Bent

Last weekend my co-driver found a pothole and ruined the LR Kosei - killed the tire too. 

This next photo will give you some idea how bad the surface is here at Qualcomm stadium.

 

One more event coming up in RTR; it has been a good year and a fun car.  Next stop- BS.

Data and Tires and St. George

4.10:1 Final Drive
1.89 Second Gear
24.9" BFG Rival (24.3 actual)
6850 Rev Limiter

Confused I am.

Using the above numbers, all of the online gearing calculators and even the long-math method show a ~65 mph speed in second gear.  Multiple different GPS datalogs and OBDII readings show ~62.7 mph. Must be loading and tire compression affecting the circumference; maybe some slight GPS error also.

Flyin Miata Gearing Calculator

Rev limiter - based on OBDII readings - between 6850-6950.  The best information I could find on Miataforum.net says the NC1 limiter to be at 6750 and the NC2 500 rpm more at 7200 rpm.  I assume some overrun which would explain the erratic rpm limits.

Fudge Factor

More NC Data

The new B-Street rules for 2014 SCCA Solo competition allow a +/- 1" wheel diameter, although the width and offset need to remain the same.  A few 16x7" wheels are available in the correct dimensions and at a good price, but heavy at ~18 lbs.  Available tires are limited, but both Toyo and Dunlop offer their best street tires in a 225/45-16 size, a full inch shorter than my current Rivals for better gearing and lower center of gravity.


A comparison of spring rates and sway bars. (from Miata.net)
 

St George, Utah hosted a Match Tour in October.  Great competition in RTR with another MSR and ZOK in attendance.  3ooo feet altitude and uber-grippy concrete with a little asphault too.  I was slow to adapt to the grip levels and then coned away the winning time.  My co-driver mentioned poor braking performance when warm and we both concluded the tires were to blame.

St George Results


So what is going to be the car to have next year in B-Street?  MX5 MS-R, mid-engined Porsche, all wheel drive Evo or WRX, Honda S2K, ZOK Solstice, Corvette ?


And a couple pirated photos from our local events.

2013 SCCA Solo Nationals

   RTR was a large diverse 55 car class this year at the 2013 SCCA Solo Nationals with a huge variety of makes and models spanning several indexes. Eyeing my competition in paddock, I was most concerned about the Hyundai Genesis GS 2.0T / DS V6 and the Nissan CS 350 / 370Z, especially after walking the unique East course.  No Pontiac Solstice (?!) in attendance for this event.

   Day one we drove the fun and flowing Speidell West course and I was able to jump out front with a large 1.4+ second lead.  Ultimately, the BRZ/FRS was going to be my biggest fear this week and they slowly reeled me in reducing my day one lead to just over six tenths.

Video - West Course 2013 SCCA Solo Nationals

Video - East Course 2013 SCCA Solo Nationals




   The Strano East course drove differently (some restraint required here) than I thought but I was finally able to nail the apexes and keep my momentum up, improving again over the rest of the field.  Many of the higher power cars seemed to advance their positions with a SS Lotus Elise eventually finishing in third position; the CS Subaru BRZ came in second place. I captured the top spot on the podium in my 2007 Mazda MX5 for my first National win in SCCA Solo competition.

2013 Solo Nationals Results

   RTR is a supplemental class so technically I am a National Winner and not a National Champion.

 



   Assuming the SEB approves the new classing proposals, I look forward to the new challenge in B-Street where the same stock class rules apply on street tires, but the competition will be heads-up with no index and a slightly different class mix.

   Always room to improve and testing to be done.  A softer front swaybar setting allows the car to sweep better, but the resulting reduction in roll stiffnes means less camber and ultimately creates push, especially noticeable on Lincoln's concrete. It is a delicate and difficult balance to achieve.  I have already maxed out camber at all four corners, including tightening the suspension bolts under load.  The minor front shock adjustments I made this week worked well at initiating turn-in and the BFG tires seemed to want a little more air pressure - they definitely needed to be cooled down.

