<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Cheaper for who?!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> I know what you mean Angelo, but that made me laugh <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />



I practiced that so much on downshifts it sounds and feels weird if for some reason I can't do it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, it is a bit tricky. I tried to mock it, but its harder than it looks.

And yeah, its cheaper for me Reuben, shesh! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> Sorry, didnt mean for it to sound like that.. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> I'll chip in with all that burnt rubber. You might not want a passenager. Might make the Miata too heavy to handle <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

It just takes lots of practice. Now it's second nature, although I still screw it up sometimes, especially if my wife moved the seat and I don't put it back in the same place. That's one problem Scott doesn't have with his seat bolted to the floor! Of course, I always do my best driving when I'm on my own <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Can you adjust the brake pedal height on your VR4? That's what I didn't on my Miata and it helped a lot.

Autocross is fun with a passenger. Actually, a friend of mine who has done a lot of autocrossing was a real help. He would stare at me to make sure I was looking far enough ahead. It's so easy to focus on what's right in front of your rather than 2 or 3 gates ahead. Also tell me if I was braking too much etc. Autocrossing is good fun, but it's a lot of time spend not driving.

Scott, I'm interested in those Hankooks. How many miles have you put on them? Justy wondering how they age. I almost got a set last time, but opted for Azenis for the millionth time as I know them well and they are an awesome tire and cheap. I agree they do get a bit greasy with old age (about 12 months normally <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />)

PM sent Angelo

Lets see, A Miata consumes a tank of fuel each two day weekend. A built 3000GT turbo uses a tankful each session.
A Miata will go all season on a set of track tires as well as one set of Hawk Blue brake pads per year.
The 3K GT will consume these each weekend and it's tires cost more than twice as what a Miata runs.
Heck even a $100 will cover a Miatas track consumption for a two day event where the 3K will use the better part of a grand to run two days.
Light cars are nice.

Geez! That is a pretty huge difference. I've got a set on Hawk HPS pads waiting to go on <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Low cost is why I buy Azenis tires. They are a lot of fun and I get 12-15K miles out of a set which is not much but they're only $60 bucks a piece!

Sounds like I'll be taking Angelo on a date to the track <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

HPDE events (high performance driver education) are schools, just a weekend long. MazdaDrivers, Track Daze, PCA, etc run them in similar fashion. It's a controlled track environment with no wheel-to-wheel racing, trading paint, etc. Passing with a point-by only. That keeps it safe and keeps the group's insurance costs (and consequently your entry fees) as low as possible. There are classroom sessions both Sat/Sun and you'll have an instructor riding shotgun telling you how to get faster. If you listen to them, they'll keep your <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" /> out of trouble too so you don't bend stuff. Guys who have a bunch of track day experience are put in the more advanced groups that don't require them, but the beginner & intermediate groups have instructors. If you show that you've got good track manners, paying attention to corner workers, passing & getting passed appropriately, driving a good line and not showing evidence of doing anything too stupid, then your instructor may sign off for you to go out solo for the last one or two sessions. You get four sessions per day, at about 20-25 minutes each, so it's over 2.5 hours of seat time for the weekend.


As mentioned, you will have a passenger for most/all of the weekend. But one of those two people will always be an instructor. Students are not allowed to go out together. It's either the student driving his car with instr. riding shotgun, or instructors giving students ride-alongs in the instructors' cars. Take advantage of that when you can. What some of these guys do with their cars can be real eye-opening. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

But yes, passenger weight is very noticeable in lighter low powered cars like the Miata. IMO, they don't emphasize this enough in class for the beginners that may end up going out solo for the first time that weekend. I had a pretty bad "off" at VIR during my first solo session. It was because the car was minus 180 lbs, and I was going 10-15 mph faster at the top of the uphill esses. I sensed that and braked at a point I thought would be fine, but then because my pass. side tires didn't grip as well with less weight over them, I didn't hold the next left hander. Car spun, I countersteered but it was unrecoverable so I locked 'em up. Managed to slow it down on pavement a bit, but still went off into the grass. No damage, but a humbling experience. I haven't had a spin since then, because now for the solo runs I dial it back a bit to get used to the different balance without the passenger, and then gradually increase the speed from there.


