MINI Coopers

Come to the 12th Annual NCA …this Saturday, join the party!

donminimania — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:51:42 +0000

Come to NCA …this Saturday, join the party!

It’s that time of year again. Time for us at Mini Mania to show our loyal customers just how much we appreciate YOU! Please join us at our 12th annual Nevada City Adventure this Saturday, May 19th from 8 to 4. Get a free panoramic photo shoot on our convoy to the little town of Washington. Enjoy the mountain views, splash in the scenic Yuba river, and enjoy the tightly-winding, pine-forest-lined-roads along the way! We’ll also have a dynamite car show featuring both classic Minis and new MINIs along with some other classic British cars, music, lots of giveaways, dyno test your Mini, and get a free lunch to boot!

Can’t make it to NCA?
Have fun at home with this discount code: NCA2012
*Discount codes cannot be used on sale items or on items marked “special order”. Offer expires May 20th, 2012.

Mini Mania Inc. 870 Gold Flat Rd. Nevada City, CA

Join Our Pit Crew! …We have one free pit pass!

donminimania — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:54:09 +0000

Join Our Pit Crew! …We have one free pit pass!

Where? Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival
When? Saturday, June 2nd

We’ll be racing classic Minis and a bugeye Sprite. Come and enjoy our pit hospitality! Watch the races, be close to the paddock, food and wine tents and see hundreds of insanely expensive historic vehicles race around the track – the same track that hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Plus all Mini/MINI drivers will get a parade lap on the track. That’s right! For more information about the event, check out the official event page here.Interested? We hope so! Send us an email and we’ll select one person randomly to join us in the fun!

Send your email to:

John Burnett
johnb@minimania.com

Make sure to put “PIT PASS” in the subject line of your email to catch out attention. Deadline to email us is May 25th at noon. If you’ve been chosen, we’ll notify you shortly after the deadline date.

MOMS – Treat yourself for Mothers Day. You earned it.

donminimania — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:55:04 +0000

Mom’s with MINIs…
…Treat yourself this Mothers Day!

You’ve spent 364 days taking care of everyone else’s needs.
Now it’s time to take care of yourself!
Indulge your every whim with some of these MINI treats today!

Your Mini could handle better! – Suspension SALE

donminimania — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:27:16 +0000


Let’s face it,your MINI could handle better!	Suspension modification can greatly improve the over-handling characteristics of your MINI Cooper. Our selection of springs, struts, sway bars, brake kits, and shocks will help you to fine tune the MINI ride that’s just right for YOU.For one week only, we’ve marked most suspension components down so you can save while improving your handling!
Special PRICING on ALL SUSPENSION components for Mini’s! Take 10% off all week long at www.MiniMania.com Featured Suspension Featured Wheels & Tires Featured NEW Products

The Pirelli P-Zero™ Trofeo – D.O.T. Approved Track Tire

donminimania — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:05:22 +0000

March MADNESS Sale! Save big for your MINI !

donminimania — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:54:43 +0000

Now is the time to get a GREAT DEAL at www.MiniMania.com

Click here to SAVE

MINI BLING! Take a look at some HOT items for your MINI and $ave!

donminimania — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:41:56 +0000

Check out these HOT Items for your MINI!
A great chance to $ave on some cool gear!
from www.MiniMania.com

Click to FIND OUT MORE!

Save some Money on your MINI. These HOT items really move.

donminimania — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:18:38 +0000

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Cowl Scoops Performance Upgrade R50/52/53 Cooper & S.~~$299.95~~
Sale: $270.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

3d Badge Holder And Accessories Black Or Chrome Trim.~~$27.50~~
Sale: $24.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Antenna Compact Stubby 4 In R50/52/53/55/56/57/58/60 Cooper &s.~~$25.95~~
Sale: $22.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Hi Flow Turbo Outlet Pipe R55/56/57 Mini Cooper S.~~$299.95~~
Sale: $270.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Mini Cooper Ultimate Armrest Blk/blk R55/56/57 Cooper & S.~~$189.95~~
Sale: $160.00(Expires: 3|19|12)

Cup Holder Post Mount Clamp Type R50/52/53 Mini Cooper & S.
~~$59.95~~
Sale: $54.00(Expires: 3|19|12)

Actual Size Graphic Mini Cooper & S.
~~$4.95~~
Sale: $4.00(Expires: 3|19|12)

