For Immediate Release July 6, 2008

Here is the only view the rest of the Showroom Stock field at Road Atlanta saw of Robbie Davis’ MINI Cooper S last weekend.

Photo credit to: Colour Tech Motorsports Photography South, LLC.

July 6, 2008  Press Release – For Immediate Release

 

July 6, 2008 Pooler, Georgia – Being flexible is an important thing for an amateur racing team. After changing plans at least three times, the MINI of Charleston Racing team was able to get driver Robbie Davis in the car and on the track for both races in the South East Division (SEDiv) Double National this weekend at 2.0 mile Roebling Road Raceway. A change in Rob’s business commitments allowed him to get dropped off at Interstate 95 in Pooler, Georgia, get picked up by a waiting “street” MINI Cooper and then rushed to the track in time to run Saturday’s 45 mile SCCA National Championship event. After missing both Qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday morning, Robbie was forced to start at the back of the field. Rob quickly picked his way through the field and was soon the top running showroom stock car in the multi-class race. When a summer thunderstorm started dumping rain on some parts of the track, Rob showed his car control skills and never made a mistake, taking the SSB win. At times it was raining hard in turns 2, 3 and 9 and dry in turns 1 and 4-8.

 

Sunday morning, a rare and minor crew mistake spoiled the chance at a qualifying spot for Sunday’s race and Rob was again forced to start at the rear of the field. He again surgically worked his way through the field and 23 laps later had his second win of the weekend and sole possession of first place in the SEDiv points championship. With only one more SEDiv race remaining, but a few out of region race opportunities, the points battle between Rob and Mike Scoravacchi of Manheim , Pa. is not yet completed.

 

Rob’s new full time position on the Sprint NASCAR fan experience trailer will leave plans for the final SEDiv race, The South Carolina Grand Prix race at Kershaw , SC in August and the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in Topeka KS., during October, up in the air.

 

For further information or additional photos, contact Brad Davis at 843 402-6551 or brad.davis@hendricauto.com

June 2, 2008 - For Immediate Release

Braselton , Ga. : Robbie Davis and the MINI of Charleston Racing Team returned to the famous Road Atlanta race course to claim another SCCA South East Divisional National Series win, winning his third national of the season and second at Road Atlanta. Davis now has four straight wins at the 2.54 mile road course. The win puts Robbie only 3 points behind SEDiv Showroom stock “B” points leader Mike Scoranavachi. With only three races remaining before the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in Topeka , Kansas , it is still up in the air as to which of the two will head to the televised championship with the South East Division SSB Champion title. The battle resumes at Roebling Road Raceway in Pooler, Ga. on the July 4th weekend.

Davis will be moving from the British BMW product (MINI) to the German BMW product as a co-driver in the 12 Hours at the Point Race at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia , June 14th. Rob will be co-driving with Jeff Lucas in a BMW 330, sponsored by Piper Motorsports. It will be Davis ’ first experience in an endurance race longer than 2.5 hours and his first turn at the wheel at night. But Rob’s ability to quickly adjust to different cars, changing driving conditions and smooth driving style should do well for his endurance team. Rob won his SCCA National in his MINI at Summit in May.

May 18, 2008- For Immediate Release

Summit Point, West Virginia – Racing in the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains can only be made better by a decisive victory, and Robbie Davis in the factory MINIUSA.com/MINI of Charleston 2005 MINI Cooper S did just that last weekend at the 2.0 mile ten turn Summit Point Raceway. After spending the beginning of the South East Division schedule battling the northern snowbirds that have been running against Rob this season in his home division, Rob returned the favor heading to the Northeast Division to grab a victory on their turf (asphalt actually!).

Rob returned to the track where he completed his SCCA Drivers School in the fall of 2004 to win the Showroom Stock B class race Sunday. The top 5 cars in the class qualified within a window of less than one tenth of a second. From Rob’s fourth place qualifying position, he got a great start when the green flag dropped and was in 2nd by the 3rd turn. Within two laps Rob tracked down and passed the twin factory MINI Cooper S of Fred Pignataro from East Northport , NY . Fred and the BMW Z4 driver Chris Dryden of New Freedom, Pa. chased Robbie for the rest of the race, but were never able to close the gap to attempt a pass. “Rob’s consistency won this race” said crew chief Rick Butler of Moncks Corner, SC. “Rob was not happy with his 4th place qualifying effort, but I said from the beginning, my money was on Rob. He can outrace them all.”  The cloudy skies turned to rain the last 3 laps making the track conditions very slick. Dryden in the Z4 held on for 2nd while Pignataro went off course on the next to the last lap leaving the third place to the MINI Cooper S of Michael Keravich from Shriley , NY . Both Davis and Pignataro were under the track record on the newly repaved circuit, but Davis ’ fastest lap was just a tick behind Pignataro, just missing his 2nd track record of the season.

In the SSC Class, 2-time National Champion Joel Lipperini of Pittston, walked away with the class win. , leaving MINI of Charleston ’s Brad Davis to battle with arch rival and close friend Jeff Wendell for 2nd. After trading the position multiple times, Davis crossed the wet finish line several car lengths ahead of Jeff for 2nd place in SSC. The MINI of Charleston team resumes SEDivsion competition in two weeks back at Road Atlanta where Robbie won earlier this season.

For additional information and additional photos, contact Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551 or brad.davis@hendrickauto.com

 

April, 2008 – For Immediate Release

The MINI of Charleston racing team today announced the signing of a young future driver, Wyatt Robert Thompson born this afternoon in Murrells Inlet, S.C. The future MINI racer weighed in at 8 lbs. 5 oz. "We expect he will not need extra ballast by the time he gets his novice permit." said team manager and grandfather Brad Davis. Both baby and mother are doing fine.

