Glad u enjoyed it Nick. If you think you are on the edge of your seat watching the video, wait till you are behind the wheel. About as much fun as you will ever have with your clothes on!!
Glad I inspired you, now get a car, any car, and come and have fun. Too many look at this class and stay on the sidelines. Dont be that guy, Get a car, rent a car and come and have fun! Once you have turned a wheel you WILL BE HOOKED - come and say hi at our trailer when you are at the track. Best of Luck
I was there on the Sargento bridge...been going to Road America since '77, have seen hundreds of races and run motorsports marketing programs in Indy cars and World of Outlaws....and I have NEVER seen anything like this. Incredible racing. Well done.
thank you for the kind words John. It is just as exciting behind the wheel as it is on camera. Love racing this class, you have to earn every inch of real estate, they will never give it to you. It is keeping me young!
looking to work my way up to wheel to wheel, does the SCCA have an hpde program like the NASA? or are they two interchangeable? say i worked my way to spec miata how much to rent a car? or can you get sponsored and stuff like that? im on my own and not made of money so trying to explore options that allow me to work my way forward as much as possible. Gonna start going to events, hopefully volunteer when possible, and maybe doing some autocross to get some experience and feel for things.
Hi Kaleb, welcome to the insanity! The best way to get started is to try it out. NASA and SCCA have HPDE / Track Night events. Then if you like going fast on a track (who doesnt?) then get your NASA or SCCA license. Spec Miata's are available to rent from MANY shops, all depends where you are based. Rentals are in the $800- $1200 per day range, with a full weekend of racing being around $3-$4k. A ready to race Spec Miata that will give years of fun, but not run at the front of the field will cost $10-$15k, and a front running regional around $20k with a front running national around $30k. Having a shop build a new SM for you is typically in the $40k range but can go over that with high end seats, data systems, spare sets of wheels etc. That being said, other than B-Spec, this is cheapest form of wheel to wheel racing you will find anywhere, and it is by far the most exciting. It is totally sustainable, and there are plenty of drivers who have 20 years in the series. I am now in my 12th year, and I could go anywhere, but it is the sheer intensity of the racing that keeps me in Spec Miata. And with regard to sponsorships, if you are really good there might be some prize money, some contingency money and some might offer you products at a discounted rate, but NO ONE IS RACING FOR FREE - WE ALL PAY TO PLAY.
@@dannysteyn happy to be joining the fun! there is a scca track night coming up at the end of April in topeka but I don't think I would have a car ready for HPDE by then, right now i have a bone stock 90 CRX(stock brakes, suspension and tires mainly)and a 79 camaro that isn't as stock but needs a couple things. What would I need for HPDE? Is it a bring your own or rental type thing?
Himanshu - this is Spec Miata - we race under the SCCA and NASA rulesets for the class - it allows Mazda Miata's from 1990 to 2005 to compete equally against each other. The NA1.6L, the NA1.8L, and the NB 1.8L with and without VVT. All equalized with weights and restrictor plates. All are making around 128HP give or take a few. Comes down to the driver, race craft and finding friends on the track to bump draft with, because you cannot break away on your own. Two drivers pushing will always be faster than one guy on his own. We race all over the USA, and I suspect that there are around 4-5,000 Spec Miatas in USA, but maybe only 1,000 of them run each year, some have retired etc. This race is called the Runoffs, it is the National Championship race so the top drivers in the country all show up for this one! Hope this helps
@@dannysteyn Wow thank you so much. So can only racing drivers drive it or can anyone who is not like an actual racing driver but a racing driver in heart? I would love to try one myself. Can I? I am a big FORMULA ONE FAN and I also like other "CAR" races so I knew about SLIPSTREAM AND ALSO DRAFTING. I had heard about "BUMP DRAFTING" but never knew what it was but now when you told it to me and also I saw it in your video in real life so thank you very much man I love it and please reply if RACING Enthusiasts like me can take part in the race. 🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️
@@HIMANSHUJSBH52QPSF All it takes is getting your competition license. Check out SCCA.com and NASAproracing.com . Depending on where you live there will be racing schools at a track near you, Sign up for a school, normally 2 days, and if you pass their requirements (pretty easy to do it) then they give you a competition license. You do not need to own a race car, many of the schools provide rental race cars, and even when you have your license, you can rent a Spec Miata from many different arrive-and-drive teams - let me know where you are and I can recommend who to approach. I rented for my first season and have since built several cars. And of course there is the fantastic iRacing sim platform where you can practice - the included car Mazda MX-5 Cup car circa 2015 (in the archived cars) is a very good proxy for Spec Miata and will get you up to speed on most tracks, long before you get to the track. Welcome to the madness
Really surprised competitors stay quiet about 2nd and 3rd moves to block...we aren't NASCAR! Pick a side and live with it! Fun drive Danny...sometimes you pick the correct side!