Sprint Booster For Mini New Sport Factory And Race Modes.~~$399.99~~
Sale: $329.95 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Nology Plug Wires & Coil Upgrade R50/52/53 Cooper And S.~~$299.95~~
Sale: $270.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Mini Cooper Antenna Compact Stubby Billet 2 5/8 Inch.~~$29.95~~
Sale: $27.00(Expires: 3|19|12)

Center Armrest With Storage Box Mini Cooper & S All Models.~~$375.00~~
Sale: $325.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Storage Tray Center Console R55/56/57 Mini Cooper And S.~~$21.95~~
Sale: $20.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Cold Air Intake K&n & Modified Cowling R52/53 Cooper S.~~$229.95~~
Sale: $207.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Commute Mate Cell Cup.~~$15.95~~
Sale: $13.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Mini Auxiliary Audio Input Kit R50/52/53 Mini Cooper And S.~~$63.95~~
Sale: $57.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Ignition Coil Upgrd W/ Bolts Msd R50/52/53 Cooper And S.~~$119.95~~
Sale: $109.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Mini Cooper Ipod G3 Interface Kit R50/52/53 Cooper & S.~~$299.95~~
Sale: $270.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Oem Aero Kit Top Front Bumper Grille Only Mini Cooper & S.~~$59.95~~
Sale: $54.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Oem Aero Kit Black Grille R50/52/53 Mini Cooper And S.~~$79.95~~
Sale: $72.00(Expires: 3|19|12)

Mini Cooper Ultimate Armrest Blk/blk R50/52/53 Cooper & S.~~$179.95~~
Sale: $160.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

Plasma Booster Ignition Upgrade R50/52/53 Cooper And S.~~$269.95~~
Sale: $242.00 (Expires: 3|19|12)

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MINI Thunder III was AWESOME

donminimania — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:08:22 +0000

We arrived in Willows, CA early in the afternoon Saturday. The weather was a great, a nice change from the drizzle that was hitting the Mini Mania facility in the foothills a couple hours behind us. There were already MINIs in the parking lot of the hotel lined up like rockettes. After we checked in, we headed up to Thunderhill Raceway.

When we passed the gates at Thunderhill there were already MINIs in the lot, and more slowly trickling in. Eager participants for tomorrows event, The Mini Thunder 3, were arriving to pre-register, have some dinner, and do a little pseudo gambling afterwards when the casino night started.

MINIs were scattered across the parking lot. There were a few hardcore MINI guys that looked like they had been there all day driving and wrenching on their own cars in lieu of a pit crew. They must have brought everything they needed with them packed tetris-style in the boot of their MINI’s. Our hats are off to these types of MINI enthusiasts. The RV with a trailer & MINI combo was a common sight. Some of the RV’s are outfitted like mobile command units with a trailer in tow packed full of go fast goodies.

We setup our table and put out a few items as well as our donation to the gambling prize pool. As soon as people were done eating the dinner Thunderhill Grill prepared for us, the casino tables showed up, and the Thunderbucks came into play. The sound of hoots, hollers, chips being paid out, and jubilance signaled that dinner was over. We had lots of questions to answer, as MINI folk have inquiring minds when it comes to replacing parts or upgrading to performance parts on their pride & joy. The Sprintbooster that we brought with us was quickly purchased. (thanks Jerome w/ the green ALL4) Next time, we’ll bring more with us.

We also took with us a very hard to find MINI JCW jacket that we held a drawing for during the festivities. It was oogled and talked about for a while. A woman there said they had ordered the same jacket from MINI of SF and they were STILL waiting on it to show up. “Is that an XL?” she asked, “oh my god it is” she exclaimed, “I’m going to enter to WIN this”.

We held the drawing later that evening. There was eager anticipation from everyone in the room curious to see who would win the JCW jacket that evening. Linda J. from Bend, Oregon was picked to be the lucky winner.
A big congratulations to you from everyone at Mini Mania Linda!!

We arrived early Sunday morning at Thunderhill Raceway, We didn’t want to miss anything. We walked the whole race lot before anyone got called to pre-grid and was able to take some great photos. We haven’t seen so MINIs side by side in a long time. They were EVERYWHERE! It was a veritable MINI takeover!.

There were MINI snouts and MINI boots peeking around every corner as far as the eye could see. We saw a limited number of non-MINIs present.. and we’re sure the owners took a second glance around wondering if they were in the right place. When the MINIs did get called to pre-grid they swarmed and lined up at the track entrance like happy angry hornets.

