Mini Coopers and other B-Spec cars will run sprint races on six Grand-Am weekends
Grand-Am announced today that it will add B-Spec races to the program on six of its race weekends in 2012. B-Spec, which originated as an SCCA class, is designed for near-stock sub-compacts, including the Mini Cooper.
The cars will run a single 30-45 minute sprint on each of six Grand-Am weekends, starting at Homestead on April 27-29, continuing at New Jersey Motorsports Park on May 11-13, Mid-Ohio on June 8-9, Watkins Glen on June 29-July 1, and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on September 7-9, and then finishing at the Lime Rock Grand-Am finale on September 28-29.
Mini USA has contracted with Mini of Charleston to build and sell turnkey B-Spec race cars and to provide kits to those who want to prepare their own Minis for the class.
Mini is one of five manufacturers already committed to the series. Along with the Mini Cooper, the models to be run include the Mazda 2, Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, and Kia Rio.
The cars, all four-cylinder models, will run stock engines and chassis, a competition roll cage, a racing seat, and manufacturer-approved suspension components, tires, and wheels. The target cost range is $20,000-$30,000.
B-Spec cars will also run with SCCA World Challenge and the Canadian Confederation of Autosport Car Clubs. In SCCA Club Racing, the cars run in SSC, and a NASA class is anticipated. BMW CCA Club Racing has created a Spec Mini class designed specifically to accommodate B-Spec prepared Minis.—Brian S. Morgan, motorsports editor, bmwcca.org
