Video footage from NHMS 2 (mostly Miatas)

[CP]

Here are some of the more interesting moments at NHMS 2 from my point of view. I was in the green NB with no decals. The car is essentially a Spec Miata except for the lack of a restrictor plate.

Vid 1
Vid 2
Vid 3
Trail braking into T6 bites me here; slow hands or a mis-timed lift I think...or both.

Does anyone else have some fun moments to post?

[escortracer]

Is that a short sleeve shirt your wearing

[paultg]

Wow. Pretty interesting to see on the 2nd video how much motor Will's car has (I think it was Will you were following), as well as how well the brakes on the blue S2000 work!

I've got lots to work on. Thanks for sharing the video's.

Paul G.

[CP]

I think Will has got an extra 1000rpm to work with, and has "massaged" the engine quite a bit too. Mine's just a stock crate motor with no mods other than AC and PS deleted, per the SCCA Spec Miata rulebook. The cars really shouldn't be in the same class (SPC) but I'm stuck competing against faster Miatas because of the way the classes are defined. He's fun to try to follow though, as I learn lots of little tricks from other drivers.

[CP]

After looking at the results, I can clearly see I'm in the wrong class competing against cars I'd hardly consider "equals." I'm a far shout from the power of an S2000 you see in one of my videos (stock: 240+ vs 140), and even from Will's heavily massaged ITA car. My fault I guess for placing myself in SPC...

[WillM]

Thank you! Cool videos! Had I known I was being chased by the camera car, I would have spun or done something more dramatic.

Welcome to the world of SPC. It is nearly impossible to bring Miatas & their engines up to the power-to-weight ratios of 4-banger Nissan, Hondas, and BMW's. If you run with the SCCA or other clubs, and prepare the car to conform to several different rulesets, then it becomes virtually impossible. If you are looking for better laptimes with COM, jump out of SM and go up to ITS. The '99 cars respond very well to intake/exhaust upgrades.

Cy, you had zero problems getting around the other SPC (Spec and ITA) Miatas in the videos, nice driving! Shooting straight over 5 and down the chute into 6 seems to have worked well for you. Seems your car has some good pull to it but falls a bit flat. I'm assuming stock airbox and no restrictor plate?

1000+ extra RPM and a heavily "massaged" engine, the things dreams are made of! You forgot the nitrous in the rollcage, 100% carbon fiber frame & body work, and helium-filled tires! Kidding aside, an extra 2-300 RPMs in a Miata seems like a zillion. There is no power up there, and it takes an eternity to go from 7200 to 7400. It does, however, keep you from bouncing on the rev limiter into 3 and 6 at NHMS. ITA does not really allow much (valve job + 0.5 compression bump). Car makes 123 hp on a dyno where 1.6 Miata(s) make 116. I've been told IT-prepared '99+ Miatas are into the 160-165hp range.

I was slow by 2 seconds this weekend, running on old tires and mushy brakes. Excuses, excuses, I know! After the 12-hour at Summit, I had a "cheap attack" and stuck with the used parts I had on the car. The videos confirmed my seat-of-the-pants feel, that the car was down on sticktion. Data shows I lost a ton of time under braking and through corners.

Regardless of "results", I had a blast both days...! Hey, at least I beat Sam!

Can't wait to do it all again. With Tremblant, Mosport, and couple trips to NHMS, the COMSCC season still has a lot of fun left for 2008.

I'll post up some videos when I get a chance.

[paultg]

I'll post up some videos when I get a chance.

Please do! I think I am getting as much from these videos as I did all weekend during the event!

Thanks,
Paul G.

[jimalley]

I watched the second video and think you covered Will very well. In my opinion Will can drive a Miata as well as anyone and he has his car sorted.

Will is correct. Having the CPU worked on to increase the RPM is a big help at NHMS especially going into six. Not sure this is true with then 1.8 but is for the 1.6. (300 RPM will?) Best bang for the cost to increase performance even though these RPMs are well above the power range.

SPC was very competitve in a miata a couple of years ago but that is old history. It appears that the car counts are down in SPC and this is partly do to the fact that SCCA cars that used to cross over are no longer able to run with the front runners in this class.

[CP]

Cy, you had zero problems getting around the other SPC (Spec and ITA) Miatas in the videos, nice driving! Shooting straight over 5 and down the chute into 6 seems to have worked well for you. Seems your car has some good pull to it but falls a bit flat. I'm assuming stock airbox and no restrictor plate?

Stock NB airbox and no plate, correct. The crate motor was new in April. The exhaust also has a muffler with a bunch of broken baffles, so I don't know if that helps or hurts. It certainly pains my eardrums.

Kidding aside, an extra 2-300 RPMs in a Miata seems like a zillion. There is no power up there, and it takes an eternity to go from 7200 to 7400. It does, however, keep you from bouncing on the rev limiter into 3 and 6 at NHMS.

I swear I watched your tach zing to 8000rpm at the Audi event while I rode along with you. I've begun to shift to 4th for several seconds coming into 3 and 6. My lame duck downshift was probably the reason for my spin there.

I was slow by 2 seconds this weekend

My best laps were in the low-mid 23s, so I lost 1.5 seconds somewhere (wet T11/12) after the rainstorm. Thanks again for the wet/dry tire advice on Wednesday afternoon Will.

Oh, and sorry for the slow point-by in the second video. I was setting start/finish on my lap timer and wasn't paying attention to my mirrors.

[Grippy]

HP in a Miata is almost irrelevent, but then again I wish I had a bit more. If you are maximizing your suspension and tires you are way ahead. maintaining your momentum is the key to fast lap times. More time on the gas, less time on the brakes, and NO coasting.

I have a stock junkyard engine and ECU, CAI and header/exhaust = no power and less torque. I just try to pedal faster.

