eclou

are they running comparable track times and costs?

onefastviking

Ok, I'll take the hook for the Miatas.

Last year PCA 1:59's to 2:07's for the Spec Boxsters, equal times at TWS for Miatas in past races. Much smaller Spec Boxster field although it is growing.
As far as costs, I can't imagine Spec Boxster can come close. Larger tires, both spec, Miata wins. Cheaper brake pads. Create Engine for Boxster = $8k+ , Create Engine for Miata = $2200 . I could keep going but I am sure you already see the pattern.
Maybe I need to bring my spare Miata beater over to your house and let you play with it and DE it a few times. You can't hurt it and you will have fun tweaking it. I have a PSS9 suspension we could put on it for grins. I have spare wheels, other parts are all cheap. It has a hardtop and I also have spare race seats and a rollbar for it. Interested in trying it out ?

onefastviking

Rob and Doug could even try it out !

eclou

I may have to take you up on that! BTW the head is on and torqued. The last torque setting is kinda scary

onefastviking

Cool ! That last torque setting is pretty big, it's no wonder how those studs stretch sometimes.
I am serious about the Miata, it's easy enough to do and I have multiples of spares for it. Driving the low hp momentum car would be fun for all of you. It might solve your lack of track car issue until you find the perfect car for your next track beast !

mooty

i did some comparison.
equal driver, i think BSR is slight faster
miata is MUCH MUCH cheaper.
but you be in SCCA/NASA not PCA if that matters to you.
a LOT more rubbing in SM.
bigger grid size in SM
i know ppl in CA that races both, so hey for the price of your TT, you can have both SM and BSR and a tow vehicle ;-)

i am building a BSR as we speak

jakermc

There is no question SPBOX is faster. I have turned a 1:24.0 on the 1.7 MSR track with a car that is not completely sorted yet. That time is faster than the track record for Spec Miata and faster than Jason Saini's times in the recent Grassroots article that was a hot topic of discussion. I can assure you, I am no where near that good a driver. The car is faster.

Steve Watkins turned a 1:57 at TWS the first time he was in the seat of his car. He has a few more seconds in him. Remember, we are all just getting our cars sorted, getting suspension settings figured out, and learning to drive them versus years of development on the Spec Miata. The Boxster lap times will keep falling from what you have seen so far.

Miata is cheaper, no question about that either. An engine or tranny issue in a Porsche is not going to be cheap. I know the Miata guys will pick up used trannys at the junk yard for next to nothing, easier than fixing what they have.

M758

Miata is cheaper and slower than the boxsters.

What is compareble to SM are the 944 spec cars. These cars cost about the same and run the same speed. The 944's are faster in a straight line and on top end, but the very cream of the crop SM cars/drivers can run with the top 944 guys. In the mid pack it call comes down to driver, but I think the SM is just tad slower.

Cost wise they are similar, but the 944 even still a bit cheap since you don't need as "pro" level a build/car to do well. That is the down side of the populartity of SM. Plus contact is limited in 944 spec. You can get complete race ready 944 spec cars for 10k or under.

The boxsters are faster owing to more hp and a better suspension, but donor cars are more expensive.

944 spec is offered in NASA and in PCA (SP1) and in POC.

onefastviking

The Boxster class is still young but will be a little faster with equal drivers, same track, same day. Current recorded race times dont show the Boxster being much faster, although it is obvious it will be.

Of course since you are really just looking for a DE car it would be easy to have your Miata faster than the Boxster. The Miata wins hands down with cost.

Veloce Raptor

SRF.

onefastviking

SRF is great, although production cars offer some collapse area around you should anything ever happen, and since we all must go to work on Monday ....

MJR911

Call up your mazda dealer than your Porsche dealer and ask about OEM parts costs.

M758

BTW... 944 spec is coming to NASA Texas this year. If fact the NASA 944 spec rocky mount crew is bringing probably 20 cars to Hallet to run with the Texas NASA region. It will be used to jump start the 944 class there and the 4-5 cars in development. Should be fun.

onefastviking

There will also be some 944's in NASA GTS

jakermc

What is your definition of 'a little faster'? 1 second? 2 seconds? More? I think anything over a second is more than 'a little faster'.

Hallet NASA Spec Miata this past June: Fast lap 1:31.1 in quali. It was warm that day, about 90 degrees, but otherwise good track conditions.

Hallet Spec Boxster this past October: Fast lap 1:27.8 in quali. No idea about track conditions, but this was run with 225 width tires in front. Spec for TX region had been changed to 255 since then, lowering lap times further. You might argue that this driver, Watkins, is special but the rest of the class was in the 1:29s.

Most of the data we have collected on SPBOX is in practice, not posted on Mylaps, as this series is brand new. We have A LOT more data you have not seen yet, though we certainly don't have same day/same driver data yet. But if I can beat the track record for Spec Miata during a normal practice day on mediocre tires in less than perfect conditions either I should turn pro or the Boxster is more than a little faster (at least using my definition).

I promise you I will not be turning pro any time soon.