   My current thought process involves the 225/45-16 (if allowed next year) Dunlop which will lower the COG and help gearing.  Other thoughts in my head include the 245/40-17 Rival.

2013 SCCA Pro Solo Finale

Third position finish in RT2 at Lincoln Airpark Labor Day weekend, leaving me third overall for the year-end points championship behind a GS Toyota Celica and BS Honda S2000.

Front sway bar set position 4/5 Soft.  Front shocks 1/2 turn from full stiff. Tires:34F 31R.

Pro Solo Results

 

Left Side ProSolo Video.





Right Side ProSolo Video.

August 2013

Three weeks until the 2013 SCCA Solo Nationals.  The newish tires have endured one event, the Farmingtom ProSolo, and are primed and ready for Nationals.  The new lightweight exhaust sounds great and saves precious weight.

I rewired the camera microphone and modified the tall Frankenstein mount so future videos should be much better quality and improved camera angle.






Still trying to figure out the fuel gauge.  I do know that I can get at least 5 sixty second runs after the low fuel light is "on" with no fuel starve.

Replaced the stock shift knob with a round black delrin knob and replaced both plastic shifter bushings.

Muffler

Mazdaspeed muffler weighs 22 pounds.

New RoadsterSport muffler is less than half the weight and barely any louder.

Five thousand miles and 175+ autox runs and I finally noticed the tread splice.  Three of the tires have this.

Playing

  The good thing about a "stock" class car is that there is not much to play with.  The bad thing about a "stock" class car is there is not much to play with.

  Unlike STR, I cannot adjust ride height or spring rates, and my camber is limited to whatever the factory allowances give you, which in my case is about -2.3 at all four corners.  So I use the front bar to set the balance and fiddle with the Koni rebound to help stability.  Done.  Not entirely happy with the car's handling, but I guess it is pretty stellar for a 'stock' class car, or so I am told. 

  Several local autox events recently and the 225 Rivals have over 150 runs and about 1500 street miles; not as grippy as they used to be, especially on Qualcomm's asphalt.  The front tire shoulders are rounded and well worn so I finally rotated the tires front-to-back to help even the wear.  Still have about 3/32 or less tread remaining.

  The expensive PowerGrid swaybar endlinks started making clunking noises a few weeks ago so I replaced them with the OEM endlinks.  Quiet!   I like the design and adjustability of the PG units, but cannot deal with the noise. Searching for another option.

   While I was replacing the front endlinks, I loosened and re-torqued the suspension bolts under load which may give a slightly lower ride height and possibly more camber.  Free and easy. 

ET Pro Solo

  The SCCA El Toro Pro Solo was an enjoyable weekend with good food, cold beer, fun and fast courses, and a first place finish in a huge RT2 class.  The newest alignment has zero toe, so I kept the middle hole setting on the Progress front swaybar.  The car was still slightly pushy on corner exit but very confident in the fast transitions.




The push became worse as the BFG Rivals got hot and as the surface rubbered in.  I should have started with a looser setup or adjusted the swaybar for Sunday morning and let the car balance come to me as tire/surface conditions changed. 

2013 SCCA El Toro Pro Solo Results (pdf)





  The Good-Win-Racing Progress swaybar only has one more 'soft' adjustment setting and I fear that may not be loose enough for a concrete surface with lots of rubber laid down (think Lincoln Airpark Nationals; Thursday-Friday).  With a smaller OD and wall thickness, the Hotchkis swaybar should allow a better range of adjustments for my specific car's needs/course conditions, and I anticipate buying one just in case.

  The ultimate front sway bar would be a blade adjustable unit, possibly with a remote dial or lever adjuster. As far as I know, none currently exist for the NC/RX8 at this time so I am looking into having a custom unit built.

Next up is either the Southern Pacific Divisional or the Farmington Pro Solo.

SD Tour

My first event with the updated alignment was the San Diego Tour, or SCCA Pacific Southwest Championship.  The car would not turn at corner exit which is most likely due to the excessive toe-in. Somehow I still managed a first place finish ahead of 27 other competitors in RTR. 

