Miatas are fast on the auto-x..... on a road course not so much. You will get owned by anything with power. I drove one at Road Atlanta and the straights were painful. I was at VIR yesterday for a trackday and the resident driving instructor was in my run group in his Miata..... I lapped him in a 20 minute session.
They are great handling cars with excellent stock brakes but need more power to be fast on a road course.... now one with an aluminum 5.3 or LS1 would be a hoot.

Well Tim I think you have been looking at my search history as I've been looking at aluminum 5.3s and LS1 motors as well!! :popcorn2: :D

Here ya go: http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-...SuperSize=true

Trailer too! http://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Spec-...pec-Miata.html

Then you'll be able to afford and haul that Bosch dishwasher you've always wanted. :whistling:

Tim,

Missed you at SEMA and Scottsdale BTW...

The word "BUDGET" comes with a price..... Being lapped by more expensive cars might be one of those costs. LOL

I think this topic is going to come up more and more in the future. The Pro-Touring racing events are doing what I have always thought they would do and created a divide with the guys who want to try some events to just say they did and give the guys who have racing in their blood fuel to ignite the fire. The it comes down to how competitive can you afford to be for e a given class. And do you still want to try and be competitive in a vintage car. Just like the thread about classes for the USCA.

In the phase this industry or series is in, a guy really needs to define his purpose. There is a world of differences from just going to track days and not being concerned with how competitive you are. And trying to build a car that is goes pretty well and having a competitive car that is fast for what ever group you want to race.

Alot of guys are building very expensive, race cars that really don't have any where to truely race the car unlike if you a had a Miata or Camaro / Mustang Challenge car.

A Miata is not that slow in a field or Miatas. For me it doesnt matter what I race as long as the field is competitive and equal. I like the USCA format of just going out and running what you have for fun, but I also loved racing locally at my dirt track in a lower division just for the seat time. A spec Miata car in a SCCA spec miata class is pretty affordable and gives you a place to race almost any weekend.

Practice Practice Practice.

You nailed it right there. The Fox is probably the best bang out there and they made, what, like 14.8 million of those things? :headspin:

Go on NASAforums, Racingjunk, CL, ebay and you can pick up stockish to ready to race Foxes in the 4 figures and low 5 figures. Find one ready to go in American Iron and go race the next weekend, assuming you have credentials.

Agree with Rodg in the evolution of PT cars/owners turning racy.... most people saw this coming... how could you not? :)

The way I see it is you either:

* stay true to PT and building/keep something streetable with your one car

* can afford 2 cars -- a true PT car and a dedicated race car

* screw PT and go with the race car because you're Cole Trickle, goddangit

* don't give a hoot what anyone says and build whatever you want and let the chips fall where they may

The people who spent 30k on a paint job that is too nice to really use the car. Or the guy who put 100 plus lbs of Dynamat insulation only to realize 100lbs is alot of extra weight. The guys who put a super high dollar interior in the car that only had provisons for lap belts.

I have seen this alot. Heck the level of the bar has changed before some guys could even complete their build.

Ding Ding Ding!!! :thumbsup: that's what I'm looking at, I just want to have fun with something that I don't have $25-45-65-100K invested in as a race car.

That's the whole point of a budget race car!! Sure there is up keep cost and racing cost I get that for sure, but with something like a Miata or ??? I can get in trailer or drive it to the track, parking lot and have fun for the day/weekend.

I'm not looking to go out and try to "win" anything sure if I can get into a class that is evenly matched then that would be fun for sure.

I just want to have some fun once or twice a month and if I brake it no biggie if it sits for a month or two who cares!!

I really like the idea of the Miata because of the price of admission but I'm sure it feels really slow compared to a Camaro or Mustand running the same track. We'll see what I end up doing but I think I have a good idea of what I looking for right now :knokwood: :headscratch:

Now I need to see what's close by as far as what I can race what in, I don't what to get something only to find I have to go two states away to race it :disgusted:

Yes yes yes!! Well said Rodger, I'm looking at just having fun and not have 100 point show car or $100K+ PT car that I get all crazy when I get a chip on it or someone looks wrong at it!!

I just want to have fun a few weekends a years and not care about the winning and losing just fun!!