JhnRX7's 2017 Season Track Tour: Rotary FD & MX-5 Powah'ed
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,807
Likes: 648
From: FL-->NJ/NYC again!
Sorry guys, but due to the vile and disgusting actions of a few unsavory people, John decided to leave the forum. I'm not sure if he'll be coming back.
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,067
Likes: 7
From: Home of the Rolex 24
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,067
Likes: 7
From: Home of the Rolex 24
Yeah, you'd think some of the older forum members would know how to act like adults though. There's a lot that happens on here that is not seen...for now. When a member attacks someones personal life/career that's crossing the line. There's more to life than the Rx-7club 
This is John's build thread though and it seems to be getting off topic a bit.
-Dan
This is John's build thread though and it seems to be getting off topic a bit.
-Dan
Highwayman
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 570
Likes: 0
From: Houston
On topic... very interested for more pictures of the wheels after powdercoating. First pic on this page makes them look very bright / glossy while track pictures make it looks almost like a flat black.
Got any more pics?
Got any more pics?
Yeah, you'd think some of the older forum members would know how to act like adults though. There's a lot that happens on here that is not seen...for now. When a member attacks someones personal life/career that's crossing the line. There's more to life than the Rx-7club
This is John's build thread though and it seems to be getting off topic a bit.
-Dan
This is John's build thread though and it seems to be getting off topic a bit.
-Dan
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 998
Likes: 30
From: Philadelphia, PA
So after about a 6 year hiatus I guess its time to update this... I think the thread title needs some updating.
I had been doing track events in the FD for a few years but only ever managed to get in a couple weekends per year. I was improving, but at a very slow pace. That changed last year when I picked up a $600 NA Miata and did every event I could make it to. I ended up getting 13 days under my belt last year. The combination of having a "disposable" car that I had no emotional attachment to and a low power car where every mistake costs you helped me to figure things out very quickly. The first event I did in the rain was where the light bulb in my head turned on and I started making big improvements after that.
A bunch of my local FD buddies ended up getting Miata's as well and between us we would always have someone else at the track with us chasing each other down... It has been a blast. As slow as it is, I love that little car.
Fast forward to last weekend when a group of us decided to all meet up for a track weekend at Road Atlanta, a bucket list track for most of us. Being Road Atlanta, I had to take the FD back out. At this point it had been two years since I had the FD on track and my abilities had greatly developed in the Miata, but I was unsure how that would transfer to the much more powerful FD.
We all loaded up the trailers and took the 13-16 hour trip down from the Notheast (and Brent from Kansas) down to RA.
First session of the weekend was raining then the weather cleared up making for a perfect weekend. Turns out everything I learned in the Miata transferred seamlessly to the FD. I felt extremely comfortable in the car pushing it to my/it's limits. In the two days we had there I managed to go from a 2:08 rainy first session down to a 1:41 in my final session. It was a lot to take in over the weekend, but Road Atlanta definitely exceeded my expectations.
I had been doing track events in the FD for a few years but only ever managed to get in a couple weekends per year. I was improving, but at a very slow pace. That changed last year when I picked up a $600 NA Miata and did every event I could make it to. I ended up getting 13 days under my belt last year. The combination of having a "disposable" car that I had no emotional attachment to and a low power car where every mistake costs you helped me to figure things out very quickly. The first event I did in the rain was where the light bulb in my head turned on and I started making big improvements after that.
A bunch of my local FD buddies ended up getting Miata's as well and between us we would always have someone else at the track with us chasing each other down... It has been a blast. As slow as it is, I love that little car.
Fast forward to last weekend when a group of us decided to all meet up for a track weekend at Road Atlanta, a bucket list track for most of us. Being Road Atlanta, I had to take the FD back out. At this point it had been two years since I had the FD on track and my abilities had greatly developed in the Miata, but I was unsure how that would transfer to the much more powerful FD.
We all loaded up the trailers and took the 13-16 hour trip down from the Notheast (and Brent from Kansas
) down to RA.First session of the weekend was raining then the weather cleared up making for a perfect weekend. Turns out everything I learned in the Miata transferred seamlessly to the FD. I felt extremely comfortable in the car pushing it to my/it's limits. In the two days we had there I managed to go from a 2:08 rainy first session down to a 1:41 in my final session. It was a lot to take in over the weekend, but Road Atlanta definitely exceeded my expectations.
Last edited by JhnRx7; Mar 27, 2017 at 08:54 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 998
Likes: 30
From: Philadelphia, PA
The group of us that made the trip all own FD's currently, but only Dan (Scrub), John (RenesisFD) and myself ended up bringing our FD's. Brent moved on to another platform and brought his awesome track prepped Mustang. Costas' FD is over in Cyprus so he came in his new Porsche Cayman. Ryan and Jason decided to bring their Miata's. It looked like they were having a blast, and part of me wishes I had my Miata there too. Ryan was taking T12 flat and really moving through T1 and the esses!
My fast lap:
Having some fun with Dan on the first day:
My fast lap:
Having some fun with Dan on the first day:
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 998
Likes: 30
From: Philadelphia, PA
Yeah, GoPro Hero 3 mounted to the side of my helmet. One of the other guys there had a few Sony cameras and we found those to have much better dynamic range when using them inside the car.
Thanks Pete. Wish you could have made it as well. Im definitely planning either a VIR or Watkins trip at some point this year. I will keep you in the loop.
Thanks Pete. Wish you could have made it as well. Im definitely planning either a VIR or Watkins trip at some point this year. I will keep you in the loop.
