In Car from last Friday
 

No, not even in a 911/964/993.........the Spec Miata. Did a wheel-to-wheel race for the first time in 5 years. Small DE/race group called NCRC. Probably 100+ DE guys (and several Rennlisters, but no 993s); only 16 racers. 8 SMs, so we had our own split start. Ran 5 year old tires, had the pole by 3 seconds. HOWEVER, I was 3 seconds off the track record.

Highlights below, first lap of each race; plus another Porsche driver/SM champion/part-time Rennlister Dean Thomas lapping me in his LS1 V-8 Miata still on SM suspension and R compounds. 13 sec/lap faster than me!

Race 1: how to blow a pole. I think it was the first time since in a Sports Renault circa 1985 that I brought a field to the green flag. (I've always had cars that are buried in the pack for a start.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqc0IkL8_e0

Race 2: Started from the back, P7.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx-Qk2pRT0k

Race 1: Dean lapping me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3JApCue02k

If you've never had a chance to race, it's really no big deal. The 2 or 3 at the back of this field were not going any quicker than a 3rd or 4th day DE student. But they were aware, and I didn't hear anything negative from the fast drivers who were in the 1:52 range v. their 2:15+.

Sounds like a flock of angry weedwhackers!

:)


Andreas

No one ever race a Miata for the neat sound!

Whatever floats your boat. :D I'm not into that sort of thing, but it's the SF area -- so live and let live! :icon107:

:)


Andreas

Spoken as someone who might have been at the Pride Parade over the weekend? (Damned conflict with the Sears Point weekend for me.........)

Anyway, if I were trying to be verrrrry clear I would have said "blow a Pole." Right????

Sweet videos

I started out in a '96 Miata; which I still have. Hard to explain to folks how well these take to the track with just a well setup suspension. 105 HP of fury! Don't drive mine much anymore, as it has become "not so" street friendly anymore. :)

That looks like an absolute blast!

Nice Ken. Good driving on Race 2, especially between 2:00 and 2:25.

We organize a track day or something, it can be passed around like........well, use your imagination........... Miatas are indestructible. Friend rolled hers in T2 one test day, and she had it back on track within the hour.

Kid in the white car leading, it was about his 3rd or 4th race. After he ran wide in T11 on lap 1 in race 1, I knew he'd make another mistake. (He'd also been a bit erratic in an earlier session in the AM when I came up on him.) So I watched him curiously try to pinch the other guy going into T14, then just waited for him to run deep into the turn.

But the "moment" I had that day, going back to race 1, you can hear (but can't see) from about 1:05-1:30 is a side-by-side skirmish. I still wasn't clear of that guy from the pass in T6, through the drag race to entry of T8. Very compromised entering that turn. (It's still flat, just a little more interesting.)

Nice video. I enjoyed that. Looks like way too much fun. I'm sure I'd get hooked very easily....
chuck

Good stuff!
Found myself leaning into your turns as I watched.....nice driving.

Glad everyone's enjoying. Felt kinda dumb for spamming the 993 list with a Miata.......... Maybe I'll find an old Porsche crest to put on the hood?

To put into perspective, here's a couple of slowish laps a couple of years ago in the Radical:

http://www.gofastvideo.com/video/184...derhill-121208

Or, the whole session (if you're REALLY got nothing better to do):

http://www.gofastvideo.com/video/184...l-Full-Session

I promise a week from Friday I'll put the camera in the yellow car and get some 993 action up!