For me it is simple, if you move in response to the move of car behind you, then you are blocking. If you move ahead of the move of the car behind you then you are defending. When someone blocks then its time for action. And yes I have often picked the side that got no love, but I do stick with it. There are several drivers that are well known for blocking
Thank you RIchard, that is all we are chasing, a bit of self satisfaction, some vindication, hopefully some respect, but most of all a smile on our faces after the battle that says we left it all on the track and we had a blast - I have never had so much fun finishing 9th!
I know, my bad, and yes, undergoing sign language training is a mandatory requirement of the competition license, but only for Spec Miata! :-) His front ball joint collapsed, and he unfortunately retired
Hi Tacobag Charlie. for the most parts we use hand signals to communicate to the drivers around us and while we all have our own style, there are some pretty common themes….. Thumbsup = thanks for the push or it could mean great save / great to have you on my back…. Tomahawk = push me, or I am going to push you…… Lateral waving hand = full course yellow…….. Balled up fist = pulling into pit lane…………. Slow downward waving hand = lets slow down and get clear track (normally in qualifying sessions only), etc.
@QuackGarage - that pretty much describes Spec Miata to a "T". Come and join in the insanity, you will be instantly addicted. No matter if you are running up front, in the midpack or the back of the field, there will be a whole bunch of other crazies trying to wrestle that square inch of tarmac away from you. So much fun to be wheel-to-wheel, door-handle-to-door-handle for an entire race, something that does not happen too often in other classes, due to the way different cars make their speed in different places, but with a spec class, we all make our speed the same way, and that keeps us really tight, and that is what makes this a SHITLOAD OF FUN for sure!!!
That is awesome. Seems "Runoffs" is both descriptive for the series and literal in execution! You #90 and #144 had a good mini-train for a bit, then it looked like #90 lost some steam before the full course yellow. Either way, close racing at its best.
Hi Wardie, since we are not connected by radios to the other drivers, and in this class, we have to work together to go forward, in the slipstream, preferably bump drafting, we use hand signals to communicate to the other drivers. TOMAHAWK CHOPPING MOTION - lets work together bump drafting in a staight line (In other words, dont pass me, push me). THUMBS UP can mean many things, thanks for the push, keep pushing, great save, I see you behind me, lets work together. POINTING - normally if the front car sees a yellow flag or debris flag we will point to it so that the following car looks for it (following car can see very little when on your bumper). SIDEWAYS WAVING HAND - can also mean different things - mainly used to point out a full course yellow, but can also mean stop pushing me I am entering the braking zone. BALLED UP FIST held upright, beware, I am pulling off or entering the pits. Of course their are many more, some intended to indicate displeasure, but I do this for fun, so in my case I am always having a blast!!!!
No Amelie, that was just dumb old me, going in too deep in the braking zone, in a desperate attempt to keep on the bumper of the cars in front of me. And you see how well that worked out :-)
@@dannysteyn Your candor is to be applauded. BTW, more than yourself, I cannot afford to make such an error...or it's into the trees, in most cases ! 😉 : ua-cam.com/video/9Ewf0ETBA18/v-deo.html
My boy Danny steyne what a fucking race!! We were at vir with our sm car. Watched the first lap live in the rossini camp, ten people watching and laughing and screaming about the first lap We all to grid in so couldn't watch the whole race till after, you did a great!!!!
Thank you @packetm0nkey - yes I was unfortunately in my backup car and it didn't quite have enough to stay with the fast guys, and then that leads to trying to make it up in the braking zones, over driving etc, and then it goes downhill from there as you melt your tires. All in all I was very satisfied with my run
Thanks for posting A few questions. 1) What sorts of things are you communicating with the hand signals? 2) It seems like there's A LOT of intentional body contact, is that normal? Seems like y'all asking to do a lot of body work repairs? 3) Starting out in SM, are there big differences between the races/racers in NASA vs SCCA?
