Miata Mailing List: October 1998, Message #142

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Dan Scolnick wrote:
> 
> At 12:09 PM 9/28/98 -0500, Shiv Pathak wrote:
> >
> >If Jimmy C.'s NA Miata (which I drove all day) had more power at last
> week's Gold Rush
> >autox, my times certainly would have been significantly better.  Even
> though I was flat
> >out most of the course and got the lowest (or 2nd lowest) time of the
> event, the BFG R1
> >could have handled a LOT more power.  I feel there is such a thing as too
> much grip and
> >too little power.  Jimmy's car, ex-autorotor, was a perfect example.
> Still fun to drive,
> >but a big, well tuned turbo would help things out a lot.
> >
> 
> but shiv, you had trouble, at first, getting better times from your RX7
> than from JC's NA miata.  IIRC, you had the best time of the morning (and
> near the best of the day) from his NA miata.  Let's never talk 'would have
> should haves' let's look at what actually is.

Stepping into a hi-hp car with street tires after driving a low-hp car with race tires 
took a run or two to get used to.  My first run with the Miata was 51 sec.  My first 
run with the RX was 48 seconds.  I can ASSURE you that the Miata would have been more 
competitive it had been blessed with more hp. 
 
> You did damn well in JC's NA miata.  In fact, just looking at time slips,
> the extra 200 horserpower and sophisticated suspension of the RX7 was worth
> how much actually,  maybe 1 or 2 seconds out of 47 seconds?  I'd propose
> that difference was in the chassis far more than in the extra 200 horsepower.

That is pure speculation Dan.  In that autox, the hp advantage was a REAL advantage.  
The BFG R1'd Miata was far gripper than the T-1'd RX-7.  I was faster at turn entry 
and steady state cornering with Jimmy's Miata.  However, I the RX-7 could brake 
shorter, blast out of the corners and hit higher speeds in the straights.  If the 
Miata had more power, it would may have been another story.  Then again, if the RX-7 
had BRG R1s, it would have likely run in the 44-45 sec. range.  

I think hp is always an advantage, assuming all else is equal.  Am I saying that some 
guy in a NA Miata can't whip me in a road course or autox?  Nope.  That's because all 
things aren't equal (he would be the better driver.)  H  
 
> >If power could have helped my in an 1st and 2nd gear autox.  It surely
> would have helped
> >me on a big road course.  I think it would help almost anyone who treats
> the loud pedal
> >with enough respect.
> >
> 
> you've driven twitchy high horspower cars, just like i have.  It's not just
> a matter of treating the throttle with respect.  It's the skill of the
> driver and the balance of the car.

Driving skills and car balance always helps.  With those prerequisites, more hp is 
always welcome.

> /^\dans

Shiv