We give you the latest Mini news, upcoming events, bitch about cell phone laws and, in general, wreck havoc in the studio.

Enjoy!

It’s here! It’s here! The newest episode of Miniology TV! This time we get an exclusive tour of the all-new Mini of Marin in Corte Madera! It’s a peek at the “peak” of perfection!

Miniology TV – Mini of Marin Sneak Peak from Miniology Podcasts on Vimeo.

Not one to leave any details behind, BMW just scurried up and reposted our report with some of the backstory behind the contest, winner, filming, and people behind the scenes (we like that behind the scenes stuff!), who were none other than our MINI motoring pals over in Sausalito, MINI’s ad agency BSSP.

BSSP (www.bssp.com) is a full-service marketing communications agency, providing services in advertising, online marketing, web development, data analytics, integrated communications planning, brand identity, design and strategic brand consulting. (Makes the head spin, doesn’t it?)

In 2010, BSSP was named by Adweek as “Best Small Agency of the Decade.” BSSP is one of the largest independent agencies on the West Coast, being known for their highly creative marketing stuff .. Ok let’s stop right there with the press release drivel, a few more fun facts then we promise to stay on topic..

We joined BSSP on a MINI run back in September 2006, when it all began with MINI USA, also attended by sponsors Sracer, MC2 Magazine, and several area MINI clubs. You can see the footage in StarLord Mini Podcast episode four (wow, that really DOES go back in time, doesn’t it?) here. You can also get a few other mentions of BSSP and Miniology here as well join them on Facebook, Twitter, and such.

So, the back story..

On December 23, MINI USA and Miniology.com brought you The Best Test Drive Ever. Period. This began back in October (Motor-Tober), when MINI USA launched a contest for fans to submit their fantasy test drive, promising the winner that it’ll be made a reality.

Over 14,000 entries came pouring in and were evaluated on creativity, originality, and the best use of a brand new MINI John Cooper Works Coupe. MINI even partnered with Larry Smith, founder of the 6-word memoir project to help judge the entries. From all of the entries received, MINI USA selected one winner: Mathew Foster, from Portland, Oregon.

Matthew’s fantasy test drive submission was selected as the MINI contest winner, and a film of Foster’s test drive premiered online on MINI USA’s Facebook Page, YouTube Channel, Miniology.com, and in cinemas nationwide starting Friday, December 23. This is all part of a national media buy reaching more than 20 million viewers. MINI’s ad agency, Butler, Shine, Stern and Partners (BSSP) out of Sausalito, CA took the 6 words from Foster’s fantasy test drive submission: Stewardess, Salt Flats, Sushi, Paratroopers, Falconer, and made it into a wicked video (they kind only they could produce!)

“It is safe to say that MINI has officially delivered on the promise of ‘THE BEST TEST DRIVE EVER. PERIOD.’ and provided a once in a lifetime experience. While there was only one winner, MINI USA wanted to ensure that everyone could share in the experience, thus Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were cornerstones of the promotion,” stated Tom Salkowsky, Manager, MINI Marketing.

The cinema buy will reach millions of movie-goers during the key movie week between Christmas and New Years. Additional details are as follows:

2,707 total theaters
23,268 total screens running PG 13 and R-rated films
Timing: 12/23/11 – 1/1/12

Talk about making someone an instant celebrity as well

MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC which has been present in the United States since 1975.  There’s 110 MINI passenger car dealers, and BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey (as if you didn’t already know all that).

• World Championship kicks off in Saint Paul, Minnesota January 12-14, 2012
• One lucky MINI USA Facebook fan will win a trip to see the action
• Admission is free to see the races

After an amazing year in 2011, MINI is again the official partner of the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship 2012, and invites fans to join us Jan. 12-14 as the events kick off in Saint Paul, Minnesota to see for themselves who will be crowned the world’s strongest, fastest ice cross downhill racer in the U.S.

