MINI Rally Updates: Updates from the Sno*Drift Rally

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MINI’s return to rally racing in the United States moves from story to stage this weekend. MINI USA and LAP Motorsports begin their 2026 American Rally Association campaign at Michigan’s Sno*Drift Rally, with ongoing updates here throughout the event.

The team will be streaming coverage via YouTube, giving MINI fans a front-row seat to snow, gravel, and the kind of winter rally chaos that made the event legendary in the first place. You can watch the live stream here:

Updates from the Rally

After the first set of stages the F66 JCW of Cristian Perocarpi and co-driver Carlos Schrunder are sitting in second place in the O2WD category. In the Countryman JCW Luis Perocarpi and Mark Wells are off the pace due to an undetermined incident.

Rally notes: It was 1?F this morning at the first stage with the stages full of snow. With temperatures down to -5?F tomorrow morning,
attrition could be a factor.

A Quick Catch-Up on What’s Happening

If this feels like it escalated quickly, it did, but not without intent. As we have previously reported on MotoringFile, MINI’s involvement in U.S. rallying started quietly with development entries alongside LAP Motorsports. Those early outings were deliberately low key, focused on learning how modern MINIs performed on American rally stages rather than chasing headlines.

That experiment worked. What began as a test has now turned into a full commitment. MINI USA has confirmed it will compete in all eight rounds of the 2026 American Rally Association National Championship, marking the brand’s most serious rally effort in the U.S. in decades. Sno*Drift, held February 6 to 7 in Atlanta, Michigan, is the season opener and one of the toughest events on the calendar.

What the Heck is Sno*Drift?

Sno*Drift is not a ceremonial start. It is a winter rally run on snow and ice, often with unpredictable conditions and limited grip. It rewards balance, traction, and discipline, qualities that have always suited MINI’s engineering philosophy. If there was ever an event that made sense for MINI’s modern rally return, this is it.

For fans, it also makes for great viewing. Cars slide, mistakes are obvious, and skill is impossible to fake. Seeing MINI compete here immediately sets the tone for what this program is meant to be.

MINI’s Rally Roots, Briefly

MINI’s rally story did not start yesterday. The original Mini Cooper shocked the world in the 1960s with overall victories at the Monte Carlo Rally, beating far more powerful rivals through agility and grip. Decades later, MINI returned to top-level rallying with a brief but high-profile stint in the World Rally Championship in the early 2010s. More recently, the brand proved its endurance credentials with multiple overall wins at Dakar, one of the most demanding motorsport events on the planet.

Seen through that lens, a full-season American rally program feels less like nostalgia and more like continuity.

How to Watch

The easiest way to follow the action is via the team’s YouTube live stream, which will feature stage updates, behind-the-scenes coverage, and real-time context from the rally. It is an ideal way for fans who cannot make it to Michigan to experience the event as it happens and get a sense of how MINI stacks up in real rally conditions.

Live Timing & Tracking – The American Rally Association provides real-time stage results and live tracking during the event for all competitors:

Use the official ARA live results and tracking page on americanrallyassociation.org/live 

RallySafe App – For more detailed live tracking (including split times and car positions), fans and attendees often use the RallySafe app, which many ARA competitors carry during stages. 

For MINI, this weekend is the start of something bigger. For fans, it is a rare chance to watch MINI do what it claims to do best, compete where balance and character matter more than polish.

We will continue covering the team’s progress throughout the season, but for now, grab a coffee, click the stream, and enjoy MINI back on American rally stages where it belongs.

The post MINI Rally Updates: Updates from the Sno*Drift Rally appeared first on MotoringFile.

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