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Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – October 21, 2024 – MINI USA and the MINI John Cooper Works Team closed out the 2024 SRO TC America series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 4 – 6 by bringing home several championship trophies and also the highly coveted Crew of the Year Awards in both the Touring Car (TC) and Touring Car A (TCA) classes. In total, the team secured 30 podiums, including 11 race wins, a Driver Championship and Manufacturer’s Championship in the TCA class and second place in Driver Championship for in the TC Class.
To date, the MINI JCW Team and MINI USA have won four manufacturer‘s championships in 10 years, in both the International Motor Sports Assocation (ISMA) and the SRO TC America series, making the 2015 F56 MINI Hardtop chasis used by the team the most successful production based MINI in any professional, multi-manfucturer racing series in the world.
Team veteran P.J. Groenke piloted the #62 MINI JCW to the Driver Championship in the TCA class, which also enabled the team to take home the Manufacturers Championship for MINI USA. Throughout the season, Groenke took home 14 podium finishes, including eight wins. Groenke was also named Fast Lap Winner, which recognizes the driver with the most fastest race laps, and the Pole Position Winner, which is the driver with the most pole positions during the season.
“I am very proud of the entire JCW team for another great season of racing,” said Luis Perocarpi, team owner, LAP Motorsports. “From our drivers who raced hard on the track every race weekend, to our full time crew and MINI dealer service technicians who worked miracles every weekend in the paddock and pitroad. It was a true team effort that showcased the spirit of MINI.”
The effort and success of the team in securing these championship trophies were also highlighted by securing the Crew of the Year Awards in both the TCA and TC classes. On any given race weekend, 75 percent of the MINI JCW Team crew are MINI dealer service technicians who support the team as part of the MINI Technician Race Crew Program. This season, the team was supported by 15 MINI dealer service technicians from 13 different MINI dealers. The Crew of the Year awards are voted on by the series’ credentialed participants and competitors. This recognition by the competition field is a significant accomplishment for MINI dealer technicians and the full time crew members. These crew members and MINI technicians do everything from full engine replacements to body work and more right in the paddock at the track in between on track sessions.
Cristian Perocarpi, behind the wheel of the #37 MINI JCW PRO, also finished second place the TC class for the 2024 season. Throughout the season, Perocarpi achived eight podium finishes, including three race wins, one at Viriginia International Raceway and a race weekend sweep with two wins at Road America. Groenke and Perocarpi’s teammates, Alan Grossberg, Bruce Myrehn and Scott Thomson also secured a total of eight podiums throughout the season.
BMW Group PressClub USA