On a man-made ice track made for head-to-head battle, the 100 toughest, fastest ice cross downhill racers from around the world will go head-to-head, racing up to 40 miles an hour down steep ice canals dotted with jumps, rollers, obstacles, banked corners and hairpin bends – until the first two cross the finish line and advance to the next round. This bracketed madness will continue until the final chapter when the four remaining competitors race to the bottom to crown the champ. All of this takes place against the backdrop of the strikingly iconic Cathedral of Saint Paul with thousands of spectators bearing witness.

MINI USA will host a contest on its Facebook page, and one winner will receive a trip for themselves and a guest to see the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship action in Saint Paul, including two VIP Access Only Passes to the event, hotel and roundtrip airfare (within the U.S.). Please go to www.facebook.com/MINIUSA for more details.

MINI will partner with Red Bull to host fans throughout the World Championship series, and admission is free to all spectators. In Saint Paul, MINI will have some of its newest vehicles on display, the MINI Countryman ALL4 for snow lovers, and the MINI Roadster for those who are looking forward to top-down driving season.

“We all have an itch to hit and go fast, and Red Bull Crashed Ice feeds that desire like nothing else,” said 2011 champion Arttu Pihlainen of Finland. “Each race attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators packed into a breathtakingly cold and action packed scenario, and I can’t wait for the first U.S. stop this year.”

The U.S. will host seven qualifiers through December with the best moving on to take on the icy gauntlet in Saint Paul in January. From the competitors in Saint Paul, a Team USA squad will be selected to travel to three additional global stops. The athletes come from a variety of disciplines – hockey, downhill skiing, speed skating, boardercross, and others – with grit, skate skills and toughness as mandatory barometers of success.

The Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship 2012 calendar is as follows:

Saint Paul, MN (USA) January 12-14
Valkenburg (NED) February 2-4
Aare (SWE) February 16-18
Quebec City (CAN) March 15-17

Points are up for grabs at each of the four stops of the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship: The winner collects 1,000 points and competitors all the way down to 100th (0.5 point) can collect valuable points. Whoever finishes the season with the most points after the four races is crowned champion.

At the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship, MINI will also be demonstrating its innate commitment to supporting outstanding new talent. In 2012, the company will again present the Rookie Award at each of the four World Championship events. The award is reserved for the best newcomer of the year and will reward the top-placed of all athletes venturing onto the ice cross downhill track for the first time in the new season.

For more information on Red Bull Crashed Ice, the qualifiers and global stops, please visit www.redbullcrashedice.com

[Source: MINI, Woodcliff Lake, NJ – December 9, 2011]

NAPA VALLEY, Calif. (November 1, 2011) – The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) 25 Hours of Thunderhill has received another quality entry from RSR Motorsports with two of its BMW Mini Coopers. The Minis will compete in the ES class at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California, December 3-4.

Randall Smalley’s RSR Motosports, with support from Cruise America, US LED, Thor Motor Coach, Casetech, and Carbotech Brake Pads will run their Minis for the first time at the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill. The team, from Orlando, FL, will have Ron Farmer, Jason Hart, B.J. Farmer, Mark Congleton, Dicky Riegel, and Owen Trinkler driving.
?
“I have raced in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, but this is the first time for me at the 25 Hour race and the Thunderhill circuit,” Trinkler, RSR driver said. “Jason Hart is the only one on the team that has raced in this event in the past. I have heard good things about the event so we are looking forward to running in the 25 hour this year. We will run in the ES class, we want to use this as a warm-up for the upcoming Grand-Am season so we can make pit stops and fuel the car like we would for those races. I’m for sure that we will not have the raw speed in that class, but if we can keep making laps we might be around at the end of 25 hours.”

“RSR Motorsports has had great success with their Mini Coopers,” Jerry Kunzman, NASA Executive Director, said. “They won the PTC Class at our NASA National Championships presented by Toyo Tires at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in September. They came back to Mid-Ohio two weeks later and were battling for the ST championship in the Grand-Am Series. They field great cars and will definitely be a factor when the sun comes up on Sunday morning.”

