So, im doing so e internal debating over here.
Does anyone have some breakdowns of autocross and drag times for the 17/18 challenge? Trying to see just what cars were running overall compared to each other those years. Trying to get my brain wrapped around tbe dynamics 9f the autocross vs drag times.
To be blunt, i want to see uf its worth it to recage my challenge car to be able to go quicker than a 13.49, or not.
first, see your local NHRA tech inspector and find out what you'd have to do to make your existing setup compliant. might just need to add a door bar and some padding.
second, at the same visit with your local NHRA tech inspector, find out if a Miata hardtop counts as a roof. because if it does, and you can find a damaged one and repair it cheap, that may be the easy button.
third, be aware that the current Challenge rules say that banzai runs (quicker than your safety equipment allows) are thrown out. I think in years past if you outran your equipment you got the quickest time for which you were safe.
if it'll run 12's, you'd be pretty bummed to be limited to 13.500.
that was enlightening! thank you!
In reply to AngryCorvair :
im limited to 13.49 due to 1.5 diameter tubing. nhara opinion is that it may as well not even be there per a phone conversation with them. im developing a course of action though.
oh, and damaged hardtops (like rollover and broken into 3-4 pieces) still bring 350-500 here
Dusterbd13-michael said:oh, and damaged hardtops (like rollover and broken into 3-4 pieces) still bring 350-500 here
Are any hardtop miatas going that would lend you one for the drags? I'm not sure how that part of the event is structured, but I would think that would be possible?
Dusterbd13-michael said:In reply to AngryCorvair :
im limited to 13.49 due to 1.5 diameter tubing. nhara opinion is that it may as well not even be there per a phone conversation with them. im developing a course of action though.
oh, and damaged hardtops (like rollover and broken into 3-4 pieces) still bring 350-500 here
ah, ok, i thought it was only because 4-point vs 5-point.
ProDarwin said:Dusterbd13-michael said:oh, and damaged hardtops (like rollover and broken into 3-4 pieces) still bring 350-500 here
Are any hardtop miatas going that would lend you one for the drags? I'm not sure how that part of the event is structured, but I would think that would be possible?
if it's on the car it's in the budget, even if you borrow it from another challenger.
ProDarwin said:Dusterbd13-michael said:oh, and damaged hardtops (like rollover and broken into 3-4 pieces) still bring 350-500 here
Are any hardtop miatas going that would lend you one for the drags? I'm not sure how that part of the event is structured, but I would think that would be possible?
If so, they'd be "Stampie Ruled", and the MX-3800's only got ~$50 of budget left, irrc?
AngryCorvair said:ProDarwin said:Dusterbd13-michael said:oh, and damaged hardtops (like rollover and broken into 3-4 pieces) still bring 350-500 here
Are any hardtop miatas going that would lend you one for the drags? I'm not sure how that part of the event is structured, but I would think that would be possible?
if it's on the car it's in the budget, even if you borrow it from another challenger.
Yes, I know. I just meant it could alleviate personal budget issues. Challenge budget is still a consideration. I wasn't sure how much $$ was left there.
Related, if its OFF the car, is not in the budget? I.E. autox wheel package is subtracted from the budget, but drag wheels + top added during the drags?
Total conjecture: Does it have to be a factory hardtop? I've seen some Lemons Miatas running sheet metal roofs so they don't need arm restraints (which I don't mind - just run the restraints!) maybe you could put something on just for the drags that would qualify as a top but not cost an arm and a leg.
i spoke with tom about this. with it being 1.5 tubing and a miata, its an open car. an uncaged open car. no ifs, ands, or buts about it. so the debate is building an NHRA spec 6 point cage, doing away with my current bar and possibly making it something i dont want to own. or, limiting to 13.49, and leaving my current setup alone.
this decison will be made AFTER i run it down the strip off the bottle, but on the slicks. i need to see where it falls compared to the drag data sleepyhead provided prior to going down one of the two roads.
Dusterbd13-michael said:this decison will be made AFTER i run it down the strip off the bottle, but on the slicks. i need to see where it falls compared to the drag data sleepyhead provided prior to going down one of the two roads.
uh-oh. Did I steer you wrong? Were my numbers too conservative?
blah 
From a tactics perspective, the autocross time in 2018 were about 10 seconds longer than previous years due to the longer course utilized. The consensus was the competitors liked it and the magazine staff said they would do it again this year. Times were in the 48-50 second range. If you add in an anticipated drag time you'll be 63ish. FWIW I'm building my car to try and kick butt on the autocross course and do a top 5 time on the strip. In 2017 my Miata was beaten by only one car in autocross and I snuck into the top 10 on the strip for a combined time that was 4th fastest. Your car should do as well , or better than mine I would think. You've got more power for both and you should definitely do better in the concourse. I've stated this before, and I'll repeat it....you've got a top 5 car overall.
