MX5 Challenge 2014

[motomenace]

Haha,

I dont want hard contact but what i was getting at is the guys at the front (not me) dont get "AS' Upset as those who want to drive their cars to work mon to fri.
I dont mind a rub and bump here and there as long as it is accidental from hard close racing. Those who are a bit more reserved wear the p plate knowing if they get any contact thats not their fault the other driver wont be around next heat to hit them again. It will also make the other drivers have a bit more respect. A card system could also be intoduced, two yellows = red means go home. This could be for aggressive driving, bad sportsmanship, or bringing rubbish onto the track.

Whatever the category decides to do with classes is fine but, the simpler the better. I dont want to be using a calculator every event to know where ill be. Qualifing could be 1 championship point to the pole sitters of each group.

Personally i like the idea of time divisions, the percentage rule is good for working out class cutoffs. The idea of the championship and catagories is to get people to show up every race. Hence why set in stone time brackets give more encentive to show to each round and do your best in your class. If your class changes based on who shows it makes things complicated to keep track of, where you actually sit.

From what i have seen at races is everyone is pretty consistent at each round with many only improving 1 or 2 tenths, unless modifications are done. When i first started i had a bog standard mx5 1.8, standard headers, standard ecu, open diff and shitty old semi slicks. I started off doing 1.13's then each event i slowly upgraded things i went slightly faster at each event. Now im stuck at 1.10's to 1.11's and unless i spend 1000's more i probably wont better my time much more. This is the same for many others.

Whatever the decision i think it needs to be as simple as possible and as fair as possible to ALL competitors.

Also with timed racing if the class didn't improve you could simply call it the Mazda challenge and include any race car that is Mazda. Alot of the old rx7's and so forth aren't much quicker if at all then the front mx5's anyway, and a lot would be in the mid pack.
Hopefully more people en devour to come racing. Once you have had a go you will wonder why you didn't try it earlier. Dont be scared, your not enetring a gladiator match, where not racing for sheep stations and we all respect each other (most). Damage is minimal and unless your sub 1.07s or 8's i could nearly garrentee that another car wont hit you. Also its wakefield and the fences are a long way away. Also if you want lap times to improve this would be the best way to learn.

At the start of the day youl be a bit nervous but come the afternoon on the drive home the smile will be ear to ear. If your not sure about it how about coming to an event and just spectate.

[frog_a_lot]

I think the issue with a time based class system is what happens when you go faster?
Say at the first round a do Div 3 time, then the second round I am faster so do I move to Div 2? and therefor how do season points work if people are changing divisions as they get quicker.
If you use qualifying times, what is to stop people purposely running a slightly slower time to get into a lower division therefor making sure they win the class.

I dont mind the CAMS/Supersprint classes.. my only issue is the road registered rule, because some people dont want to have a registered car due to extra costs etc, but this means they go into a higher class.

Control Tyres im 50/50 on. It would depend on the brand and if we could get an special deals. Although im paying $335 for A050s anyway so if something like that was chosen then I wouldn't mind.

The P Plate rule similar to other racing is a good idea, so everyone is aware who the newer players are and can give them a bit of extra room, and even come give them advice if they are feeling nice and friendly.

Im definitely keen though,

[mazmad]

Frog a lot I don't think anyone is talking of supersprint classes, just the usual Cams Racing classes. Road rego doesn't come into it, though there are a few road rego'd cars racing in super tt, not many mx5s. The supersprint classes are different (although confusingly similar names).

Agree with you though, I would be happy with cams classes, quite a few of us have built our cars to the cams regs. The issue is policing them, who would be doing it etc etc. hence the search for a simple approach.

[zossy1]

I'm all ready to build a car to race next year. I have a lot on but I'm hoping to be ready for some racing by Feb or March next year. Might miss the first round or something, or maybe i'll have a quiet summer and be good to go for the start... gotta arrange my licence etc as well.

I still find myself with a bitter taste in my mouth though over the state of racing mx5s. I think i'll end up building to 2B rules but in the end, there seems to be little stopping me from going ape and turboing the car as the AASA "rules" (i'll use the term loosely) allow me to run in the "Turbo" class.

But... maybe i'll go race some CAMS stuff one day or maybe the lax AASA situation may change at some point so i'll go 2B... for now.

Unlike others, I'm not really turned off so much by the cost or the agro, etc. Thankfully I can do a lot of my own work and repairs, have lots of parts lying around (including some complete cars), and have the help of my old man who is a real champion and knows heaps about MX5s. I've raced karts before and had a ball, you make good friends and you race clean and the feeling I get from the mx5 racers I've met is that there is a similar attitude among the bulk of drivers in the category (though the Super TT and CAMS prodsports have come in for some criticism from many). There is always the odd wanker but they are the exception.

As I have said before, my main concern has been, and remains, the rules to which cars are built and raced. Guys, it's a $hit situation now matter how you slice it. I know there are many who agree with me, and whilst some say that it is the lack of rules that make it cheaper, I don't agree and never will. Right now, you need to spend five figures on an engine and tuning to be at the front (in either 2F or 2B). The only exceptions may be the 2.5L NC option (which requires the added cost of an NC chassis), or the turbo option (which is still costly to do properly, increases running costs, and prevents any CAMS eligibility unless you have an SE).

How would a standard rule set and some basic policing of these rules increase costs? Especially if an introductory class for less modified vehicles was offered. How would it make the racing worse?

[/end rant]

OK with that out of the way, I am still looking forward to getting out there with you guys. I will probably be crap slow at first but, subject to my newborn on the way in April, I still hope to get out as much as I can.

[mazmad]

For anyone that's interested, Spec miata class specs are attached here

SPEC MIATA CLASS.pdf

.

And full regs for SCAA are here. http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/assets/2013%20GCR-November.pdf (8mg file so haven't attached it).

I don't think we can get a spec miata series going - too few numbers, too many cars already developed - but we can borrow some of the ideas (safety regs!) and maybe there is a sub-class with spec mx5's in the Challenge.

[mazmad]

And the details on NASA (headquartered on the West Coast)
NASA CCR - for Safety Regs: http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/ccr.pdf
NASA Spec Miata: http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/spec_miata_rules.pdf