MINI USA ACTIVATES IN AUSTIN WITH SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: CLUB SI AT TURN 12 AND A FIRESIDE CHAT WITH CHARLIE COOPER

Woodcliff Lake, NJ,  October 17, 2025. MINI USA, in partnership with Sports Illustrated, will bring two signature experiences to Austin this weekend. Across the October 17–19 race weekend, MINI will have a presence inside Club SI at Turn 12—the premier trackside hospitality at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Guests will enjoy elevated hospitality and unbeatable views of Turn 12, along with product experiences and MINI motorsports memorabilia throughout the space, including the Cooper-Climax T53 Low Line Grand Prix race car.

Additionally, MINI and the Motorsport Network will also host a Fireside Chat with Charlie Cooper, grandson of Formula 1 engineering legend John Cooper, who transformed the classic MINI into a rally racing champion in the 1960s. The conversation with Mike Peyton, Vice President of MINI for the Americas Region, will celebrate the Cooper family’s racing legacy and MINI’s future of performance.

“Austin is where motorsport energy and culture meet—and that’s exactly where MINI thrives,” said Mike Peyton, Vice President of MINI for the Americas Region. “Partnering with Sports Illustrated lets us celebrate John Cooper’s legacy with enthusiasts while inviting new fans to experience MINI’s modern performance and personality—on and off the track.”

The discussion will be moderated by Adam Faris, partner creator of Motorsport and will also explore how John Cooper’s racing DNA continues to inspire MINI’s design, performance, and electrified future.




About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The authorized MINI USA dealer organization is represented by a network of 105 MINI full passenger car sales and service dealers located throughout the US. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of five unique vehicles.

Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.