Race section
 

I'm not sure if this is the right place to introduce the idea, but would it be at all possible to start a race-only section at MT.net? I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but my Miata is for racing only. I've kept it street legal because I don't have a trailer yet, but that's really the only street driving I do. I have no concerns about AC, PS, carpet, emissions or mufflers. I have a 5pt harness with a Momo Start and am pissed that I don't have a cage yet.

I'm not saying that these things define a race car in any way, but I'm tired of going to specmiata.com to clarify questions of safety and get ideas for taking some more weight out. However as great as SM's are, that site obviously doesn't help me with my turbo issues that I encounter at the track. For example I desperately need an oil cooler! I'm also tired of seeing someone spend a lot of money on a harness and race seat, then go on in the same thread to describe how they installed a huge and heavy stereo with DVD player.

It would be a great place to start threads like the discussion of the turbo SM. I was talking to the owner of miatacage.com at my last track day about my turbo system, he seemed to be interested in this "SMT" idea.

I'm in no way complaining about this site, it gives me all the information and more for my turbo, brake, and suspension needs, but I thought maybe some more people would be interested in a section for race related problems and questions they have.

well I think u are on to something a no frilly shit section but i wonder if it will desuade people from looking back into the race shit we put in the other sections. I dunno man but unlike CR we dont have many DVD player soroundsound for my miata threads here most are on pretty good info or showing newbs how to make there miatas fast.

no, this forum doesn't need a bunch of subs. That's what the BS section is for.

Thats exactly what I want, and maybe if the section is created we can move some of those older race threads into it even.

The stereo's and DVD players was just an example. Basically every thread about anything not engine, suspension, or brake related is kinda boring for me. I'll throw my input in since I did start with a bone stock miata as my daily driver and have plenty of experience with them, but it doesn't exactly pertain to my car nowadays.

Who knows, maybe we can track test a lot of our turbo ideas such as catch cans, PCV valves, ducting, heat shielding, and prove whether or not they work in harsh track environments.

Oh plus we could make Hustler really jealous!

Wouldn't having a race section be a little to vague? The actual class rules really determine setup and safety, etc...

well it wouldn't be aimed at any one class. It would include autocross as well as track days, just no drifting. I guess the point would be to deliver threads without any "wouldn't that be uncomfortable for long road trips?" comments. A lot of safety applies to all racing. Cages, seats, harnesses, fire suppressant systems, etc...

I've even searched for race pads and haven't come up with much. After a little research I made a small spread sheet with 11 different vendors, the type of pad they sell, and the price for both front and rear. That sort of information I'd love to share, and if anyone else has that kind of information a race section would be a good place to share it.

oops double post

Could be a cool section. I'd frequent it.

As for pads, I'd recommend Carbotech xp10/8 or 12/10. Also heard Performance Frictions are good. Hawks work, but have corrosive dust, and are hard on rotors.

Between General Miata and the S/W/B subforums I think we have it covered. I hate when a forum has way too many subforums, we've added a few but not too many yet IMHO.

Fine by me if no one's interested, I have my methods of getting the information I need, but I thought I'd see if anyone else liked the idea.

crashncar, I ended up going with porterfield R4 race pads. Its kind of a shot in the dark, because I have no experience with even their street pad, but FM recommends them as a great track pad and I trust their judgement. I just bought them at good-win racing for $25 less:fawk:. The cheapest I found were the Hawk blues from planet miata for another $25 less, but from what I read they eat rotors like crazy, so I'm hoping the porterfields are worth the $25 in rotor (and apparently wheel) savings.

Review to come after my next track day, who knows when that'll be though, hopefully within the next month or two.

How would it work? The race section would have questions and elements from all of the existing sections, suspension, brakes, engine, turbo, general, ecu's and tuning. I would imagine it could also talk about technique, event schedules, aero mods, etc. As a race section I would figure it would also involve autoX, time trial, HPDE, hill climbs, etc.

If not a separate section maybe a header or attention symbol when a thread is primarily about track info!?!

You have a much better grasp of the human language, that's exactly what I've been trying to say.

Curly, you could start a thread titled in a manner that would be easy to recall and keep adding info as you see fit.

That way, you can always open it and add any info or question you may have.

Just my 2 cents.