So I went back to Lutz Tire for another alignment.  Gonna see what happens next weekend on the grippy El Toro surface at the SCCA Pro Solo.

I also picked up a used Good-Win-Racing RoadsterSport Race muffler.  Should still be under 93db@50ft.  The current MazdaSpeed duals look and sound great so I am in no hurry to change this exhaust, but I could save 10 pounds or so.

Almost

Spoiler is on the car and only required one 13mm hole to be drilled in the delicate aluminum trunk lid.

Took the car to Lutz Tire for an alignment.  Probably too much rear toe but I did not notice it until I got home.  I asked for 1/16" in per side; maybe he thought .16".  Add that to the increased rear camber and the car may pick up a little push. 

Rules

  I searched for a while to find the following SCCA rules proposal and found it in the January Fastrak.  Assuming the Board approves it, the effective date is next year.  I thought it was already approved, but whatever.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unless noted otherwise the effective date for all rule, class, and listing change proposals herein is 1/1/2014

CHANGE PROPOSALS
Stock
#9385 Shock Allowance Comments
Change 13.5.F as follows:
“A hole may be added to an interior body panel and/or a strut bar to provide access to the adjustment mechanism on an allowed adjustable shock absorber. The hole may serve no other purpose, and may not be added through either the exterior bodywork or a strut bar. Interior panels are defined to be those pieces which cover the interior of the vehicle (including the trunk area) and are accessible from inside the vehicle. They do not include structural panels, such as wheel wells or inner fenders, which may also be accessible from inside the car but which actually form part of the body of the vehicle.”

Comment: the rule specifically called out strut bars as not allowed for holes, hence the SAC’s interpretation of the rule.  This adjustment will allow such holes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My shock tower brace is drilled to allow easy access to adjust the Koni shocks.  To avoid a protest I will simply tape a metal slug over each of the 1" holes.

First Event

Well, actually my second autox in the car, but last week at El Toro I had the wimpy sway bars and worn Hankoooks and the car was a mess.




Totally transformed the car with the bigger bars.  Flat, stable, predictable; maybe a bit on the pushy side, but plenty of adjustment available on the new Progress front sway bar. Brand new BFG Rival tires worked well.

 








RESULTS
Ouch, too many cones.  Twelve inch cones were used to setup this course so they were hard to detect if you hit one.  I thought my last two runs were clean.  Maybe the car is too wide.

Sweet

   Part number: 0000-04-5317.  Rear MSR 19mm sway bar. Backordered from Mazda for 6 weeks I am told, so I bought a used one from Alex Phelps Racing and with three day shipping I can have the final suspension setup ready for this weekend's autocross; the last local event before the big SCCA circus comes to town.

Bumper Plugs delivered a quality product and near perfect paint match.

The only think left to do is install the rear spoiler and a couple small trim panels in the package tray area.

MasterCard

 Buying stuff like crazy.

Urethane steering wheel and the correct rear trunk lid spoiler from Mazda pre-painted factory Marble White.  Kosei K1-TS wheels wrapped in new BFG Rivals and new Gorilla splined lug nuts.  Other items purchased include a new dead pedal, miscellaneous interior trim pieces, fender liner plugs, and an expired lap belt.  Also picked up some used parts locally; OEM floor mats and a center console to replace the molested unit that was in there.

Legit

Rocky's Miatomotive installed the OEM Mazda oil cooler, larger Progress front sway bar, and PowerGrid end-links.  The previous owner fitted the Koni shocks and proper Progress MSR-spec coil springs.

Cannot see the oil cooler in this picture, but it is a plate style water-to-oil cooler attached to the top of the oil filter base.

Progress front sway bar and RX8 yellow dot front sway bar.

MazdaSpeed exhaust.

Bam!

Braces from MazdaSpeed.  Three Mazda part numbers but actually four separate pieces total.  Lightweight hollow aluminum bolts to factory holes.