Cooper Works Hardtops that are currently on sale at MINI dealerships across the U.S.
MINI JCW Team Announces partnership with Hire Heroes USA for Road Atlanta Continental Tire Challenge
This year for Road Atlanta, the MINI JCW Team and Mark Pombo, co-driver of the #37 car, are excited to partner with national nonprofit Hire Heroes USA as they provide the #37 car with a 4-member pit crew team that is comprised of military veterans. This new partnership program was created to promote Atlanta-based Hire Heroes USA and highlight their work, empowering transitioning military members, veterans and military spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. Driver Mark Pombo, an 8-year Army veteran himself, is proud to support Hire Heroes USA as he himself knows first-hand the challenges of life after military service. Mark is an accomplished race driver and professional accountant. Learn more about Hire Heroes USA: http://www.hireheroesusa.org
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car lineup lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
About Hire Heroes USA
Headquartered just north of Atlanta, in Alpharetta, Ga., with seven additional branch offices around the country, Hire Heroes USA provides consistently effective, individualized career coaching services to transitioning military members, veterans and military spouses at a national level with an uncompromising focus on results. For more information about our mission, our services, and how to get involved, as a corporate partner, employment partner, donor, or volunteer, please visit us online at http://www.hireheroesusa.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Road Atlanta MINI Corral September 29th – 30th
The MINI JCW Racing Team is coming to the Road Atlanta September 29th – 30th. Fans will get to see the team compete in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race on Friday, September 30th. Last year the #73 MINI placed second on the podium at this race! Come cheer on the team as they attempt another podium finish!
FRIDAY SCHEDULE:
- Meet & Greet/Autograph Session with MINI JCW team in team paddock at 9:30AM
- Lunch provided by MINI-USA in the MINI Corral
- Green Flag 12:25pm
- Car Corral Parade Laps 3:00PM.
To purchase tickets go to https://www.roadatlanta.com/plm-mini-corral
Deadline for Ordering Advanced Price Tickets Online is at 5:00 PM EST on 9/23/2016. Kids 12 and under are FREE at all events when accompanied by an adult. Ticket pick up at will call.
Questions can be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
*** For Car Clubs group pricing call 800-849-7223 for details! ***
All times are subject to change and the availability of the team
MINI Car Corral at Circuit of The Americas - 15th – 17th, 2016
Spaces are limited and will go quickly now. Please do not wait to purchase your package! Listed below are the details of what is included and the link to purchase your tickets.
Promo Code: MINI
MINI Corral
- Driver $139
- Passenger $119
Package includes:
- 3-day Multiturn Pass (access to Main Grandstand, Turn 1, Turn 15)
- 3-day premium paved parking in Lot C o Paddockaccess
- Parade lap around the track
- Merchandisebag
- Access to the Turn 15 member tent
Friday, September 16, 2016
- 9:00 am Registration in the MINI TEAM PADDOCK (Support Paddock)
- 9:30 am – 10:00 am Meet and Greet with Team in team paddock with raffles
- 12:40 pm – 3:10 pm RACE – CONTINENTAL 150 for the IMSA CTSCC
- 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm LUNCH in MINI TEAM PADDOCK
Questions should be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
All times are subject to change and the availability of the team.
Road America Race Report
It was another great race weekend for our MINI team at Road America. It was the first time all three cars qualified in the top 15 spots. Ramin Abdolvahabi in #52 had a career high qualifying effort P15.
At the drop of the green flag, Ramin (52) was challenged with electronics steering issues forcing him to pit. An early full course caution allowed the LAP Motorsports crew and MINI dealer technicians to quickly diagnose and correct #52 issues without losing the lead lap. It didn't take long for Ramin to fight his way back, picking the competition one at a time for career high charge to P12 before handing over the car to his teammate Nate Norenberg. With numerous cautions and different pit strategies from the competition, Nate found himself exiting the pits in P19. Lap after lap, Nate Battle his way back to P12, giving #52 it's best finish of the year.
Mark Pombo, back in #37 after missing a couple of races qualified a strong P9. It didn't take long for Mark to put his #37 MINI in contention for a podium by completing his race stint with a solid charge up into the top five positions. After a blistering fast pitstop by the LAP Motorsports and the MINI dealer technicians crew, Ethan Low took over the driving duties of the #37 machine. Ethan had been struggling to come to grip with the MINIs ABS threshold at Road America, being the most demanding race track on brakes, the #37 MINI ended its day in the tire wall at turn one.