There were some real talented drivers at the MINI Thunder 3. We got to watch some great driving skills being exercised. We only wish we had more Mini’s on the track. =)

We would like to thank Norm for inviting us out again this year.
We had a blast.. again!
We cant wait until next year!
- Mini Mania

See more great photos on my MINI Thunder III Photo Album on G+

WIN 500 for your MINI during the Daytona 500

donminimania — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:04:56 +0000

NEW! Save BIG! MINI Thunder 3 & Borla Exhaust Riddle for 15% Off

donminimania — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:51:39 +0000

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Mini Thunder III – 2/19/2012
On Saturday night (the day before the event), February 19th, 2012 (Presidents Day Weekend) Mini Thunder will be holding a Casino Night at the Track Clubhouse. Buffet dinner and beverage service will be provided by Thunderhill Grill at extra charge. Pre-Registration will be available for eager participants also. If you plan on travelling a long distance, this will give Saturday as a travel day to get there and Monday as a travel day to get back home.

There will be three run groups (Beginners, Intermediates, Advanced). The schedule should be very close to what was done last year with 5ea 20 minutes track sessions (perhaps 6), followed by Mini Thunder classroom sessions. These will alternate throughout the day. There will be instructors, and all the SCCA safety workers and equipment. The track opens at 7:00AM and Mini Thunder will start with registration, check in, breakfast, “All Hands” Meeting, car tech, empty cars, check wheels and tires, etc. First cars will go out on track at 8:30AM.

Borla Performance Catback Exhaust R52/53 Mini Cooper S.
~~$1094.99~~
Sale: $884.20 (Expires: 2|21|12)

Borla Performance Cat Back Exhaust System R60 Cooper S Countryman.
~~$779.99~~
Sale: $629.84 (Expires: 2|21|12)

Borla Cat Back Perf Exhaust R56/57 Cooper S Hdtp & Cnvrtbl.
~~$892.99~~
Sale: $721.09 (Expires: 2|21|12)

Rear View Interior Mirror Cover Various R55/56/57 Cooper & S. ~~$75.00~~ Sale: $73.50 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Performance Lowering Springs R60 Cooper & S Countryman. ~~$275.00~~ Sale: $249.95 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Door Handle Cover Exterior Overlay Various R55/56/57/58/59 Cooper & S. ~~$165.00~~ Sale: $145.00 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)
Fuel Door Trim Ring Chrome R56/55 Cooper S. ~~$43.50~~ Sale: $39.95 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Antenna Base Cover Chrome R55/56 Cooper & S. ~~$49.50~~ Sale: $45.00 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Side Scuttle Cover Kit Various R55/56/57/58/59. ~~$135.00~~ Sale: $129.50 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)
Rear Hatch Handle Chrome Cover R56/57/58/59 Cooper & S. ~~$75.00~~ Sale: $69.50 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Mirror Cover Exterior Overlay Various R55/56/57/58/59/60 Cooper & S. ~~$225.00~~ Sale: $195.50 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Hood Scoop Led Insert R55/56/57/58/59 Cooper S. ~~$87.50~~ Sale: $83.00 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)
Body Side Molding Chrome R56 Cooper & S. ~~$195.00~~ Sale: $189.00 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Side Scuttle Kit Led Shark Fin R55/56/57/58/59 Cooper & S. ~~$185.00~~ Sale: $179.50 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Unichip Flux2 Obd Monitoring Module R52/53 Cooper S. ~~$285.00~~ Sale: $255.00 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)
Stage 3 Performance Upgrade Kit Quicksilver R60 Cooper S Countryman. $3275.00	Stage 3 Performance Upgrade Kit Borla R60 Cooper S Countryman. $2075.00	Stage 1 Performance Upgrade Kit R60 Cooper S Countryman. $750.00
Front Mount Intercooler Upgrade R60 Cooper S Countryman. ~~$995.00~~ Sale: $900.00 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)	Stage 2 Performance Upgrade Kit R60 Cooper S Countryman. $965.00	Driving Light Brackets Pair R55/56/57 Cooper S 2011+. $99.95
Driving Light Brackets Quad R55/56/57 Mini Cooper S 2011+. $179.95	Radiator Hose Coupler With Bleed Valve R52/53 Cooper S. $17.50	Borla Performance Cat Back Exhaust System R60 Cooper S Countryman. ~~$779.99~~ Sale: $629.84 (Expires: 2\|21\|12)
Power Brake Servo & Vacuum Lines R50/52/53 Cooper & S. $397.50	Cylinder Head Factory Replacement R50/52/53 Cooper & S & Jcw. $1695.00	Hood / Bonnet Insulation Factory Replacement R50/52/53 Cooper & S. $105.00
Bsh Competition Catch Can R55/56/57/58/60 Cooper S 2011+. $285.00	Ipod Interface Cable Usb Y Adapter R55/56/57/59/60. $83.50	Car Cover Various Materials R55 Mini Cooper & S Clubman. $282.99
Side Panel Factory Replacement R50/52/53 Cooper & S. $215.00	Rear Barn Door Gas Pressurized Shock Each R55 Cooper & S Clubman. $49.50	Rear Barn Door Latching Parts Oem R55 Cooper & S Clubman. $59.50

