For those that follow the One Lap Miata facebook page, this car saw some track time again this past weekend. Now let's see what Andy is up to for 2017....

 

Is Andy going to the scca majors at Sebring in a week and a half?

 

Andy was at Sebring this weekend competing in TT with NASA.

 

Faster than a miata?

 

2:17.6 best lap...first time at that track...bone-stock car except Pagid pads and year-old RE71R (stock sizes)...156 max speed down the back stretch during the cooler morning sessions...4-5 MPH less during the afternoon, but more surface grip.

For reference, my pro sources say that's about what a Conti GS car does with real aero and slicks (aka Hoosiers)

Will post an in-car video link shortly...

PS: Good to meet a couple of MT forum members and put faces with handles.
PPS: Car is back at the dealership in Houston again for service. Coded out and limped on the 4th session...same circumstances as before. <sigh>

 

roughly 19 sec under the SM record at that track (on street tires)

 

Yep, he was. I had Andy for most of the day. That was a surprise to me, but no surprise he was able to beat my time on the last session of the day. Andy, Great to finally meet you!



When you're looking at the times just an FYI it was a wet track on Sat.
and before anyone pulls out my times. Sunday was phoned in. I did one session and headed home. Even with leaving early we rolled in at 1am :(. it was a great weekend. next time we might run all day Sundays and spend the night at Disneyland sebring is a fun track i recommend it.

 

Nice Miata.

 

Pleasure to meet you too, sir.

Just as an FYI, all day Saturday and the warm-up on Sunday were on the four-year-old OE Pirelli PZero's. Once I felt like I knew the track, I bolted on the RE71R's and went to town.

There's still more out there for me, as I was taking it easy on the curbing and do not yet have proper speed/confidence through Bishop's. Visuals are really sucky.

As promised, here's the in-car vid. Use the hi-res version and turn your sound down.

 

HA never being to Sebring before I was doing the same. feeling like I wouldn't be competitive so I brought 2-year old heat cycled rc-1 tires to burn up. After the first session, I looked at the times and noticed I was 6th overall. I said, "hell, lets go for it" i was very happy to land 2nd overall. One of the sessions I was behind you. Your line looked good but just not a lot of speed. I was wondering who is driving this thing? normally supercar owners are all right foot. just get on the gas before them and passing on the straights is easy. But you were getting on the gas like a racer. After the session, everyone told me it was you, then I wondered if the car was broken and settled on the idea that you relly didn't want to wad it up. on Sunday I saw the times falling. that made a bit more sense.

 

Those old PZeros don't have a ton of grip, but they are very progressive and recover from mistakes easily. I was also driving with some of the nannies on for Saturday...for the sake of learning and unknown dampness. With the nannies off, and the RE71R's on, the car is way faster...but is not tolerant of mistakes. There is no doubt that I will rarely drive this car as hard as I do my CRX or KMiata...too much at stake. But that is also part of the risk/reward thrill when tracking it.

 

It was sure fun watching you guys run.

 

Prepping the car for Optima at NOLA in three weeks. Don't really have time to put a big-power 300hp motor back in, so will have to slum it with the stock TSX 235hp motor in it now. Other low-hanging fruit awaits, though. Aero is the big one, and it pays dividends at NOLA through the esses.

To push their "street car" agenda, Optima restricts rear aero to either a low-mounted wing or a spoiler. The latter option is what all the fast guys do. So a quick email and funds exchange with Moti at Blackbird Fabworx, a half-day in the garage and here's the result. It's pretty fiddly work, if you want it to look really good. So we took our time. Digging the smoked glass and black anodized hardware.

 

Looks good. When do the wheel wells get filled up with some massive rubber?

 

I have some openings in my schedule this year to try some HPDE's at NOLA. How do you like that track? It is a 14 hour drive for me, but I don't mind driving.

 

I re-read the whole thread again. My work blocks 90% of the pics, but damn this is a cool build!

I find it totally awesome that you kept the stock cruise control! A K-swap has been on a my mind for a while, but I thought I would have to lose the cruise control.

I have a 3.9 Torsen in my 01 right now and a 4.3 OSGiken waiting to go in. If I go with this swap, apparently I need to switch ratios.

 

Machining of the front spindles to accept RX7 hubs has been completed for the five-lug conversion. And I have all the rest of the parts to do the brakes and the rears. Not sure I'll have time complete all of that before NOLA, so I might either run some 245 RS4's on the 15x10's or borrow some 18x11's that are 4x100 for the 285/30-18 RE71R's that I have.

 

I'd love to see that thing on 18x11s with those big fenders, very cool.

 

404 Error - 245 RS4's not found...all sold out. So...

Change of plans...Big things happening NOW...finally. Fronts are on, though I have some machining work to fit the new brake hats. Hoping to have rears done today.

 

That must be the new, ultra-lightweight transparent aluminum front suspension!

--Ian