mx5cartalk.com

I have been asked by a few people to post the path the green machine and I have taken.

First post here (some 6 months after the fun began...better late than never).

Hopefully some can learn from my mistakes! and may be of interest to those also looking to dip the toe into the waters of circuit racing.

My mx5 encounter actually began with another car. I leap frogged an rx8 basically.

Going back – more than a few years – I have had a variety of vehicles, some more truck than car - Hilux ute. Celica ( ), mr2, alfa, various 4wds, a Hilux ute…..

First taste for rear-wheelspin-tail-out action was in my youth in a Hillman Hunter on the dirt roads on the coast west from Auckland, around Karekare and Piha. From memory it was a 1500 with a 90/10 weight distribution. Also got to drive my mum’s little mini regularly. How did my mates and I survive unscathed? Luck of the young and stupid I guess.

I did a bunch of ‘track’ days with a car club a few ….ahem….years ago. Nothing serious, no timing or racing.

In 2011 I got an rx8 (what is my thing with well balanced rwd, under powered cars…..?). With the rx8 I wanted to do this again and maybe more.



The intention was to use it as a commuter, and track it occasionally. I had always lusted after the rx’s, the bonus with the rx8 being I could also transport my daughter around in a child seat in the rear.



Future co-driver? Here’s hoping.

Then I got it on track for the first time.

It was the wettest track day I have ever had, lakes of water on the track at Wakefield. It was a lot of fun (soooooo cold, in June 2012). But I found I could not bring myself to hammer in the rx8, irrespective of the conditions. It was in pristine nick, and my daily car. Managed a hugely unimpressive 1.38.2 in the drenched conditions at Wakefied.

...the wet conditions.


Came home, and the realization kicked in. I need (note, ‘NEED’ not want….) a dedicated track car. A car that I can take to the track and hammer, and develop just for the track, and if - well, let’s say ‘when’ - s%$t happens and it has to be trucked home, it isn’t as expensive as a low volume car to fix, and I can still get around Sydney in my daily while the track car is put back together.

So I started researching. Couple of contenders but only one car ticked all the boxes. Lightweight, near 50/50 weight distribution, 1 million produced (or near enough), lots of parts and after market mods – and expertise - available. And well supported in amateur racing. The mighty mexer. (What is it with me with and underpowered rwd cars….?)



The green machine was in great condition actually – apart from weird corner ride heights. A little more battered and bruised now, but still smiling.



So I had chosen the car. Now, where to drive it…. As luck would have it, the mx5 club had a club day 2 weeks and 1 day after I collected the car.

I had my entry in before I took possession of the car – collected the green machine on the 14th July with the club day on the 29th July 2012. And by the way – huge thanks to Mike Hicks and Zan for getting me in, and the advice early on.

Before I took possession of the car I had already ordered a roll bar from mx5 Plus (quite a hunk of metal, and great service from those guys in Brisvegas). I am – as a few buddies would confirm – not the most mechanically minded guy. Basically a know-nothing with a taste for the smell of petrol and burning brake pads

So I had to find a workshop who knew about prepping track cars, locally.

Mission accomplished: In the next week the rollbar was fitted by a workshop in Brookvale with some interesting experience along with:

Mx5 plus rollbar
PSS9’s
6 point harness (no crotch strap fitted at this point)
fire extinguisher
ebc discs and greenstuff pads
daisy's with re001's
So some basic safety and handling gear first. And a full fluid change and wheel alignment.

And for the record – I HAVE considered go-faster-hp-mods every step of the way.

But I was the recipient of some great advice early on:

- Learn to drive the car (work on getting the DRIVER quick first). Then work on making the car faster.
- Or in the words of several forumites SEAT TIME SEAT TIME SEAT TIME
Best advice came from Stewart
– ‘Ask for and listen to lots of advice. Then ignore it all’.

We were ready for our first ‘track’ing

edit: didn't get the r888's until some months later.

For the record: it is a 2002 nb8b, had 89k on the clock when I took possession.

mazmad wrote:Best advice came from Stewart
– ‘Ask for and listen to lots of advice. Then ignore it all’.

Personally I'd ignore that advice if I were you.

Yeah good advice.

I should add I have also had lots of other really helpful advice from numerous other posters, some of whom I have met 'off-line' and some online. Including mssrs manga blue, guran/bryan, dann, ralph....thanks to all

The mx5 community is hugely helpful, and the club sets the tone in this regard.

Good to see this thread Craig!

Nice thread! Should have posted earlier....but at least you made up for it

gslender wrote:Nice thread! Should have posted earlier....but at least you made up for it

Thanks Ready for the trek north when you have your series off the ground.

So the first track day was 29th July. The prep I did in advance – checking peoples lines on youtube - didn’t do me much good. Best was a weak 1.22.1 I think. But had a blast, met some great people, and was a fantastic beginning to the journey.

Shortly after I invested in 2 tools I have used continuously since. A log and my p-box. My thinking being that I need to compensate for my lack of experience – did someone say ‘and ability’…? - by being a good student.



One of the gems of advice which I did not ignore (apologies, I forget who it came from) was – keep a log. A notebook in which I keep a log of sorts: of car prep and any changes to setup and modifications in advance of track days; goals for the day and areas I can improve on; and handling and performance notes from the track day, and areas for future improvement. The p-box is invaluable for real-time feedback on your performance.



This is the club day on 29 July - actually with Ralph at the wheel for the first few laps trying to get me not to be a bonehead!

I had one more track session, on the Sth Circuit SMSP before having 15” 6ul’s fitted with Toyo r888 205/50/15’s.

Drove to Wakefield to try these out on September 13th 2012. Did a bunch of laps in the 1.16’s with the best at 1.16.0 even with rain drizzling down from time to time – before my clutch gave out. It was on the way out when I bought the car, today was the day it retired.

The sad green machine was trailered home from Wakefield (probably not for the last time)

Had a heavy duty clutch and PWR radiator fitted, and hasn’t missed a beat since.

My first competitive event was the Supersprint on the south circuit SMSP on 16th Sept. A hot sunny day with no shade! I didn’t feel comfortable, with the shocks and ride height the car was picking up the inside rear wheel, not great on the 2 hairpins, so I didn’t even crack 1.10.

But I had loads of fun, and the atmosphere was super friendly and everyone really helpful. Battled it out in my group with a few hot corollas, a Porsche 944 and a very fast Commode ute.

Also found out afterwards I was running the toyo’s pressure waaaaay too high, hence sliding and squealing like the proverbial



Most of all – it was an absolute hoot competing on the track.

And I was developing a knack for doing a Steven Bradbury – picked up 3rd place in class 2B in this championship round and hence a few points for the mx5 club.

Bout time you posted up Craig!
(I should update mine haha)

Trying to get it up to date.