Thanks, SAlexander. I haven't figured out what I want to do, but honestly, track days seem the most appealing. I know a few guys that do race on a consistent basis and they've said that AutoX events are by far more abusive on their cars than the track days. Like I said... This won't become aweekly thing for me. Probably won't happen more than a few times a year to be honest. I'm usually pretty busy. So it will just be fun to get it out and play around with it.

Always glad to see someone interested in racing their classic Mini;  I have found very few Classic owners on the west coast have the interest.  I have tried both Autocross and track days myself...there are no autocross classes available for my Mini, due to the high build spec, unless I go into the unlimited category, where I have no chance to be competitive; even so, I still have fun, but it can be frustrating being beaten by 90% of the cars at the event.  My Mini does much better in all-Mini Autocross events like Mini Meet West. 

Autocross has damaged my car far more than the track-day events I have run.....cones may feel soft to the touch, but at 50 MPH, they do rip off my fender arches and dent the sheet metal.  No casualties yet on the big tracks, but if/when it comes, at speeds up to 120MPH, I am sure it will be more than a fender bender.  I do not find Track-Day events boreing at all; It is a pure adrenaline rush.

 Tires are the limiting factor for Minis, especially if you are set on running 10 inch wheels, like me.....Much heavier and less powerful cars still run rings around me, because they have 3 times the rubber on the ground.   With the "grip handicap" I have to be content racing against my own lap times, (They supply you with lap timing transponders at the Ca. track-day events).  I have also found the tires to be the biggest expense for both track and Autocross.

Good luck and have fun.

Oh yea, that's right! I'd forgotten all about the 2nd place in the Monte Carlo Rally behind the Citroen the year the Minis got disqualified.

And didn't Schumaker take an F1 win in one as well? And Tom Kristensen podiumed at LeMans in a Kia back in '97, wasn't it?

Sorry. Forgot about those.

How is that humiliating? Doesn't Kia have a long and proud motorports history behind it?

I agree with every option presented here and thoughts.

 Remember- Performance driving can and will bring more chances for error and destruction... I remember a saying ' if you cant bear loosing it - dont race it"  or something to that effect..

 Your timing might be right- the end of the year is near- seasons are finishing up and some tracks really close for the winter.

Auto X -- Can you handle a random cone smashed? Low damage- Low consenquese for ultimate major problems. Drive in Drive out.. Likely be classed in relativly slower  Stock Class - Honda Civics- D series Engines..and 1.6 Miatas Stock and such, Great hands on tight car control learing experiences. For Auto X - its not always about the car- but also the Driver!

Track days -- Much "rougher" on your car- More oppertunity to break - blow up- or wreck by yourself or by someone elses fault.   Can also Drive to - race and drive home. More HIGH SPEED manuvers- and more true actual  Seat time.   many local tracks if not a sactioned event - are prvatly rented and used by enthuist clubs for track days

Dedicated Racing -  Most all sanction bodies require all safety equipment- Seats , roll bars , fire supression , fuel cells , and the COMPETITION IS Fierce!  if you wanna be up there- you HAVE to be dedicaed and ready to spend!   How Fast do you want to go?

Track Days / Track time are a good bang for the buck on your own accord...
   I wish i lived on the right side of the country to join Spank  and his Lemons Crew - Mabye one day , One day.

I would check out your local tracks - ( i honestly dont know what track is close to St Louis, MO)  and find their schedule--- SCCA / SVRA / VDCA / VARA  are all racing groups - some more vintage car oriented than others.. Take a day at the track and just look.. YOu might get the ultimate bug...

Coopertune has a line on a compplete mini race package if intereseted From another post....

Personally  I wouldn't track / race / or compete drive a car i just had painted and restored fully.

Congrats to the Mini/Spridget!

... and a BINI was beaten by a Kia. How humiliating.

Look into the SCCA.  They have a class for Minis.  There is probably a local chapter nearby.

