Surfin' Safari
Team MINI plans for fun in the sun at Alphera Dutton Rally QueenslandSun, sand, surf and supercharging make for a spectacular combination as a pair of feisty Team MINI racers speed into the Gold Coast for the second annual running of the Dutton Rally Queensland sponsored by Alphera Financial Services, from 28-30 July.
After that it's off to Bathurst for a special anniversary waltz around Mount Panorama to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Mini Cooper S dominating the 1966 Gallagher 500.
Proving there ain't no mountain high enough to stop a MINI, the Team turns around and tackles the Mount Buller Sprint head-on in November.
Immediately after having conquered Targa, Team MINI turned its attention to the Lake Mountain Sprint, where one car finished sixth outright and the Team finished 1-2-3 in class.
Next the Team tackled the Alphera Dutton Rally NSW and not only won a stage outright, but collected a class win along the way, as well as best driver and co-driver in class, and another outright win in the co-driver handicap award.
Powering the Team MINI racers is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels. The engine packs a mighty punch thanks to its John Cooper Works Tuning Kit that bumps power from 125kW to 154kW at 6950 rpm. Torque is a jet turbine-like 245Nm at 4500 rpm.
Powering through a six-speed gearbox, the standard road trim MINI Cooper S fitted with the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit reaches 100 km/h in just 6.6 seconds.
Supercharged acceleration out of the blocks will give Team MINI racers a huge advantage on the tight Alphera Dutton Rally Queensland stages, and through the flowing turns at the race tracks over the weekend.
No Worries, Baby
"Team MINI has been very successful out of the box," says Team MINI Manager, David Vervaart. "The cars have run perfectly, reliably and very quickly.
Wouldn't it be Nice
"We plan to turn the Alphera Dutton Queensland into a MINI Paradise with a spectacular result.
Do it Again
"Team Mini has the cars and the driving skill to repeat its giant-killing performances of the previous events and finish very well in the Alphera Dutton Queensland," David says.
Car Crazy Cuties
"Spectators on previous events have given Team MINI a huge reception, and we're sure this will be revved to the red line on the Gold Coast," he says.
The event starts on Friday morning, 28 July, in Warwick and then heads towards Surfers Paradise.
Driving tests will be held at Morgan Park, Warwick Airstrip, Queensland International Raceway and the Mount Cotton Hillclimb and Caseys Road car park at Sanctuary Cove.
A Saturday night auto test under lights will be a, er, highlight of the event for spectators, held at Broadwater in the heart of the Gold Coast. The auto test will be repeated on Sunday at the same location, opposite Australia Fair under the Gold Coast sun before heading to the Mount Cotton Hillclimb.
You're So Good to Me
The full history of Team MINI and the adventures of the CarPoint-sponsored and driven MINI are detailed here
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