Hi Marc. for the most parts we use hand signals are to communicate to the drivers around us and while we all have our own style there are some pretty common themes - thumbsup = thanks for the push or it could mean great save, great to have you on my back, tomahawk = push me, or I am going to push you, lateral waving hand = full course yellow, balled up fist = pulling into pit lane, slow downward waving hand = lets slow down and get clear track (normally in qually), etc.In terms of contact the only intentional contact is front to rear bump drafting. Bump drafting has been allowed in Spec Miata as we all have the same bumper height. Any other contact is unintentional, but does happen when you have 70 drivers in similar powered cars all trying to occupy the same piece of real estate. I race both NASA and SCCA in Spec Miata. SCCA has a much deeper talent pool, and if you want to learn fast this is where you go. On any day at the national level there will be 10-15 drivers that are capable of winning. It is a humbling place, but the learning curve is very rapid. The front of the class takes it very seriously as it is a proven stepping stone into the pro ranks so it attracts a lot of exceptional young talent trying to prove their worth. On the regional level, SCCA is more laid back like NASA, but still has a bigger talent pool. NASA is way more social and if what you are after is a low key fun weekend, NASA is a great place to play. Now everything i said could vary from region to region but what I have described applies to the South East. So figure out what your motives are. If you just want to do laps, avoid contact, have fun, race NASA or SCCA regionals. If your motives are to become the best racer you can be, and your prepared to take some hard knocks and lessons along the way, set your target on the SCCA Majors and Hoosier Super Tour events. No matter where you race, you will find like minded drivers that will help you and guide you. Make friends, earn their respect on and off the track and have a blast. Spec Miata has been putting a smile on my face for over 12 years and I hope to get at least another 12 before I retire!
Lap one.. "Three wide into turn one will never work!" "Oh dang, it did" .... "Four wide into turn 8 will NEVER EVER work" Car goes spinning sideways... "Safety 5 stand... nevermind, he drove away." Also, how'd you like the first qualifying session - black flag all for scrubbing tires and blocking...
Hey Stephen, yes it was a wild ride, and I got lucky, but having spent a ton of time on that track in intense situations, I kinda knew where to put myself in the early laps when drivers are trying to ensure they finish the race, and in the later laps when desperation sets in. Was not thrilled at all with the Q2 decision to pull us in to scold us like children - that was total BS. But I can see the other side of the coin, there were lots of drivers, back in the field who did not get a time in Q1 and were prevented from doing so by the slow outlap and tire warming/blocking. I made my way to the front to get out of the chaos that I knew was going to happen.
From my point of view at the "Quad Graphics Speedville" bridge, you could tell a lot of drivers, across all the classes I saw were not familiar with this track, particularly over driving 8 and under driving the carousel (well, except the couple that had to be pulled out of the pea gravel 2/3rd's of the way around!)
Yes I am pretty proud of that move. The 2-3 shift out of T5 in traffic is really easy to mess up and earlier I did mess up, but when it counted I think it was the best damn 2-3 shift I have ever done. Went from 17th to 9th in one turn! Never lifted for a second! Pure instinct
I'm way behind the curve in responding. This was my first time watching this kind of racing. At first I'm like , this is like watching a train go around the track. Then it began to open up a little bit and I've got my foot pushing a hole into my floor. Ease up a little going into the turns and then foot to the floor again. I'm like , damn , it looks like he's pushing the car ahead of him ! Why doesn't he pass him ? So I read the comments some time later and find out , you ARE pushing him ! I still don't know why you didn't pass. I can see that the cars are all fairly equal. Not much of a car advantage. It's almost all on the driver. Reminds me of the early formula V. I remember watching a formula V race at Riverside when the first five cars all finished within the same second ! Nobody got out in front and just ran away from the field. And that is what this racing looks like. Damned hard work to be a front runner and a lot of fun. I didn't quite get the hand signals though.
Aint that the truth. Spec Miata's take a licking and keep on ticking! Damn amazing platform, easy to drive, FUN to drive, reliable, durable, and inexpensive. And that explains the popularity of the class
Technically a DQ Chris...cool fool? DNF was the car with the Tow truck next to it...LOL. Runoffs is the exception it seems when it comes too hot tows...and many drivers in SCCA have never seen this. They just dont pass but drive hard!