They are fairly new, got the wheels & tires late Sept. Did one autocross and one track weekend one them, with a few street miles in between. They are now being stored indoors until spring so they don't get subjected to freezing temps. They are a significant improvement in grip on the track compared to my Toyo T1Rs, and those don't suck as far as street tires go. The Azenis wear faster and will grip a little better at lower temps than RS-2s, so I wouldn't necessarily get the Hankooks if you do a lot of autox. The serious autox guys run R-comps (V710, A6, etc) in the ES class and most STS2 guys seem to run either Bridgestone RE-01Rs or Toyo R1Rs. The R1R is really a purpose-built autox tire masquerading as a street tire to make it legal for STS2, but some people who don't care about the fast wear rate run them on the street. But it seems I have digressed.

Anyway... I've read many complaints of Azenis overheating on track and losing grip, but I don't know how hard these guys push the limits of their tires, and I have not run Azenis on track myself, so I can't give a direct comparison. I can only say that the RS-2s did very well. I was surprised how much stickier they got once I got some heat into them. I noticed no loss of grip towards the end of a 30 minute session earlier this month. Then again, it wasn't a hot day (low 70s) and I'm not serious enough to have my own pyrometer so I'm not sure how hot they ultimately got. Both RS-2s and Azenis are good grippy street tires. Neither is particularly lightweight, but I think in 205/50-15 the RS-2 is about a pound lighter. In that same size, the RS-2 will cost $20 more per tire than Azenis. A lot of the overheating complaints are probably from guys with heavier and higher-powered cars than a Miata (almost any car <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />). If you already have Azenis, just bring them to the track and see how they do. One of the main reasons I went with the RS-2s is that they are pretty much the only street tires that come in 225/45-15, which is an ideal size for my 15x8 wheels. All the other 225/45-15 tires I know of are R-comps (RA-1, R888, NT-01, R6, A6) although supposedly Toyo is releasing the R1R in this size. By the time I wear out the RS-2s, I'll probably be ready to step up to one of the aforementioned R-comps, but we'll see.

Heel and toe is just a trick to manufacture a third foot for a 3 pedal car. You are clutching to downshift, you are braking into the corner, and you are blipping the gopedal to raise the rpms to match the lower gear so you don't lurch it when the clutch disengages. the toe is on the brake, and the heel is on the gopedal. Really helps to have the same height on the two pedals, and to have a top hung gopedal, and a foot that's not a size 13. I end up braking with the arch of my foot and blipping with my middle heel.

I have used leftfooting for years to get better turnin into a corner at speed, aka trailbraking, since you get a weight transfer to the front wheels and an increase in traction therefrom. I never really thought about doing a lot with it midcorner, but I see Charlie's point. Almost all street cars are set up to be slight understeerers, the safest route. If you go into the corner too hot, the understeer can scrub off some speed, and any braking forward weight transfer tightens up your cornering radius to keep you from straying wide. lift throttle weight transfer does the same better turn-in. You have to learn to be aware of the placement of the weight on the wheels as you brake, accel, and turn the car before you ever get good at control at the limit.

I want a Caterham. Y'all are just torturing me. Next thing you know I'll be entering the SR in an autoX or driftin' meet. I am the reincarnation of Tazio Nuvolari, in my own mind, at least...

I always blip the throttle side of my foot, but the Miata pedals are quite close together.

Eddy, crack out your welder and make one of these <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> I found a picture of the space frame chassis I made the other day. I'll post up when I get a chance. I still mourn it's loss and never getting the chance to drive it. Oh well...

I myself brake with the big toe and throttle with the side of the little toe. I get more finesse this way.


The pedals are all adjustable. The brake and clutch go up or down with threaded adjustments and sideways by bending. The throttle will bend into place.
It also matters as to choice of shoe that is worn. In some ways, if the shoe is comfortable to walk in, it is of little use to drive in. Boots do not work.

Thats a big difference, kinda scary. Man, I guess I'll have to practice some before I go out there and after I learn some "track" experience THEN I'll pay the money to have fun.



So when you picking me up. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" /> Bring your car and a jacket for me to wear. And I'm not a cheap date either, so dont think I'm easy <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />