RECORD-BREAKING MINI TAKES THE STATES 2016 TRIUMPHANTLY CONCLUDES IN CALIFORNIA

After having driven 4,397 miles through 15 cities and 18 US states, having provided almost 1.1 million meals for families in need and braved heatwave temperatures of up to 119 degrees F, over 600 MINIs and around 1,300 motorers cruised triumphantly into the city of Palm Springs, CA, at the conclusion of an unforgettable road trip across the country.

MINI TAKES THE STATES 2016 proved to be the biggest and most successful in the rally’s ten year history, with a record number of motorers and their MINIs taking part in the epic motoring adventure with a 14-day drive from Atlanta, GA, to California.

Over 900 enthusiasts drove all the way across the country from start to finish, more than double the number on MTTS 2014. MTTS 2016 even saw one wedding and the renewal of wedding vows of 18 couples when the rally passed through Las Vegas on the penultimate stopover.

The final leg of MTTS 2016 was a 350-mile drive from Sin City to Palm Springs starting with a visit to the Hoover Dam and continuing with a drive through the scorching Mojave Desert and along a significant section of historic Route 66.

At the final evening event of the rally at the Palm Springs Aviation Museum, Lisa Houston, CEO and President of Find Food Banks, thanked the motorers for their amazing generosity and for motoring with a purpose on MTTS 2016 by raising funds for the rally’s charity partner, Feeding America. “We have been blown away by your dedication. I want you to know that one million people are going to have a healthy nutritious meal because of what you have achieved,” she said.

During the MTTS wrap-up party, it was also announced that the top individual fund-raiser during MTTS was Ralph Choate, who raised a total of $5,518, and also that the car club which raised the highest amount for Feeding America was Team MINIons.

The final chapter in MTTS 2016’s ‘Track to Track’ motorsport theme comes when hundreds of motorers gather at The Thermal Club private motorsports facility, near Palm Springs, to celebrate their achievement and to say goodbye to fellow MINI fans before returning to all four corners of the country and beyond.