I don’t think I’ve ever watched any other racing videos that gave me tingles like this. That was intense!
Glad u enjoyed it Nick. If you think you are on the edge of your seat watching the video, wait till you are behind the wheel. About as much fun as you will ever have with your clothes on!!
@@dannysteyn haha! I’d love to race my miata but I’m too chicken 😂
That was mayhem. Like a swarm of angry bees rampaging around the track. It almost has a Moto Gp feel. Thank you for posting this.
Glad you enjoyed it John. Spec Miata offers some of the most exciting and competitive racing you will ever see!
Inspiring... getting into spec miata myself... this is great driving!
Glad I inspired you, now get a car, any car, and come and have fun. Too many look at this class and stay on the sidelines. Dont be that guy, Get a car, rent a car and come and have fun! Once you have turned a wheel you WILL BE HOOKED - come and say hi at our trailer when you are at the track. Best of Luck
Wow This is amazing! next year I'm seeking to get my NASA license to compete in the teen spec Miata challenge!
Welcome to the insanity - hurry up, get your license and come and join us!
I was there on the Sargento bridge...been going to Road America since '77, have seen hundreds of races and run motorsports marketing programs in Indy cars and World of Outlaws....and I have NEVER seen anything like this. Incredible racing. Well done.
thank you for the kind words John. It is just as exciting behind the wheel as it is on camera. Love racing this class, you have to earn every inch of real estate, they will never give it to you. It is keeping me young!
Thank you for the ride , breathless racing !
thank you sportscarmovies!
Phew! Thanks for the ride! 3 car drafting happens a bit, seems like. Halfway through I started getting fatigued myself!
Spec Miata is a LOT of fun, come and join the insanity@@@
Whiskey in the glass, Phantogram on the Spotify with earbuds....watching some badass Miata racing. YES!
Fireball whiskey?
looking to work my way up to wheel to wheel, does the SCCA have an hpde program like the NASA? or are they two interchangeable? say i worked my way to spec miata how much to rent a car? or can you get sponsored and stuff like that? im on my own and not made of money so trying to explore options that allow me to work my way forward as much as possible. Gonna start going to events, hopefully volunteer when possible, and maybe doing some autocross to get some experience and feel for things.
Hi Kaleb, welcome to the insanity! The best way to get started is to try it out. NASA and SCCA have HPDE / Track Night events. Then if you like going fast on a track (who doesnt?) then get your NASA or SCCA license. Spec Miata's are available to rent from MANY shops, all depends where you are based. Rentals are in the $800- $1200 per day range, with a full weekend of racing being around $3-$4k. A ready to race Spec Miata that will give years of fun, but not run at the front of the field will cost $10-$15k, and a front running regional around $20k with a front running national around $30k. Having a shop build a new SM for you is typically in the $40k range but can go over that with high end seats, data systems, spare sets of wheels etc. That being said, other than B-Spec, this is cheapest form of wheel to wheel racing you will find anywhere, and it is by far the most exciting. It is totally sustainable, and there are plenty of drivers who have 20 years in the series. I am now in my 12th year, and I could go anywhere, but it is the sheer intensity of the racing that keeps me in Spec Miata. And with regard to sponsorships, if you are really good there might be some prize money, some contingency money and some might offer you products at a discounted rate, but NO ONE IS RACING FOR FREE - WE ALL PAY TO PLAY.
@@dannysteyn happy to be joining the fun!
there is a scca track night coming up at the end of April in topeka but I don't think I would have a car ready for HPDE by then, right now i have a bone stock 90 CRX(stock brakes, suspension and tires mainly)and a 79 camaro that isn't as stock but needs a couple things. What would I need for HPDE? Is it a bring your own or rental type thing?
