My car is just starting to get her teeth in, and I'm starting to nip at the heels of the Miatas. On a 60 second course, they will usually end up around 4-6 seconds ahead of me if they have race rubber and are nicely prepped. I'm running $50.00 Sumitomos on stock + rims.

Over the winter I'll be adding a panhard bar/trilink to my car, along with the much lusted after race rubber and wide wheels. I'm hoping that once that is done, I'll really be able to put the fear of God into them. However, I don't doubt for a minute that I'll really have to bust my *** to do it.

The biggest improvement I can make right now though, is the "loose nut behind the wheel". I spent last weekend at an event that had lots and lots of national caliber competitors, and had the chance to take some rides in some very nice cars. I'll tell you straight out, they scared the **** out of me. The first ride was in a GM sponsored Solstice (turbo) and I remember thinking as we came up on the first turn "does this guy even realize that he has to turn here?" I almost made a fool of myself by trying to tell him where the course went. It was absolutely terrifying to ride with that guy, but man did he turn in some amazing times. That, more than anything else, showed me how much more I have left to learn.

 

Hmmmm..... Back in June my REPU finished consistantly 1 second slower than 3 miata. All of us on street rubber and with the usual streetable intake, exhaust, and suspension mods. Pic below. Of course I have a mild streetport but my carb was coughing and bogging too. In autocross an extra 25hp doesn't mean much, it's all about handleing.

 

Kentetsu

I agree, riding with a national driver is amazing.

A national (e stock i think) Champ is from our club and I had him drive my car so I could see what it could do, his furst run was 3 seconds faster and hes never even driven a 1st gen.

It was amazing and very educational. I couldnt do the things he was doing and not spin out, he never overwhelmed the tires, no skidding, sliding or spinning tires. I couldnt believe how hard and how late he could brake and still have the car be 100% composed.

 

the rx7 finished 10 secs behind... if i am reading it right

 

Do you only go to the Fresno events? I usually go to the ones for SFR. I will be driving my speed 3 in the slush series, there is more work to be done on the 7. I am usually 2-3 secs slower than the miata's or MR2.

In this event, there was only 1 run and I ran first, so I could not heat up the tires enough, my brother's(Mack Tsang) time should be a better indication of our time.
http://www.norcalufo.org/deanzaresult.htm

 

2nd place, behind 4 seconds in event 3
notice by pax he was overall 4th for the day!

2nd place, behind 2 seconds in event 4


Im mike daoust
barely 1 full season of racing, crummy car and finishing middle of the pack at every event.

the other rx7 driven by zack mello is the owner of the car im driving.

http://www.mazspeed.com/forum/thread...d=33&styleid=1
this is my car for the upcoming season.

 

What tires are you running? What series do you plan to race in? I would like to race with fellow 1st gen drivers in auto-x...

EDIT: Just read that you are running 275s, and your motor (I am jealous).... The tires are huge, your car is definitely more prepped than mine

What kind of spring rates are you running with this?

 

Starting out with 350 front 200 rear for bumpier places

depending on how that works out Id like to try 450 front 300 rear.
My home track is super flat sandpaper like concrete.

Im autocrossing in the Street Prepared class.

 

I know you are racing in CSP, i want to know the series (like SCCA, Norcal UFO, AAS, etc..)

 

I'm sorry Mikey D, but four seconds is pretty much being left in the dust on an autocross course. Let us pretend for a second that it is a minute a fifteen second track, that means that within that minute and fifteen second lap you were already four seconds behind them. That is an insane amount of time.

Even if one of those events were a short track and the other long, and the long track was two seconds, that is still a lot of time. I'm assuming the track you were two seconds behind on was a fairly smaller track. Which would make all too much sense.

And as far as I've seen, I've yet to see an auto x track that was a full minute and fifteen seconds. Longest I've seen was a 50 second track.

Simple fact is that the FB uses far too old of technology when it comes to suspension. Then again, if you are autocrossing as a claim to fame, I suggest you buy something much newer and find much more sponsorships. Sponsoring old cars doesn't get you very far. There is a reason why independant rear suspension is used in nearly every sports car available on the road today - it is just a better setup entirely.

 

were talking 4 seconds behind with a STOCK rx7 vs a fully prepared car.

thats like saying my moms monte carlo finished 1 lap behind the jeff gordan or something.

its AMAZING.

the times i posted are all on 60-70 secod courses if you looked.


