mts

Did a search and didn't see anything on it. For those that are instructors/make these calls for PCA DE days, my wife has a 3rd generation Miata with a power retractable hardtop. It has factory roll hoops similar to the Boxster. I know the Boxster qualifies for PCA DE events, would the NC Miata be the same? I know neither qualify for anything wheel to wheel without a cage, but DE events are a different animal.

Does anyone know?

HoBoJoe

https://www.pca.org/driver-education-minimum-standards

I would contact your local DE chair and see what they say.

DTMiller

Probably better off asking on miata forums. From perusing them (I have a 97 miata I track) I believe the NC hoops are "style bars" and do not provide rollover protection and would not pass tech.

I would do a quick search on miata.net in their track/driving subforum.

Circuit Motorsports

They are real metal tubing under the covers. They do hold up to a rollover, the main problem is they aren't very tall and might fail the broomstick test.

DTMiller

Here's a thread not exactly your issue but addressing the NC rollbar issue - http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=545402

This one might be a little closer to what you are looking at: http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=454939

mts

Thank you very much for posting this. I think it pretty much answers the question for PCA DE events. The NC factory hoops are bolted to the frame and are not "style" bars. Thus I thought it would be interesting for PCA to take a position that Boxsters were fine and other similar factory cars weren't. We only run with one specific group locally and PCA DE events anymore. My local events will allow it, looks like PCA will too.

Cabriolet/Convertible Cars

Any make of car delivered with factory installed roll over protection meets the minimum standards for PCA DE events. In these cars we recommend the soft-top be in the up position or the hard top installed. If the top is in the down position, restraint system* must be used. An SFI and/or FIA approved arm

If a car does not have factory installed roll over protection, a roll bar or roll cage must be installed, which meets the "broomstick" rule (the driver's helmeted head is below a bar placed on top of the roll bar and windshield). Design, installation and materials of roll bars or cages and their installation must meet PCA Club Racing specifications, contained in Appendix A-Roll Cage Specifications of the PCA Club Racing Rules. All targa tops must be installed unless there is addition roll over protection. All sunroofs must be in the closed position. The windshield alone is not considered to be factory roll over protection.