MINI USA AND THE MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS RACE TEAM TAKES THREE PODIUMS AT NOLA MOTORSPORTS PARK

Woodcliff Lake, NJ,  May 4, 2023. MINI USA and the MINI John Cooper Works Team secured three podiums at the 2023 SRO TC America series this weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, La. After a strong qualifying session, Cristian Perocarpi started Race 1 with the #37 MINI JCW Pro in second position and held that position for the duration of the race, briefly flirting with a win in the last minute, only to finish in third place in the Touring Car (TC) class. Race 1 also found PJ Groenke taking home a third place finish in the #62 MINI JCW in the Touring Car A (TCA) class. Clay Williams rallied to a third place finish in Race 2 in the #60 MINI JCW Pro in the TC class.
 
The Brownsburg, Ind. -based LAP Motorsports team, which operates the MINI JCW Team, was supported this weekend by five qualified MINI Dealer technicians, working alongside the team during practice, qualifying and race days as part of the MINI Technician Race Crew Program. The five dealer technicians were from dealers in the Southern Region, including one from MINI of Pensacola, one from MINI of Clear Lake, one from Roadshow MINI in Cordova, Tenn., and two from Momentum MINI in Houston, Texas. Each of them supported the team for the entire weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park. The race team relies on the skill and knowledge of the technicians that work, day to day on MINI, to bring that expertise to the track.
 
“It was a tough weekend, but the team ploughed through, and we came home with three podiums,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “I am very proud of everyone on the team and the MINI dealer technicians who supported us this weekend.”
 
The team finished last season as the runner up for the Manufacturer’s Championship in both the Touring Car (TC) and Touring Car A (TCA) classes. Clay Williams, driver of the #60 MINI JCW Pro, also finished the 2022 season in 2nd place in the Driver’s Championship in the TC class.
 
The next race of the 2023 SRO TC America series is May 19 – 21 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
 
2023 SRO TC America

• March 30 – April 2:             Sonoma Raceway - COMPLETE
• April 28 - 30:                       NOLA Motorsports Park - COMPLETE
• May 19 – 21:                      Circuit of the Americas
• June 16 – 18:                     Virginia International Raceway
• August 18 – 20:                  Road America
• September 22 – 24:           Sebring International Raceway
• October 5 – 8:                    Indianapolis Motor Speedway

About the MINI JCW Team
The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives MINI’s most powerful Hardtop ever in the two-door MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop. The team competes in the fiercely competitive SRO TC America Series. For additional information please visit minijcwteam.com or email luis@minijcwteam.com.
 
About MINI in the US
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, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The authorized MINI USA dealer organization is represented by a network of 104 MINI full passenger car sales and service dealers located throughout the US.  MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of five unique vehicles.
 
Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at MINIUSANEWS.com.