Can-Am Mini Challenge 2024 Announced

[Scargo]

Greetings Mini racers & enthusiast!

I am pleased to announce that the next Can-Am Mini Challenge Race will be held October 4th - 6th, 2024!

Hallett Motor Racing Circuit is located in the rolling Osage Hills of North Eastern Oklahoma, 35 miles west of Tulsa. It is a perfect track for the Mini, consisting of 1.8 miles, 10 turns, and more than 80' of elevation changes. It is a technical and safe track, with large runoff areas and no Armco barriers. The facility offers on-site camping and excellent paddock amenities. The race will be professionally sanctioned by the Corinthian Vintage Auto Racing Club. New at this event, options are being considered to offer a "Fastest Mini In the World" class, which would be open to classic race prepared Minis with non-A series engines and unlimited performance configuration. More information will be available soon on the event website: www.canamminichallenge.com

2024 is the Mini's 65th birthday, so whether you are a racer or an enthusiast of the Mini, make plans now to attend this great all-Mini race and celebrate all things Mini. Please contact me if you have questions or need assistance.

Best Regards,

John C. Wittenauer
Wittenauer Motorsports
johnwittenauer@gmail.com

[tmsmini]

Would love to go, my wife forwarded the announcement to me as well...

[Scargo]

We've had great times at these Mini Challenge weekends in the past at Watkins Glen, Mid Ohio and at Road Atlanta. I'll not miss this one at Hallett.

[MiniDave]

I'm planning to go, it looks like fun on a bun and a bunch of my Sprite racing friends will be running that weekend.

[Scargo]

The event organizer has secured a real good rate ($110/nt.) at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Sand Springs, OK.
The hotel is less than a 30 minute drive from the track. You'll need to make reservations directly with the hotel at (918) 419-2700 using the group name "Hallett Racing".

 

[MiniDave]

I'm def going to this one! I stayed at that hotel last time I was at Hallet, it's nice and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. Getting back and forth to the track is super easy, just 30 minutes or so straight up 412 hiway and you're there.

[MPlayle]

Do they run "parade" laps at this event?

[MiniDave]

They have at every event I've been to at this track, and they're not just parade laps, you can actually drive to your own limits.....they do charge (I don't know how much) and you can't be stupid about your speed or driving.

[MPlayle]

I was thinking of trying to join you at this event and wondered if it would be worth brining the Mini.  If "parade" laps were available (and affordable), I was thinking that might make it worthwhile to try.

[MiniDave]

At Ozarks laps cost $35 and they do them on both Sat and Sunday, I don't know what they cost at Hallet but they def did them the last race I was at there.....I wonder if it's up to the sanctioning body for that event? If so, since this is another CVAR event, they should do them. It would be great to have your Mini at a race featuring classic Minis - I'll be bringing mine, and since it's in October the weather will be nice.

There's no entry fee to get into the race, you can come and go as you please and you can drive around the track to get various viewpoints.

[tmsmini]

I would love to drive to this, but I think I will have to se if I survive the trip to Spearfish...

[MiniDave]

    

I can understand that! It's one heck of a haul from the coast.....

[Scargo]

Due to scheduling conflicts with other Mini related events in October, I'm going have to drop out of attending this event. I've got two double rooms reserved at the HIE that I'm going to cancel. I just spoke to the hotel and they have a few rooms left so if you've not already booked, you'd better jump on it.

[94touring]

Bummer you can't make it.  I'll probably get over there Thursday evening to setup camp to catch Friday morning races. 

[MiniDave]

Yeah, I was hoping to see some more Mini folks there besides the racers. I got a room at the HIE Sand Springs so I'm good.

[Scargo]

Sunday's CanAM feature race:

1) Greg Wold
2) Daniel Wold
3) Doug Peterson
4) Andrew Nelson
5) Paul Bastyr
6) Louis Gladfelter
7) Trevor Bond
8) Kelley Wittenaurer
9) John Wittenaurer
10) Joanne Lemons
11) Jeffrey Moore

Sorry to have missed this one.

[MiniDave]

It was a fun - if HOT - weekend for me and Dan. I went with my friends Clancy and "Bugeye" Dave Williams, Dave had mixed success......his warmup drives went well and he looked like a "contenda", but in Saturday's morning race/qually he ran out of talent and track and almost rolled the car - he was shook up enough that he didn't finish that run and just came back to the pits.

In Friday's test and tune the hot temps were causing his oil temp to run too hot so he had to back off his pace, for Saturday afternoon's race he was gridded dead last and finished right behind the two Minis of the Wold's that ran in front of everyone all weekend. He had a healthy battle with a 914 nemesis and came out on top, so he felt redeemed and re-energized for Sunday's 2 races. However - luck eluded him again, as we pushed him back out of the carport to start Sunday morning's race he had no brakes!

We rolled him back in and I found the right rear wheel cylinder leaking, luckily he had one in his spares so we set after it and got it ready in plenty of time. Once again he had to start from the back but by the third lap he was in first place - but high oil temps did him in and he had to back off again, and finished in third.

All of the Mini races were won by the Wold team, they were clearly the class of the field, but there was a lot of action all down the field and Daniel had a tough time to finish in 2nd by the end. Great races and if the temps would have been a bit cooler it would have helped me a bunch.

Next weekend is at Ozark International, and three sanctioning bodies will be in support - VSCDA, CVAR and RMR (Rocky Mountain Region) so they are expecting a record field. Group 2 where most of my friends race should have a really large field - this includes Sprites, Mini Coopers and a lot of other small displacement racers - can't wait! Weather is supposed to be low 80's and sunny - way better than last year with its weekend full of rain, drizzle and 50* temps!

The track is only a 2+ hour drive for me so I may drive my Racing Green Mini instead of the Audi.....we'll see.

[Scargo]

Good reporting, Dave!

[94touring]

Couple of pictures

[MiniDave]

Dan's camper is really set up well, a nice cozy cabin and bed inside, genset for A/C and fridge, comfy shade to sit under with the canopy, Vespa to get around on.....perfect.

I'm glad you took some shots cause I completely forgot to!

I did take this short clip of the start of the race......

[94touring]

I put the AC to use too.  Generator just can't run the fridge at the same time is all. But the lithium ion battery keeps it going when I run the AC.