Justin
SCCA and occasionally AAS

 

Ive been going to some of the AAS/Fresno SCCA events at Atwater with my first gen. Ive probably seen you out there

I have a brown SA with plaid interior

 

Mikey D; what tires were you using for that event?

 

I race karts, Rotax Series, and can tell you that 0.5 seconds a lap difference (forget about being 4 freaking seconds arears) on a 50 second lap is an eternity. The average race is somewhere in the 20-30 lap range so at the checker you are between 10 and 15 seconds behind the leader, which is about 20% of the track length. That losing by A LOT, no chance of winning, praying for 5th, etc. that's not amazing.

Miata's are great race cars, nobody should feel bad driving one on the street. If you do then you are just weak minded, letting peer pressure dictate your tastes and opinions.

Stormtrooper: Let me see your identification.
Obi-Wan: [with a small wave of his hand] You don't need to see his identification.
Stormtrooper: We don't need to see his identification.
Obi-Wan: These aren't the droids you're looking for.
Stormtrooper: These aren't the droids we're looking for.
Obi-Wan: He can go about his business.
Stormtrooper: You can go about your business.
Obi-Wan: Move along.
Stormtrooper: Move along... move along.

 

One of the only RX cars that I've seen put a dent in Miata CSP dominance.

 

MtotheIKEo
I drive the white GSL-SE, Ive talked to you before.

Kentetsu
225/45/13 hankooks z214 Medium compound on 13x7 steel wheels (not optimal)


I know 4 seconds is alot, but just a differnt driver in my car has gone that much faster than me. All Im saying is that if a stock rx7 can come that close with me driving and a better driver can beat me by as much with my own car, say that It can compete.

reguardless of opinion, next season will tell.
If I get slaughtered, Ill find someone who is a better driver to co drive with me.
If he gets slaughtered Ill revive this post and eat my hat.

 

You should get some Hoosiers A6 225/45/13, i think they are currently the best tires for auto-x.

 

So, how would an rx7 compare to a miata on a road course?

 

A few months ago, I talked to a guy that used to drive in Spec 7 and Spec Miata, he said that the 1st gen and the miata run similar lap time around the track. He said that the rx7 has more power than the miata, but the miata handles better.

 

justin,
I think the kumho 710's are the winning ticket right now in 13's
I just co drive the car also, not my descision, the hankooks are nice though.

 

With equal power the MX5 waxes a 1st gen. 20+ years of engineering advances give the Miata a significant advantage, Rex's are cool...I like the vintage feel and that raspy rotary sound but an MX5 has an unassailable handling edge over a 1st gen.

 

No, the A6s are definitly faster than the v710s. I'm not sure if I've seen you out there before, but i've run a few aas and sfr events, i'm in a charcoal 12a car with 13x7 panas. I know my car is a good 2.5 seconds faster with a better driver behind the wheel. I'm hoping to get more seat time and also to get my trilink/panhard on before next season and get closer to the miatas... Also hoping to get the carb improved, but one thing at a time...

 

The Miatas are NOT invulnerable!!!

Man, did I have a great weekend! I raced in Muskegon Michigan, and it was one of the nicest courses I've driven to date, despite the small size of the lot. This is only my 2nd year in autocross, so I'm still learning as I go, but this time I had a sort of epiphany. My car ran and handled great, and I felt like I finally drove it at close to the limit. What an awesome time...

The final tally was: I got beat by one Miata, but 7 others fell to the old rx7! On top of that, I also got:

1 Solstice
1 S2000
1 STI
and an RX8
plus many others, of course. But I don't brag about beating Hondas. lol. And this was on street tires! Sumitomos, to be exact.

Here's the official results (I'm #98 in CSP): http://www.myautoevents.com/pls/mae/...sEVENT_ID=7999

From the begining, it was my idea to see how far I could push my car without race rubber. My suspension is just about done, so I think its about time to slap on some real tires. I have no plans for the motor because the way I figure it, I've never lost a race due to lack of horsepower. Only a lack of skill. 213,000 miles now and still plenty strong.

My internet is down at home, but when it gets fixed I'll post up some videos from this event.

DEATH TO THE MIATAS!!!

 

Okay, here is the video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jB-JDdINMzU

If you listen closely, you can still hear my sticking apex seal...

Here's some video from an earlier event, which was my first rainy raceday:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aqTrHIN--2Y

 

That looks good, you'd love it when you get race tires, it becomes a whole different car! that is one complicated course, we rarely have courses that loops back on itself...