 

April 14, 2008 – For immediate Release               

Danville , Va. – The MINI of Charleston Racing team had a couple of firsts, even though they didn’t win either of the two National Races held last weekend at the 3.27 mile Virginia International Raceway. With Robbie Davis currently in second place in the South East Division national series points, it was important for him to not loose ground to class leading Mike Scornavacchi of Manheim , Pa. The double national gave Robbie the opportunity to cut into Mike’s slim lead with a points race both Saturday and Sunday. The Davis ’ 2005 MINI of Charleston MINI Cooper S enjoyed the cool weather of the weekend to qualify ahead of Scornavacchi and the other Showroom Stock B competitors, excluding Chad Gilsinger from Marysville , Ohio in his 2007 Honda Civic SI. Gilsinger, a Honda factory engineer, used the 200 horsepower of the Civic to build enough of a lead in the straight-away to keep Davis from passing him in the corners, even though the MINI Cooper S had the superior handling and braking. “It was a little frustrating to use the Carbotech brakes to out-break the Honda every turn, use the MINI JCW suspension package and MINI Mania Strut support to out-corner him and then to watch a car with 27 more horsepower pull away from me in the straights,” said Robbie Davis, “but it was still a great race with only 1-2 seconds between us after 45 miles.” MINI of Charleston Executive General Manager Brad Davis commented, “Rob ran a perfect race with out putting a wheel out of place. Two second place finishes and a track record are a good weekend no matter how you look at it.”

Both Davis and Gilsinger ran lap times that were over 2 seconds below the existing track record. Robbie’s fastest lap in Sunday’s race was the quickest of the weekend and established a new SSB track record of 2:18.997 for an average speed of 84.692 mph. The MINI of Charleston 2005 MINI Cooper S now holds both the SSB and the SSC track records at VIR. Team manager, co-driver and Rob’s father, Brad Davis set the VIR SSC track record in the same car two years ago when the MCS was in SSC with an intake restrictor and carrying 250 pounds of penalty weight.  

The team will return to action in May 17th and 18th at Summit Point Raceway in Summit Point West Virginia. 

For additional information contact Brad Davis at 843 402-6551                                      

March 23, 2008 - For Immediate Release

Braselton, Georgia – Robbie Davis continued his dominance at Road Atlanta this weekend by winning his third straight SCCA National series race at the 2.5 mile 12 turn Road Atlanta Raceway. Robbie’s 2005 MINI Cooper S has been on the podium every race this season, but he never got to stand on the top step this year, until last weekend. Rob finished 2nd at Sebring International Raceway, 3rd at Carolina Motorsports Park and 2nd at Roebling Road Raceway, taking 2nd place in the division standings in the process. But this weekend Rob was determined to keep his streak alive and not let Mike Scornavacchi of Manheim , Pennsylvania get another Southeast Division win. Rob used the supercharged power of this Showroom Stock MINI Cooper S to power his way past Scornavacchi. Mike had qualified on the pole, continuing a streak of his own that goes back to Mike being the fastest qualifier at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs last fall in Topeka , Kansas . The two SSB class leaders swapped positions several times during the 18 lap race. At one point in the race the two immaculate showroom stock cars hit hard nose to tail when car from another class spun in front of them. The nose of Scornavacchi’s Pontiac Solstice hit the rear bumper and exhaust of Davis ’ MINI, but both cars were able to continue. By the end of the race both cars had tire rubs (donuts as NASCAR calls them) down both sides of both cars, but neither driver ever hit hard enough or with the intent to spin the other. “This was the most intense race I’ve ever run”, said Robbie. “Mike raced me hard but clean and any contact was just close racing.”

Proving again that a Counterfeit MINI is no substitute for the real thing, team manager and proud father, Brad Davis finished 6th of 9 in the Showroom Stock C class that was won by Joe McClughan of New Braunfels, Texas.

The MINI of Charleston team hopes to gain some more points on Scornavacchi at the double National April 12th and 13th at Virginia International Raceway in Danville , Virginia .

For additional Information contact Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551 or brad.davis@hendrickauto.com

www.minicooperracing.com

Photo credit to Mark Boudoucies

 

Press Release – For Immediate Release              

January 6, 2008 – For Immediate Release

Quick and responsive is the description of the MINI Cooper S handling, but also describes the MINI of Charleston Racing Team’s 2008 race team strategy. Six days into the New Year, the 2008 SCCA Southeast Region National Championship Series has already begun. Drivers from around the country assembled at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring Florida to compete for that first class victory of the season. In the Competitive Showroom Stock B class, Saturday’s qualifying was dominated by Mike Scornavacchi of Manheim , Pa. Mike was the pole sitter at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in Topeka in October, but was hungry to get back on the podium after contact with a Honda Civic SI cost him a shot at a Championship. In 2007 Scornavacchi and the other Pontiac Solstice drivers dominated most races after being “awarded” an aggressive competition suspension package. To equalize the competition for 2008, the MINI Cooper S was allowed to upgrade to the factory Limited Slip transmission, and hopes to have the John Cooper Works Suspension package approved by February. The transmission change did allow MINI of Charleston driver Robbie Davis to improve significantly over last years Sebring times. However, the Scornavacchi Solstice and the Solstice of Charles Guest of Cascade, NC still took the top two qualifying spots. Davis qualified Third, leading the MINI Cooper S brigade; followed by the MINIs of Austin Theen of Venice, Fla.; Jill Urso of Orlando, Florida and Jonathan Start of Caledonia, Mi.

On the start of Sunday’s 45 mile race, Davis got an excellent start and passed Guest and Scornavacchi going into the first turn. Although Scornavacchi re-passed Davis for the lead, the two pulled out a safe margin from the rest of the field. Guest spun in turn eight and later dropped out with brake failure, but Theen and Urso had a classic MINI battle for the third position with Theen making the last past with two laps to go. Urso held on for fourth, with Start close behind. Sixth place went to Rudy Consolation of Akron, Oh., driving a Mazda Miata.

Robbie Davis’ fellow team driver, father and team manager, Brad Davis, didn’t compete this weekend, electing instead to be Robbie’s crew chief. “I was extremely proud of the race Robbie ran today”, said Brad, “He proved he is becoming a faster and wiser driver with each race. The limited slip addition brought us a little closer to being competitive with the Pontiacs , but the addition of the JCW suspension is still needed to level the playing field. Our contacts inside the SCCA report we should have a favorable response in the next few weeks.”

The team will be skipping the long road trip to Homestead Speedway outside Miami for next weekend’s double national, but will return to action in February at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, SC. Brad has had three straight national wins at CMP and is hoping to add to the total next month.

