My "awesome" new track car...
#1
09-30-2009, 06:29 PM
My "awesome" new track car...
I posted pics of this in the Roadrace/Racing section, but have since cleaned the car up for the upcoming weekend instructing...
Yup, It's a miata... It's got Kirkey Roadrace intermediate seats, with 6 point Sparco harnesses, a harddog rollbar, Sparco removable wheel, Jackson racing intake, Racingbeat header, borla exhaust, Koni adjustable shocks on ground control coil overs, racingbeat sway bars and sub-brace, and ZERO driving aids.
This car is absolutely HARD to drive fast. It's very difficult to drive it properly at the limits. I had gotten so used to driving a car with driving aids that traction control and ABS removed the real ability to drive the car at the limits. I was shocked at how easy it was to lock the front wheels on this car, and how driving a car with such little horsepower and torque (about 106HP and 90?Torque) would be. Momentum is everything and corner speed is king. I've done 4 days in this car so far, and I can tell that when I make the move back to the 996TT I'll be so much faster in the slow sections...
This car, as small and unassuming as it is, has been a BLAST to drive...
Mike
Yup, It's a miata... It's got Kirkey Roadrace intermediate seats, with 6 point Sparco harnesses, a harddog rollbar, Sparco removable wheel, Jackson racing intake, Racingbeat header, borla exhaust, Koni adjustable shocks on ground control coil overs, racingbeat sway bars and sub-brace, and ZERO driving aids.
This car is absolutely HARD to drive fast. It's very difficult to drive it properly at the limits. I had gotten so used to driving a car with driving aids that traction control and ABS removed the real ability to drive the car at the limits. I was shocked at how easy it was to lock the front wheels on this car, and how driving a car with such little horsepower and torque (about 106HP and 90?Torque) would be. Momentum is everything and corner speed is king. I've done 4 days in this car so far, and I can tell that when I make the move back to the 996TT I'll be so much faster in the slow sections...
This car, as small and unassuming as it is, has been a BLAST to drive...
Mike
Last edited by Mikelly; 09-30-2009 at 07:00 PM.
#2
09-30-2009, 06:48 PM
I would love to have something like this to beat the crap out of and have fun.. Nice choice Mike.
#4
10-01-2009, 04:48 AM
Thought about those and Porsche 944s... Couldn't find anything as "track ready" as this car for the price - $4700! What's more, I'm used to getting 3MPG at the track in my 996TT. This thing used 15 gallons in three days at VIR two weekends ago! 
Since I purchased it, I've spent another $1000 on wider wheels/better tires and Carbotechs brake pads, along with the rear deck spoiler. But I literally bought this thing on a Saturday and tracked it the following Friday.
In reviewing some of my traqmate data I can tell you guys that I'm at least carrying the same speeds in this car that I'm carrying in the TT thru slow corners, and in a couple of the slowest corners I'm actually going about 3-4MPH faster.
Mike
Since I purchased it, I've spent another $1000 on wider wheels/better tires and Carbotechs brake pads, along with the rear deck spoiler. But I literally bought this thing on a Saturday and tracked it the following Friday.
In reviewing some of my traqmate data I can tell you guys that I'm at least carrying the same speeds in this car that I'm carrying in the TT thru slow corners, and in a couple of the slowest corners I'm actually going about 3-4MPH faster.
Mike
#5
10-01-2009, 05:02 AM
Miatas are great race cars, and there is such an interest in the spec series that it is turning out to be the largest amateur race series in the U.S.
I would love to have a car like that -it's gorgeous, and also wish they had a PRC series on the east coast for 911s.
I would love to have a car like that -it's gorgeous, and also wish they had a PRC series on the east coast for 911s.
#6
10-01-2009, 05:04 AM
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#11
10-01-2009, 05:01 PM
Jamie and Gunther, I'll be at the TrackDaze.com event on shenandoah ciruit this coming weekend, and will be instructing with a novice and intermediate student both days.
Chris, I've still got the Zcar and still working on it. On October 24th we'll make a huge effort to get the majority of the work on it wrapped up. The goal is to have the Miata as the family track car (both sons and the wife are thinking about it now) and the Zcar and the Porsche as advanced DE cars to drive.
Mike
Chris, I've still got the Zcar and still working on it. On October 24th we'll make a huge effort to get the majority of the work on it wrapped up. The goal is to have the Miata as the family track car (both sons and the wife are thinking about it now) and the Zcar and the Porsche as advanced DE cars to drive.
Mike
Last edited by Mikelly; 10-01-2009 at 06:56 PM.
#12
10-02-2009, 04:55 AM
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#13
10-02-2009, 02:09 PM
Jamie, I'm pretty sure this one is sold out... We've actually had a shortage of instructors that needed to be filled due to the response...
I'd recommend getting on http://www.motorsportreg.com/ and http://www.clubregistration.net/ and create an account and register, then set up reminders for the clubs and chapters you're interested in running with. Unfortunately, most of these road course events tent to fill up quickly.
We'll be running both Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 3/4) on the Shenandoah circuit. After that, I'm not sure that I'll be instructing anymore this year, but who knows... Instructors are at a premium for some events, even with PCA!
Mike
I'd recommend getting on http://www.motorsportreg.com/ and http://www.clubregistration.net/ and create an account and register, then set up reminders for the clubs and chapters you're interested in running with. Unfortunately, most of these road course events tent to fill up quickly.
We'll be running both Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 3/4) on the Shenandoah circuit. After that, I'm not sure that I'll be instructing anymore this year, but who knows... Instructors are at a premium for some events, even with PCA!
Mike
#14
10-02-2009, 08:49 PM
Miatas are great on the road course. I have one making 212rwhp and its like driving a go kart around the track.
I would highly recommend a turbo
I would highly recommend a turbo
