Miata Mailing List: May 1992, Message #8
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   From: (none)
Subject: GAB vs Koni vs Morgan
   Date: (none)

Well, this weekend Joe and I finally got to compare our Miatas on
new, identical rubber (Yoko RS-IIs).  On Saturday we both instructed
at a novice driving school.  While the students were doing classroom
instruction us instructors got to test the course.  I was 2nd fastest
at 46.6, behind Jim Walsh's 46.1 in his '93 RX-7.  Joe managed to get
a 46.9.  After the classroom stuff was over we ran the students though
drills.  Joe and I got the slalom (of course :-).  After that we took
the students for rides in our cars.  I managed to get a 46.2 on one
of the student runs.  Joe got a 46.5 and Bill Buetow (local 944 hotshoe)
arrived late and ran in the 47s.  Since I have almost never beat Bill,
this made us feel good about the new tires.  Oh yeah, Jim Walsh managed to
get a mid-45 during one of his passenger runs.

Sundays course was very fast, almost an oval.  The back side featured
a slalom where almost everyone (including us) took the wrong way!  It
was deceptive.  Everyone went for the slow entry and easy exit.  It
later turned out that the fast entry/slow exit was better (more later).

None of us were happy when Stu Rulka showed up in his *very* fast Morgan.
Stu turned a 42.7 on his first run, Joe got a 43.689, I did a 43.363
with 2 cones and Bill did a 43.990.  On the second run Stu improved to
a 42.1, Joe was dirty, Bill improved to 43.688 (.001 ahead of Joe) and
I got a 43.297 clean.  At this point Joe, Bill and I realized that Stu
had taken the slalom the other way on his second run!  We decided to
do the same.  On our third runs Stu got sideways and did a 44.1, Joe
was dirty once more, Bill improved to a 43.200 and I blew the 2-3
shift and ended up in 5th instead (with a 44.2 or so).

So Stu was first with a 42.1, Bill second with 43.200, I was third
with a 43.297 and Joe was fourth with a 43.689.  We were also the
four fastest stock-class cars!  Of course all the hot SS people were
at Crow's Landing.

Roger Johnson ran PAX with the Fiero (in the morning) and only managed
a 43.9.  His co-driver, Jim Wilmont, ran in CS and had scratches in the
45s, but no clean runs.

Conclusions:

	GAB vs Koni:  I was consistantly faster than Joe all weekend by
	about 3 tenths.  I'd say at this point there is little evendence
	that one shock is better than the other.  Go with the one that fits
	your style/budget the best.

	Yokohama RS-II:  A big thumbs up.  With the 205/55s there are just
	gobs of stick.  Acceleration is down just a bit, but not any worse
	than the 195/60 BFGs and cornering speeds are way up.  Time and time
	again I found myself taking corners way too slow.  Now, hopefully,
	the tires will last a while.

	Miata vs Morgan:  God that thing is fast!  The course had a few
	rough spots that upset the car and probably helped us a bit.  I
	was actually surprised that we were able to run as close as we
	did on such a speed course.   It seems every time we catch up
	to the competition, someone faster shows up.  Well at least we
	have someone new to chase.

	Miata vs Fiero and 944:  I think we've caught up :-).  It should
	be a very interesting season.

- Alan