For additional information contact Brad Davis at brad.davis@hendrickauto.com or 843 402-6551 .

 

October 16, 2007

Charleston , SC. – The final event of the SCCA National Championship Racing Series is the invitation only SCCA Runoffs, Presented by AT&T. For the second year the event was hosted by Heartland Park Topeka, in Topeka Kansas . The 14 turn, 2.5 mile paved road course was changed from last year’s event to produce higher speeds and a new challenge for returning drivers. The changing weather conditions also added additional excitement to the week long event. Temperatures ranged from 38 degrees in the morning to high 80s the first of the week. Severe thunderstorms that lasted throughout Friday night continued on Saturday morning. Road racers race even in rain conditions, but the excessive lighting caused a potential hazard to the volunteer track workers, so the event was held up for over 2 hours Saturday morning. By Sunday, 25 new class champions had been crowned.

The first MINI of Charleston Racing Team race was the SSC Championship race Friday morning. Team Manager Brad Davis competed in the class in a Counterfeit MINI that upon closer inspection was a 2000 Honda Civic SI. This class was won the last two years by a MINI Cooper S and then the MINI was unceremoniously bumped up to the faster SSB Class. After being the SE Division Champion in 2006 and finishing 10th in the Runoffs, Brad chose to stay in the same class, even if driving an “off brand” car was required. Brad Qualified 16th in the 20 car field of invitees from all over the nation. After coming to an almost complete stop in turn three for the usually first lap accident, Brad rejoined the field 15 feet from the last place car, but at least avoided body damage. A good drive pulled Brad back up within the pack and was gaining spots until an overheating condition slowed his charge with several laps remaining. Despite the mechanical problem (happens when you’re not in a real MINI!), Brad hung on for a 12th place finish. First place was taken by John Heinricy of Royal Oak Michigan . John is a multiple class, multiple time national champion and a GM engineer and test driver.  

Saturday in the SSB Class Championship race the MINI contingency was pitted in an unfair fight against the Pontiac Solstice, that through a rule error, received a full racing suspension, limited slip differential and lightweight carbon fiber roof, even though it is the same horsepower as the MINI Cooper S. The MINI also found tough going this year with the addition of the 197 horsepower Honda Civic SI. Jonathan Start ( Caledonia , Michigan ) led the MINIs with an 11th place qualifying position, followed by Ralph Porter ( Kokomo , Indiana ) in 15th, MINI of Charleston ’s Robbie Davis in 18th, Jill Urso ( Orlando , Florida ) in 21st and James Place ( San Antonio , Texas ) in 28th.

On the start, Jill tried to get a jump on the start and knocked Robbie Davis’ right outside review mirror into the next county. As Rob entered the high-speed right-hand turn 8, he could not see Ralph Porter on his right rear corner and the contact sent Rob for a 260 degree spin. Rob regained a few positions and came past start finish on lap one in 22nd. Robbie drove hard and steady and was right behind 11th and 12th place with 1 ½ laps remaining. The trio of Tippens (BMW Z4), Porter (MINI) and Davis entered turn 8 and were surprised by fresh mud and water kicked onto the track by another competitor in front of them. Porter managed to spin on track and continue, Tippens ran hard into the next turn wall and Robbie when through the grass and headed back towards the pavement and the next turn. Unfortunately the heavy rains of the night and morning before caused the soft dirt to settle leaving a ridge between the grass and the track surface. When Rob got to the track the left front wheel suffered a severe impact and bent, flattening the tire (no run-flats on this MINI). Rob completed the lap with a flat front tire and continued to complete the last lap on nothing but the wheel on the left front. With this gutsy drive he managed to maintain some of the positions he gained and finished in 18th place. The highest finishing MINI was Start in 10th. The new SSB Champion was Ken Flory of Commerce Township , Michigan in a Solstice. Other MINI finishing positions were; Porter in 11th; Urso in 13th and Place in 20th.

The races were recorded for delayed coverage by Speed TV. The SSC Race will air Wednesday November 14th at noon. The SSB race will air Wednesday December 26th at 1 PM. Be sure to set your Tivo!

Press Release – For Immediate Release

  August 14, 2007

Charleston , S.C – The MINI of Charleston Racing team has returned home after competing in their last 2007 South East Division Sports Car Club of America National Race Series event. Held in the sweltering heat at Virginia International Raceway outside Danville , Virginia , the team Drivers had a good showing on the track and a great showing off the track. Needing a win to close the points lead with fellow MINI of Charleston driver Jill Urso, Robbie Davis made the long trip to VIR in hopes of getting the additional class win he needed to put him in a position to beat Jill to the SEDiv SSB Championship. Jill was left minding the family business last weekend as her Dad, Phil Simms 2006 GT1 National Champion, traveled to Topeka , Kansas to test for the upcoming SCCA National Championships in October.  However the class had plenty of other worthy competitors as the first and second place points leaders from the North East Division attended and perennial championship contender Bill Haggerty made the trip all the way from California to compete.

In practice and qualifying a rare mechanical gremlin appeared in Robbie’s 2005 MINI Cooper S anti-lock brake system. The excessive use of the brake system in road racing, exposes the system to temperatures and applications not designed into production systems. VIR has 8-9 brake applications per lap were the car is requested to slow it’s forward speed from 120+ mph to 45 mph three times and 5-6 other applications reducing the race car speed by at least 30 mph (usually in the 95-65mph range). The system detected an abnormal condition and put the ABS system in its safety mode, but that made driving the car at speed extremely difficult. Robbie qualified 6th. Race day, Sunday, brought more challenges as the oppressive heat drops the efficiency of the Supercharged MINI S engine. Like a true race driver, Rob filed all that in the back of his mind and went off to race hard anyway. At the end of the 45 mile sprint race, his consistent race laps landed Rob in 3rd, clinching 2nd place in the division and locking teammate Jill into the SEDiv Championship.

Racing the Counterfeit MINI , Brad Davis started 3rd in the SSC class and got pushed off the track by a Spec Miata class competitor on the 2nd lap, but struggled back to 6th in the 8 car field, only seconds behind the tight 3rd-5th place battle. Two-time National Champion Joel Lipperri finished 2nd as Brian Peele, the SEDiv points leader, adds another 1st place to his remarkable season.

