Well it was an up and down weekend. I put in new front koni shocks and raised the spindles 19mm, but didnt have time to adjust anything. So I go out to practice and had a little rubbing so I bring it in. Fix that and go to qualify, but the oversteer was scary. 25th is where I started. A few laps in I'm up to 14th then a Miata slams the back right corner a sends me sideways. I regroup in 21st and finish 13th. The back bumper is toast and have some body damage. I go out to qualify for sundays race and get pulled in for passing under yellow. They throw out all my times and tell me I have to start last 33rd. At the start of the race I get hit on the left rear corner and sent sideways again. (miata) I save it and start passing people in turn 2,3,4,5,6,8 and on the inside of nine. From 33rd to 8th not bad in 14 laps. My oil temps were 250 to 280 with three oil coolers dont no whats going on with that. I also got passed on the straight by a miata so I think Im down on power.

Any video? Sounds like you were moving pretty good.

What track? Let's see some pics

Yeah Who are you and where are you running? SFR SCCA? Was Albert out there?

Why is it always a Miata when someone gets hit?


They kind of look like bumper-cars, but ...
Andy

Really people.. where are your manners?

Uhh yeah http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3r5tV9q4Jw...feature=related


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3r5tV9q4Jw

Im Albert Correia and race a 914 in fp scca. That race was at Laguna Seca #5 and 6.
The problem with the class is ITA, ITC, ITS and ITB all race together. These guys are not true racers. when somebody makes a pass you need to realize you lost that place, but these guys dont care they slam you or turn in on you if your inside of them. I got hit three times. After the race on sunday one guy was mad at me because he said i hit him. He hit my back rear fender. I was 3/4 of a car ahead. who hit who? These miats are beat to hell. Smashed on every panel. Im not into that. I passed 25 cars without hitting anything. I told the guy it was my fault I was in the back and that was the last time he was ever going to see me. He got so mad he wanted to fight. LOL

Hey Albert,

I wanted to extend my simpathy for your tough week-end. It's enough being pressed for time to practice & qualify while figuring out your settings, but the Miata bumper-cars are just too far over the line.
My hope is that the Kamakazi Miata crowd will find a happy home in NASCAR where "Rubbin' is racin' " and leave roadracing to gentlemen.

In over 30 years of on-track experience, I've never hit anyone either. I found Laguna Seca to be a wonderful track for DRIVERS, but there are braking zones where dim-wits can use YOU for brakes.

Best,
Terry

I'm lucky to be racing. I have just enough money to get to the races with the wife and kids. What I dont need is fixing the car every race from contact. Im a racer and I go to win and do the best I can. I was talking to one guy and he said the miata is so forgiving its really easy to drive. So maybe the skill level is not there.

Vintage racing has a lot less bumping and banging.

Hey Albert!

I haven't seen you in a while. I'm glad you finally joined the site ...


As for the Miatas, we had a Miata guy who was supposedly a good driver join our 911 spec group (with PRC) at Sears last year.
He drove a loaner 911. Took him no less than 2 laps to hit another car and both spun off. There was pretty good damage to both cars.

Same scenario as yours, he was at the tail of another car, bumped him in the rear and then both spun into each other and off the course.

Needless to say, he never got invited back ...
Andy

Albert
I remember great posts on that other site, thanks for sharing here
My budget keeps me at AX only. Somebody has to have made a "Back off Miata!" bumper sticker by now. But, would they hit you more often if you had one?

At an HSR West a few years ago at the CA Speedway our Porsche run group had a couple of Miatas, several Hondas and half a dozen BMW spec cars to fill the field to about 30 cars or so. After the practice race the Miata and Honda drivers begged to go into another run group since we did our start at about 90 MPH on the banking and ALL the P-cars had open exhausts the drivers complained they couldn't tell if their cars were even running! They said their starts were generally done at 40MPH or even slower! They did okay in the practice race but were allowed to move and got totally wiped by some Ginettas in the trophy race. If I remember they had no wrecks or anything so at least at that time they behaved.

I competed in a Regional this weekend at Lime Rock.
Of 34 starters in my race group, 24 were Miatas.
However I was nearly taken out by a TR6 when I attempted a pass on the outside going into Big Bend.

The TR6 has about 30 hp more than my car right now yet at the end of the longest straight I was beside him at the braking zone. I don't think he was trying to block me but his line sucked and I got pushed out to the marbles. I was about to start my turn in to go around the outside of the corner and I noticed he wasn't turning yet even though we were well past the first apex. A lap later he pointed me by at the top of the hill before West Bend.

Friday I had qualified 7th overall but missed the qualifying race Saturday morning due to a blown master cylinder (Tilton), so I started the feature race DFL.
The TR6 started just ahead of me by virtue of getting to the grid before me, and because of his greater straight line speed and his weird driving line I didn't get by him for 10 laps as we passed other slow cars.
At the end of the race I had passed (only) 10 cars for a 24th place finish overall and first in class. I put in the 7th fastest lap of the 34 cars, driving somewhat conservatively and being held up by a car that I should have been in front of from the start.

The missed session in the morning was rather costly because my primary objective for the weekend was suspension tuning and getting used to the new rear adjustable shocks. At least the change I made after the Friday qualifier did help the handling and I was more comfortable in the fast turns and at the crest of the uphilll.

Glad to hear you're back out there Albert. Sounds like a bit of a destruction derby.

.............Vintage racing has NO bumping and banging., the penaltys can be quite severe....generally 1st offense, and IF both drivers are at fault...ejection from the event AND banned for the next (3) One to three events...2nd offense-Banned for a year from entering any events.Mandentory drivers school.Yellow stripe if you do return, the length/extent of time at discretion of (race director). 3rd offense ...your other racing options/venues will probably be your only choises.Your toast in Vintage racing. It takes skill and ability to overtake and pass (safely) another driver /car.Vintage racers are MUCH better drivers than you might think.

Vintage racing is not for me. I went to one last year to watch and the two fast guys got a black flag for not passing safely. If you want to just be on the track you can hit a track day or something. My goal is to be at the runnoffs next season,so I need as much racing as I can get.