Derek Jones had another great last lap run at the pole in #73 ending a close P5. At the drop of the green flag, Derek patiently muscled his MINI up to the front. 40 minutes into his run, Derek reported a vibration, forcing the team to pit before the scheduled stop. The crew once again performed a swift stop as Mat Pombo jumped in to the #73 Bullet. Mat quickly showed off his MINI's muscles by setting the teams first ever fastest race lap on his way to take the lead of the race.
Due to the early pit stop, team lead engineer, Rob Ridgely advised Pombo to back off to conserve fuel. With the numerous cautions and the team orders to conserve fuel, Mat understood the situation and allowed the eventual race winner to drive by without a challenge. The #73 MINI continued on an amazing second place run as it took the white flag. On turn five of the final lap, Mat's MINI suffered low fuel pressure and engine misfires due to running on fumes, causing it to complete the final lap in limp mode, coming across the finish line in P7.
"I really thought we were going to have some champagne today!" Said team owner, Luis Perocarpi. "We have been knocking on the door for a podium these last four races. Rob (lead engineer), Brad (engineer), Zdravko (MINI engineer) and my stepson Charlie (engineer intern) have been doing an amazing job, making our stock MINI John Cooper Works a threat to the competition. Every single crew member and the MINI dealer technicians has been working non stop and now Derek Jones and Mat Pombo are seventh in the driver's championship." Perocarpi added, "with three races remaining, the championship is out of reach but a win is not! The odds for any of us non Porsche teams to win the manufacturers championship are very slim since they are almost half of the competition. On the other hand, we are only few points behind BMW. So we have lots to race for going into the last three races of the season."
MINI VIR Corral August 26-27th
The MINI JCW Racing Team is coming to the Virginia International Raceway August 26th – 27th. Fans will get to see the team compete in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race on Saturday, August 27th.
SATURDAY AUGUST 27 SCHEDULE:
- 8:00 am Corral Opens /Breakfast
- 10:00 - 10:30am Meet and Greet N. Paddock (MINI hauler)
- 11:35 - 11:45 am Parade Lap Safety Brief @ BMW Tent (MANDATORY) 12:40 - 1:05 pm Mini Corral Parade Lap (Limit 50 cars)*
- 1:00 - 1:45 pm Pre-Race Open Grid Fan Walk – (CTSC)
- 1:55 - 4:25 pm Race - Continental Tire Challenge (CTSC)
- 2:00 - 3:00 pm Lunch
- 3:30 - 4:00 pm Presentation – Frank Della Pia NTSC @ BMW Tent
- 5:00 pm Corral Closes - No Overnight Parking
Get your MINI Corral tickets
Questions can be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
On Sunday morning, there is a "Cars and Coffee" on hospitality row and VIR will provide coffee and donuts.
All times are subject to change and the availability of the team.
Road America MINI Corral Update
The MINI JCW Racing Team is coming to Road America for The Continental Road Race Showcase when it takes over Road America’s 4-mile circuit for what will be the most incredible weekend of sports car racing, August 5th – 7th. Fans will get to see the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race on Saturday, August 6th with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event. Go to www.roadamerica.com to purchase your tickets.
Advanced Pricing Ends July 27, 2016
Saturday, August 6th
Breakfast & Lunch provided on Saturday by MINI-USA and MINI Financial Services. MINI Financial Services giveaways. Raffles for two hot laps and goodie bags. Raffle tickets will be distributed at breakfast registration. You must be at the Meet and Greet in the Continental MINI team paddock for drawing. Meet and Greet/Autograph Session with MINI JCW team is scheduled at 9:30AM. Live TV feed in corral for Saturday’s race.
Breakfast Service - 7:30am – 8:30am
Basic Continental
Assorted Fresh Bakery Danish and Donuts plus Sweet Rolls, Muffins, Premium Regular and Decaffeinated Coffee with Accoutrements and Assorted Fruit Juices
Hors D'oeuvres Service - 11:30am - 12:30pm
Assorted Fresh Vegetables Crudites with Dips, Homemade Tortilla Chips with Pico de Gallo, Assorted Fresh Cut Seasonal Fruits and Berries
Lunch Service - 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Grilled Bratwurst with Sauerkraut, Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwiches, Saz's Signature BBQ Pulled Sandwiches, Loaded Baked Potato Salad, Italian Pasta Salad with Fresh Vegetables, Potato Chips, Pickles and applicable Condiments
Dessert Service - with lunch
Assorted Cookies and Brownies
Snack Service - 4:00pm
Traditional or Seasoned Mixed Nuts Gardetto's Snack Mix
No charge Corral, all MINIs and Minis welcome! Corral is located inside Gate 6 NW of Hawk Tunnel.