Off the track the MINI of Charleston Racing team showed what winners are made of as they renewed their annual contact with several Boy Scout troops that camp at VIR each year, during this event. MINI of Charleston ’s new sponsor, CargoTrailersUSA.com, brought their party trailer to the race track and hosted the scouts for lunch in the pits on Saturday. Scouts answered MINI trivia questions and door prizes for given out, including a couple track laps in a new 2007 MINI Cooper S during the “touring” period at the lunch break. “When Brad mentioned their 4 year tie-in with the scouts, I saw a great opportunity to do something for the scouts and their chaperones and jumped right on it”, said Adam Dowe, CargoTrailersusa.com owner. Brad Davis added, “It’s not often racers find a supporting business that appreciates not only the exposure on the race car and trailer, but an opportunity to become part of the MINI experience that we share with all those we contact”.

The team will take a well deserved rest and prepare for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in Topeka , Kansas October 8-14.

For additional Information, Contact Brad Davis @ brad.davis@hendrickauto.com or 843 402-6551

www.minicooperracing.com

Press Release – For Immediate Release              

June 3, 2005

Braselton , Ga. – The MINI of Charleston Racing team made its second and final appearance of the year at the 2.25 mile Road Atlanta race track, north of Atlanta . MINI of Charleston driver Robbie Davis drove the team’s 2005 MINI Cooper S to victory from the pole position. Saturday Robbie qualified on the pole position, but was followed closely by the Pontiac Solstice of Charles Guest and the 2006 MINI Cooper S of Jill Urso. After holding off the charge of the Solstice mid-race, Robbie was able to build a slight lead and finish 8 seconds ahead of Guest. Urso finished third, to place two MINI S of Charleston cars on the podium.

 “The car felt perfect the entire race” said Robbie Davis. “Carbotech makes a great brake pad that allowed us to go deep into the turns every lap.” Braking is always a challenge in the Showroom Stock B Class, as the stock braking system used on every car sold on the showroom is pressed way beyond its design requirements. The only allowable change is going to a harder racing compound brake pad material.

 With a single point lead for the SouthEast Division points, Robbie and Jill head to Pooler, Georgia at the end of the month for a Double National race at Roebling Road .

For more information contact Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551 or brad.davis@hendrickauto.com

 

March 15, 2007

Charleston , SC :

The MINI of Charleston Sports Car Club of America racing team visited the historic Daytona International Speedway for the 5th round of the South East Division SCCA National Racing Championship. I the Showroom Stock B Class, Summerville, SC resident Robbie Davis drove the team’s 2005 MINI Cooper S in what most observers said was one of the closest SCCA races in years. Rob started the race 2nd in points behind MINI of Charleston customer and team member Jill Urso, of Orlando , Florida . With only one point separating them, it was sure to be a competitive battle on the 3.5 mile road course, home of the famous 24 Hours of Daytona.

Rob qualified 2nd behind Jill but grabbed an early lead on a good start in the multi-class 45 mile sprint race. Cars from the production classes with race tires (the MINI is required to run street legal tires in the Showroom Stock class) were faster in the turns, but the MINI used its stock supercharged power to get by them on the long straights and the NASCAR banking. But the heavy traffic allowed Jill to catch Rob on the 2nd lap and the battle began. The two cars ran nose to tail or door to door for the next 40 miles. Another MINI Cooper S driven by David Theen joined the battle and a one point the 3 MINI s entered turn one, onto the road course, 3 wide. After several passes for the lead, Jill edged Robbie for the win, with Theen finishing third for a 1-2-3 MINI Cooper S finish. Fourth was the Chevrolet Camaro of Tom Aquilante of Phoenixville, Pa. and rounding out the top five was Carlo Lira of Port Orange Florida in his Ford Focus.

With Rob and Jill only 4 points apart, the battle goes back to Road Atlanta next month, where Rob won his last race in April. Showing that a Counterfeit MINI is no substitute for the real thing, team manager Brad Davis was forced to come into the pits after 2 laps in the SSC Class with an overheating problem in the Civic SI.

For additional information contact Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551 or brad.davis@hendrickauto.com

]

March 6,  2007

Charleston , SC.: The MINI of Charleston Racing team and our racing customers continue to dominate the action in the Sports Car Club of America’s South East Division. Last Sunday at Roebling Road Raceway in Pooler, Georgia, MINI of Charleston team member Jill Urso provided the MINI of Charleston team another SEDiv victory. Even with the odds favoring a dominate performance by the current class leader, the Pontiac Solstice, Jill ran a quick pace to win the race on the 2.0 mile nine turn track. In racing there is a saying, “To finish first, first you have to finish”. The Pontiac drivers learned this lesson as pole sitter Charles Guest got caught up in traffic and spun hard in the first turn on lap one. Trying to come back through traffic, Charles contacted MINI of Charleston driver Robbie Davis in his MINI Cooper S and again spun in turn one, taking Charles out of contention. The other Solstice driver, Amy Aquilante also spun coming out of turn two and was never able to return to be a podium threat. With a bent suspension from the contact with Guest, Robbie Davis held Amy off the last couple of laps and held onto fourth place. Jill’s 2006 MINI Cooper S is now the SEDiv points leader, with a 6 point edge over Davis ’ 2005 MINI . Second and third in SSB were held by the remainder of the Aquilante racing family, father Tom Aquilante in 2nd in his Chevrolet Camaro and other daughter Elizabeth Aquilante 3rd in her Pontiac Firebird. The Aquilante family hails from Phoenixville , Pa. and is well know as one of the best road racing prep businesses in the US . Rumor has it the SCCA Competition Board will allow the MINI to change to a limited slip transmission next month, in an attempt to equalize the class, after Pontiac asked for and received quite a few “non-stock” items added to the Solstice.

