On Friday, March 18th, the MINI John Cooper Works (JCW) race team will take on BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, and more at the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, held at Florida’s Sebring International Raceway. 2016 marks the second year of the JCW team’s participation in the event, itself a worthy follow-up to MINI’s excellent showing at Daytona in January.

Late last year, the team worked diligently to prepare a fleet of MINI JCW vehicles. Even after facing multiple setbacks, team principal Luis Perocarpi was excited to finish the year with the team’s first podium finish, 2nd place, at Road Atlanta last September. “This is why we come to race…next season we’ll be on the top step,” he said. For tomorrow’s event, the team will enter three JCW cars.

In honor of its second season, the MINI JCW Team worked with Army Combat Veteran Mark Pombo, co-driver of the #37 car, to foster a partnership with Veterans of Operation Iraqi Enduring Freedom (VOIEF). The non-profit organization’s mission is to assist those who have served or continue to serve in operations within Iraq and Afghanistan. Through social media and on-car branding, MINI’s team intends to raise funds and awareness for VOIEF for the duration of the season. Donations supporting the VOIEF can be made at http://www.voief.org.

The MINI JCW Team, operated by LAP Motorsports, drives the John Cooper Works 2-Door Hardtop – the most powerful MINI ever built – in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, the three-car lineup lives up the motto ‘Defy Labels’ as it takes on competitor manufacturers who typically prioritize high levels of performance over value. Joining the team at each race this year will be six MINI technicians, a truly unique feat for both the sport and the industry.

To keep tabs on the race, fans can download the IMSA (International Motorsports Association) app for moment-by-moment updates on MINI JCW cars #73, #37, and #53, which will be running throughout the season. Alternatively, a live-action feed and broadcast will be available through www.imsa.com. For your own MINI racing immersion, check out Schomp MINI's available JCW vehicles. They’re an amazingly pure representation of John Cooper’s original vision for compact, engaging, race-worthy vehicles.

Photography courtesy www.minijcwteam.com