HRMINI

As I mentioned a few months ago during a Se7en Cities MINI quarterly club meeting, I have been in the early discussion stages with famed race driver from the UK, Phil Wicks, who is the owner/operator of the Phil Wicks Ultimate MINI Driving Academy. Phil and I have been brainstorming about the possibility of him bringing his renowned MINI specific performance driving program to Virginia International Racewey (VIR), near Danville, Va., sometime in 2008.

Depending on the number of participants we are able to sign up, he will structure the program in either a one day or two day format. We would need at least 40 participants to make it economically feasible, and the more drivers signed up, the lower the individual cost will be. I gauged interest during our c7m club meeting and had an encouraging response from those in attendance.  I'd like to poll you at this time to see who amongst us might have an interest in participating. This program has been specifically designed and develpoed by Phil for drivers of Classic and new MiNi's, and runs on a continuous basis all over the U.S.. The driving academy consists of numerous hours of classroom instruction and on-track driving time. For those who would be interested in learning on an enclosed racetrack in a controlled environment, how to drive your MINI better, faster and safer, you should give this program strong consideration.

I mentioned to Phil that I would post the information on the forums at various MINI club sites throughout the Mid-Atlantic region to invite folks from all around the area to participate.

If you are interested and would like additional information on both the MINI Driving Academy and VIR itself, please check out the following two web sites:

http://www.minidriving.com

http://www.virclub.com

VIR usually stays pretty well booked up on the weekends year after year, therefore Phil envisions that his Academy program may need to coincide with another previously scheduled club event. MINI's however will be given first priority, and depending on the participation rate, exclusive enrollment in the program.

If you have any questions or would like to enter into discussion about this exciting opportunity, please post here.

Thank you,
Howard Collins
Vice President, Se7en Cities MINI
Founding Member Mid-Atlantic Mini's
_________________

I'm in Howie, just need to know when to show up and who to pay.

Sean

We are definately interested!  Can two people come & run the same car?

Well, I've certainly received an overwhelming response to this in a very short amount of time.
 
After posting on the discussion forums at Se7en Cities Mini, HRMINI, River City MINI's, DCMetro MINI's, Tarheel MINI's, Mini Mania, Cooper Tune, and on the Mid-Atlantic Mini's email list, we quickly surpassed the target of 40 positive responses that Phil was looking for in order to make this event economically feasible.
 
With that, I'll be corresponding with him immediately to let him know the Mid-Atlantic region has spoken loud and clear with a resounding "YES". Assuming he will be able to secure a date and make the arrangements with VIR, stay tuned for further announcements.
 
Thank you for your immediate and positive responses. Your interest is what is responsible for bringing this event this close to us.

Howard Collins
Virginia Beach, VA.
 
 

Sounds AWESOME!!!!   :026:

Steph and I are in.

Don :icon_smile:

Being that I never have to go out to sea again once I get back....I'm in too.  :118:

Can't pass up Phil Wicks.... I'm in pending price, dates....

Ooooo,track time.

Sign me up. :023:

damn... i'm in also pending money and dates...

A fitting first post for a new Mini owner.
 I would also be interested pending date and fee's!

Just a quick update on this:

I heard back from Phil Wicks last Sunday and he appears very encouraged by what I told him, and he's indicated that he has now started working on the feasibility of coming to VIR. With that, we'll sit tight for a while until I hear back from him.

For the record, I've been keeping track of the interest level on this during the first week after my initial posting and the tally shows we have 60 "yes" or strong maybe votes, with the most coming in from DC Metro, followed in order by Tarheel, HRMINI, Se7en Cities, River City, and as a result of private emails. I don't plan to keep track of the numbers beyond this point, but suffice to say, it appears we have demonstrated enough preliminary interest to surpass the initial quota set by Phil.

Strayed tuned, for as things develop I'll get back to everyone.

Howard Collins
Vice President, c7m
Virginia Beach, VA.