In the MINI ’s last year’s class, Showroom Stock B, Brad Davis carried the MINI of Charleston banner on the team’s counterfeit MINI (see www.counterfeitmini.com). The elder Davis qualified as the top class qualifier and led the pack into turn one. After getting stuck behind a car avoiding the spinning Charles Guest (yes, both classes run together in the same race), Davis dropped to third. In a couple laps Davis passed the Honda Civic of Larry Delude of Easton , Connecticut for 2nd place and held that spot behind Tim Myers of Marietta , Georgia in his Mazda 3. On the last lap, Brad got a good run up to Tim in the last turn and did a slingshot drafting pass just before the finish line. Tim moved Brad to the wall and gave him a “touch” on the left side, but at the finish, MINI of Charleston won another class victory, with Myers and Delude within a fraction of a second behind. It was one of the best 3 wide finishes in an SCCA race that most club members could remember. Brad is now tied for the SSC divisional point lead.

The team resumes action March 24 & 25 at Road Atlanta Raceway in Braselton , Ga.

For additional information or High resolution photos, contact brad.davis@hendrickauto.com

Or by phone at 843 402-6551

Press Release – For Immediate Release              

February 20, 2007

Charleston , SC : Somerset , Pa. resident Earnest Trent is taking delivery of a new 2006 MINI Cooper. So what is the news story? Mr. Trent will be 101 years old this August. This is the 2nd MINI Mr. Trent has owned since they went of sale in the USA in 2002. To the best of our records and those of MINI International, Mr. Trent breaks his own record for being the oldest MINI Cooper purchaser at 100 years old, breaking the record he set when he purchased his first MINI the day before his 96th birthday.

 Mr. Trent has gotten his medical and driver’s test clearance to keep his Pennsylvania Driver’s license at least up to his next required application when he is 102 years old.

“He is an absolute inspiration to all of us, but especially the Motoring Community. MINI owners pride themselves as being part of a group that thinks driving is more than just going from point A to Point B,” said MINI of Charleston Executive General Manager Brad Davis. “When Mr. Trent took delivery of his first MINI I rode with showed him the features of the car and rode with him to make sure he was OK with the operation of the standard transmission. His driving skills are still sharp and his appreciation for the fun driving experience of the MINI is remarkable.”

Mr. Trent said he had seen MINI s all over the world when he was a pilot and thought, “One day I want to own one of them. Then I thought I didn’t know how many ‘one days’ I had left, so I contacted MINI of Charleston , part of the Hendrick Automotive Group that my son deals with, and ordered one.” The day after delivery on his 96th birthday Mr. Trent made the solo drive from Hickory , North Carolina back to Somerset . Now 4 years and more than 1500 ‘one days’ later, he still drives regularly and wants to do it in style.

  MINI of Charleston has maintained a relationship with Mr. Trent that includes birthday wishes every August, along with his favorite birthday present, a couple of oil filters, since Mr. Trent still changes his own oil, even with MINI ’s free scheduled maintenance.

A delivery key presentation and some special gifts from MINI USA and MINI of Charleston is set for this Friday (2/23/07) at 1:00 at Mr. Trent’s home in Somerset.

For more information and directions to the delivery event contact Brad Davis or Marcus DeBiasi at 843 402-6300 .

February 19, 2007

Kershaw , SC – Cold weather and wind failed to cool the MINI of Charleston Racing Team’s quest for points in the Sports Car Club of America’s (SCCA) South East Division (SEDiv) National racing series championship. In the Showroom Stock “B” class race, Robbie Davis of Clemson, South Carolina placed the MINI of Charleston 2005 MINI Cooper S in the 2nd position for the start of Sunday’s 45 mile sprint race on the 2.2 mile 14 turn Carolina Motorsports Park road course. Fighting a sinus and ear infection that sent him rapidly to the local “Doc in the Box” after the race, Rob executed a textbook start and grabbed the early lead from Mike Scornavacchi from Manheim, Pa. Mike was making a southern region appearance in the SSB Champion Pontiac Solstice he purchased after it dominated the SCCA Runoffs in Topeka, Kansas. Robbie was unable to hold off Mike and settled into a quick pace and finished 2nd over new MINI of Charleston Team member Jim Orr, of Moncks Corner, SC in his recently purchased 2002 MINI Cooper S. Rob’s 2nd place finish at CMP and 4th at Sebring put him in a tie for the early season points lead with MINI of Charleston customer Jill Orso from Orlando, Fla. Jill finished 7th at Sebring, but rallied to win at Homestead the following week. The points race goes head to head in two weeks as both Rob and Jill are entered at the next race in the series, at Roebling Road Raceway in Pooler, Ga.   

In the Showroom Stock “C” class (the class the MINI Cooper S competed in last year before being booted up to SSB for being too fast!), team manager Brad Davis got behind the wheel of the MINI of Charleston Counterfeit MINI (a 2000 Honda Civic SI, that used to be the car to race until MINI returned to the US in 2002!). Brad qualified 3rd with the pole being won by a mere .4 seconds by Larry DeLude of Easton , Ct. and Tim Meyers of Atlanta in 2nd. At the start, Brad jumped into 2nd and after 3 laps tracked down DeLude and took the lead. After changing from the MINI into the Civic, Brad adjusted to the slower Honda and consistently turned laps faster then his qualifying effort. At the finish, Brad won easily taking the win over Guy Pavageau from Washington , DC who finished 2nd in his Chevy Cobalt and Delude third in his Honda Civic SI. “My plans were to concentrate on Rob’s points chase this season” said the elder Davis , “but returning to CMP and starting my year with a victory, just like we did last year, gives me the itch to defend my SSC SEDiv Championship from 2006. We’ll see what happens at Roebling in March before we change any plans.”

MINI proudly brought the new 2007 MINI Cooper and Cooper S to the US market last week. The completely redesigned MINI looks like it will prove to be a worthy evolutionary sibling of the 2002-2006 MINI, but also an exciting opportunity for more SCCA wins and Championships when it is eligible for SCCA Road Racing competition in 2008. Details on the new car are available at MINIUSA.com.

For additional information contact: Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551

January 12, 2007

The 2007 Sports Car Club of America National racing series has gotten an early start, with the South East Division’s first event held last weekend at the historic Sebring International Raceway in Sebring , Florida . The track is host to the Sebring 12 Hour, one of the most prestigious endurance races in the world. The SCCA National race used the same 3.7 mile 17 turn converted airport circuit. The MINI of Charleston team was one of 4 MINI Cooper S race cars that made the trip south to participate in the first race with the MINI moved to the Showroom Stock B class.

