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ldp82

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Hey all, my name’s Luke I’m a finishing up at Northeastern University and have wanted to get into racing for a long, long time. I found Auto-x to be cool but it almost feels like more of a social event with some driving thrown in, while enjoyable it wasn’t all that addictive for me. Then I made the mistake of attending a DE at Watkins Glen, and proceeded to get completely hooked, since then I have done 2 more events at the Glen and am going to NHIS the 3rd weekend in July (PCA event, ironically PCA is cheaper then any other group I’ve heard of).

Bear with me I’m about to ask some stupid questions. I’m assuming I have to get an SCCA license to get on the track in ITA. Is my car legal with what I have done and what I plan to do?

Here is what I’ve done so far:
Ground Control coilovers (eibach springs) 500/350 lbs/inch front rear
Koni adjustable shocks
LE tie rod ends
Exedy clutch
FCM NB front shock tower mounts
Flyin Miata rear shock tower mounts
Flyin Miata frame rail brace
Flyin Miata light weight flywheel 9 LBS
Flyin Miata brake upgrade kit: Power slot brake rotors, Porterfield HAWK HPS ATE super blue
Racing Beat front tubular sway bar 1 1/8
Racing Beat front sway bar brace
Racing Beat adjustable endlinks
Racing Beat cat back
Racing Beat front lower control arm brace
Racing Beat ULTRA ignition wires
Cowl cold air intake
Hard Dog m2 4 point roll bar with Custom Formed High Density Padding and cover
Timing advanced to +14btdc
Redline fluids in transmission, rear end and power steering
Sparco pedals Bolt on not clipped


Plan to do:
Hard dog offers a harness bar and a cage that mates up to the 4 point I have already and I know a few people that can weld it in. I also plan on adding seats (I really like cobra imola 2’s in Kevlar no way can I afford the carbon ones) with 6 points, bushings, HP+ or some Cobalt Friction GT sports pads(the car will see some street driving) and raise the rev limiter by over clocking the ECU. Also can I go to a 15inch rim (stock is 14)?

Dose this look good? Do you guys have any suggestions?

I know asking this is a little premature I just don’t want to add more stuff to the car I will have to rip out later to make the car legal.

when I finish the car i think it would be a good idea to go to as many DE’s as I can to improve my driving then when im ready get my SCCA license and really start racing. :eclipsee_steering:

Thanks for taking the time to help me out
-Luke
 
Luke, I suggest you download the GCR from SCCA and read it. I am not miata expert by far, but for the most part I think your car can easilly be made IT legal minus a few parts. Glaring illegal item is the lightened flywhee, its a nono in IT. Some of the bracing might be oke, but I dont know which. I miata person might better explain that stuff for you.

Also come up to any of the SCCA races. You can cruise the paddock and talk to the IT racers. Many of them won't mind chatting for a few as long as you don't catch them as they are working on the car or preparing for the grid, but they are polite enough to tell you if they dont have time to talk.

Its an addiction, I know this. I just went throught he whole same thing from AX to DE events and this is my rookie year in club racing. I can't say I have any doubts about it, this is the best.

Good luck.


http://www.scca.org/_FileLibrary/File/updatedGCR.pdf <--- GCR with tech bullitin updates.
 
thanks for the info and link James, i will check out a race. From my experience with ax and de’s people are very friendly and will always help you out glad it stays like that in racing.
 
Hey, it's not an addiction, it's a "habbit"!

Also can I go to a 15inch rim (stock is 14)?[/b]
Click to expand...

Why? 14" tires are cheaper and you may sacrifice some gearing when moving to a larger diameter tire.

Flywheel, brake rotors other than OEM - both will need to be changed before racing. Don't worry about this now as you may need to replace the clutch and will need to replace the rotors before you start wheel-to-wheel racing.

Hard Dog m2 4 point roll bar - before you go any further with your cage stuff, ensure what you have meets the min. specs as outlined in the GCR. (Tube size diameter)

Take some time to read the GCR. Don't do anything to your car without first reading it and verifying that it will be legal. And of course, welcome to the maddness!
 
Racing is still a very social event. I know people who have driving 3 hours round trip to get a spare transmission for a competitor!!! Anytime you need a hand on a car, I nor anyone I know has had any issues finding the help and then some. Its just the type of attitude that developes around here. Just remember in racing once your out on the track, some of the courtesy stays (racing room, etc.) but dont expect people to let you pass that easilly.

I think NER is racing at NHIS soon, I will be at the Glen for the July Sprints 6/21-23.


EDIT: Dave your right, I missed the slotted rotor part, you would need to go back to non slotted rotors, but believe me I run OEM replacement rotors and hawk blues and still can outbreak my 3200# pig of a jetta with boxster brakes both on R comps. its amazing what 1000# can do to stoping distances.
Habit, addiction, need, fix. it all fits!
 
