MINI USA Celebrates Longtime Owner’s Success on the Track 

Woodcliff Lake, NJ,  November 22, 2016. MINI USA is proud to congratulate amateur racer Craig Wilcox on his recent championship victories in the Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo Series and the Tire Rack Solo Nationals presented by Garmin VIRB. Wilcox, of Blue Springs, Mo., finished as the Year-End Points Winner in the ProSolo Series and was crowned the National Champion of the Solo Nationals in September at the Lincoln Airpark in Lincoln, Neb. The long time MINI owner was driving his 2012 MINI Cooper S Hardtop, which doubles as his day-to-day primary vehicle.

It was the fifth time Wilcox finished as the Year-End Points Winner in the ProSolo Series and his fourth Solo Series National Championship. Even more remarkable, Wilcox finished with the largest margin of victory ever reported for the SCCA Solo National Championship with a class of 60+ competitors. Wilcox was clocked at 115.778 seconds in the Street Touring Xtreme (STX) class with a margin of victory of 1.294 seconds. The 2nd through 15th place competitors in STX was separated by less than a second.

Earlier in the year, the racing season almost came to a dramatic end for Wilcox when his prized MINI Cooper S Hardtop was stolen from outside of his office building. Knowing that his family and friends, as well as the local racing and MINI communities, would rally to help find the vehicle, Wilcox quickly turned to his social media channels. Within minutes of Wilcox issuing a “BOLO“ (be on the lookout) alert for his MINI, it had been shared more than 800 times. It was not long before the suspect was in custody and the vehicle returned to Wilcox to prepare for the upcoming race.

An amateur gearhead and racing enthusiast, Wilcox has spent the better part of the last ten years racing a number of MINI Cooper Hardtops that he personally modified in his own garage, many of which also serving double duty as his every day vehicle. During this time he also participated in the MINI Motoring Rewards Program, which offers incentives to MINI owners involved in amateur and professional racing. 

Born in Fontana, Calif., and raised in Blue Springs, Mo., Wilcox works at an environmental consulting company in Grain Valley, Mo. When he’s not at the track racing his MINI, Wilcox enjoys scuba diving, hiking, traveling and spending time with his wife Precious.

MINI Motoring Rewards Program
Don’t worry if you don’t have a name as cool as legendary Classic Mini drivers Paddy, Rauno, or Timo. You can still take home cash racing a MINI in amateur or professional competitions through the MINI Motoring Awards Program. It’s just a little extra incentive for MINI owners to get out there and give racing a go. Not that the sheer fun and adrenaline rush of pressing a MINI through a closed course isn’t already enough. But getting your gas money covered never hurts. For more information about the MINI Motoring Rewards Program visit MINIUSA.COM and click on MINI Motorsports.

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 MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 126 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. 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 four unique vehicles.

Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.