Miata Mailing List: August 1994, Message #8
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   From: Doug Quara 
Subject: Weekend Driver's School
   Date: Mon, 1 Aug 1994 12:00:35 -0400


This past Saturday I had the opportunity to flog Nellie in what 
was equivalent to a Solo 1-type school.  It was put on by the Equipe Rapide
Sports Car Club, and featured a course laid out at the West Palm Beach 
South Florida Fairgrounds.  This is a former site of the IMSA West Palm
Beach Gran Prix.  We only used a portion of the race track.  The course
we used was about a mile per lap, with mostly left-handers (we did the
course counter-clockwise).  We used a portion of the IMSA track that
included the hairpin (formerly turn 10, or was it 11?  I can't recall).
There were a couple of cone obstacles set up, basically chicanes, to
keep the speeds down a little, considering it was a school, attracting
novices.

We had about 15 students, and about 10 "instructors".  I chose to register
as a student, even though I had more experience than some of the instructors.
I needed to learn the car, so I wanted the track time in it.

I got my BFG roadrace compound R1 (205/55/14) on Thursday, and got them
mounted up in time for Saturday.  They were delivered as ordered shaved
to 4/32.  I ran the recommended 29 front and 27 rear pressures.

The course was supposed to be set up higher speeds in the morning, and then
a separate session was to have been set up with more cone obstacles to
create an autocross course, but they decided to forego the slower layout.
Most of the speed trial layout was 2nd with a few places to use third.

Darrin Disimo and I started out with identical cars last week, but he
set his up with a bit more toe-out in the front.  He was using his 
just-about-used-up Yoko RSIIs, (205/55/14 on the <= '93-style 5.5" alloys).
He also installed the exhaust from his '91 onto his '94.

Observations (or, why I'm posting all this):

-	Both cars were pretty neutral, with a touch of oversteer under
	trailing braking if we weren't careful.
-	The new BFGs roadracers stuck a bit better than the old Yoko autocross
	tires, but the yokes had better "feel".
-	The exhaust seemed to "free up" Darrin's engine a bit, but I can't 	
	really say that my calibrated butt was able to notice the difference.
-	Darrin really is a better driver than I am (at least for now.  :-)
-	The brakes on the Miata provided consistently short stopping 
	distances, and can be overheated, as I proved.  (OK, so I LIKE
	the smell of hot rubber and burning OEM brake pads.)  I was able
	to get a very long pedal.
-	The course required a "short shift", using third well before
	redline in second, so second wouldn't be at or over redline for
	an extended period.  The '94 motor had plenty of torque at 4000 RPM.
-	The low weight of the Miata translates into it being pretty easy
	to drive at or near the limit.  Corrections take effect MUCH faster
	than with my ol' ponycar. 
-	I was nailing third-second heel-toe shifts consistently; this 
	maneuver is accomplished without having to be double jointed 
	in the ankle.
-	In each session, which lasted about 12 minutes each, the temp
	guage never moved.

Between sessions Darrin changed his front stock bar and installed his
Racing Beat 15/16" bar.

-	The bar increased understeer only *slightly*.  This was counteracted
	by the increase "feel", and the better stability we felt in 
	transitional sections (the tighter left-right-left typical in
	an autocross).  The car leaned a whole lot less in the front, and
	overall I think the bar is a win, so I guess I'll just have to order
	one for my car.    :-)
	
I really need to learn how to drive the car better.  I was using  
classic very late apexes, required from my days in the Mustang, where
point-and-squirt was appropriate given the basic understeer, lower cornering
speeds, and greater acceleration the Mustang had.  I need to modify
the lines that are stored in my brain and use lines that let me carry
more speed thru a turn, as opposed to making it all up with the torque
of the old 5-liter I used to drive.

Final observation: What a great car the Miata is!!!!!


Doug     1  3  5     Information Systems    uucp  {uunet}!encore.uucp!dquara
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