As Will said, IT rules allow very little gain on a Miata engine. Unfortunately in SPC you can do anything outside if increasing cylinder count, which puts a dual club car at a disadvantage.

I think I need a Cosworth.

[chaos4NH]

Regardless of "results", I had a blast both days...! Hey, at least I beat Sam!

Can't wait to do it all again. With Tremblant, Mosport, and couple trips to NHMS, the COMSCC season still has a lot of fun left for 2008.

Ha! the challenge is accepted! I couldn't get it going this time out. Heat, wet braking zone in turn 11, you know, all the usual excuses for not having my act togther! All resulting in a time nearly 3 seconds slower than last year on STOCK suspension
Great fun!

[WillM]

I swear I watched your tach zing to 8000rpm at the Audi event while I rode along with you. I've begun to shift to 4th for several seconds coming into 3 and 6. My lame duck downshift was probably the reason for my spin there.

OK, makes sense now. The stock tach goes from somewhat inaccurate to totally inaccurate in higher RPM's. I think Mazda did that on purpose, to make it seem as if the car revs higher than it does. My street car looks like it winds out to 7500, but the factory cut is 7200. I wouldn't be suprised if you saw the stock tach hit close to 8000RPM. That is part of the reason I have a shift light with integrated digital tach. No way would have the digital tach exceeded 7400 RPMs.

As for point-by etiquette, you've got nothing to apologize for. You were moving, and I had fun the whole time, running around with you, Les, Bill, Gordon, and everyone else.

G is absolutely right about the Miata pecking order.
1. Tires
2. Suspension
3. Brakes
4. Power

I finally spent some money on the engine after years of working on driving & suspension. Money I spent was mostly for reliability. My car ran a full day of testing/practice at Summit, and then a 12-hour enduro, without a single mechanical issue (save a bad alternator, swapped out before the enduro start). Changed the oil, bled the brakes, realigned the car, installed the passenger seat, and brought it to the COM event at NHMS. Spent more time washing the car than anything! It is funny, because it's true!

[gread]

I only watched your 2nd video, but a few pointers for the future.
#1 The best lesson Chris Tier ever gave me was to watch your consistency. In a large HP car like mine, motor helps make up for small lapses, in a Miata, being on the money makes all the difference. Remeber to really get to your apex points, not 3-4 feet off, but right on. Even a 100 rpm shift change makes a difference. A .10 second adjustment at each corner means a 1 sec. gain at the end of the lap.
NO COASTING. The Turner boys used to yell at me to not mistake coasting for being smooth. On the gas completely to the braking point, soft steering input, brake fully, roll back on the power smoothly as soon as possible. This is the key to fast times and is easy to say and difficult to do. Requires lots of practice and focus. Will Turner summed it up to me the best: Anyone can brake in a straight line, Anyone can accelerate away from the apex point. The key to speed is the entry and 1st 1/2 of any corner. Focus your attention their and you'll make the biggest strides. That is where us weekend warriors get seperated from the big boys. I have a data overlay of Bill Auberlean and myself at Lime Rock Park. At every point on the track my section times where the same except for the enrty to 1 and going up the hill. In those 2 places, he gained 2 seconds a lap. My focus sucks and he drives professionally. On a 1.6 mile track, he handled less than a 1/4 mile of space better and it made all the difference.
This is not critical of you or anyone else at COMSCC. I'm just trying to help out junkies who like to go faster...
Turn 1: Going inside doesn't help your lap times usually. Unless you are racing wheel to wheel and need to keep the door shut, stay high and on the throttle rounding down late for the left hander.
Turn 2B: Apex later. Your early turn in is causing you to lose speed entering back onto the main track. This is an important corner for gaining time. If you get a poor run onto the straight to turn 3 your losing a ton of time.
Turn 3: The outside corner has a deep bump. I avoid this area by apexing later and getting on the power up the hill earlier. Miata guys may go different for momentum, the the bump is a killer. Stay away as much as possible.
The bowl gets a different approach by myself. Crest the hill and stay to the left by the flagstation. Then straight down the hill aiming directly at the last cone on the left. Don't follow the pavement out to left going down the hill. Turn in later and power your way through the bowl making sure you get right to the apex cones. Miata guys may run a different line, but staying on the power straight down the hill longer should help even hp challenged cars.
Over the hill under the flag station try to stay right to soften the entrance to the downhill. Once again turn later. (a consistent theme here)
On the downhill, remember to avoid the transition bump to the inside right. There is more runoff room than you think out to the left, so get on the gas strong down the hill.
11 and 12 look good, just remember to hit your spots right on.
Good Luck. I hope this helped even a little because I really enjoyed my time running with COM and the people there where a great resource for me.

[WillM]

Ha! the challenge is accepted!

HA! Just making sure you were paying attention to this thread, Sam.

Awesome job at the event keeping things moving. You, Mark, DJ, Glen & his crew of workers did a commendable job in keeping the event moving and safe. The weather certainly didn't make things easy!

You are bringing plenty of attention to the Speed3's. Noticed we had at least one other Speed3 at the event, and I'd assume more to follow. Awesome cars at incredible prices. I wouldn't mind having one as a daily driver / track beast.

[jrussell]

My car ran a full day of testing/practice at Summit, and then a 12-hour enduro, without a single mechanical issue (save a bad alternator, swapped out before the enduro start). Changed the oil, bled the brakes, realigned the car, installed the passenger seat, and brought it to the COM event at NHMS. Spent more time washing the car than anything! It is funny, because it's true!

And that's what pisses off those of us with high maintenance cars. Especially those of us that don't dimentionally fit in a Miata. I've driven a few (2 were SM cars, 1 a street car) and there just isn't enough room to steer without my hands hitting my legs.