In the “off Season” the SCCA decided that the MINI ’s dominance of the SSC class the last two years had to be addressed, so they removed 300 pounds of weight, the throttle restrictor and moved the car up to the next fastest class. With the competition even stiffer in the SSB class, team manager and driver Brad Davis decided to put Robbie Davis in the team’s primary seat this year, in the red 2005 MINI Cooper S. “The last two years I’ve been proud of my top ten finishes, but dropping from 6th to 10th last year forced me to fire myself as the driver and put those 21 year-old reflexes to work”, said the older Davis. “At Sebring, Rob proved my instincts correct as he learned one of the most complicated and difficult tracks extremely fast.

After qualifying 5th, Rob had a great start and ran most of the race in 3rd, dropping one spot in the last few laps to 4th. Richard Cullen from the Northeast Division was the lead MINI , finishing 2nd. Jason Meyers won the class in a Mazda Miata. Between Richard and Rob was Charles Guest in a Pontiac Solstice. Behind Rob in 5th was David Theen in his MINI and MINI of Charleston customer Jill Urso finished 7th.

The team’s next race will be February 18th at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw , South Carolina . Both father and son will be driving, with Brad in the seat of the Honda Civic Counterfeit MINI in SSC. The team’s entire 2007 schedule is posted on the team website www.minicooperracing.com

 

October 16, 2006

Topeka , Kansas : MINI Coopers dominated the Showroom Stock “C” Championship race during the SCCA National Championship event at Heartland Park Topeka Race Course. The Runoffs are the largest amateur racing event in the US , with over 700 competitors meeting to determine the SCCA National Champion in 25 racing classes.

Friday 26 competitors finished a week of practice and qualifying with an 18 lap sprint race on the challenging 2.5 mile, 14 turn Heartland Park road course. The field for the SSC race included drivers from both coasts and everywhere in between. The field was a mixture of Mazda 3’s, a Mazda Protégé, several Dodge Neons, a Chevrolet Cobalt,  8 Honda Civic SI’s and 9 MINI Cooper S’s. Defending 2005 National Champion Pete Taylor put his 2005 MINI Cooper S on the pole and led the field into the first turn. After the dust, tire smoke and flying parts cleared in turn one, the MINI drivers began to assume a dominate role in the race. Only the first lap incident damaged MCS of Fred Pignataro (from East Northport , New York ) failed to make the finish in the top 14. This incident also effectively eliminated any chance for 7-time National Champion John Heinricy from adding an SSC Championship to his list of T1 class and American Sedan class titles. Taylor held off an early challenge to post his second SSC National Championship win. John Saucier of Midwest City, Oklahoma finished 2nd in a 2005 Mazda 3 and Ralph Porter from Kokomo, Indiana brought his 2004 MINI Cooper S to the podium in third place. The 2005 MINI Cooper S of Jonathan Start (Caledonia, Michigan) was 5th followed by the MINIs of Richard Cullen (Marshfield, Maine) and Brad Davis (Summerville, South Carolina) competing the top ten MINI Parade in 8th and 10th respectively. Also finishing in the top half of the field in MINIs were Wiley Timbrook ( Arvada , Colorado ) in 11th, James Place ( San Antonio , Texas ) in 12th and James McCarthy ( Smithtown , New York ) in 14th.

The MINI of Charleston team of Brad Davis, Rick Butler and James Overby spent time making sure that their fellow MINI teams had the parts and technical assistance that some competitors required to make MINI USA proud. The new venue at Heartland Park was difficult to learn and very unforgiving when the drivers miscalculated and left the racing surface. Bent struts and wires cut by a non-factory exhaust hanger were the easier repairs. But the rare internal damage to Pete Taylor’s MINI transaxle on Thursday proved a lot more challenging. Since transaxle failures are not everyday occurrence, the MINI of Charleston Parts team regretfully informed Pete and Brad the only units in dealer inventory were in Atlanta and Miami . With the race less than 24 hours away, this was not the answer the reigning Champion and pole sitter wanted to hear. Luckily, earlier in the week Brad had a discussion with a fellow MINI/BMW Dealer, Tim Brecht from San Diego , California and knew that Tim had brought the Brecht MINI Cooper S to Topeka , even though the qualifying driver was not able to attend. Tim gladly offered the transaxle from their car and all that was left was a transplant from that car to Pete’s car. Lying on the cold asphalt, Pete, his crew and MINI of Charleston team member Rick Butler, did the swap in record time before darkness and record cold set in. Brad and two techs from Classic BMW in Texas patched the Brecht MINI back together and rolled it back to the Brecht transporter. It is this type of camaraderie and cooperation that make the SCCA such a great organization. The Friday morning warm-up drew a big thumbs up from Pete and his title defense was not lost to a freak mechanical problem.

“I had hoped to bring home a top ten from Topeka and we did.” said MINI of Charleston driver Brad Davis. “It was a very difficult track to learn and the week is so busy our practice laps were limited. I drover faster during the race with a full fuel load then I did in qualifying, showing I was still learning the track during the race. Most of the top teams tested and practiced the week prior to the Runoffs, by my work schedule made that impossible. The mid-western drivers also have a lot of time on this track and definitely have the home field advantage on this busy track.”  The team concluded the season with a top ten at the Runoffs and a Southeastern Division Championship, a credit to the support of MINI USA, Hoosier Tires and Carbotech Brakes.

Congratulations are also due from September to Wendi Allen for repeating as the G Stock Ladies Solo Champion in a MINI of Charleston MINI Cooper S and to Heather Everette and Donna Frank for placing 2nd and 3rd in the H Stock Ladies Solo Championship, driving a MINI of Charleston MINI Cooper.

The solo and racing teams look forward to a couple of month’s time off until the season restarts in January with two SCCA Nationals in Florida . “We have some exciting plans for the 2007 season if we can get our hands on the all new 2007 MINI Cooper S and look forward to SEDiv 2nd place driver Robbie Davis taking the lead in the 2005 car for next season, with a Divisional Championship and National Title challenge in the plans”, said Brad Davis.

