Miata Mailing List: September 1997, Message #34
sponsored by



     



From: 	Andy Poling <andy@realbig.com>

Subject: Re: Autox

Date: 	Mon, 1 Sep 1997 11:30:16 +0000



MiataGuy@webtv.net (Daniel Hensley) sez:

>   1.  Whats the general conscensus on the best wheel to choose - I'm

> staying with a cheap used stock wheel so it's either the >93 rims, the

> 94< rims, or the steel wheels - which one?  They all seem to run about

> together in price at less than 500 bucks for a set.



What year is your car?  If you want to compete in the stock class you have

to keep the same size wheel as stock.  If your car is a <94 than you can

find cheap alloys (like $200-300/set) used or on clearance around on the

'net or from Mazda Competition.  I use MX-3 alloys as my spare wheels for

the '91 - they're dimensionally identical.



I wouldn't use the steel wheels - they will flex under the stresses of

autox, and you run the risk of a failure from fatigue.



>   2.  What is the best race rubber that you autoxers have found.



Just about everybody autox-ing their Miata in the stock class runs 205/55

BFG R1's.  You can also drive to the event on these tires (meaning you can

change wheels at home instead of at the event).



I just never take them off of either of my Miatas.  They don't last for very

many miles, but I only end up replacing them every year or so.



To get an idea of the prep you can do to your Miata and keep it in the stock

class (where you'll probably be most competitive) check out my web pages for

my two cars at http://realbig.com/~andy .



Most importantly, though, work on your driving skills... and have a blast!



-Andy



72 Pantera: track time    91 Miata: back-road time    97 Miata: autocross time

               96 A4Q: grown-up time      84 RZ350: kid time