Hmmmm. To decide, I may need them both to join me...

 

 

I'm starting to think he doesn't want to race with us........

 

Raced a Spec Miata in 10 races last year, plus spent a lot of time practicing, etc. (probably 40 - 50 hours in the car last season). An absolute blast. As others have said, they're (relatively) cheap to own and cheap to run. Lots of other cars to run with. An absolutely great car for becoming a better driver because they do not tolerate mistakes...one slight error and you'll easily lose .3 to .5 seconds. They're very frustrating because to run with the quickest guys you need to be PERFECT all the time.

No, they have no pull on the straights. Having said that, they're quicker than a 120HP, 2400 lb. car has a right to be. On my track, the quickest guys were keeping pace with extremely well-driven Lotus Elises/Exiges. The cars handle and brake remarkably well, and they are generally so evenly matched that it comes down to your ability to be consistent and race well.

 

I have to admit someting - I'm fighting the racing bug and loosing. Can't stop thinking about it.

So, approx. how much would it cost to do some arrive and drive racing in a Miata or MX5?

 

why not BSR. maybe we do group buy for nor cal?

 

Raced one for 3 years before moving to MX-5 Cup.

Absolute BLAST if you have a large field. We had 60-70 car fields on 2.25-3.1 mile tracks....

Banging? Yes...but you put 70 cars that are RELATIVELY equal and if you are RACING, you will have some banging...it's the handful of idiots that drivng e you nuts...they're the ones with no car control and wail on people entering or exiting a corner....

You learn a lot of race craft trying to pass an equal car....

Cheaper than most other cars we race, but there is no such thing as "cheap" racing...

 

944 spec cars are similar in speed to the spec miata. Our cars have more hp and can pull most of them on the straights. However the really top notch cars and drivers are very fast.

Overall I consider it a good experience. There are some drawbacks namely being it so popular. This brings in more idiots than most classes that can sour your experience.

I like to think of 944 spec as all the good of SM without the bad. Am I crazy? Yeah a bit. It is however a very economical way to race mid pack. Being at top of grid costs more due to all the competition and even then the talent level can good so deep that you just may not have it in you to run up front. Still it is nice. However. Doc... you have a race car already. Why not PCA race it for starters and then decide if you want to race SM.

 

Therein lies the question of the year. Will he or wont he? Only the Doc or his shrink knows for sure.

 

Contact Stu Brummer @ BSI racing (he's outside Orlando). He'll give you the low down. He's got an interesting personality, so don't ask stupid questions

 

1+

Stu had a shop in FLL, before he moved up north... (daytona area, orman beach, fl)

was a german wrench, worked on porsches then VW's, built, raced and won in ITB rabbits.... then moved to SM.

his cars were never cheap, top runners. last I checked it was over $17k for his cars. probably more now.

big difference in $$$ between mid pack vs front runner cars.

another good thing about SM is mazdamotorsport discounts and contingency $$$.

http://miata.bsiracing.com/index.php...d=22&Itemid=42

http://www.bsiracing.com/

 

To the OP: Yes. 9 out of 10.

 

Thanks for all your kind responses......

'09 seems like a good year to start racing.......

 

specmiata.com

Prepare to be humbled. SM lap record around Summit Point is 1.27.8.... thats 115 horsepower car weighing 2400 lbs on Toyo RA1s.

Best $14K i've ever spent. Just check your ego at the door with the SCCA crowd.

Can rent a car for a weekend for $1600 ALL IN.

 

THIS is what people don't understand when looking in from the outside. THIS is the cause of most of the major contact at the pointy end of the field. You simply can't afford to back off the throttle when the car in front of you gets a little out of shape or you'll give up 3 positions in a heartbeat...maybe more if you get left behind in the draft. I've watched cars go from 2nd to 12th in half a lap. The contact happens when the car in front of you progresses from a little out of shape to a lot out of shape and you're still glued to his rear bumper with your right foot to the floor.

Admittedly, at the rear, you get guys who seem to think an acceptable form of braking is to stuff it in the corner and use your car to slow himself down...but you find those guys in any series with an affordable "buy-in" and cars that can be fixed in the cheap.