Wow what is this dude! I have never seen this "type" of RACING! I LOVE IT! THIS IS AWESOME!🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️
Himanshu - this is Spec Miata - we race under the SCCA and NASA rulesets for the class - it allows Mazda Miata's from 1990 to 2005 to compete equally against each other. The NA1.6L, the NA1.8L, and the NB 1.8L with and without VVT. All equalized with weights and restrictor plates. All are making around 128HP give or take a few. Comes down to the driver, race craft and finding friends on the track to bump draft with, because you cannot break away on your own. Two drivers pushing will always be faster than one guy on his own. We race all over the USA, and I suspect that there are around 4-5,000 Spec Miatas in USA, but maybe only 1,000 of them run each year, some have retired etc. This race is called the Runoffs, it is the National Championship race so the top drivers in the country all show up for this one! Hope this helps
@@dannysteyn Wow thank you so much. So can only racing drivers drive it or can anyone who is not like an actual racing driver but a racing driver in heart? I would love to try one myself. Can I? I am a big FORMULA ONE FAN and I also like other "CAR" races so I knew about SLIPSTREAM AND ALSO DRAFTING. I had heard about "BUMP DRAFTING" but never knew what it was but now when you told it to me and also I saw it in your video in real life so thank you very much man I love it and please reply if RACING Enthusiasts like me can take part in the race. 🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️
@@HIMANSHUJSBH52QPSF All it takes is getting your competition license. Check out SCCA.com and NASAproracing.com . Depending on where you live there will be racing schools at a track near you, Sign up for a school, normally 2 days, and if you pass their requirements (pretty easy to do it) then they give you a competition license. You do not need to own a race car, many of the schools provide rental race cars, and even when you have your license, you can rent a Spec Miata from many different arrive-and-drive teams - let me know where you are and I can recommend who to approach. I rented for my first season and have since built several cars. And of course there is the fantastic iRacing sim platform where you can practice - the included car Mazda MX-5 Cup car circa 2015 (in the archived cars) is a very good proxy for Spec Miata and will get you up to speed on most tracks, long before you get to the track. Welcome to the madness
@@dannysteyn I live in INDIA.
@@HIMANSHUJSBH52QPSF bruh
That's better than Formula 1! Great driving!
thank you, and yes it is really close racing all the way to the finish line
Damn...just damn. Terrific work Danny - and if I were you this evening I would count my blessings (and body panels!) after that circus. Well driven.
Thanks Christian - yes I was lucky to escape relatively unscathed, and despite my finishing position, I am still pretty pleased with my drive!
Really surprised competitors stay quiet about 2nd and 3rd moves to block...we aren't NASCAR! Pick a side and live with it! Fun drive Danny...sometimes you pick the correct side!
For me it is simple, if you move in response to the move of car behind you, then you are blocking. If you move ahead of the move of the car behind you then you are defending. When someone blocks then its time for action. And yes I have often picked the side that got no love, but I do stick with it. There are several drivers that are well known for blocking
Thanks, from a Formula Vee guy of the 80's. Well done, don't know who placed where, it don't matter, we all had fun, and went fast.
Thank you RIchard, that is all we are chasing, a bit of self satisfaction, some vindication, hopefully some respect, but most of all a smile on our faces after the battle that says we left it all on the track and we had a blast - I have never had so much fun finishing 9th!
Looks like an amazing amount of fun!
Glad you liked it @Jeremy Randall - it was a ton of fun behind the wheel for sure. Never had such a smile finishing 9th!!!
Great race Danny! Thanks for sharing.
thank you Alison
Spectacular racing Danny.
tight racing indeed
Thank you Gawie - always appreciate your support
You forgot to give Chuck a thumbs-up for taking the rallycross line @ 9:37.
Is a course in SM sign language a part of obtaining a competition license?
I know, my bad, and yes, undergoing sign language training is a mandatory requirement of the competition license, but only for Spec Miata! :-) His front ball joint collapsed, and he unfortunately retired
Just curious what are all the hand signals about?
Hi Tacobag Charlie. for the most parts we use hand signals to communicate to the drivers around us and while we all have our own style, there are some pretty common themes….. Thumbsup = thanks for the push or it could mean great save / great to have you on my back…. Tomahawk = push me, or I am going to push you…… Lateral waving hand = full course yellow…….. Balled up fist = pulling into pit lane…………. Slow downward waving hand = lets slow down and get clear track (normally in qualifying sessions only), etc.
@@dannysteyn makes sense, thanks for the explanation
What a race, great driving Danny! loved the Video.
Thanks Alan
This looks like a shitload of fun, i'm seriously considering joining it.
