Chicago Roll Call!
Thread Starter
MFz Regular
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 443
From: Chicago
Rust is a bitch that's why my FD is so much nicer to work on. But, I'll drill this bastard out somehow. If that fails. I'll weld it in place tomorrow before heading up to the track. RACE CAR cannot be stopped!
MFz Regular
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 59
From: Chicago, IL
Haha that's so true, been there done that. Oh this shouldn't take more than an hour, 3 hours later and every parts store is closed FUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuu
Grattan
Well, you guys missed a fun filled weekend. As expected Grattan was empty and still remains the most fun for a miata. I tried to trailer my car with a Uhaul. If you have a lowered Miata, don't do that. I had about 1/8" clearance on both sides of my frame rails and had to jack the front end real high to get it over the ramps. It took a few tries and some metal scraping to get it on and clever parking in a gully to get it off. I didn't need to reload for the ride home though as my buddy did this on the first hot lap of the first session of the first day (total track time 2 minutes at a cost of $160/min):
So instead of trailering my miata home, my cousin took her back home and I got to pull his injured Subbie back to South Bend before heading home.
The damage really isn't too bad. He'll need a new radiator, radiator support, headlights, bumper and hood. No serious mechanical damage. We went out to the new armco he bought and he autographed it Saturday night.
It was a weekend of attrition though. By the last run Sunday all that was left in my group was another Miata and an S2k. Lost an M3 and Evo because they thought their stock pads were Race Ready LMAO. A Vette started having wild oil pressure and dropped out, my buddy got a nail in his tire and the tire folks had just left for the weekend. The GT500 hit a kerb hard and broke his sway bracket sending the sway bar into his A2W intercooler plumbing which dumped a 20' stream of coolant and spun him out. I suffered two mechanical mishaps. My Throttle cable came off the bracket by the TB right before the pits. Rolled in and fixed it and went back out (Zip Tie Fix coming for that ----). Next session, my hose came off on the back of the head (coolant reroute) ran 1-1/2 laps dumping my coolant all over and running 220 - 230. These things are tanks. I put the hose back on, burped it, and proceeded to flog it for 2 more sessions with no issue.
So, with absolutely nobody on the track for the last session I had some fun with the other miata. He is a 10 AE with a FFS and R-COMP. But, other than that we are identical cars suspension and chassis stiffening wise. We did some follow the leader and I was able to see the difference in R-COMPS versus my Extreme Summer Tires (Toyo R1Rs versus some Hoosiers). We would take the turns at the same speed and entry points, but I would push as much as a car length wider. Interestingly, I didn't see as big a difference on the braking. I'm running the non sport brakes with CarboTech XP8s and he is on using HP+. I was consistently out braking him, but that could just be his driving.
Overall, it was a very fun weekend and a very rewarding track. Every turn is off camber or blind or BOTH. If you don't start turning before you see the turn in, it's too late. The track favors the miatas and is a blast. I have at least one run recorded that I'll get up for you guys to see. Next year, I hope to see more Miata's out there!
So instead of trailering my miata home, my cousin took her back home and I got to pull his injured Subbie back to South Bend before heading home.
The damage really isn't too bad. He'll need a new radiator, radiator support, headlights, bumper and hood. No serious mechanical damage. We went out to the new armco he bought and he autographed it Saturday night.
It was a weekend of attrition though. By the last run Sunday all that was left in my group was another Miata and an S2k. Lost an M3 and Evo because they thought their stock pads were Race Ready LMAO. A Vette started having wild oil pressure and dropped out, my buddy got a nail in his tire and the tire folks had just left for the weekend. The GT500 hit a kerb hard and broke his sway bracket sending the sway bar into his A2W intercooler plumbing which dumped a 20' stream of coolant and spun him out. I suffered two mechanical mishaps. My Throttle cable came off the bracket by the TB right before the pits. Rolled in and fixed it and went back out (Zip Tie Fix coming for that ----). Next session, my hose came off on the back of the head (coolant reroute) ran 1-1/2 laps dumping my coolant all over and running 220 - 230. These things are tanks. I put the hose back on, burped it, and proceeded to flog it for 2 more sessions with no issue.
So, with absolutely nobody on the track for the last session I had some fun with the other miata. He is a 10 AE with a FFS and R-COMP. But, other than that we are identical cars suspension and chassis stiffening wise. We did some follow the leader and I was able to see the difference in R-COMPS versus my Extreme Summer Tires (Toyo R1Rs versus some Hoosiers). We would take the turns at the same speed and entry points, but I would push as much as a car length wider. Interestingly, I didn't see as big a difference on the braking. I'm running the non sport brakes with CarboTech XP8s and he is on using HP+. I was consistently out braking him, but that could just be his driving.
Overall, it was a very fun weekend and a very rewarding track. Every turn is off camber or blind or BOTH. If you don't start turning before you see the turn in, it's too late. The track favors the miatas and is a blast. I have at least one run recorded that I'll get up for you guys to see. Next year, I hope to see more Miata's out there!
Don't lift in a turn, especially an off camber turn. Take your first few laps a little easier especially in a new car to the track AND when it's your first event of the year AND you made major suspension changes to it over the winter.