“NASA has also arranged for live timing and scoring to stream live, which can be found at the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill web page once the action starts on December 3.”

The NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill will see a field of nearly 70 cars racing in six classes (ES, ESR, E0, E1, E2, E3) going twice around the clock plus an hour over the three-mile, 15-turn track located 90-minutes north of Sacramento. For entry and rules information, visit http://www.nasa25hour.com/.
For additional information, please contact NASA Media Director, Kyle Chura at kyle@kcapr.com or (248) 821-0468. More detail on NASA and the Thunderhill 25 Hour can be found at www.nasaproracing.com or www.nasa25hour.com.

Click the image to embiggen!

Join us for this all day track event of HPDI (High Performance Driving Instruction) at the SCCA track at Willows California.

This track was designed and built by the members of the San Francisco SCCA. It’s a wonderful track with great facilities.

We are limiting the number to 120 MINI/MInis. This will give enough time and instructors for every driver. We will have groups ranging from first timers to advanced.

The cost is $199 per entrant or $275 for those that want to share a Mini. This includes loads of track time, turn workers, tow-trucks, flaggers, instructors, lunch, & T-shirts. For shared entries the 1st T-Shirt is included for the primary driver and the second to be purchased @ $15 in sizes of S,M,L, XL, 2XL.

T-Shirts will be available in sizes small, medium, large, XL, and 2XL, larger shirts (3XL, 4XL, etc) must be purchased in advanced and will be at $25.00 ea.

This event is for MINI/Mini Coopers only, any model or variation.

Participants must be 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license and proof of current insurance. Guests must be 18 years old to take free rides (Parade Laps) @ Lunch. You must fill out the on-line registration form & vehicle technical check list, http://www.minithunderhill.com/Event_Registration.cfm

You will need a SA 2000 or SA 2005 rated helmet. That is “A” for automotive and not “M” for motorcycle. Helmets are available for rent at the track @ $35/day. Be sure to get to the track early to get your helmet.

The latest edition of Miniology Radio is here!

Play it here or subscribe to Miniology Podcasts in iTunes!

Miniology Radio 26 October 2011

We are getting ready to set up the registration website and start accepting entries. We will be prominently displaying our sponsors on this page and on all other website and media outlets. We will be listing the event in several of the Mini Community Magazines, Mini Community Websites, Club forums, newsletters, email blasts, and more.

What we need from you as a vendor is a decision to be a sponsor, your logo, website address and contact information. You will enjoy having your name and logo displayed for the next 6 months.

We need to know if you are interested in participating as a “primary” sponsor, contributing sponsor, or vendor.

Last year’s primary sponsors were Niello MINI, O2 Motorsports, and Valley Motorwerks.

We had several contributing sponsors: Mini Mania, Seven Enterprises, MC2 Magazine, Miniology,

Vendors included:
Thunderhill Catering Grill
Revolution Motor Works
MCE Dyno Services
Vinyl Styles
Casino Party People
SlicART Custom Apparel
Hooked on Driving
Group4Autosport
GotBlueMilk Motorsports Photography
Rock Auto
Racine-Web Design
Craven Speed
Ad 3 Graphics
MotorsportReg.com
Defenders of Speed
San Francisco Region – SCCA
Bavarian Auto

Please let me know ASAP as we will be starting our AD campaign shortly.

You can reach me at 530-246-9943 or email me at pooper@wildblue.net

Cheers,

Norman Nelson
MINI Thunder III

ALTA Performance
3111 Northeast Shute Road
Hillsboro, OR (503) 693-1702 ?

ALTA invites you to our Air Show Extravaganza in the back parking lot at our building!

Come see the jets and airplanes from the Oregon air show fly just feet overhead!

Enjoy free food and drinks as well as great sale prices and amazing deals on scratch and dent parts.

This is their biggest sale of the Summer so make sure you come!

Get Directions (bing) -Facebook Page here

Check out the video here..