For additional Information, contact Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551 or brad.davis@hendrickauto.com.  Photos will be available later this week.

Press Release – For Immediate Release  

September 25, 2006

September 25, 2006

Charleston , SC : The MINI of Charleston racing teams are wrapping up a busy season with all but one of the Championship events occurring in September. In the road racing arena, Robbie Davis was at Roebling Road Raceway this weekend in defense of his 2005 SSC Class South Atlantic Road Racing Championship title. The series allows drivers the accumulate points from their best 6 races (out of 16 events) and add to their totals in the final Invitational race, which counts as double points. Going into the race Robbie was 4 points ahead of Mark McCaughey of Sarasota , Florida . (Robbie 6 wins- Mark 5 wins and a second). Rob qualified on the class pole with Mark starting right next to him. In the combined class race, as luck would have it Rob’s starting position put him in the undesired outside position. When cars from the ITB class in front of him collided on the first lap in the first turn, Rob was forced off the track and fell several seconds behind Mark. Just past the midway point of the 15 lap race, Rob caught Mark in turn one and attempted a pass. The just repaved track was very fast “on the racing line” but as Rob found out, very slippery off line. The car spun in the sand trap and dug in heavy on the driver’s side. However, Rob was able to keep the car moving and re-entered the race 17.5 seconds behind Mark, with the laps dwindling. With damage to the front and rear suspension of Rob’s Counterfeit MINI, he pressured McCaughey who was now nursing a blistered left front tire. At the finish Rob had cut Mark’s lead from 17.5 seconds to 3 seconds, but the battle of the running wounded saw Mark take the victory and win the championship by 4 points. The pair still had a 15 second lead over third place finisher Paul Gauzens of Lawrenceville , Georgia , who clinched the third place in the Championship behind Rob’s second.    

September is also the conclusion of the SCCA Pro Solo competition series. This weekend in Topeka , Kansas , GH Sharp drove Jeff Jacob’s MINI of Charleston MINI Cooper S to the 2006 Pro-Solo G-Stock National Championship. GH was in third after his Saturday runs, but came back strong on his Sunday runs to win the championship by a mere 0.060 seconds. In the indexed Marque Class, Rob Foley won that class in the same MCS. 2005 H-Stock Solo National Champion Mark Chiles changed jobs and addresses this year and took the year off, but loaned his car to teammate Jeff Jacobs to compete in the Pro-Solo. After a 6th place position on Saturday, Jeff burned up the course with some terrific runs on Sunday to finish 2nd.  This same group of MINIs and drivers, including 2005 G-Stock Ladies National Champion Wendi Allen, will compete this week for the SCCA Solo National Championships.

The final 2006 season event will be Brad Davis’ chase for the SCCA SSC National Championship October 13th at Heartland Park Raceway in Topeka , Kansas . Although not picked as one of the top three, Sports Car Magazine (SCCA National Publication) has named Brad as a possible “spoiler” and one to watch in the championship race. Brad is representing the South East Division as the SEDiv SSC Champion.

 

For additional information and photos, contact Brad Davis at brad.davis@hendrickauto.com or call 843 402-6551

August 14, 2006 - Danville , Virginia

 The MINI of Charleston Racing team concluded the 2006 regular season events with a disappointing finish, but in a race that shows the team should be top contenders in their upcoming championship events. Sunday’s race found Robbie Davis qualified 2nd and Brad Davis qualified 3rd. On the long 3.27 mile Virginia International Raceway, Brad was unable to get a clean lap during qualifying, so he was pleased with his time, knowing the 2005 MINI Cooper S would be able to turn faster times in the race.

  Robbie got a good start and jumped into the lead on the first lap, closely pursued by 3 MINI Cooper S’s, a Dodge Neon and Chevy Cobalt. Trying to stretch out his lead on the 2nd lap, Rob’s Counterfeit MINI spun in turn 5 and dropped to 6th. Rob moved back to 5th and had a race long battle with the MCS of Owen McKenzie. Meanwhile, Brad Davis was engaged in a dog fight at the front of the field that saw the lead change several times between Brad, Juston Poole in his MINI Cooper S and Kolin Aspegren in a Neon. In the closing laps Brad was solidly in 2nd behind Juston and closing on him. With two laps to go the leaders of a faster class were working their way through the Showroom Stock C class leaders. In turn 3, Brad moved the MINI off line slightly to allow one of the Spec Miatas to pass and dipped a rear wheel off the edge of the track. The car spun into the grass and stopped against the tire wall. Suffering only cosmetic damage, Brad was able to rejoin the field and came back onto the track just behind son Rob and Owen McKenzie. Juston Poole hung on for the win, with Aspegren inheriting 2nd, McKenzie 3rd, Robbie Davis 4th and Brad Davis 5th. In the process of hunting down Poole , Brad in the MINI of Charleston MCS broke the SSC track record.

 “It’s a game of inches and that extra 2-3 I gave up to allow a faster class car to get by cost me. But all things considered, we had a good weekend, setting a new track record shows we’re ready for the Runoffs in October and should be a contender for the National Championship. Luckily we had already clinched the South East Division Championship, so my ‘whoops’ didn’t affect the points”, said driver Brad Davis.

 September 24th, Robbie Davis will have his Championship race in the South Atlantic Road Racing Series Invitational at Pooler Georgia’s Roebling Road Raceway, as he defends his 2005 SARRC SSC Championship. Father Brad Davis will compete for the SSC National Championship October 13 in Topeka , Kansas at Heartland Park Raceway. That race will be recorded by Speed TV and shown in November.