@QuackGarage - that pretty much describes Spec Miata to a "T". Come and join in the insanity, you will be instantly addicted. No matter if you are running up front, in the midpack or the back of the field, there will be a whole bunch of other crazies trying to wrestle that square inch of tarmac away from you. So much fun to be wheel-to-wheel, door-handle-to-door-handle for an entire race, something that does not happen too often in other classes, due to the way different cars make their speed in different places, but with a spec class, we all make our speed the same way, and that keeps us really tight, and that is what makes this a SHITLOAD OF FUN for sure!!!
That is awesome. Seems "Runoffs" is both descriptive for the series and literal in execution! You #90 and #144 had a good mini-train for a bit, then it looked like #90 lost some steam before the full course yellow. Either way, close racing at its best.
3:25 when you hit that A/C button for more speeed
Actually its the nitrous button Steve!
@@dannysteyn did not expect a reply, great video!
Not sure I understood what all the hand signals were about or for
Hi Wardie, since we are not connected by radios to the other drivers, and in this class, we have to work together to go forward, in the slipstream, preferably bump drafting, we use hand signals to communicate to the other drivers. TOMAHAWK CHOPPING MOTION - lets work together bump drafting in a staight line (In other words, dont pass me, push me). THUMBS UP can mean many things, thanks for the push, keep pushing, great save, I see you behind me, lets work together. POINTING - normally if the front car sees a yellow flag or debris flag we will point to it so that the following car looks for it (following car can see very little when on your bumper). SIDEWAYS WAVING HAND - can also mean different things - mainly used to point out a full course yellow, but can also mean stop pushing me I am entering the braking zone. BALLED UP FIST held upright, beware, I am pulling off or entering the pits. Of course their are many more, some intended to indicate displeasure, but I do this for fun, so in my case I am always having a blast!!!!
Many thanks! Makes sense and sounds quite sporting as well. Great to hear 😊
Holy crap. These drivers are INSANE
Come on, you know you want to come and join in the mayhem - this is the most fun you will ever have behind the wheel of a car!!!
Tyres going off, mon ami, at the 16:45 mark ?
No Amelie, that was just dumb old me, going in too deep in the braking zone, in a desperate attempt to keep on the bumper of the cars in front of me. And you see how well that worked out :-)
@@dannysteyn Your candor is to be applauded.
BTW, more than yourself, I cannot afford to make such an error...or it's into the trees, in most cases ! 😉 :
ua-cam.com/video/9Ewf0ETBA18/v-deo.html
3:00 The downshift over-revs are brutal, even for a Mazda.
Exciting stuff! Poor rear view camera....Lol
I know, still hoping someone will turn it in!
That was pretty damn entertaining .
thanks Aaron, it was pretty entertaining in the car too!
My boy Danny steyne what a fucking race!! We were at vir with our sm car. Watched the first lap live in the rossini camp, ten people watching and laughing and screaming about the first lap
We all to grid in so couldn't watch the whole race till after, you did a great!!!!
great run. Looks like you need more motor to close the gap on P$.
Thank you @packetm0nkey - yes I was unfortunately in my backup car and it didn't quite have enough to stay with the fast guys, and then that leads to trying to make it up in the braking zones, over driving etc, and then it goes downhill from there as you melt your tires. All in all I was very satisfied with my run
Cabin traffic on a Friday afternoon in Minnesota.
Great Drive !!!
Thanks James - much appreciated
Thanks for posting A few questions. 1) What sorts of things are you communicating with the hand signals? 2) It seems like there's A LOT of intentional body contact, is that normal? Seems like y'all asking to do a lot of body work repairs? 3) Starting out in SM, are there big differences between the races/racers in NASA vs SCCA?
