Here is a first impression of the Nevada City Adventure.
I hope you enjoy it.
- Mini Mania
My first experience at the NCA
This was my first Nevada City Adventure. I have been to a fair amount of car shows in my time. Im a car nut, and general petrol head. This was the most exclusive group that I’ve had the pleasure of participating in.
I woke early in the morning of June 11th to get ready for my first NCA at Mini-Mania.
7am The day was looking good.. it was slightly overcast with nice breeze coming through the trees every once in a while.
Early Morning at the 11th Annual Nevada City Adventure 2011
Everyone was all smiles while we were setting up the event area. The goodie bags were brought out, the raffle prizes and the PA was setup. The Team Mini Mania Mini’s were all out on display! We placed the race cars around the lot. The yellow #61 Unsbee Mini decided to pop a line and loose brake pressure as we were rolling it back up against the trees. I heard “No BRAKES! No BRAKES!” coming from the inside of the car. Which prompted me to sprint around to the back of the #61 car and place my feet firmly on the ground and hang on. Luckily everyone in the surrounding area were of action and swiftly came to aide the Mini back to its proper position.
The Classic Mini's getting work done at the NCA 6.11.11
The mechanically knowledgeable sprung to work. It seemed like a whole race crew was there. The car was getting attention.. immediately as people sprung into action. Both the #61 Unsbee Mini had people in the front end then Julie’s green Mini was getting its motor pulled due to a clutch disc disintegrating at over 7000rpm in her last race. People were amazed at how a engine goes in and how it comes out of a Mini.
It must have been around 10:00am when the first MINI registered and parked.
They came in slowly at first.. then in groups of two, and groups of three. The parking lot was getting filled up pretty quickly.
The MINI's packed in the 11th NCA 2011
People were walking around looking at each others MINI’s, coming into the showroom, and the Bob Woods Trio was playing live music on the grounds on Mini Mania. We were calling off raffle prizes almost every hour! It was encouraging to see so many enthusiasts together at the same time. The guys from Driving Ambition set up a Dyno and they were flogging new and old Mini’s alike. Race-cars to Daily drivers were screaming as they passed 5k, 6k, even 7k, RPM’s and the dyno spat out calculated numbers.
Dyno runs at the 11th annual Nevada City Adventure 6.11.11
Huge air circulators and intense fans kept intercoolers cooling, and radiators radiating in between runs. The smell of exhaust, sausages, and popcorn wafting through the breeze was enough to attract passerby’s and weekend touristas alike as non-MINI vehicles turned into the event looking for parking.
Radically Modified Mini's at the 11th NCA 2011
There were all types of Mini’s there.. Classic, NEW, Modified, Heavily Modified, All Original, Racecars, VTEC swaps, I saw one that had a Cosworth motor shoehorned into it. It was minimal, with anything that didn’t make it go faster, or handle better absent from the finished product. You could see the detail in the work all the way down to the DZUS Quarter-turn cam lock fasteners holding the body work snug against the custom shell.
Around noon we announced the NCA Mini cruise to the historic gold town of Little Washington. I was a little nervous about leading the tour of MINI’s on our cruise up Hwy-20. This was my first time as the leader of the pack, and I didn’t want to lose any MINI’s on our departure. Originally I was going to lead the MINI cruise in the Mini Mania Mini Cooper S but, since she got a new set of Borrani’s and was given a thorough detail by Richard Lin at Showcar Detailing,
Richard Lin from Showcar Detailing giving some advice
I was given the opportunity to drive a MINI Cooper Clubman S with SprintBooster. This would be my first time driving a MINI Cooper Clubman “S”.
Wow! The Clubman is a real joy to drive with the SprintBooster installed it takes the fun of this ordinary car to a whole new comical level. The presence of the MINI’s was known as soon as we got on the road. The corners of Hwy 20 being devoured by this serpent of Mini’s carving its way through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The posse of MINI’s was fearsome as some 3 rows of cars over 70 feet in length came to rest at the Campground for a quick photo-op and stretch of the legs before departing back to the Mini Mania HQ.
MINI's takeover at the 11th Annual Nevada City Adventure 2011
The choice was made to take a group photo at the Vista Point on our way out of the little town of Washington.
We pulled up and dropped the back of our MINI’s down the ENTIRE LENGTH of the Vista Point. Some people that were already there started to have a case of claustrophobia or MINI-Envy stating that they “Had to go right now” Luckily there were a few MINI owners who didn’t mind moving out of the way of the escaping Ford Tempo.
It was a sight to see. There were MINI’s and their Owners all in a row with the snow capped Sierra Nevada Mountains as a backdrop. We even got a picture with everyone standing next to their vehicle.
NCA Mini Mania-c's at the Vista Point 6.11.11
When we got back to the NCA it was in full swing, the cars took their parking spots again, and we began preparing for the Peoples Choice Awards.
The PA boomed with announcements of Winners and laughter as prizes were handed out.
It was great to have so many people travel so far to come together and celebrate the joy they have for the MINI.
I had a great time in the sun enjoying the environment of true MINI ManiaC’s