Final Regular Season Stats:

Brad Davis 2005 MINI Cooper S

SEDiv SSC Champion

4 National Wins ( Carolina Motorsports Park , Daytona International Speedway , Road Atlanta [2])

1 – 2nd place

1 – 3rd place

2 – 5th places

2 New Track records (Road Atlanta and VIR)

Robbie Davis

 6 SARRC Series wins ( Carolina Motorsports Park [3], Roebling Road Raceway [2], VIR)

2 National Wins ( Roebling Road )

2 – 3rd place

2 – 4th place

1 – 6th place

 For additional Information contact Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551 or brad.davis@hendrickauto.com

For Immediate Release  

July 5, 2006 Charleston, SC

MINI of Charleston Racing Team Ignites July 4th Fireworks on Track

The MINI of Charleston Racing Team spent a warm weekend in the Georgia swamp outside Savannah , in Pooler, Georgia. The annual SCCA South East Division Double National Race was held at the 2.0 mile Roebling Road Race Course. Just two weeks before the track gets a complete repave, the rough track and hot weather is always concern for tire engineers. In the spring race, MINI Cooper S driver Brad Davis raced nose to tail with the two-time National Champion, Joel Lipperini of Pittston, Pa., until overheating and blistering the left front tire. Roebling’s 2 miles has only one straightaway and it’s six right hand turns are tough on a high-powered front wheel drive car like the MINI Cooper S. After winning several early season races, the SCCA added 175 pounds of penalty weight to further add to the tire wear problem. Brad’s 2005 MINI set the pace and had the fastest qualifying time in the class for both days’ races. “I knew our qualifying time (1:28.165 – 82.482 mph) was too fast to run during the race and still have a left front tire on the last lap. I figured a 1:30 lap could save the tire and still lead the race.” said Brad. “We needed a finish of third or better in one of the races to clinch the SEDiv Championship, so finishing was more important than winning.” At the drop of the green flag, the MINI led the class for the first 4 laps before son Robbie Davis moved into the lead. “It was obvious at my chosen pace, I was holding Robbie up.” In his lighter Counterfeit MINI (Civic SI), Rob was able to consistently put down 1:29 laps and cruised to his first ever SCCA National Series victory. “It was a great feeling at the finish to know I grabbed the SEDiv Championship while Rob won his first National.”

Monday brought even hotter weather and track conditions, but the supercharged MINI Cooper S still managed to set the fastest lap in Qualifying. With the Championship already locked, the older Davis pushed a little harder in the Monday race, but the smooth consistent driving style of Robbie Davis soon moved him into striking range of his father. On lap 10 of the 23 lap race, Robbie moved past his Dad into first, never looking back and winning National # 2. Colin Aspegren of Alpharetta , Ga. drove into 2nd and the MINI of Charleston team finished 1-3 for Monday’s race. Driver Rob Davis commented after the race “It was great to win a race where the competition was tight. For a while I was sandwiched between Dad and Colin, knowing that the slightest mistake from any of us could cost that person the race. It’s a fantastic feeling seeing the checkered flag and knowing you won a National, and beat your Dad!” Debbie Davis, wife and mother of the father son team said, “I feel much better about letting Rob spend time and money on all those racing video games when he was growing up, it feels like some strange type of redemption.”  

The team takes several weeks off now to prepare for the final National Race, August 12-13 at Virginia International Raceway in Danville , Va. After that Robbie will defend his South Atlantic Road Racing Series Championship (he currently leads the points in that series) at the SARRC Invitational at Roebling Road in September. Brad Davis will try to improve on his 6th place finish last year, in the SCCA’s National Championship Runoffs in Topeka , Kansas in October.     

For additional Information contact Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551 of brad.davis@hendrickauto.com

 

June 5, 2006 Charleston, SC.

Braselton , Ga. : The MINI of Charleston Racing Team has picked up another 1-3 finish at the challenging Road Atlanta 2.5 mile road course. MINI Cooper S driver Brad Davis started from his 2nd in class qualifying position to race nose to tail and door to door with fellow MINI Cooper S driver Juston Poole of Atlanta. The pair swapped the lead several times during the 18 lap race, putting on a clean and exciting show for the Road Atlanta spectators. At the end, Poole finished just ahead of Davis at the finish, but Poole’s second lap contact with BMW Z4 driver Charles Guest that left the Z4 stuck in the turn one gravel trap cost Poole a one position penalty. “I can’t say I not excited about getting our 4th win of the season, but this is not really the way a racer wants to pick up the victory”, said Davis. “Juston and I had such a great race. The slightest mistake from either of us opened the door for the other driver to take the lead. We ran hard without ever touching, but a miscalculation by Juston on how fast we were gaining on the Z4 under braking, cost him the victory.”

 With MINIs taking the 1st and 2nd  positions, the door was open for Robbie Davis to take his counterfeit MINI to another 3rd place Road Atlanta finish. The previous weekend, Rob earned his 6th 2006 South Atlantic Road Racing Series victory at Carolina Motorsports Park . Perhaps for the first time ever, a father and son team are # 1 in points in both the SARRC Series and the South East Division National Championship Series.

The team takes a well deserved couple of weekends off before returning to the Sports Car Club of America’s National Race at Roebling Road in Pooler, Georgia on the 4th of July weekend.    

 For additional Information, contact Brad Davis @ 843 402-6551  

May 9, 2006 Charleston, SC.

Daytona Beach , Florida : The MINI of Charleston Sports Car Club of America Racing Team returns to Charleston with its third National victory of the season. Driver Brad Davis improved his 2006 record to 4 starts, 4 top qualifier honors and 3 national wins. The 3.56 mile Road Course raced at Daytona International Speedway is the same course used in the world famous sports car race The 24 Hours of Daytona. The 2005 MINI Cooper S hit speeds of over 130 mph on the 2.5 mile tri-oval’s front and back straight-aways before heading back into the infield portion of the road course to show off the Showroom Stock MINI’s superior handling. “A win at Daytona is the dream of every driver from the time you were a kid pushing a matchbox car around the living room.” said South East Division points leader Brad Davis. “The Hoosier tires we are running this year have really helped us pick up the pace and made us the team to beat in the South East.” Davis established a new SSC lap record at Daytona, beating the old mark set in 1999 by former SSC National Champion Michael Kramer.

  The newest addition to the MINI of Charleston Team, driver Jill Urso, broke in her new MINI of Charleston 2006 MINI Cooper S with a 4th place finish. Jill looks like she has inherited her driving skills from her dad, Phil Simms GT1 and former Trans Am driver, as she adjusted quickly to the Showroom Stock class after racing for several years in the modified Production classes. Second place was l