Riddle of the Week

Find the answer to the riddle and receive 15% off most items found in this link.

Fill in the blank:

“It was a ___________ day November 3rd, 2001 at Leguna Seca”

Find the answer in this article.

The correct answer is a coupon code, use it when you check out!

*Discount applies only to items not already on sale and that are not marked ‘special order’. Offer expires 2/21/12.

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MINI USA Water Pump Recall

donminimania — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:52:26 +0000

In perhaps the largest recall ever announced, MINI USA is recalling every Cooper S and JCW model sold from 2007 to 2011. The recall effects almost all 2007 – 2011 R55, R56, R57 and R60 models with the turbocharged Cooper S engine. For a full list of the cars affected and the specifics behind the problem…

The Issue

The issue involves the electric auxiliary water pump on models that are equipped with the N14 turbo engine. The auxiliary pump is controlled electronically by an engine control unit. After switching off the engine, the electric auxiliary water pump conducts heat away from the turbocharger.

Under certain conditions, the pump’s electronic circuit board can malfunction. The malfunction can occur as a result of certain design features in combination with high operating temperatures.

If the water pump can fails, there’s a slight chance that the circuit board can overheat. And in an extreme case, overheating of the circuit board can lead to smoldering of the water pump. If smoldering occurs, this may also lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire.

Models Affected

Here’s the full list of Cooper S models affected:

2007-11 / Cooper S (Dec 2006 – Oct 2010)

2008-11 / Cooper S Clubman (Dec 2007 – Oct 2010)

2009-11 / Cooper S Convertible (Dec 2008 – Oct 2010)

2009-11 / John Cooper Works (JCW) (Jun 2008 – Oct 2010)

2009-11 / John Cooper Works (JCW) Clubman (Jun 2008 – Oct 2010)

2009-11 / John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible (Apr 2009 – Oct 2010)

2011 / Cooper S Countryman (Nov 2010 – Jan 2011)

How can you tell if this is happening to your MINI? The first tip-off will be a plastic burning smell, or burning and/or smoke from the front of the vehicle may be noticed.

What Should I Do While I Wait for MINI to Notify me of a Fix?

First you can continue to drive your car. However MINI recommends parking your vehicle outdoors until repairs have been performed. Those who own affected cars will receive a letter asking them to have this service performed by their authorized MINI dealer, do so as soon as possible.

What’s Next?

At this point MINI is fixing all cars in its inventory and will be announcing a formal recall shortly. Any new or pre-owned MINI in dealers inventory will be held until the recall can be completed, but customer cars are not yet being held and the recall repair will not be happening until the service bulletin is released.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into the cars after 12 engine fires had been reported including five that destroyed the cars entirely. In eight of the 12 cases, the fires occurred when the cars were parked and turned off.

Nevada City Adventure 2011!

donminimania — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:36:33 +0000

Story and photography by: John Burnett

NEVADA CITY, California – In 1850 pioneers travelled thousands of miles in covered wagons to discover gold in this small mountain town. On June 11^th, 2011 people travelled in their MINI Coopers and Classic Minis from all over the west coast, not to find their fortune, but to attend Mini Mania’s 11^th annual Nevada City Adventure. This year’s participants found no gold, but there was no shortage of chrome in these foothills!