Thanks for the tips on the 4 point bar. I can get a little cash by selling it and put that to a full cage the final winter before I start doing wheel to wheel racing

I’m glad to hear that that people keep acting nice even once they are behind the wheel, the last thing I think any one wants to do is major body work when they should be out on the track!

I’d want 15's for this reason
Stock 14x6’s with 205 55 14 ra1’s weigh in at 31.2 lbs per corner and have a radius of 22.9 inches
RP-F1 15x7’s with 205 50 15 ra1’s weigh in at 29.8 lbs per corner and have a radius of 23.1 inches
I’m a big fan of adding lightness especially when it’s unsprung rotating mass although it is not much at 5.6lbs total. I could be wrong here but I thought the 7 inch wide rims would support the tires better then a 6 inch wide rim.

I LOVE the glen but don’t think i can make it out to that event unfortunately, The NHIS event is the weekend of the 8-9 right? I don’t see why i couldn’t make that. it would be a very nice to meet every one there

Reading GCR now.


i will need new rotors soon and was planning on nappa rotors as they are not $100+ a rotor and i have heard good things about them from miata.net is this a bad idea?
Thanks for all the help! if you see anything else I’m doing wrong please don’t hesitate to post!
 
Do try to make it up to NHIS next weekend. Come on up and check out the club. Don’t worry too much about the part you already have on the car. It sounds like track days are a good place for you to get some seat time for a little while. Even for a SCCA drivers school the car only has to be safety legal. SCDA also runs a good program locally for track days. SCDA1.com.
 
the Sports Car Driving Association looks pretty cool ill have to talk to work and see if i can get a monday off!

i plan on being at NHIS for the 8th or 9th, sounds like it will be a good time!
 
Glad to have you aboard!

When at NHIS, check out the ITA Flatout Motorsports Miata that Andy Bettencourt drives. It s a good example of an ITA prep Miata, and he sometimes does ok with it too.

Right Andy?

;)
 
the Sports Car Driving Association looks pretty cool ill have to talk to work and see if i can get a monday off!

i plan on being at NHIS for the 8th or 9th, sounds like it will be a good time!
[/b]
Click to expand...


I have been away for a few days on vacation so I have been out of the loop, but wanted to welcome you to SCCA!!! Look for us in the big (old) trailer with the Audi's... love to meet you and help out in anyway!!!

Raymond
 
Glad to have you aboard!

When at NHIS, check out the ITA Flatout Motorsports Miata that Andy Bettencourt drives. It s a good example of an ITA prep Miata, and he sometimes does ok with it too.

Right Andy?

;) [/b]
Click to expand...

Sometimes! :)

North side of thr North garages, she will be there for all to see!

DSC_2567.jpg
 
Hey there Luke....It was great to meet you at NHIS. I hope you got the bug but good. I wish you had seen a better race for Raymond and Stephen. I just left the track and they are busy fixing cars.....they will be back on track tomorrow. They have a nice setup to do the work. I hope you found everyone you wanted to talk to. Be sure to look us up anytime at the track when you come up. Take care. Good luck at the Porsche DE with Dad's Boxster... :birra:
 
It was great to meet your family Trish. i found almost every one. The event was a little bigger then i thought it would be so i wasn’t able to find some people, maybe next event it will work out.

I had a great time and got to see some pretty cool driving. I cant wait to get back to NHIS 22 and 23 and drive the track.

I hope Raymond and Stephen are having a better race today, and i hope you guys got some sleep last night!

Andy thanks for the miata tips. Were you able to race today?

As for getting bit by the bug, I realized there was no place id rather be then NHIS yesterday and the only way it could get better was if I was out on the track.


I hope every one who’s at NHIS today has a great time!
 
Today went no better for the kids. They were up til 4 am fixing the cars. Stephen missed qualifying and when he got in to get ready for the race....no oil pressure in the replacement motor. Raymond was doing great until another excursion in turn 12 and I'm not sure what happened, but the car died 3 laps from the end. I'm sure we will get a blow by blow when he wakes up finally tomorrow to give us all the details. There was a horrific crash today in the race afterward, involving Victor in his BMW. I hope he is ok. His car is a total loss. They had to cut the roof off to get him out.
It was great to meet you and it looks like I'll be in town when you are up. PM me and I'll give you our phone number and maybe we can hook up.
 
Bob and Trish,

Please keep us informed as to the condition of the BMW driver. When any of us is injured and/or has their car destroyed, it is a sad day for all of us in many ways. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him, and his family as they recover from this. We can always replace racecars....
Please let us know when, where, and how we can help.
Thanks in advance!
Mark P. Larson
CFR #164010
 
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