You must RSVP for the MINI Corral at Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
All times are subject to change and the availability of the team.
Lime Rock Northeast Grand Prix MINI Corral Update
THIS CORRAL DOES NOT INCLUDE TRACK ADMISSION – THAT MUST BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY
The MINI Corral will be located in the Outfield spectator area of Lime Rock Park, accessible by the Track Office entrance on Friday, July 22 (497 Lime Rock Road, Lakeville, CT 06039) and the Outfield Entrance on Saturday, July 23 (located at the intersection of Dugway Road and Lime Rock Road in Lakeville, Conn. - 300’ from the Track Office entrance!)
- Friday, July 22 - IMSA MINI Corral - $20.00 per car
- Saturday, July 23 - IMSA MINI Corral - $20.00 per car
Guests of the MINI Corral at the Northeast Grand Prix will be treated to:
- Parking in Lime Rock Park’s Outfield immediately adjacent to the MINI Corral hospitality tent
- Access to the official MINI Corral 20’ x 40’ hospitality tent in the Outfield on the day of attendance with a beautiful view
- Live TV Feed of the on-track action
- MINI Parade lap on Friday at 9:20 AM
- LRP Car Corral Parade lap on Saturday at 12:45 PM
Friday, July 22:
- All day beverage service
- Mid-day snacks
Saturday, July 23:
- All day beverage service
- Coffee, juice and pastries to be served in the hospitality tent at 7 a.m.
- Meet and Greet the team at 7:30AM in the team paddock.
- Baguette lunch to be served in the hospitality tent after the Grid Walk
- Food and beverages are compliments of MINI USA.
Questions should be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com or info@limerock.com
All times are subject to change and the availability of the team.
MINI Finishes 4th at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park
The driving team of Derek Jones and Mat Pombo, in the No 73 MINI JCW, finished in 4th place in the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, earning the team its first top 5 finish of the Continental Tire SportsCar Championship season.
Both drivers saw lap times in the low 1:33s all weekend, with the newly allowed engine boost giving the MINI JCW team a chance to showcase their hard work during the season. “This crew has just worked so hard on these cars, and its great to finally show what the MINIs can do on track,” said Mat Pombo.
Derek Jones qualified the No 73 MINI in P5 with a lap time of 1:33.329. He and Pombo kept the car in the top 10 during the entire race, running fast laps of 1:33.991 and 1:33.706, respectively. Pombo brought the MINI to the checkered flag in 4th position, running tight to the leaders in a very competitive ST class.
Round five of the CTSC season also saw the No 37 MINI run as high as P2 with James Vance behind the wheel. Vance joined Ethan Low to pilot the No 37, switching from the No 52 car he’d shared with Ramin Abdolvahabi for the first four races of 2016. Vance also changed his driving sequence, qualifying and starting the race, instead of taking the closing stint, as he had done in previous races.
Vance qualified the No 37 MINI in 7th position, with a lap time of 1:33.449. He took the car as high as P2 in his stint, with a fast lap of 1:33.854. “After running up front at Watkins Glen, it was an honor to take the MINI back to the top of the field at Mosport,” said Vance. “The car was really quick, and we were able to be very competitive in a really tough class.”
Vance turned the car over to Low in P2, but unfortunately, contact with the tire wall during his stint caused Low to quickly drop positions, finishing in P20. Low ran a fast lap of 1:33.707 during the race, and had the car in the top 5 until the incident. Both drivers were also running laps times in the low 1:33s all weekend.
Nate Norenberg joined Abdolvahabi in the No 52 MINI, with the drivers both seeing steady lap times in the 1:35s. Abdolvahabi qualified the car in P27, with a lap time of 1:35.68. Norenberg finished the race in P24.
The LAP Motorsports/MINI JCW team returns to action this weekend, July 21-23, at Lime Rock Park. Driver pairings for all 3 cars will remain the same. Practice and qualifying take place on Friday, July 22, with the green flag to drop on Saturday, July 23, at 10amEST for the 2 hour, 30 minute race. Broadcast details and corral information will be posted on the team’s social media pages.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car lineup lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Road America MINI Corral Preview
The MINI JCW Racing Team is coming to Road America for The Continental Road Race Showcase when it takes over Road America’s 4-mile circuit for what will be the most incredible weekend of sports car racing, August 5th – 7th. Fans will get to see the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race on Saturday, August 6th with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event. Go to www.roadamerica.com to purchase your tickets.