The scene was set on the six acre Mini Mania compound in the foothills surrounded by majestic pines, blue skies and spring-like weather throughout the day. The first to roll in was Rick Williamson, driving a green classic VTEC converted Mini with a surfboard on top. By 10:00am the parking lot was nearly full, with MINI Coopers on the right, and classic Minis filling up the left, close to one hundred cars total!. The Bob Woods Trio treated everyone to live music on the lawn. Mini owners mingled, enjoying ice cream from Lazy Dog and savory hotdogs from the folks at Top Dog, while others tested their Bocce skills out on the new Bocce Ball court. The more relaxed folks set up their folding chairs in the shade of the pines and just took in all the sights.

Vendors for this year included Show Car Detailing (www.showcardetailing.com/) with Richard Lin showing folks how to properly detail their car. Measuring Mini power by way of their twin Dynapack Chassis Dynamometers was Driving Ambition (http://www.dri vingambition.us). The sound of Minis maxing rpm’s was part of the background music accompanying the event throughout the day.

By far the most unusual Classic Mini of the event was a bright yellow beast powered by a Ford Cosworth engine and owned by Bill Brooks!

The day was peppered with raffle prizes and giveaways, the highlight was the People’s Choice Awards, where participants voted for their favorite Minis in various categories.

People’s Choice Award Winners are as follows:

Classic – Best Overall – Rick Williamson
Classic – Cleanest – Carl Hoard
Classic – Most Stuff – Brian Howe
Classic – Paint Graphics – Josh Trundle
MINI – Best Overall – Randy Stevens
MINI – Best Graphics – Helen Boss
MINI – Cleanest – Terri and Gary Morgan
MINI – Most Stuff – Tony Obando

The day’s activities concluded with a tour of Nevada County that lead participants up scenic Highway 20 and down a windy side road through towering pine trees to the little charming town of Washington, where everyone took a moment to stretch their legs and enjoy the scenery along the beautiful Yuba river. On the way back, the tour stopped at a scenic overlook on Highway 20 and lined up for a panoramic photography shoot. Everyone had a great time!

Mini Mania is in MC2

donminimania — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:59:23 +0000

Recently Mini Mania went to Hallet Raceway.
It turns out Team Mini Mania was showcased in the
magazine all about everything Mini… MC2.

>>>Read the Article in MC2 or just >>>Click HERE>>>

Congratulations Guys!!

Vintage Racing at Hallett Motor Raceway

donminimania — Fri, 06 May 2011 17:54:26 +0000

Vintage Racing at Hallett Motor Raceway

Vintage racing has very much been a part of the Racine’s life style for quite a while. And now with the whole family racing, it’s been even more special. We now field no less than for Minis out at the track.

Last year Robert and Holly Hoemke brought their Mini Cooper and Formula Jr. out to California to race at the Sonoma Historics at Infineon Raceway and then down Laguna Seca for the Monterey Historics (now called the Monterey Motorsports Reunion). We instantly really hit it off with Robert and Holly and have been great friends ever since. As such we decided since the Hoemke’s had made the trek out to California, that we should do the same, and plan a trip out to their local track, Hallett Motor Speedway.

We already had quite the schedule planned for 2011, with no less than fifteen plus events, but we were determined to make this trip. As it turned out, the first CVAR/Hallett event was the following weekend of our own local Vintage Race event put on by CSRG at Infineon Raceway. This meant we had to plan on two back-to-back race weekends, 2000 miles apart!

The plan, race Friday through Sunday at Infineon, return home Sunday night, condense our two RV’s, enclosed race trailers and gear into one RV and two car open trailer, and be on the road to Oklahoma by Early Monday morning. This all of course hoping that we don’t break anything at Infineon!

As it turned out I had a great race weekend with the Monty Mini, with only a few minor issues that were fixed in between sessions, and were able to go on to finish out in front on Sunday after having a great battle with our good friend Paul in his Elva Courier MKII.

We ended up getting home on Sunday night earlier than we had predicted but despite this, we still had a lot of work to do to get loaded and out the door on Monday, but managed to hit the road by about 12:30 Monday and made Barstow, CA by about 8pm where we stopped for the night. The next two days were quite the challenge as the winds were gusting to over 50mph in parts, so it made for some white-knuckle driving for the both of us.

We rolled into Albilene, TX around 2 PM Wednesday where we met up with Robert and Holly and stayed at their place for night before heading out first thing Thursday Morning for the final leg of our trip.

