Anyone here race Spec Miata

[unclebilly]

So…

In 2011 when our local track closed, I had already been racing in Chump and at various tracks in the US for a year.

My buddies started a Spec Miata series at the track in Edmonton (3 hours away) and even bought me a Miata to race with them (stupidly I snubbed them - I’m a Porsche guy). Fast forward to 2019 and I finally accepted a seat in one of their NB Miatas in a Lucky Dog race at The Ridge (I actually raced at the first race ever at that track years before).

What a platform! It’s true, the answer is always ‘Miata’. Since then, I’ve taken a seat and got P1 in a few more races in a NA Miata.

This summer, I bought an NB Spec Miata for my son and I to race (he can get his SCCA full comp license when he turns 14). This car was built by a friend who is VERY particular (some would say OCD) about everything and he crashed it into while leading a race. He sold me everything including all spares, 6 sets of tires including 2 sets of sticker new Hoosiers, everything. I would love to have fixed this myself but reality is that I just don’t have the time right now. I took it to a frame shop and told them to make it perfect.

I’m hoping to have it back in a couple weeks, and am super excited about it.

I’m torn if I want to endurance race it or just sprint race it (this car has never been endurance raced). Endurance racing is pretty hard on everything and I think could affect its ability to remain a front running car in the sprint series. I do prefer endurance racing to sprint racing however.

I’m kinda thinking about doing some sprint races with it to get to know the car and then do a 3 hour enduro with a friend that I trust (possibly the friend who built the car).

This is the next step for my son who has been kart racing since he’s been 5 and I don’t want to screw it up.

What do you guys think?

[look 171]

All I can say is that its cheap. I had an NA, and was going to start stripping it but decided to just drive it and learn how to track a car.

Just think, if you blow up the engine, another used one from the junk yard can be had for 1000-1500 bucks. 1500 bucks will buy you two used piston and cylinder for your 911. If you look hard enough, I am sure you can find them under 1000. I think the Mazda 3232 engines will fit in the MX5. Your NB engine is a 1.8L from the top of my head. Steve, Masraum may know more about this. I know he had MX5s.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

I do prefer endurance racing to sprint racing however.

Assuming you've got the drivers, etc., I would go the endurance route just for the pure joy of racing. The $/seat time is just so much better. I've been racing in Chump/ChampCar since 2014 and have literally thousands of miles of "racing" time accumulated (in four different cars, also). Plus, as you know, you get to experience everything racing has to offer - racing in the rain, at night, in the snow, pit stops, driver changes...everything.

[Nickshu]

I race a Spec Boxster in sprint racing. This year I am planning on buying a seat or two in WRL, probably in a BMW. I have self-supported in sprint racing, or paid one guy to crew for me at some races. All the moving parts needed for endurance racing makes my head hurt, I think writing a check and showing up would be the best approach for that, regardless of what you are driving.

[berettafan]

Almost got to it. Was literally days from writing the check for a SM plus spares when the chance to be self employed was dropped on me. Alas it's a dream i'll never realize now.

I did get to crew a 12hr endurance race for a SM guy in my area. All volunteer and I loved every second of it. I think we had 3 drivers and when not driving they guys were crewing. Deep pockets and decades of track experience made things run very smooth.

I will say that experience convinced me I was wrong to seek out the coolest car to track and should've just put my time and money into SM or SE30 from the start. The entire experience of racing is just awesome and the car itself is, at least to me, secondary.

[Nickshu]

Originally Posted by berettafan

I will say that experience convinced me I was wrong to seek out the coolest car to track and should've just put my time and money into SM or SE30 from the start.

100% this. Some figure it out from the start (the smart ones), some get it eventually (me), some never get it.

You can add "an open trailer I can tow with my SUV" to this mistake as well.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by berettafan

The entire experience of racing is just awesome and the car itself is, at least to me, secondary.

Yes. ^^This. We race an E36. Not the fastest car on the track, for sure. Finish typically in the top 25% of the field and just have fun (best finish was 3rd overall). It doesn't require deep pockets, but experience teaches you what is important and what isn't in endurance racing. Our #1 rule is always "finish the race". Nothing else matters if you don't finish.

