Hi, I joined a bit ago but realized I never made an official noob intro post (noob move, I know). My name is Ryan and I purchased a stock 1999 Miata with 65k miles in late 2016 for track duty. I've had a few other track cars, mostly Integras, but finally fell to Miata peer pressure. Previously I've done some NASA TT events and instruct with a few different groups as well. Personally, I live in Atlanta with my girlfriend and cat and I work in business consulting.

For the Miata in 2017, I focused on learning the new platform and dealing with typical pains of doing 10 track days on a car that had never been used for any performance driving. The car came with a matched hardtop and decent maintenance history, but the first few months involved a slew of maintenance and upgrades, including Hard Dog roll bar, Recaro seat, Ohlins, timing belt, water pump, clutch/flywheel, and the necessary cooling and brake upgrades. Along the way, I dealt with a failed coil pack, fuel starve in high-G corners from a bad fuel pump sock, and a busted brake caliper piston. All in all, knock on wood, the car has been super reliable through all the abuse. Late in the year, I finally bought my own trailer which sealed the car's fate as a dedicated track car.

For 2018, I'm planning to work towards joining my friends in various W2W and enduro classes. While the new ST5 formula and east coast S2 series gets sorted out, I'll focus on the stuff I know I'll need anyways (cage, comp license, ECU/tuning, basic aero) before going too deep down the path of any one specific class. I'd also like to explore some new tracks to get outside of my usual routine of AMP, Road Atlanta and NCM. This forum has been a great reading resource for me and I look forward to being a part of the conversations on these classes!

Here's a PB lap at AMP for reference:
And here's some pics from last year in current "street car" mode:

 

Hey twinsy, you should come join us at the shithole CMP next month... only if you want a broken windshield because that's what you'll get.

 

 

I've thought about it.. another friend of mine is going and I'd love to finally run CMP sometime other than in the summer. As of right now I'm probably holding off on any events until March though.

 

Hi Ryan! I'm trying to start doing track days again, too. Sebring and Daytona aren't really as far as you think they are! So let me know if you ever decide to road trip down this way.

 

I did Sebring once almost 10 years ago and it was an awesome place. I'd love to go back in the Miata sometime, and I agree it's really not as far as it seems. Especially Daytona.

What are some recommended HPDE groups down there? Preferably ones that attract regular dudes in slow cars and not Porsche/Ferrari types

 

I love Sebring in the Miata, Daytona seems like I would miss my Z06 way to much.

Have always had good luck with NASA.

Cant forget Roebling Road also.

 

welcome, nice looking car. when you turbo, you'll likely flush out a few more problems but its all been done before and solutions are available. smiles per dollar these cars can not be beat.

 

Performance Driving Group is great. Of course there's NASA-FL, Hooked on Driving, and a couple of others.

Sebring is great for both naturally aspirated and turbo Miatas. It is by far my favorite track because it has such a variety of elements. It's never boring. Daytona favors cars with more power and has been more fun with more boost. Miami Homestead is fun. Roebling is really surprisingly interesting.

Atlanta Motorsports Park is too narrow in too many places and has been difficult to get jazzed about. I tried but it feels less like a race track than a county road at times.

I've not yet been to Palm Beach International Raceway, CMP, or Barber Motorsports Park.

 

Roebling is a great miata track, really emphasizes the mid-corner gripz. It's way more fun to drive than it looks in videos.

I hope to make Sebring this season or next, unsure on Daytona....I guess I'll hit that up whenever NASA-SE does a joint venture with NASA-FL again

 

Welcome to the group- lots of Miata guys here in Atlanta. Check out MX5Atlanta.com as well, some pretty good people there and a good way to network and buy parts and stuff.

There's a pretty good group of us going up to RA for the NASA event March 9-10. I'll be there, probably fixing my turbo NA in the paddock most of the time.

 

Zoops!

 

Thanks for sharing all the track feedback. I still love AMP, but I can see how it doesn't appeal to everyone. Funny to think about how different it is from a track like Sebring!

I'll probably get convinced to do NASA Road Atlanta in March..

Guilty!

 

Come on up to VIR sometime!

 

Or with ChampCar in April??

*wink*wink*