Most liked posts in thread: MINI returns to Nurburgring 24H (19-20 May 2012)

Correction. Apparently -- I'm guessing due to finishing qualification issues for some other cars -- the #143 finished 41st overall.

For anyone yawning at that number, remember this means two things. 1 - it finished the full 24 hours, and I think this one ran relatively trouble free. 2 - 41st overall out of 170 starters and ahead of a lot of impressive machinery still running at the end.

Congrats to the team.

 

MINIs practicing at the 'Ring.

 

MINI Teams Ready for a Tough 24 Hours. (MiniMotorsport.com)

 

The race starts at 10AM Eastern tomorrow (Sat, 19 May). That is, if I did the math right. The ticker on the official site says it doesn't start until 4PM Eastern but every other reference I can find says 1600 (4PM) local at the 'Ring :crazy: so I'm going with 10AM Eastern for now.

If you want to watch, it looks like there will be a live stream avail here.

The audio at that feed may be in German. If you'd like an English language audio commentary, try RadioLeMans.com.

 

Holy crap, there are 170 cars on the grid! There's plenty of room for them all to spread out around the Nordschleife but things should be a bit crowded at the start.

Here's a good source for streams, etc:

Watch the 2012 Nurburgring 24 Hour Race Live Streaming Online

 

After 4.5 hours the #148 MINI (see in pics above) is running 39th overall!

 

After 6 hours #148 now 34th overall.

 

The #148 had some sort of problem a while ago and doesn't seem to have moved for at least 10 laps. Don't know whether it's been in pits or parked on track but now well down the order 128th overall.

Best running MINI is now #143, up to 2nd in class and 58th overall. The #145 is now 66th overall.

 

:lol: They're not helping much, #146 is currently 121st overall.

 

Wow, what an ending. I'm still trying to work out what all happened in the last few laps and even just as it ended, unbelievable action for the end of a 24 hour race!

In the less dramatic SP-2T class the #143 MINI finished 2nd in class and 43rd overall. It was the only MINI running at the end.

 

Audi R8s finished 1st and 2nd which is especially remarkable given Audi have not previously won this event.

 

The #66 Merc took 3rd. That #11 Porsche not only lost 3rd but as it needed to finish another lap and couldn't, it is "unclassified" at the finish so the #29 BMW was 4th, the #2 Audi 5th, etc...the #11 didn't technically place at all.

 

MINI Motorsport's report on the #143 car result is posted here.