The Phil Wicks Ultimate MINI Driving Academy is a go at VIR on Monday, July 21, 2008. The cost is $300 / person, or $225 for returning students. The registration form is listed on the event web site. Also included that day is a Solo 1 Autocross event. It's bound to be a fantastic MINI event at VIR. Hope to see you there.

For additional information or questions pertaining to these events, please contact the staff at Phil Wicks through their web site.

http://www.minidriving.com/events.asp

Thanks Howard for getting this all the way from an idea to reality!

Count me in.

I encourage everyone planning to go to read ALL of the inforrmation on Phil's web site. For those who have never been on track this is the perfect time to experience how much fun a big track can be. If you think autocross is fun - you ain't seen nothing yet. Plus since we will all be in MINI's or Mini's you don't have to worry about 500hp cars running over you. Wait a minute, I forgot Sean's car. Nobody will push you to drive any faster than you are comfortable going and you will have an instructor in the car helping you.

Thanks Howard

Has anyone registered yet? It is on a Monday.

I'm about to register, in fact you just reminded me to print out the registration form.

And yes it's on a Monday.

Here's a quick update from Phil Wicks:


..."We are very pleased that you are having such a good response to your postings. As long as we can count on the minimum of 40 cars, we will be able to do this event exclusively for MINIs and not include other clubs or organized groups.

Someone said they would not register unless there were money back guarantees. Sorry, but that cannot happen.

Thanks for your assistance in making this happen. We are looking forward to a day at VIR! "....


For the record, the Tarheel and DC Metro MINI owners are coming out of the woodwork on this, so don't procrastinate on your registrations for this event.
_________________

Has anybody registered for the Phil Wicks event besides me?

Nope me...can't take the time off.  :108:

1.  Has anyone been able to download the registration form?

2.  What time does the event start/end?

3.  Event itinerary?

Thanks!

Erika

I can't swing it this far out... still going to be paying for spring break in Colorado for now.  If there is room down the road, and funds, it sounds like a good birthday present to me.  :080:

I tried to look at the link and it didn't work. Does that mean I can't go?  :088:

Uber Blu - The resiteration form is a print it out and mail it in thing. That's how I did it. As for times and itinerary I'm not sure. Unless Howard has somemore info I'll try to see what I can find out.

Lelane - The link on the first page worked for me this morning. The web site has an entirely new look from what I saw earlier, they may have been doing service on the site. Try it again.

This will be a great time to play on track with a bunch of other MINI's.

I printed out the forms, filled them out and mailed them in with a check.  What's on the web site is all I know.

I e-mailed Mr Wicks to get a little more info about the what's going to happen and he actually picked up the phone and called me about 15 minutes after I sent the e-mail. This is what I found out.

30 people have signed up already. With that number he is certain that the student groups will be exclusively MINIs. There will be other types of cars running in the instructor group (not enough instructors that drive MINIs) but student groups are covered.

He expects 6 on track sessions lasting 20 minutes each. Thats 2 hours of track time. That's about the same amout I get in a 2 day HPDE event  and twice as much as I get on a race weekend. Trust me when I say that is all the track time you will want. You will be worn slam out by the end of the day.

The classroom sessions will be alternating between the track sessions. Basicly you'll come off track and go to the classsroom. I'm sure they'll work in relaxation time where you can play with your car, watch what's going on track or brag to your friends what a hot shoe driver you are.

The event will start about 7:00 with the first group (instructors) on track about 8:00 to 8:30. They use instructors as guinea pigs to check the track for slick spots and other trouble areas. In other words, let those idiots go sliding around and make fools of themselves first then the students know what not to do. The day will end around 5:00ish.

There will be a host hotel but it hasn't been determined yet. They will be doing early registration and tech sessions at the host hotel on the Sunday before the event. This will help smooth thing along come Monday morning when everyone is chomping at the bit to get on track.

I hope this answers a few questions.

