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MINI has come out fighting with a blazing display of on-track excitement in the
first round of the Team Australia Speed Comparison.
The single lap demonstration run saw the 2006 model MINI Cooper S with John
Cooper Works engine Tuning Kit dash around the Surfers Paradise street circuit,
its natural environment, at a pace that was fast enough to hold off a charging
race-bred Porsche Carrera Cup car in a close to photo-finish on the line.
The V8-powered Indy Champ Car that made up the final of the trio, overhauled
the MINI and the Porsche just on the line, giving spectators a dramatic finish
to the first of three demonstration runs.
The feisty MINI hit 200 km/h on the fast main straight to the delight of the
vast crowd.
The MINI was driven by multi-Australian Drivers Champion Paul Stokell, who
previously has raced and won at the Indy circuit in a Nations Cup Lamborghini.
Stokell said he was pumped with the MINI’s performance on the track.
“We had very little time to get used to the track, but the MINI is very good
on circuits like this.
“We have set the car up to international MINI Challenge (race) spec with
stiff suspension and full slicks. The car was fantastic under brakes, with
amazing grip from the Dunlop tyres.
“As I was racing around I could hear the crowd, and they were rooting for the
MINI.
“There’s always good support for the under-dog, but I reckon we have
impressed a large number of people today with our result.
“The whole experience was really good fun and I can’t wait to do it again
tomorrow.” Paul said.
The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit is perfectly suited to
fast road and circuit work, able to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 6.6
seconds thanks to its supercharged 1.6-litre 154 kW engine that produces 245 Nm
of torque.
It is fitted with competition brakes, developed by AP Racing for the
International MINI CHALLENGE series. The 330 mm rotors are clamped by 4-piston
John Cooper Works motorsport callipers, complete with braided brake lines and
competition pads. At each corner there is a cross spoke 17 x 7” MINI road wheel
shod with Dunlop slicks. German K & W coil-over suspension units feature
adjustable ride-height, and are adjustable for both compression and rebound.
An FIA Group N compliant safety cage, race seats and harness and a fire
extinguisher are also fitted for maximum safety.
Compared with the four-cylinder MINI, the flat-six in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
packs around 300 kW. It covers the 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.2 seconds.
The Champ Car is a purpose-built racer with a huge 750 horsepower (560 kW)
engine that hits 100 km/h in 2.2 seconds. It is an open-wheel, single-seater
powered by a turbo-charged 2.65L Ford Cosworth V8 engine, with a top speed of
around 300 km/h.
The Team Australia Speed Comparison will take place at 5.15pm on Friday and
at 0850 on Saturday.
On Thursday the MINI had a 25-second start on the Porsche, and a 45-second
head start ahead of the Champ Car. The MINI crossed the line inches ahead of the
Porsche.
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