Advanced Pricing Ends July 27, 2016
Friday Advance $25
Saturday Advance $50
Sunday Advance $50
Weekend Advance $105
Camping Advance $140
Children 16 and under are free with paid adult.
Meet and Greet/Autograph Session with MINI JCW team (time permitting) Breakfast & Lunch provided on Saturday by MINI-USA and MINI Financial Services.
No charge Corral, all MINIs and Minis welcome!
You must RSVP for the MINI Corral at Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
All times are subject to change and the availability of the team.
Watkins Glen Race Report
A forecast for rain during qualifying sessions might dampen some teams prospective of winning, but this puts Mother Nature on MINI John Cooper Works Racing Team's side. With the MINI's amazing go-kart handling, the team was confident all three cars could dominate qualifying at Watkins Glen International during the 4th of July weekend.
The qualifying session on Friday was truly a nail biter, as cars 73 and 52, driven by Derek Jones and James Vance respectively, fiercely fought for pole position. It came down to the last lap of the qualifying session as Jones took the pole setting a time of 2:19.332. Vance completed the front row in second place with just 1/10 of a second off of Jones' pole setting time. Both drivers were 1/2 a second faster than the closest competitor.
It was a surprise to the team when car 37, driven by Mark Pombo, was not able to challenge the top spots. During the previous practice session the MINI John Cooper Works car’s damaged radiator caused the engine to overheat. Team owner, Luis Perocarpi, was extremely disappointed with this situation because he believes cars 52 and 73 would have been chasing 37 for the pole.
At the drop of the green flag Vance, in car 52, took the lead from pole sitter Jones in car 73, and lead the competition for the most of his first stint. Jones continued to cruise within the top five positions before pitting. It was a blow to 37 as Mark Pombo attempted to take the green flag but unfortunately the damage sustained to the engine from overheating during practice the previous day forced him to retire the car because of extreme engine failure.
As the team continued to fight the competition, Mat Pombo took over driving duties for car 73, wheel vibrations forced him to slow down and come in for extra pit stops to repair a broken wheel stud. Unfortunately this resulted in a disappointing 15th place. Vance after a dominant performance pitted and handed over number 52 to Ramin Abdolvahabi. During Abdolvahabi's stint there was an encounter with a competitor forcing him to pit for repairs resulting in a 17th place finish.
"Without a doubt we've proved our cars are the fastest in our series in wet conditions. We are working hard to equal our performance in the dry", says Perocarpi.
The Continental Tire 150 at the Glen will be broadcast on Fox 1 Sports July 10, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. ET. Be sure to tune in!
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car lineup lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
Lime Rock Northeast Grand Prix MINI Corral
The MINI JCW Racing Team is coming to Lime Rock Park for the Northeast Grand Prix on July 22nd–23rd! Go to http://tickets.limerock.com/LRPIMSAMINI for information regarding the MINI Corral and to purchase your corral parking pass.
- Tickets for the race must be purchased separately.
- Friday Advance Price: $30.00, $40.00 at the Gate
- Saturday Advance Price: $60.00, $80.00 at the Gate
- Weekend Advance Price: $80.00, $110.00 at the Gate
- Advance Sales End online at 11:59 PM or by phone at 5:00 p.m. on JULY 15th
- Corral price per car: $20.00 each day
- Children 16 & under, Members of the U.S. Armed Forces admitted free with proof of service
- Get your tickets at www.limerock.com or call 860 435-5000
Tickets purchased by 4 p.m. on Monday, July 18 will be mailed. Any orders after 4p.m. on Monday will be placed at Will Call at Lime Rock Park’s Main Entrance at 60 White Hollow Road, Lakeville, CT 06039.
Questions should be directed to Hospitality@minijcwteam.com
All times are subject to change and the availability of the team.
Watkins Glen MINI Corral
MINI USA and MINI Financial Services are planning a MINI Corral for the race at Watkins Glen. Breakfast and lunch will be provided along with some surprise and delights. Package includes: Exclusive Corral infield parking; Corral located at the top of the Esses; Catered breakfast and lunch; Meet and greet in team paddock; Vehicle displays and more! Tickets are still available. Cost: $120.
Watkins Glen MINI Corral Schedule:
- Breakfast will be served at 8:30AM
- Meet and Greet at the team paddock at 10:30
- Lunch will be served at 12:00 noon
- Race begins at 12:25
Get a star on a race car
Donate $25.00 or more to the VETERANS OF OPERATION IRAQI/ENDURING FREEDOM foundation to get a star with your name on the #37 MINI JCW racecar, driven by veteran Mark Pombo at Watkins Glen International during the 4th of July weekend. Help us keep our promise to the men and women that faithfully have served our country! Your donation will go towards providing food, housing and paying utilities to those that are in need. Click here to donate.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Race Report
The LAP Motorsports MINI John Cooper Works Team tackled the famed corkscrew of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda during the weekend of April 28-May 1.
