Can't say I've gotten a lot of things done regarding project cars (because I don't have one), but I have kept a tiny human alive for a whole year so I think that counts for something.
Looking back, how did your 2021 go? Did you accomplish everything on your wish list? Make progress on your projects? At least get something done?
When the year started, our 1992 Mazda Miata was just emerging from its auto cocoon, one it had been inhabiting for more than eight years–and, thinking about it, really the car hasn't been used that much since 2005 or so. Life and other projects simply had gotten in the way.
This one's been with us since 1998, though, and we just couldn’t let it sit any longer. It still wears its original paint, original top and original interior. The bottom end is stock, although the head was worked on some 20 years ago. Then add in bolt-ons. And a Flyin' Miata/Link ECU. And some other stuff.
To get the car back on the road, first we cleaned away the funk and grime. Then we pushed the Easy Button™ and asked BSI Racing to get the car running again. We figured that they'd get the Miata started and driving while taking care of the deferred maintenance and draining the old fuel.
Then we'd step in with the sorting and whatnot–because you know there's going to be some on a car that's been sitting for that long.
Turns out that the car didn't need any "sorting and whatnot" even after a busy year: nine autocross events, a few Orlando Roadster meets an hour away, and about 1500 miles total so far this year.
After that first drive away from BSI Racing, we haven't had a single mechanical issue. It always starts on the first key–thank you for that tuning 20 years ago, Ed Senf.
Nothing has gotten weird, funky or smelly. The engine doesn't consume any oil, and nothing's gone bump in the night.
The chassis feels composed between the cones, and the Kaaz limited-slip diff allows some steering to be done via the throttle. It's like how the Miata could have/should have come from the factory.
Tire wear after all of that first year back on the road? Our Falken Azenis RT660s have lost just 1/32 inch of tread. The tires come molded at 8/32 inch of tread depth, so all four corners still sport 7/32 inch–and that’s without any rotating, too.
[Ultimate track tire guide | 200tw, 100tw, street-legal track and R-comps]
We have started working on our to-do list for next year, and we’ll share some of those plans very soon. Can we make our Miata just a tick more competitive in our local Xtreme Street B scene? We’ll see.
Can't say I've gotten a lot of things done regarding project cars (because I don't have one), but I have kept a tiny human alive for a whole year so I think that counts for something.
I kicked some ass with my Rotrex-supercharged, 1.8L swapped Miata in Xtreme Street B. I was in the Top 10 for raw time every single event, and was 2nd in raw for half of them, with my first ever FTD at another event (damn, that felt good). Handily won our combined Xtreme Street/CAM/Street Touring class by a strong margin, and ended up 8th overall for the season, my best ever. Also successfully terrified a bunch of passengers, earned our Iron Man award (show up to every event and take every competition lap) and went to an event and raw-timed all the SSM cars, including an SSM Miata with equal horsepower, huge wing and splitter and 275-width Hoosiers.
Colin Wood said:Can't say I've gotten a lot of things done regarding project cars (because I don't have one), but I have kept a tiny human alive for a whole year so I think that counts for something.
Totally counts for something--even more so than working on a Miata.
I manged to go to more events in the past 18 months then I ever have, although things have slowed in the last 3 months as I am also looking after of a tiny human, my 86 yr old mother has moved back to town and we are getting her settled into a new place.
The Datsun has been it's usual model of reliability and I got a few track days in.
I got a lot of seat time in the F500 but very little of it at autocross. I'll be needing to do some sorting as the motor was rather fussy this past Sunday at autocross. It may be time to upgrade to the new motor for 2021.
I have an E Street Miata for autocross. Just getting to events has been one of the biggest challenges for me this year. Scheduling was done closer to the date of the events early in the year.
That left me out for many of them, since I have to put in for specific days off three months in advance, and we are open on weekends.
On top of that, I also missed events when some of my employees notified us on Friday afternoons that they had tested positive for Covid. I'm fully vaccinated, and we mask at work, but even though autocross is an outdoor event, I stayed home. No refunds for my entry fees, either.
I did manage to get to some events, and managed some trophy finishes.
Since last year I'd been looking forward to running on the kart track at Daytona since I've had some of my best finishes there. I missed all of the events there until September. Trophied on the first day, something was wrong with the car the second day and it was so loose as to be almost undrivable.
I took the Miata to BSI Racing for an alignment, but it wasn't going to be done in time for upcoming events, so I drove my daily driver Ralliart wagon in H Street. I drove in four events, with three wins, although with only one other car in the class at all of those events. I boiled my brake fluid at the Firm on the last day, so I don't know how I would've done with more cars in the field.
At 3000+ lbs, with 162 HP, a FWD four speed automatic with an open diff, and 340 TW tires it should have been a lot slower, but it was surprisingly competent.
