HRG at Limerock

[Salt Racer]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I might sell my Riviera sometime. Track days are fun and everything, but I think I'd rather go real racing.

Buick will never be a competitive race car (and I don't want to make it look like a race car), and Spec Miata or NASA's CMC seems to be fairly reasonable and accessible.

But then again, it's fun to try out my own suspension designs which you really can't do within the rules of those budget racing series. Wish I had money to keep the Buick and still go racing. Tough dilemma...

[CFster]

CFster,
The spec miata class look fairly accessible. Any idea what the Mazda Speed kit costs? Whats a used spec racer go for? Thanks for the link. I'm real intrested in gaining experience in a low cost class ASAP.
Jensen

I believe when we purchased ours a few years ago they were around $1200. That's a suspension package that includes coil over shocks and front and rear swaybars. If you have a later 1.8L car (vs. the 1.6s) you need to run a restrictor plate behind the throttle body that they supply.

We actually got a good deal on our cars. One we paid $2500 for - then bought another, then another two that had hard tops. Took the hard tops off the other two and sold them. It was easy for us - we're a wholesale auto auction!

Then we put new engines in them, and just about everything else you can think of. We spent way more than the average Miata racer. It really isn't necessary to go racing.

What does a finished car cost? I've seen them go for 10K to over 30K. It's becoming really popular.

But in any event, sometimes the hard part is finding the hard tops. They're becoming nonexistant.

The Spec class runs shaved Toyo RA1s - which you can get from Vilven Tire. The wheels that almost everybody is running are the Team Dynamics II's. They're lightweight - but I believe they have to be over 13lbs by the rules though. You need to run stock brakes - though everybody runs Hawk Blue pads front and rear. The drivetrain has to be stock, stock, stock. They've caught guys running illegal cams and cam gears. You can have a rebuilt engine, and though the rules say you can't have it blueprinted, I don't know how in the hell anybody would know.

Then you have to have the proper safety equipment of course - and make sure you get the lowdown on the roll cages. There is currently a debate going on about what's legal and what isn't with certain roll cages. Don't get caught in the same trap we did - we had to change ours after the fact. Get a SCCA rule book and study it. Then talk to a tech inspector with the book in your hand.

To get into racing you'll need to get a racing license from an SCCA school. You can use your Miata for track time. They send you out in sessions and watch you. Then they verbally abuse you in front of everybody in the classroom - picking apart everything you did wrong.

You can also rent cars from places like BSI. You rent the car - usually by placing a call, and faxing back an agreement with a deposit. Then all you have to do is show up at the track - they'll be there with the car, mechanics and spares.

Speaking of spares - the Toyos last an unusually long time. We can get several race weekends out of them. And we throw away tires that other teams would use for the rest of the season. The same goes for brakes - the're very easy on brakes.

We've run several endurance races - 6,8 or 10 hour races with no problems. These cars give new meaning to the term reliable. Think about it - you have to thash the engines to get any kind of speed out of them. You're constantly on redline. And they seem to take it no problem for an entire day. We used to have a big enclosed trailer with all kinds of spare parts - we were like BSI, people were coming over asking us to borrow stuff. Then we realized we didn't need to be lugging all that stuff around, so we use a suburban, a pickup and two lightweight aluminum trailers. All we need.

[wendell]

Sold. Where do I sign up?! It's good to here that the class is in fact affordable. After seening some of the big outfits like BSI I was wondering just how deep the money pit was. From what I've heard, rule number one in racing is buy a car, DON'T build a car. Does this hold true for the Miatas? I'd be doing all the work my self.

Thanks alot for the information, I imagine there are a few other people on this site that are lurking and starting to keep an eye out fora Miata.
J

[CFster]

Well, I guess I would say that we would change a few things if we were to build a car again. It was a learning experience.

That said, the only thing to really screw up is the cage - and I've seen some screwed up cages.

The rest of it is all bolt on stuff.

Have a guy who builds cages do your car - unless you already do that. And make sure he knows the rules for that class.

Have a blast though - it's a lot of fun. Just make sure you take things seriously. We've run into a lot of guys fresh out of SCCA school who are all over the track, and generally a menace. Feel free to go to some events, and talk to some Spec Miata guys - most I've come across are more than willing to share tips, etc...

So, you're in Boston? Ever been over to Louden? There's a lot of concrete there. Or Watkins Glen? Nice track! We also try to make it down to VIR at least once a year. That place makes the aforementioned and Limerock looks like freekin dumps. What a beautiful facility. And they must have a half dozen track configurations.

[vanzuuk1]

CF I raced bikes a few times at the OLD loudon that was a dump, dirt pit area and porta pottys. VIR is awesome and the people are so nice it makes it even better. Brought my wife to her first race there and she actually thanked me !