Thursday afternoon we went for a ‘walk’ around the track for the first time on the back of Roberts Quad/ ATV. CVAR was set to run the track in reverse, which is a rare thing so there were plenty of people wanting to see the track for the first time in reverse, which probably helped us, since it created a somewhat level playing field of experience.

First impressions of the track surface were that there might be a few bumps here and there, but at the end of the day it wasn’t bad at all. The layout was very ‘busy’ with lots of sharp corners, and in the reverse direction, a lot of really late apex’s and blind corners. Tomorrow would tell.

Friday was a full day of practice, and boy did we get a ton of track time. I was sore by mid-afternoon and we still had several sessions left to be able to run! I found the track a lot of fun, but it was also a lot of work, and required a lot of concentration. I really enjoyed turn 2 through turn 4 (in the reverse direction).

If Friday didn’t already give you plenty of track time, Saturday and Sunday would fill your plate as well. Three sessions on each day would round off the weekend. Qualifying on Saturday went terrific, qualified 2^nd behind a Lotus Super 7 (not in our class) with Robert in 4^th driving the Purple People Eater, and Don in 8^th driving the Bumble Bee Mini in a field over 35 cars, which is quite a lot on this track.

By Sunday, Don had moved up to 3^rd overall, as I stayed in 2^nd, while Robert broke out with an engine failure. Sunday’s final race, Don and I decided to mix things up a bit, and switch cars and start at the back of the pack. This turned out to be a hoot trying to get back up to the front. Don ended up 5^th, while I ended up coming in early after having a shift fork break, and thus allowing the gear box to go into two gears at once. OUCH!

All in all this was a fantastic weekend. The people at Hallett were simple incredible. You’ll never meet a nicer bunch of folks out to have a good time racing all weekend. The track facilities were terrific, and the food was top notch. If you haven’t been to Hallett, I highly recommend making the trip!

Dennis Racine

April 14^th, 2011

Vintage racing a Mini Cooper at Hallett Raceway

donminimania — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:12:07 +0000

Mini Mania Mini's at Hallet Raceway Oklahoma - Mini Mania Inc.

Vintage racing a Mini Cooper at Hallett Raceway

Vintage racing a Mini Cooper is hit, racing with old friends makes it a double, racing at Hallett raceway for the first time makes it a triple, and being a guest of the Corinthian Vintage Auto Racing group made it a home run! Almost too good to be true! And I don’t even play baseball! *yerrrr safe!*

It was on a casual note that a new/old friend of ours, Robert Hoemke asked after spending some time with us during the Monterey Historics ask if we would consider bringiMini Mania Mini’s at Hallet Raceway Oklahoma – Mini Mania Inc.ng a couple of our Minis to one of his local events. Robert races a number of different cars but of course he also does a fantastic job in the Historic “Purple People Eater” Mini Cooper of Richard McDaniels. Richard won both AARC and Trans-am races back in the ‘60s in this car.

So with too little thought, we said yes. It was just a matter of when and where. The choices from a timing stand point were between Eagles canyon in Texas or Hallett in Oklahoma.

READ MORE >>>

MINI Thunder 2

donminimania — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:47:46 +0000

Mini Thunder II, A great adventure!

Mini Thunder II has now finished the second annual event at Thunder Hill raceway outside of the small town of Willows in Northern California.

The event was conceived of by a local very active MINI club and their close ties to a local race track promoter that also owned a MINI. The first event last year was good and provided a solid foundation to make this event great! More than a simple ‘day at the track’, the event is fast becoming a real happening.

The event started Saturday evening with each entrant being treated to a buffet style real dinner complete with all the choices and deserts you could ask for. Each entrant also received a free script of paper money that could be used at the back jack, craps, poker or 21 tables that were especially set up for the evening. Winning could at any time be redeemed for any of the various MINI/Mini related items that were donated by numerous vendors.

The real fun began on Sunday Morning as the almost 100 strong Mini owners were divided up into groups based on their experience levels and assigned numerous track sessions. The novice drivers of the group were all assigned driving instructors that rode with them for as long as they felt needed. Even a number of the very experienced drivers benefited from the donated time from instructors from various forms of racing that contributed their time and talent to the effort. It for sure would not have been possible without their help and dedication.

Mini Mania was proud to be invited to help sponsor and promote the event. Our team of four Classic Mini Vintage Race Cars and two BMW MINIs were displayed, raced and used for demonstration rides for visitors and fellow participants.