I got the Miata back in time for the 2021 FL State Autocross Championship event at the Firm, just in time for the first solid cold front of the year. The prediction was for rain and a high of about 48°.
Instead of driving the Miata (Rivals are especially bad in the rain, and need some heat to grip well), I changed tires by changing cars.
I drove the Ralliart again, and finished second, so that was fantastic (IMO, Firestone Firehawks are good rain tires for autocross).
Last Sunday, I was finally going to get to drive the Miata again, on a beautiful day at a Martin sports car club event. That didn't work out, I'm trying to pass kidney stones.
So, my autocross year has had a lot of ups and downs.
Still, I was looking at the points for our local SCCA chapter yesterday. It turns out that despite missing a bunch of events, I am sixth in points in E Street which is the last trophy position. This is just my third year autocrossing, and I had hoped to try and trophy this year, but had given up on that.
A big plus for autocross this year was finally convincing my wife to come drive in an event. She's actually pretty good!
She doesn't do well in the heat, so it's not going to be a year round thing for her, but she had fun and will be back for more.
So that takes me to the best part of my motorsports year. In April, I bought a Challenge car, the Morris Minor from the 2013 event.
We had some extra difficulty getting things going with the car. First, my intended teammate had a family crisis when his wife had a severe heart attack (which she did survive).
Since we live several hours apart, and he had no spare time, I kept the car here. Then, the engine wouldn't turn over. That ended any hope of getting it to the challenge this year.
I had intended to still come to the challenge and volunteer to work, the same as I did last year. Then my luck changed, when Stampie offered to have me join his team.
He had bought Tom's Buick Riviera gambler 500 car.
That's not a car you would expect much from, but the theme for the Buick was "exceeding expectations". The car ran a 60.08 in the autocross, Stampie sprayed it to a 16 second pass in the quarter, and we did well in the concourse.
Best of all, and truly the highlight of the year for me was being at the Challenge and making new friends.
Thanks, Stampie! I can't wait for 2022!
NickD said:I kicked some ass with my Rotrex-supercharged, 1.8L swapped Miata in Xtreme Street B. I was in the Top 10 for raw time every single event, and was 2nd in raw for half of them, with my first ever FTD at another event (damn, that felt good). Handily won our combined Xtreme Street/CAM/Street Touring class by a strong margin, and ended up 8th overall for the season, my best ever. Also successfully terrified a bunch of passengers, earned our Iron Man award (show up to every event and take every competition lap) and went to an event and raw-timed all the SSM cars, including an SSM Miata with equal horsepower, huge wing and splitter and 275-width Hoosiers.
And here I am in the same class making 113 at the wheels. 
David S. Wallens said:NickD said:I kicked some ass with my Rotrex-supercharged, 1.8L swapped Miata in Xtreme Street B. I was in the Top 10 for raw time every single event, and was 2nd in raw for half of them, with my first ever FTD at another event (damn, that felt good). Handily won our combined Xtreme Street/CAM/Street Touring class by a strong margin, and ended up 8th overall for the season, my best ever. Also successfully terrified a bunch of passengers, earned our Iron Man award (show up to every event and take every competition lap) and went to an event and raw-timed all the SSM cars, including an SSM Miata with equal horsepower, huge wing and splitter and 275-width Hoosiers.
And here I am in the same class making 113 at the wheels.
245whp makes you somebody. Actually, I might be a little over 250hp now. I put a smaller blower pulley on two years ago and have never re-dynoed it.
In reply to NickD :
Yeah, totally. Sounds like most of the Miatas in our XSB are making 150 to close to 300 at the wheels. I still like the simple rules. Just making it easy.
For the first time ever, I decided to run most events for a season and try to win something. Normally I just go for fun, and I had tons of fun. It wasn't too hard to win since I made more events than the competition, but it was totally fun. Next season I will move up a class and hope the guy in that class makes most events too. Our cars are pretty close now, and I'm allowed a few mods between now and then. I got this Subaru to rallycross after seeing how much fun my friend Matt was having last year. He is right, it is insane amounts of fun.
My season, I probably would have ran more XSB events in my Integra if it didn't break back in May, and have been waiting for my shortblock to be assembled by my engine builder just so I can drive it again. It looks like the competition at Martin and CFR would be good to have too.
Ended up switching to the GTI and driving it in STH. Didn't do many changes to the GTI other than buying RT660s as it only has a rear sway bar, lowering springs+ koni yellows and 18x8 wheels. It's been fine driving, but I've been avoiding going full prep on it or additional mods to it since its mostly my drive car to work on days I am not working from home, precovid daily.
Scored a deal with some used Ground Control Camber plates, but they don't work with my Koni Yellows, and I've given up trying to contact GC about it since they haven't responded back to me, grr. Basically the spherical bearing on the camber plate seems too small for the Koni shaft and I probably need the Koni version of the bearing. I'm willing to pay too, but it's looking like I probably need to try another shock...
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