[masraum]

I used to drive a miata in Houston traffic, which is about the same thing, but I don't think that's what UB is talking about. I commuted for a while with me and my buddy in the car (I was 200# and the buddy was ~275#, the car felt a bit slower). I once had a diesel truck towing a trailer match me on the freeway as I was going all out trying to pass him, LOL!

That said, I really enjoyed the miatas that we had (2 for me 1 for the missus). But not really relevant to the thread since they were stock daily drivers.

[unclebilly]

I have all of the endurance gear, a pool of drivers I can draw from, but almost think a separate car for endurance is better. I am still part owner in our very winning (and cheaty) escort from Chump and might put it back into service.

This Miata has every SM legal upgrade and a ton of spares including an engine and trans.

[Scott Douglas]

My brother bought in on a Miata and his son raced it once in an endurance race at Willow.
Car was a little too small for him so they've since moved on to a Camaro. They haven't had it out on the track yet.


He already had the open trailer. He has a lot of cars, most of which need hauling as they don't run.

[cockerpunk]

i do spec miata. i also from time to do enduros in another miata.

i dont find enduros to be super fun. in fact, i am always looking for shorter, punchier races. endruos always end up like a trackday with free passing, and very little actual dogfight. and the reason to race spec miatas, is to be in the dogfight. the dogfight is when racing becomes about more than speed. i wish SCCA would go to 15 minute races, 4 per weekend, instead of 2 30 min per weekend. i dont find $/seat time to be a useful metric in any way. in fact, the reverse is more commonly true, the most fun and exciting races, are the short ones where we are all scrabbling, packed up, close.


spec miata:




Endruo (lucky dog):



that being said, miatas are racing on easy mode. reliable, cheap, easy to fix, easier to diagnose. when i race endros i always see all these other "cooler" cars, and then watch them come in for pitstops, broken, always being worked on ... and i go ... why the **** would you play racing on hard mode? we end up on the podium in endurance races with the least HP consistently just by being reliable, consistent on lap time, and not acquiring any penalties from contact.

[Cajundaddy]

We do endurance racing in Champ, LeMons, and Lucky Dog with a rotating team of fairly skilled drivers and several Miatas. Finished pretty well this year in LeMons with 1st West Coast, 2nd Nationally. It is a riot when things are moving well but we do see a lot of yellow laps in LeMons.

I never did Spec Miata but 2 of our drivers are in the MX-5 CUP series and like it a lot. The Porsche runs DE and Time Trials only.

[unclebilly]

Our crew after a P1 finish this past summer. This is with an engine that I built last year and has podiumed every endurance race it’s entered since.

[Nickshu]

^^Sweet that is awesome.

[9dreizig]

I run spec Miata in NASA N.Cal also run some lucky dog events. Hands down the best racing money can buy.. Where else are you going to get 40 cars all equal (within reason) on the grid.. Cheaper than Karts too!!
This is turn 2 at Sonoma

[cstreit]

I did.

Transitioned from a GT3 Cup to Spec Miata.

Pros: When dudes tried to bully me I was like "I can buy a fender on Amazon for $99" instead of a CF bumper from Germany for $3000.

Cons: No families with kids ever came by to check out the car.

Had a ton of fun. 1/2 season of testing and then next season won the regional champs.

First picture is with John Doonan handing me the trophy.. John is the former head of Mazda Motorsports and now head of IMSA. This will probably be the last trophy of my 22 year racing career butis my most cherished. THe lady next to me is Michelle, daughter of the late Dave Wheeler, founder of Advance Autosports. This trophy was the annual Wheeler memorial traveling trophy. Since this was its first year - I asked them to please keep in in the shop in memory of Dave.

[unclebilly]

^^^ that’s awesome!

I also agree that SM is cheaper than karting. Entry level karting can be cheap but to run up front, it’s new tires every race day and a ton of prep and it’s expensive. My son’s cadet kart cost as much as this miata cost me.

[ltusler]

Blah, blah, if I wanted a chick car I'd get a Boxster !

[t6dpilot]

North course at Autobahn. Chris, are you a member there?

[A930Rocket]

I’ve never driven a Miata but they look like a lot of fun when we are on the track.