Specifically, why is that year better than some of the subsequent ones? There's an '01 for sale at a local used car lot. Not that I wold buy it from that place; they want almost 8K for it. But it did get me wondering what Mazda screwed up that made the '99s the hot car for the C stock class for so long.
The 99-00 heads are prized for their improved flow over prior iterations. I don't know if the 01+ heads flow better or worse, but they have the unfortunate (to some) addition of variable cam timing on one side (intake, IIRC). They also require premium fuel.
As to SCCA C-Stock autox "domination", there was the purpose-build "Club Sport Package", which was successful.
The '99 sport package miatas had the best suspension with the least options / lightest weight.
^ this
After '99 the options structure changed in ways that kept you from getting a car with the least weight-adding features. IIRC, until the 2003 Club Sport, the '99 was the only year you could get no A/C and no P/S. A '00 base w/sport suspension package is the next best thing to a '99 sport, but I don't think it was possible to get a '00 without A/C.
Correct - manual steering on 99 base and 03 club sport only. And the NB PS is really good, much better than the NA version to me. I don't think the 99 is the best stock Miata personally, I think the 01 rework was successful in a whole bunch of ways from headlight output to naturally aspirated power potential - but for the narrow venue of autox, I can understand the why the 99 is the one to have.
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