The Phil Wicks track day is getting closer. July 21st is just around the corner. VIR is one of, if not the best road course on the east coast. The track has just about everything a driver could want in a track - long straights, some technical turns, nice sweepers and 2 turns that take big brass ones to go through really really fast.

You will have a personal instructor in the car with you to help you learn new skills and improve the ones you already have. The classroom instruction with help you understand the theory of track driving while the in car instructor show you how to put it to use. Passing is closely regulated so you don't have to be worried about someone sneaking up and suprising you in a turn.

If you've never driven on a track before trust me when I say you will remember the experience for the rest of your life. For all you hot shoe autoX drivers, come out and see what real speed is like.

Who all is planning to come?

You mean to tell me that none of you "S" drivers are coming out to woop up on me and my "Justa Cooper"?  :102:

Am I going to be the only representative from Hampton Roads?

Sorry Roy, we just can't get away from work.  You will represent HR just fine in your "just a cooper" seems though you're a professional driver Mr. VIR!!! :077:

Well, I'm far from a professioal driver but I do have a few laps around VIR under my belt.

Anyone have an update on this event?  I have not registered yet, but I really want to go.  Thank you.

Well I registered last week or so (Roy guilted me into it) and there were only a few spots left.

Go to the link and call them if you are really interested. They may have a waiting list.

I know you will not regret it that's sure.

JJF... RUN TO YOUR PHONE AND CALL AND GET A SPOT!!!!!  YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!!!   :066:

Well, I don't think I will be able to make this trip.   :icon_cry:  I am going to the national air show in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin, at the end of July.  Funds and leave just don't permit but so much fun.  Besides, it will give me a chance to get the right rims and tires for next year's trip.   :080:

After all the pre-planning, it turned out that for a variety of reasons I could not attend this event, but I'm dying to know how it went out there. Let's have a full report, please.

The Phil Wicks event went off good. All the students seemed to have a good time and maybe even learned something while they were at it. Any day at the track is a good day. The south course at VIR is a fun and challenging track.

Lelane and I met up with David Cook who had just got his MINI back from the body shop after having touchy feely event with a monster truck on the interstate. One of my students was also from VB but they wouldn't let him bring his M5 so he was sharing his brothers MINI. 

I gave a few people rides in my car and everyone agreed it was an "enlightening experience".

Everyone missed an exciting time.

Wow!  It was a lot of fun.  I got there Sunday a little after 3.  Met Patrick (I'm bad with names, I wonder if I got it right) and his brother, umm (oops.).   Registered and teched the car in the lot across from the hotel.  Talked with Roy and Lelane and went to dinner.

The next morning I followed Roy and Lelane to VIR.  It's nice to hang out with people that know what they are doing.  It was my first time at a track.  The different groups each got several classroom sessions and several track sessions.  I might have learned a little in the classroom sessions but found them a little chatty and not so instructy.  I learned the most from listening to Roy and my instructor "Wicky".  Thanks guys, I learned a lot.  The track sessions separated by experience level was great and made me much more comfortable about taking my car out there.

Driving on the track?  Wow!  What a blast.  I was laughing and having fun on the initial slower laps.  Then I was silent and concentrating with a big grin on my face.  Over 100mph in the front straight, tires squealing through all the curves, it was fun.  Then Roy let me ride with him in his Cooper with sticky tires.  OMG!  :icon_eek:   

The 4 Mini convoy back to Hampton Roads was a nice finish to the day.

VIR is beautiful but so big it is hard to get good pictures with my small camera.  Here's what Lelane and I got with my camera...
http://picasaweb.google.com/SpideyGirl/PhilWicks (http://picasaweb.google.com/SpideyGirl/PhilWicks)

To quote my favorite instructor.......

If you're going to Oshkosh for the air show, leave a bit earlier and head up to Road America for the Chicago edition of MINI Takes The States event. It's just on the other side of the lake for the most part. I'm heading up Thursday to help run the ride & drive event.