Identify your Mini

donminimania — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:21:36 +0000

Instructions:

The matrix will open in a new window.
Click on the yellow buttons to expand/close that section.
Click on the thumbnail images for a larger example.
Refresh the page to return the matrix to it’s original state.
Close the page to return to the Mini Identification article.

Requirements:

JavaScript must be enabled.
Screen resolution of 800 x 600 or greater is recommended.
Best viewed in Internet Explorer 6.0 Mozilla Firefox or Opera browsers.
Pop-Up windows must be allowed from http://minimania.com.
If you’re not sure just give it a try!

The Mark Identification Matrix is meant to aid in the identification of British made Minis only. Please read the “Minis Built for Export and Minis Built Outside of the UK” section of the Mini Identification article to identify non-British Minis.

The Engine Identification Matrix is intended to be a supplement to the “Identifying Minis by Engine/Power Unit” section of the Mini Identification article. If your engine has an ID tag you should read “Identifying Minis by Engine/Power Unit“.

Most People Crammed in a MINI!

donminimania — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:27:38 +0000

Squeezing a place into history may be a feat unrealized by many, though for data storage firm EMC, they comfortably fit themselves in by earning a Most people crammed into a Mini Cooper, new model Guinness World Records™ record!

Guinness World Records™ Adjudicator Danny Girton Jr. was present during EMC and Pilobolus’ 16 December 2010 record attempt when 26 Pilobolus* performers fit into a standard new model Mini Cooper. Girton Jr. returned 18 January 2011 to commemorate EMC and Pilobolus’ record-setting achievement, with an official certificate presentation during EMC’s new product launch event.

MC Information Infrastructure Products President & COO Pat Gelsinger explained the record attempt as a way to celebrate their brand’s “record-breaking technology.” As part of EMC’s global initiative, the company also set records in London [Largest ball of magnetic tape] and Singapore [Most vinyl records broken in 30 seconds (team)].

Mini Mania Test Drive: 2011 NEW MINI Countryman

donminimania — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:55:38 +0000

Mini Mania Test Drive: 2011 NEW MINI Countryman A team from Mini Mania took advantage of the opportunity provided by Niello MINI in Sacramento to test drive one of the new MINI Countrymen. This latest model from BMW MINI seems to be focused to yet further expand the base of customer types that would find a MINI fit into their life style.

First Impressions: My first impression is that the new BIG MINI for the family is not really all that big. While for the most part the car was not positioned right next to the now normal hatchback, yet alone an original classic Mini, it just came across as simply being a 4 door slightly oversized version of the MINI Cooper. This feeling of sameness was continued as you sat into the car. Again, it did not feel much different than normal. I suppose you could imagine that as you sit down into the MINI Hatchback, while in the new Countrymen that you simply sit in the car, but that would be a stretch. For sure you do not have to climb into this 4 wheel drive SUV MINI. Once in the driver’s seat this MINI feeling is further enhanced by the sameness of almost everything in front of you. The ignition, the steering, the switches, etc. are all the same as any MINI. The very unique MINI-Connect central screen did get my attention, but not in an awkward way, just different. Seat adjustment and steering position all seemed just like my daily driver. The emergency handbrake handle is indeed very different from a normal MINI but not in a negative way.
For years now, the MINI has been touted as a ‘personal’ car that lends itself to being used to make a personal statement about lifestyle etc. of its owner. Thus it was note worthy that the most significant observation of this new 4 door MINI has to do with a passenger rather than the driver. The entry to the rear is generous with doors of the same size as the front. The real features are seen once inside the rear, not only to the seats slide front and back providing tremendous leg room, but the back of the seal also tilts for total control of passenger comfort. The rear bucket seats are also slightly raised on the base platform to make it all the more comfortable for your friends and family to see out of the front windshield.
Once driving the car the very first impression was that perhaps the A-Pillars on either side of the front windshield ‘felt’ closer in and perhaps made me feel a little enclosed. But within a minute or so this potential distraction disappeared as if it was just my imagination. The actual driving of the Countryman was simply like driving a MINI. While his particular model was an automatic that is not the same as my daily driven 6 speed, it was just the same as previous MINI automatics that I have driven in the past. And in fact, perhaps in this application a MINI automatic may be my first choice. Bottom line, I will have one of these before too long as my daily driver. More pictures can be found here. The Article can be found here.