Miata Mailing List: November 1997, Message #32
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From: 	<rob@ebersol.com>

Subject: Sunoco Enduro ITS Miata report

Date: 	Sat, 1 Nov 1997 10:37:33 +0000



Although it looked as though it would be better, the Brain-Storm Products 

sponsored ITS Miata had an awesome weekend- that far exceeded the team's 

expectations. The Showroom Stock C Miata was prepped into ITS form in a 

weekend using some performance parts from the sponsor and some donated 

parts from one a driver's street Miata. H&R street/lowering springs and 

koni single adjustable shocks were swapped for the stock units. This 

lowered the car nearly two inches and stiffened up the supension. 

Brain-Storm provided their header, larger font sway bar (15/16"), front 

stut tower bar, Amsoil oil and filter. After arriving at the track, the 

stock exhaust was cut off just after the blown-out cat, where 90 degree 

bend pipe was added. We used practice to sort the car- and with the 

(free!) help of Jay from Ground Control we got the alignment straightened 

out. For a couple of showroom stock racers, the car had become far more 

fun. No longer did we feel as though we were tipping over and turns, and 

for the first time we could hear our car's engine roar. Before entering 

the race we had hoped for rain. We figured racing at night at our home 

track would give us an advantage. But rain would give us even a greater 

advantage. Since both drivers have run many races in the rain at Road 

Atlanta- knowing where the puddles are in the dark was key. 



The car qualified mid-pack in S thanks to those who missed qualifying or 

were having mechanical troubles. The race would be shortened to three 

hours, as the scheduled was pushed back due to the earlier carnage. As we 

gridded the rain began to fall harder. We ran two pace laps to get 

accustomed to the conditions- good idea. There were a few puddles out 

there that could found by driving left to right on the track.



The start was absolutely clean. Everyone new they had four hours to go of 

this mess, and respect the tracks' torturous conditions. The softly 

sprung Miata worked beautifully under braking and under acceleration 

through the turns. It was evident that some of the stiffer cars were 

having trouble accelerating in turns- as often the rear would break 

loose. And sometimes the cars would exit the track in some very elegant 

spins. It usually took two passes for the position to stick. Because of 

the straights, the Miata was often beaten on power, losing nearly 

twenty-five car lengths. But that was nullified at the bridge (T11) under 

braking. A good run down the hill would result in a pass going into T1 or 

up the hill after T1. 



At the first full course yellow, we were running sixth in S. It was time 

to clean out the gravel traps. The pace car exited and the starter 

through the green flag, yet T1 still had a yellow followed by 3, 4, and 

5. This didn't slow anyone down though. So on we went. Coming out of 

five, I got a good launch on a 240 preparing for a non-yellow t6- if 

there was one. I assumed that a green flag without double flags, meant 

there were clean corners somewhere. I looked up at six and did'nt see a 

yellow, so I squeezed into the apex and came out ahead. There's a light 

bar with red and yellow lights on it that hangs over the track at 6, but 

they weren't using it (nor the big square lights at the bridge?). This 

meant that once you were in the braking zone at six you couldn't see the 

worker station. Needless to say, it was just a little confusing, 

especially with the flat bed on the side of the track out of T1. T7 was 

yellow, so was 8 (chicane) yet there wasn't any action. The yellow lights 

at the corner stations were sometimes hard to distinguish from the 

yellow(ish) lights on poles on the infield or the yellow(ish) light bulbs 

at the stations. Especially with hard rain and back spray from the cars 

ahead. A yellow translucent square would probably make the warning lights 

distinguishable from all others- and I plan to suggest it. Who knows- 

maybe FIA will require something better. ;-> During this stint, the rain 

became so heavy that new puddles were devolping every lap- which meant 

the line was changing every lap. A driver could plan on about five 

surprises every lap, as water piled up in new areas and would either grab 

a tire or send you straight while turning in for a few feet. Yikes. I got 

goose bumps in butt (my physical symptom of fear) as I went off line by 

six inches going into twelve and onto some deep water. That was enough to 

track me out an additional car width, which sent me half off under the 

starter stand. I'm sure how, but the car stayed straight and got back up 

on the track. I reported to the crew that I had bad news, "I'd just used 

up all our good luck." 



After the first 45 minutes we were challenging for fourth in ITS- up from 

fifteenth. Everything was cooperating (this is a first). I made an effort 

at an outside pass exiting T5 for fourth, but the big rx7 had way too 

much power. It was tempting to push it harder, but at the advice of the 

crew, I played it safe with less than a quarter of the race gone by. 

There were plenty of hints at the edge of the track as to why I should 

hold back. More rain created larger puddles, and these claimed more cars. 

Ultimately we received the black flag all. Not what we needed to see, but 

there wasn't an arguement for the contrary; too many cars were lining the 

track.



After an hour and twenty five minutes, the stewards called the race- sort 

of. We had a big driver's meeting and the decision was made to continue 

it the next day. Bummer. After the incidents in the B race and the cars 

scattered about in this race, I think the stewards decided to take a more 

aggressive stance on mother nature. Ending the race under current 

conditions, ended our chance of maintaining or improving position, _but_ 

(IMHO) there's no denying it was the best decision. It's club racing- and 

if there's a controllable variable that is producing an obvious risk, 

then something needs to be done. After all, nobody wants to miss Monday 

at work.



When we woke up on Sunday it looked miserable, or wonderful in our case. 

Yet there wasn't a drop of precipitation. That's ok- there's still a few 

hours before the start. We gridded on rain tires. Cars were positioned 

from Saturday night's standings for what was going to be an hour and a 

half enduro with a mandatory five minute pitstop for those who didn't 

make one the previous night. We had not made a stop, so I started the 

race in hopes of an early yellow. With several spotters around the track, 

I could be quickly warned and dive into the pits before a full-course 

yellow (dreamer). Didn't work. Once again, there was some excellent 

racing going on- very clean. I got a good idea of what needs to be done 

to the Miata if I plan to run it competitively in ITA next year: 

horsepower. We were losing an incalculable amount of ground on the 

straights. As a matter of fact, it's hard to tell the difference between 

the ITA hondas and some of the S cars when they're approaching. After 

twenty-minutes I exited a drying track, on very greasy set of rain tires, 

and into the pits.



Andy jumped in and informed him of conditions, the car, drivers, etc. No 

need for fuel. The miata will run over an hour and a half without fuel, 

but with a mandatory five minutes, it didn't matter. Andy went out and 

cut consistent laps on the on the rain tires, which became increasingly 

greasy. Many of the competitiors were changing tires during their pit 

stop, but due to the continuing threat of rain, we decided not to change 

off of the rain tires. We lost four positions in ITS finishing a 

_provisional_ tenth (then moved up to 9th with a dq from above). Peter 

Cunningham (again) brought the overall winning honda across the finish 

line just behind the Miata- so the flag dropped on us. We all jumped up 

and down and screamed "WE WON! WE WON!" (dreamers). But it was fun. I 

think we were all thinking, "WE FINISHED!"



A big thanks goes out to the workers/volunteers who endured Mother 

Nature's fury. The drivers should commmended on their driving- _I_ never 

saw any "bad" moves. There may have been some, but most cars appeared to 

be "ejected" solo by the puddles. Also a big thanks to the crew for 

hanging out in the nastiness and lending their brains and brawn for the 

weekend.



Rob Ebersol

Andy Felker

ITS Miata 99







Rob Ebersol

--------------------

Ebersol Incorporated

Decatur, GA

www.ebersol.com

rob@ebersol.com