Hi Marc. for the most parts we use hand signals are to communicate to the drivers around us and while we all have our own style there are some pretty common themes - thumbsup = thanks for the push or it could mean great save, great to have you on my back, tomahawk = push me, or I am going to push you, lateral waving hand = full course yellow, balled up fist = pulling into pit lane, slow downward waving hand = lets slow down and get clear track (normally in qually), etc.In terms of contact the only intentional contact is front to rear bump drafting. Bump drafting has been allowed in Spec Miata as we all have the same bumper height. Any other contact is unintentional, but does happen when you have 70 drivers in similar powered cars all trying to occupy the same piece of real estate. I race both NASA and SCCA in Spec Miata. SCCA has a much deeper talent pool, and if you want to learn fast this is where you go. On any day at the national level there will be 10-15 drivers that are capable of winning. It is a humbling place, but the learning curve is very rapid. The front of the class takes it very seriously as it is a proven stepping stone into the pro ranks so it attracts a lot of exceptional young talent trying to prove their worth. On the regional level, SCCA is more laid back like NASA, but still has a bigger talent pool. NASA is way more social and if what you are after is a low key fun weekend, NASA is a great place to play. Now everything i said could vary from region to region but what I have described applies to the South East. So figure out what your motives are. If you just want to do laps, avoid contact, have fun, race NASA or SCCA regionals. If your motives are to become the best racer you can be, and your prepared to take some hard knocks and lessons along the way, set your target on the SCCA Majors and Hoosier Super Tour events. No matter where you race, you will find like minded drivers that will help you and guide you. Make friends, earn their respect on and off the track and have a blast. Spec Miata has been putting a smile on my face for over 12 years and I hope to get at least another 12 before I retire!
@@dannysteyn Thank you for your thoughtful and detailed response. It's very helpful to hear/read from experienced racers like yourself!
Lap one.. "Three wide into turn one will never work!" "Oh dang, it did" .... "Four wide into turn 8 will NEVER EVER work" Car goes spinning sideways... "Safety 5 stand... nevermind, he drove away." Also, how'd you like the first qualifying session - black flag all for scrubbing tires and blocking...
Hey Stephen, yes it was a wild ride, and I got lucky, but having spent a ton of time on that track in intense situations, I kinda knew where to put myself in the early laps when drivers are trying to ensure they finish the race, and in the later laps when desperation sets in. Was not thrilled at all with the Q2 decision to pull us in to scold us like children - that was total BS. But I can see the other side of the coin, there were lots of drivers, back in the field who did not get a time in Q1 and were prevented from doing so by the slow outlap and tire warming/blocking. I made my way to the front to get out of the chaos that I knew was going to happen.
From my point of view at the "Quad Graphics Speedville" bridge, you could tell a lot of drivers, across all the classes I saw were not familiar with this track, particularly over driving 8 and under driving the carousel (well, except the couple that had to be pulled out of the pea gravel 2/3rd's of the way around!)
WHAT DOES THE THUMBS UP SIGNAL MEAN?
Different things at different time - "hey buddy, I see you, lets work together"......"I saw that, nice move" ...... and so many more!!
Gooood move at 10;00
Yes I am pretty proud of that move. The 2-3 shift out of T5 in traffic is really easy to mess up and earlier I did mess up, but when it counted I think it was the best damn 2-3 shift I have ever done. Went from 17th to 9th in one turn! Never lifted for a second! Pure instinct
Spicy
Thats a very generous way to describe that Cluster F@$k Michael!!!
who builds your motors?
Mike Rossini/Rossini Racing Engines
Rubbin’s Racin’...
I'm way behind the curve in responding. This was my first time watching this kind of racing. At first I'm like , this is like watching a train go around the track. Then it began to open up a little bit and I've got my foot pushing a hole into my floor. Ease up a little going into the turns and then foot to the floor again. I'm like , damn , it looks like he's pushing the car ahead of him ! Why doesn't he pass him ? So I read the comments some time later and find out , you ARE pushing him ! I still don't know why you didn't pass.
I can see that the cars are all fairly equal. Not much of a car advantage. It's almost all on the driver. Reminds me of the early formula V. I remember watching a formula V race at Riverside when the first five cars all finished within the same second ! Nobody got out in front and just ran away from the field. And that is what this racing looks like. Damned hard work to be a front runner and a lot of fun. I didn't quite get the hand signals though.
Hive of very angry bees
unbelievable abuse these things take
Aint that the truth. Spec Miata's take a licking and keep on ticking! Damn amazing platform, easy to drive, FUN to drive, reliable, durable, and inexpensive. And that explains the popularity of the class
Rubbing is racing!
Bump drafting thorugh a waving yellow zone with workers and trucks on the edge of the track - not cool - fool. Should be a DNF.
Not sure where you get your eyes checked but I don't see a bump draft into the EVs at Canada?
Technically a DQ Chris...cool fool? DNF was the car with the Tow truck next to it...LOL. Runoffs is the exception it seems when it comes too hot tows...and many drivers in SCCA have never seen this. They just dont pass but drive hard!