silverbeast

iTrader: (16)

Hey guys i need your honest opinion here. I have a buddie at work who has done a small amout of road racing and we were talking about it one day and he made the comment that a BONE stock miata with nothing more than a professional driver would wipe my *** at VIR. I told him no way in hell. I know the driver would be a huge advantage but down the straight aways i would be able to pull far enough away that the miata would never be able to pull back around me.

Now you can see my mods in my sig and i have sub frame connectors and slotted rotors and hawk pads. I have never driven a car on a road course but i have owned a couple of racing go carts and i am a better than average driver. My car has goodyear DS3's also. What do you guys think? Thanks for your oponion. BTW my car makes around 430 rwhp 396 rwtq.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

im nobody that does road courses...

but your car would murder it so bad on the straights even with a professional drivier wouldnt be able to make up that time.. just my opinion though! doesnt mean jack ****!

silverbeast

iTrader: (16)

thats what i cant seem to make him understand. I could pull over for lunch while i wait for it to catch up,lol.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

most people dont understand how fast a H/C ls1 is in a straight line.. its not that they are stupid, just ignorant..

although, again.. i could be wrong, but i dont think i am..

i have never raced a miata.. but i do not think it would be pretty AT ALL..

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

VIR is a very technical course. While it has some decent straight sections, they have very demanding corners on each end. Personally, I think a seasoned driver behind the wheel of a spec Miata would be a handful for a street car.

The second or third time I went to a road course, I had a H/C TA with 315 street tires. I was schooled badly by a mini-Cooper.

I know it doesn't make sense. But on a road course, there is more time spent braking and turning that there is just accelerating.

In this particular case, I bet it would be closer than you might first think.

Arctic2002ss

It depends on the coarse. The small, lighter cars (Miata, Minis, S2000s) are a problem on a tight coarse. Higher speed coarses with sweeping turns are what our cars like and have the advantage there. Still, a great driver in a "slow" car can surprise you.

On Power Tour last year, they had a very small autocross and a 3 cylinder Geo Metro easily beat my time, and most everyone elses.

silverbeast

iTrader: (16)

I know the Miata with the right setup and a skilled driver would be a handfull but im talking about a bone stock one. My car has better brakes, better suspension, better tires and more power so i dont think just a driver would be enough to put the miata in front.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

how tight are the turns we are talking? i just assumed this would be on a coarse with like someone said, long sweeping turns and good straights..

EchoMirage

iTrader: (3)

how are your brakes better? unless you have a $5K porsche brake kit, just having a larger diameter rotor isnt enough. the miata weighs 1000lbs less then your car does. it can do alot on just street pads.

ive had track days with both miata type cars and some muskrats and vettes. if VIR is as technical as they say it is, then youre NOT going to just rape him. i dont care if its stock and you have your mods. keep in mind all your mods are for power and drag racing. i see nothing for handling, ie: shocks/springs/sways. not to mention a 12 bolt will probably hurt your handling more then help it. its heavier, and who knows what kind of diff you have. if its more drag racing oriented, then thats even worse.

all your HP and torque wont help a damn if you cant put the power to the ground or make it stick around a turn. while you will have to pedal out of a corner, the miata can just floor it and go.

if it was a track like NJMP lightning, which is a fast, open, flowing track, then yes he'll be left behind. but for all you know, it could be neck and neck at VIR.

silverbeast

iTrader: (16)

I am pretty sure it would be alot closer than i would like just because of alot of the things you mentioned. I have been wanting to give road racing a try and since VIR is like 30 min from the house, this seems like a good time to do it.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

Don't foget your car has more weight ...

Roadcourses are more about weight than HP

silverbeast

iTrader: (16)

here is the layout of the track. 3.27 miles long with a 3000 ft front straightaway and a 4000 ft back straightaway. I just dont think there is no way in hell a stock miata can stay far enough ahead of me in the turns that i couldnt make up on the straights.

kukri

iTrader: (9)

Anything could happen. If I were you I would get 10-15 laps in before actually running against the miata. I ran my LS1 rx7 on street tires at CMP (2.5 miles) first time last weekend and was beating time trial Miatas on slicks by 3-4 seconds. Your car is faster around that course than a Miata, it's just a matter of driving it well enough to get it there. Also, if you end up doing this get racing braking fluid and race pads, otherwise you will not beating any Miatas after your stock brakes fade after 1 lap (ask me how I know.)

silverbeast

iTrader: (16)

I have slotted rotors and hawk pads on my car now and i wouldnt get on any track for a race without a little practice. I also have high temp brake fluid for my car.

EchoMirage

iTrader: (3)

slotted rotors dont do anything for better braking, and what hawk pads. HPS will overheat in several laps. so will HP+. HP+ is a minor stopgap between street and track pads. theyd make a good pad for a short, tight course that doesnt have alot of 100+ braking zones.

if you actually want better brakes, get blanks and a dedicated race pad.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Aren't drilled/slotted rotors actually worse for road course?

I can understand it cooling faster but there is less friction therefore not as much stopping power.....?

silverbeast

iTrader: (16)

well i can tell you my car stops 10 times better than it did stock so i know they are better than what i had.

silverbeast

iTrader: (16)

Echo what brake set up are you running?

dragonrage

Drilled are ALWAYS worse, and slotted make pretty much no difference.

EchoMirage

iTrader: (3)

im going to be beating a dead horse, but read the stickies in the handling/braking section. all ill say now is drilled/slotted do absolutely NOTHING for braking power. they dont cool faster, they dont grab better, nothing at all. if you want better brakes, get blanks and good pads. holes/slots are for looks only.

right on tireracks website, there is a disclaimer saying drilled rotors should NEVER be used on a track.