Mostly I just got bored of arguing. It seemed like a pointless discussion to me since no one here including myself is denying that a lightweight flywheel is a good performance mod.

I do think that The Effects of Rotational Inertia on Automotive Acceleration validated me on a couple of key points: namely, 'The flywheel energy stored in first gear is "free"' and the fact that the effect of a change in flywheel weight is reduced in higher gears. I will grant that the effect in second gear was much greater than my experience and napkin math would indicate.

But as I said this argument is pointless, so this will be my last post in this thread.

 

drag racers do this.

rev up at lights, use flywheel weight to keep the engine from bogging.
revs stay high the whole time.

 

On a race track Im never in a lower gear than third. Autocrossing Im usually in second gear before I pass the start timing light and stay in second. Drag racing in a miata does not interest me much.

 

How to turn a Miata into a drag car:

1) Sell Miata

2) Buy Mustang

 

FTFY

 

Use to do this.

You will not see any 5.5" clutches in drag racing, but they have gotten much lighter. How light depends on many things. You certainly can go too light for the car to work properly.

 

3) Still lose to my Miata

4) Spend too much money building mustang trying to make it faster than my Miata.