Whats happening to the MX5 racing??

[toppertee]

"FAST ... RELIABLE ... CHEAP" pick any two.
Or Fast... Reliable... or build it yourself with your mates

If you want more speed either find some more money or slower racing field.
I know where the money is it's in the bank , I've seen so many blokes, go chasing speed.... They can lose there business, house and there wife, motor sport is and can be like a drug. I chose not to chase hp/speed. By the looks of it MSC, offers another option, where I can run my very modest car, with my mate and it shouldn't cost more than $1500 a round. Plus I won't be monstered by supercars. If I put said car into the wall, as longs as I'm o.k. no harm done. I can build another for less than 10k. Which is what the cost of a 200+hp BP motor?
I'm not saying what is right for me is for everyone, your happy with what you are doing, cool and the gang, I'm just saying this is a better option for me.

[little decks]

Msc boots you from competition if you car surpasses 5:1 at any point.

Dann

Yep my bad, but its KW not HP... knew there was something that didn't add up

[Magpie]

Yep my bad, but its KW not HP... knew there was something that didn't add up

Thanks, I missed the kw as well

Therefore a NA is a red book of 930 kg so at 5:1 equates to a max of 186 kw or 250 HP, nice.

[toppertee]

Thing to think about is if you want to run at 5:1. It's a one hour race without re-fueling.
So you can ether run a larger fuel cell (extra weight), or de tune the motor, to last the one hour, I can't see a 250hp BP lasting 2, 1 hour races, or making it on 45 litres of fuel.
Just my thoughts.

[mazmad]

The 5:1 only applies when the car drives out of the dealership right? From there compliance comes down to compliance with the Cams classes, and in reality there will still be cars pushing the boundaries.

Only becomes an issue if someone contests a result I am guessing. There are a bunch of supposedly 2f cars here running massive aeros for example.

[toppertee]

For me, it's about having fun number 1.
It's going to be a lot more fun, not getting lapped by super cars, trust me it's no fun getting lapped by monsters, no mater how good the drivers think they are, I've been passed down the back straight at qr doing 150-160ish in my NA6 by a super car, which was a easy 100km quicker, tell you what I sh*t myself, It's like been in a Formula vee car getting passed by a F1 car. With cars that are 30-40 km per hour faster it's a lot safer, you can see them coming and have more time to move out of the way.
I'm going to use a pretty stock NA6 with a almost stock 1800 motor, which will be running a MS2 ECU. The car would be lucky to owe me 10k. One of my best mates is going to co drive. I can't see it getting any better than that. If guys want to chase the trophy, good luck to them. I'm going to be happy running as fast and as a safe as I can, then have a few beers at the end.
I can't wait for the next event. Right pissed off I couldn't make the first one, because of work.
Just my thoughts

[motomenace]

Our turbo NB will be at the next production sports round.
Hopefully brakes work now lol

[mazmad]

Yep. Consistently clear and current information would be good.

Perhaps the regional mx5 clubs could dedicate a web page with the all known options for each state?

G

The MX-5 Club of NSW has put together a page of info, link is here through this forum:

viewtopic.php?f=68&t=59434

[Cal]

Prod Sports Qld has a Facebbok page and website for anyone interested:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/137859641769/?ref=br_tf

http://www.pscraq.com.au/index.php

[evil_weevil]

so anyone in NSW going to MRA round 4?

[mazmad]

That would be a 'yes' from me.

[zossy1]

Shoot guys. I see this thread is still hanging around, and the issues do not seem to have improved much.

I've spoken to a bunch of people now - thanks Craig, Daniel, Michael... I've also done a heap of reading up on rules and regs, etc. But I have to say, things still aren't much clearer.

So we have two separate bodies administering "MX5 racing" (let's call it that, even though it seems nearly impossible to get a grid of mx5s together these days). One (CAMS) runs an expensive, cumbersome show requiring significant outlay to be competitive in a door-to-door environment (I'm talking about 2B and 2F racing - where you would have to spend pots of money to build a car that can beat something like an Exige in either 2B or 2F).

On the other hand, you have AASA that seems to run a more thrifty operation, but the rules seem almost non existent - like in MSC, you have vague PWR rules allowing pretty much a "run what you brought" situation and then stick you in a category according to some assessment of whether you have FI, a larger capacity engine, or over x% weight reduction... OK, I get this, very open...classes determine who you are supposed to be racing... But how do I know what I'm racing beforehand? And building a car... I guess I choose a category, build an engine that fits in it capacity-wise and build/tune it like mad, lighten the car no more than the x%, and drive it? Well that SORT of makes sense...

And now I hear that this may be changing next year and they will just stick you in a class according to your lap speed, and you will go up/down depending on your times... Sorry but this makes no sense to me - why would I want to be "fastest in the second group"? And what does the guy who is "slowest in the first group" get, even if he is in a similar car?

Guys, I have been around racing my whole life and I can tell you, THIS is why MX5 racing in this country is failing.

You know what I want? Give me a set of rules that I know will still be around in the same or similar terms in 2-3 years. I will build an affordable car to these rules, and come to a track and run against other guys who have built a car to the same set of rules. We will go door to door and someone will win and someone will lose. Superior car prep and driving skill will win the day. Is that too much to ask? I wondered why my mates were off racing historics... Perhaps this is the reason?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spec_Miata

[little decks]

If everyone thought along those same lines it would be great... unfortunately there often is a situation where someone builds a car without opening a rulebook then they want to race it and claim its unfair to exclude them... then there are those that buy a car that seems to be a good price, but mainly because it doesn't fit under any category and then they want to bring that a long and race it.

[NitroDann]

I still strongly advocate a dyno on a truck at all events for disputes, Power to weight classes, and power to weight labelled on all rear windows so if you get overtaken you can look at the rear window and decide if its a BS number or not (because you know your own).

Dann

[greenMachine]

Zossy has made a good point.

What nobody mentions is that the 2B/F classes are there, they have been there forever, and probably will be there forever. What have we got - whatever is flavour of the month, it seems. The Challenge rose and fell, MSC has taken its first step and may deliver next year, they play too rough in TT/Super TT, I have built this beaut car, where can I race it...

If I am putting money into a race car (registered/road, or dedicated track car), I want to know where to spend my money to best effect/performance, and that when I have spent it I want to know that the performance I have bought will last me longer that the race meeting on xxx date, or even a season. Good ideas are all very well, but we (or at least I) need a certain level of stability and predictability.

This year I ran Supersprints - there is a rulebook, and a calendar, and I can plan, and budget accordingly. I mounted a campaign, and got a result. Next year, well I am going to have to make a decision - I don't have the funds to do everything, so the only game on the horizon is doing the Supersprints again. I may do a race meeting if something attractive turns up, but there is, at the moment, nothing to commit to.

That may change as MSC gets its act together and we see a calendar - I hope so, because for me Supersprints are getting a little 'been there, done that' and I would like a new challenge.

I commend the initiative and hard work of Simone, Chris and all the others that have been involved in the Challenge and MSC. I am not knocking anyone who has the ideas and drive to make things happen, just setting out my thoughts.