The 11 turn, 2.238 mile road course near Salinas, CA, provided a change in scenery from their previous race at Sebring Raceway, but also created some new challenges for the MINI JCW team. The brake system has been a gremlin for the team this season, even with changes made after Sebring, according to team owner Luis Periocarpi. “In light of the braking performance issues at Sebring, IMSA has approved the team's switch from the Cooper S model's brake caliper back to the original John Cooper Works (JCW) brake calipers for better stopping power.”
“After long break between round 2 at Sebring and round 3 at Laguna Seca it was great to get on track,” said Mark Pombo, driver of the No 37 MINI. “The MINI JCW team spent a lot of time in between races designing parts and getting things approved for upgrade.”
In the first free practice of the weekend, all 3 MINI cars were running lap times near 1:45, but the cars were limited in ability to run for the entire practice session due to mechanical issues. By the second practice, Ethan Low and Mark Pombo had knocked three seconds off the fastest lap time of the no 37 (1:42.9), although again limited to just 3 laps in the session. The No 52 MINI, piloted by James Vance and Ramin Abdolvahabi, ran the entire session with a best lap time of 1:43.3, also improving as the day continued.
The No 37 of Ethan Low and Mark Pombo qualified in the top 10, at P8, with Low at the wheel, and a qualifying time of 1:41.439. Jones qualified the no 73 at P18 (1:43.082) with Abdolvahabi just behind in the no 52 at P23 (1:44.786).
Low and Pombo kept the MINI 37 in the top 10 through a majority of the race, but mechanical issues forced the car to pit and then go behind the wall for repairs. The MINI 73 finished in the top 15, with a 14th place result.
“Our car was strong under braking and handled well in the high speed sections,” said Derek Jones.
The MINI 52 finished P21, with a best lap time from Vance of 1:43.689 under race conditions.
Racing is often characterized by a constant stream of challenges, so the team continues the season with a positive outlook.
“Ultimately, the race weekend turned into a test weekend for new parts and provided insight into some improvements for round 4 at Watkins Glen,” said Pombo.
“While not the result we wanted, the team is making improvements every race,” Jones added. “We are just working on the final bits and we should be to the front of the field in no time. Our MINI team is the most dedicated and strong willed folks in the paddock, so it is just a matter of time. Special thanks to Atelier, VOIEF and all of our sponsors."
For each race of the season, the MINI JCW pit crews include personnel from local MINI dealers; technicians from all over the West Coast joined the LAP Motorsports crew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
A huge thank you goes out to Northwest MINI (Tacoma, WA), MINI of Marin (Corte Madera, CA), MINI of Monrovia (Monrovia, CA), MINI of Valencia (Valencia, CA) and MINI of Portland (Portland, OR) for sending technicians to assist the team during race week in the paddock and pits.
The LAP Motorsports MINI JCW team was also joined by MINI owners and fans from the West Coast, as well as other areas of the country, at a “meet and greet” session and luncheon with the drivers and crew.
“It was great to meet the all the west coast MINI owners who came out as well as spread the good word about VOIEF and its veteran outreach initiatives,” said Mark Pombo.
Added James Vance, “We love having the MINI fans visit the paddock during race weekend. They always provide such great support to the team.”
The Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda can be viewed entirely here
On the way back to its home base, the MINI JCW Teams transporter stopped at MINI of Stevens Creek, in Santa Clara, California. The Stevens Creek dealership hosted a BBQ event with opportunities for guests at the dealers to take photos with the MINI sponsored by the dealership for the race.
The MINI JCW team will next head to Watkins Glen, NY, for the Six Hours of the Glen June 30 – July 3, 2016, with a special event planned for guests at the race. Watch for more information on the race schedule, broadcast, and MINI events on the team’s social media pages: Facebook and Twitter.
“4th of July weekend at Watkins Glen is going to be a very special weekend for the team. The team and VOIEF are bringing out veterans as special guests of the team. As an Iraq veteran myself this hits close to home,” said Mark Pombo.
About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door–the most powerful MINI ever built in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three car lineup lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers typically associated with high-performance over value. Utilizing unique marketing strategies, the MINI JCW Team provides exciting motorsports experiences for fans and partners alike as they promote North American sports car racing while consistently out performing industry expectations. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com