Check out this year's class  winner/National Champion

//www.thedailytoggle.com/a-mini-wins-scca-national-championship-runoffs/

Jack

Yeah. Ideally, I'd like to race a solo event. Where I'm responsible for my own success or demise. I would kill someone if they were tooling around and took out my car.

Autocross, hillclimbing or any other type of timed solo car event is far more rewarding overall than trackdays (which over here can't be properly timed) in a road car.

If you're on track on your own, it is a test of you - and you don't have to worry about someone else overcooking it and taking you out.
The number of times I've seen someone go home in tears because they've been hit by someone being a numpty is too many.  Especially if you're in a cherished road car...

I don't need to race with classics only. I'm just looking to have some fun on the weekends. The car already has some go-fast goodies and I'd like to use them. I have a feeling I may be limited by my location more than anything.

Track days can be very rewarding and fun and all you generally need is a helmet and a car that meets typical street car levels of safety. Autocross has the same requirements.

Depending on your region, Autocross can be a lot of wait for less than 5 minutes of total track time for the weekend. You will learn a lot from that little bit of time, and it will be different from what you learn at a track day.

Your first track day experience will likely be a little frustrating because of limitations placed on Beginner run groups, but there is a lot to be learned even within those limitations.

Before you consider any other forms of motorsport with a car of your own, you should first try both of those events.

If after you try those events you want to give door-to-door competition a shot, consider one of the budget endurance series', like 24 Hours of LeMons or ChumpCar or any of the others that are popping up in different regions, I highly recommend it. Find a team where you can "Arrive-and-Drive" their car to get a taste before you move forward with potentially creating your own team and car. If it is a team that is local-ish to you where you can meet and prep together, all the better.

NASA (National Auto Sport Association) is open to virtually all types of cars as long as they meet scrutineering inspections.  NASA has a ladder system with the lowest rung being 'beginner- no track experience' through wheel to wheel points racing.  Time Trial and Race Group sessions will allow you to compete against similarly classed cars.  I doubt you'd see another classic Mini in your class but the classing system provides an environment where you can compete with cars similar in track performance to yours.

Only the wheel-to-wheel race group requires a cage, harnesses, fire supression, fuel cell, and the like.  I ran my Mini many times with just the three point harness and stock fuel tank.

Let me know if you want more information.  It probably won't be your thing if you're looking to be on track with vintage cars though since over 90% of the cars in our region are newer street cars.

+ 1 on autoX which is way more fun than track days IMO. On the track days I've done after a few laps doing the same corners over and over I found it boring. In autoX OTOH you only get 3 runs and the course at the next event is completely different. Better yet is TSD rally.

Would certainly be a good start. Great opportunity to get the know how your car handles at speed under as safe an environment as possible. 

There are a few track day events here in Oklahoma that are open to the public with a quick pit inspection for safety hazards, oil leaks, etc. I plan on attending a few of those at the very least. 

I would suggest seeing if you have any local sports car clubs that run autocross or motorkana events. Motorkana evens are generally low speed skill test but a hell of a lot of fun. Some of the top guys that do this will blow you way at how good they are. Usually there are is no requirement for safety equipment at these events other than maybe an additional throttle spring. Autocross tends to be a bit faster and consists of timed runs around a tight circuit of cones. These event in NZ require a cotton overal or race suit and crash helmet. Next step up from that would be a track day. Awesome fun as you get to go at your own pace without the risk of contact with other vehicles providing you are sensible. Regulations would most likely depend on who was organising the event.

I'm in the midst of my rebuild and I really want to do some type of racing with my Mini once it's done. So I'd like to know what racing classifications are open to the classic mini, what you guys are racing in, and what your thoughts of them are?

Any special considerations that need to be taken if you want to race in a class, etc. Fire suits, helmets, roll cages, all tha yt? Jazz. 

I'm not looking to make this a dedicated racecar. I'm looking to have some fun on the weekends.