Also the times are printed in the magazine next to each car in the challenge recap issue, which i assume you have on hand
At about 2am, i had an epiphany.
If i do decide to recage it, i can make this one clear a soft top. Which is something i actually want. I like having a top for storage and sun shade, but don't really want to deal with the hassle of a hard top removal and storage.
The decision will still wait, but theres finally a life after the challenge benefit to doing it.
From my own "research", the median drag time is mid-15s. A 14s run will almost always put you in top 1/3 of the field. 13s pretty much guarantee top 10.
Keep in mind with slicks, you need a 2" wide 1/4" thick driveshaft loop no matter how slow you are.
I'm having the same debate about a 6-point bar, but for going 11.49 
Or maybe that's wishful thinking.
In reply to maschinenbau :
I already have the loops. And that median data is what i needed to see, and why i started this thread. Also why im waiting to see what it runs off the bottle. If im at current safety threshold already, i will spray to the 11s. If im too far off the mark, i won't bither
maschinenbau said:From my own "research", the median drag time is mid-15s. A 14s run will almost always put you in top 1/3 of the field. 13s pretty much guarantee top 10.
Keep in mind with slicks, you need a 2" wide 1/4" thick driveshaft loop no matter how slow you are.
I'm having the same debate about a 6-point bar, but for going 11.49
I was surprised to see that the Jags current best time of 14.3 would put it solidly in the top ten drag times. It can go faster, because the driver has a lot of room for improvement, and the car has weight to shed. 
Indy-Guy said:maschinenbau said:From my own "research", the median drag time is mid-15s. A 14s run will almost always put you in top 1/3 of the field. 13s pretty much guarantee top 10.
Keep in mind with slicks, you need a 2" wide 1/4" thick driveshaft loop no matter how slow you are.
I'm having the same debate about a 6-point bar, but for going 11.49
I was surprised to see that the Jags current best time of 14.3 would put it solidly in the top ten drag times. It can go faster, because the driver has a lot of room for improvement, and the car has weight to shed.
few challenge cars can break 14. We can cool your charge with a 50 shot.
2017 top 5 was 12.73 or quicker. Then a full 1.16 seconds to 6th, 8th+ was all stampie with 14.34 and slower
also that year the top 3 cars put 2.3ish seconds in raw time over the rest of the field. It’s hard to build a car that does that, the green miata is getting dangerously close
Patrick said:Indy-Guy said:maschinenbau said:From my own "research", the median drag time is mid-15s. A 14s run will almost always put you in top 1/3 of the field. 13s pretty much guarantee top 10.
Keep in mind with slicks, you need a 2" wide 1/4" thick driveshaft loop no matter how slow you are.
I'm having the same debate about a 6-point bar, but for going 11.49
I was surprised to see that the Jags current best time of 14.3 would put it solidly in the top ten drag times. It can go faster, because the driver has a lot of room for improvement, and the car has weight to shed.
few challenge cars can break 14. We can cool your charge with a 50 shot.
2017 top 5 was 12.73 or quicker. Then a full 1.16 seconds to 6th, 8th+ was all stampie with 14.34 and slower
also that year the top 3 cars put 2.3ish seconds in raw time over the rest of the field. It’s hard to build a car that does that, the green miata is getting dangerously close
Thanks for the offer of the 50 shot, depending on how next year goes, I may do it then. However, with the restrictions of the gastropod sub-class, I don't have the full budget recoup available for performance upgrades this year. The 14.3xx I ran was good, but honestly I was a bit disappointed, because Motor Trend tested this model of XJR, and reported that it's capable of a 13.7 second pass at 103mph. Link to their test article
In reply to Indy-Guy :
If my passes go as i want them to, i’ll offer my driving services to anyone that thinks i can get their car to go faster than they can. Plus i want to drive the xjr with the cutouts open.
In reply to Indy-Guy :
A lot of factors there I'm sure. Tires? Reaction time? 60 ft?
Patrick:
You have a lot of experience taking Challenge Datsuns down the strip with nitrous...I may take you up on that offer
Same here if.....
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