ITA Miatas?

[Colin Harmer]

I was just wondering how many of the ITA Miatas are actually "ITA" cars and how many are SM (or similar variant) badged as ITA cars?

I'm bringing my ITA miata, and was wondering how much of a benchmark there will be?

Since I just noticed that Serra is bringing his CRX, all bets are off, he should be clearly dominant!

Let me know...and see you there!

[lateapex911]

It's too bad Andy Bettencourt won't be making the haul with his Miata, as he's run very well this year. His car does well at technical momentum tracks like Lime Rock, but he feels that it's not a good Road Atlanta car. I think some aero work up front might help that a bit, but that's just a guess.

I think ITA will be an interesting race this year. Serra has been off Grand Amming, and he sold his winning Acura. and his other Acura as well, I think, so I am guessing that his is the CRX that has been there a couple times with Jason Adamsky and Lorenzo Serra driving.

Keven Ruck has gotten his car together, and the Mosers are slated to be there, plus theres some new sheetmetal from the NE in the form of a Saturn and a Sentra coming, not to mention Greg Amy in the egg.

Plus the others that aren't at the front of my brain. Should be fun, I wish I could watch it in a way.

[IPRESS]

I am coming with a 1.8 that is half way between SM and full ITA. Got the header & intake on and hope to have the new springs on. Stuff that Andy suggested, but RAtlanta appears to be the wrong track for the ITA miata. Still is my favorite and with it being the ARRC weekend it will still be a blast.

Mac

[Andy Bettencourt]

Colin,

Unless Mike VanSteenburg shows up in his, yours will be the class representative for 1.8's. Not knowing RA like the regulars, I do think there will be sections where the Miata will be very strong and sections it will be less than a hero. I still think the Teg or a CRX tucked up behind an EGG will be the class of the field.

Do us proud and get that car down to LRP where it can shine!

Anybody think Stretch would want to drive my car at the ARRC?

Oh ya, the benchmark is P1. Doesn't matter what kind of car!

[R2 Racing]

Unless Mike VanSteenburg shows up in his.....[/b]
Isn't he kind of local to Road Atlanta, or at least the SEDiv? If so, I'd be kind of surprised if he didn't show up. Wait, I just looked at the entry list and Kip is signed up in ITS in the '99 Miata. I can't imagine they'd bring one and not the other.

26 ITA cars signed up already. :023:

Also, comparing the five Miata ITA entries to the SM list, only one appears on both:
"#66 Bill Warden White 1992 Mazda Miata"

[lateapex911]

I shouldn't speak for Mike, but I either remember him saying, or somebody saying, that he's not a fan of Road Atlanta, or the ARRCs, or something. I've never seen him there. So I'm not expecting it. But who knows, he just might show up.

[Colin Harmer]

Andy,

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Doubtful I'll get the car UP to LRP as it's living in FL for the next few years I hope, but if you want to get yours down south....

I'm really looking forward to this years ARRC, the cars in ITA are all very different in their capabilities, unlike in ITB where it was VW vs. Volvo and now VW vs. Honda/Volvo...I really feel like the Miata will be a competitive package overall.

And as all my BMW buddies like to say: "Driven by the rear wheels as GOD intended"
So that will be fun!

See everybody there!

Cheers,

[fixrim]

Andy, I'd LOVE to drive the fast ITA miata at the ARRC. :birra: I'll be there, and I have my own ITA 1.8 miata, but I have a feeling it is going to be down on power. We came too late to this ball game and our car hasn't had the development it needs. Mainly in the power department. I was expecting a lot more power than the SM trim, but that never played out.... I think we might be close, but not really close enough. From talking to Colin it sounds like he'll have the best ITA miata there. Any advice you can give at this point would be appeciated. We are well behind the 8 ball and I think I am going to be sad when I see all the others motor by me on the back. There might be hope though, I can drive well in Atlanta.

Normally Colin reviews and helps with our data, but in Atlanta I think I am going to him away until AFTER the race!

[lateapex911]

Hey Bob, thats great! It will be interesting to see how it plays out. You're a guy with more than a few miles not only around RA, but in Miatas!

Have you done any aero work in the front? I've always felt that was a weakness of the car. Maybe my eye is wrong though!

[Andy Bettencourt]

Andy, I'd LOVE to drive the fast ITA miata at the ARRC. :birra: I'll be there, and I have my own ITA 1.8 miata, but I have a feeling it is going to be down on power. We came too late to this ball game and our car hasn't had the development it needs. Mainly in the power department. I was expecting a lot more power than the SM trim, but that never played out.... I think we might be close, but not really close enough. From talking to Colin it sounds like he'll have the best ITA miata there. Any advice you can give at this point would be appeciated. We are well behind the 8 ball and I think I am going to be sad when I see all the others motor by me on the back. There might be hope though, I can drive well in Atlanta.

Normally Colin reviews and helps with our data, but in Atlanta I think I am going to him away until AFTER the race! [/b]

Sweet! I can't wait to see the results...we still have more power to find - maybe 3-5hp but it's shocks next and driver all the time...

Good luck!

[dazzlesa]

bring on the fun, bob stretch in a miata!

[fixrim]

My "aero" work on the front of the miata consisted of making a honeycomb splitter that goes under the bumper only, when you are right, there is more work to be done. I'd like to see 140hp at the wheels, but we are MILES away from that number at the moment. Shocks, well, we are weak there, we have not done any data or any shock revalving, but at least we have some good shocks. You all might notice Colin is sponsored by PENSKE! You know his shocks are working well! Really we would benefit from some tuning and tweaking at this point....

[DavidM]

Kip showed up for the July Road Atlanta race in the 944, but Mike wasn't in ITA. I would think if Mike was going to run the ARRC he'd be signed up already. Seems like it'd be a no brainer to bring both cars, but for whatever reason Mike doesn't seem to want to race at Road Atlanta. Kind of disappointing as he did win the SARRC this year in ITA and it'd be nice to see how he (and the car) does against the compettion.

My goal this year is to not get lapped by Bob again while driving the car he almost won with in 2004. :eclipsee_steering:

David

[lateapex911]

My "aero" work on the front of the miata consisted of making a honeycomb splitter that goes under the bumper only, when you are right, there is more work to be done. I'd like to see 140hp at the wheels, but we are MILES away from that number at the moment. Shocks, well, we are weak there, we have not done any data or any shock revalving, but at least we have some good shocks. You all might notice Colin is sponsored by PENSKE! You know his shocks are working well! Really we would benefit from some tuning and tweaking at this point....
[/b]
Yea, at tracks like Atlanta, I would think any aero help you could give that car would pay off. The Miata is one car that this rear wheel drive guy is curious about. I will follow the progress of you two closely!

[Colin Harmer]

OK, that's enough pressure!

All I want to do is go and have some fun and DRIVE again! Spending 100 days at race tracks all over hell's half creation and getting 0 seat time is NO FUN! :(

The car is now done!!! We loaded it into the trailer this morning as it's going to the ARRC via the 13 hour (the car will be there, I will not....)

I'm not expecting to set the world on fire with this, as all my experience has the drive coming from what I now have learned to be the "wrong" end of the car.

I have to be honest I'm really hoping it's dry, because I don't want to learn the subtle nuances of RWD in the WET...

I will say this though...it's really a good looking car, but I may be a little biased!

http://www.gomuchfaster.com/CMS/Images/ITA%20Build/IMGP1153.JPG

26 cars in A! that's fantastic, as it won't matter where you are in the pack, you'll definetly be racing with someone, and that's really what I want (need!) to do at the moment.

See you there!

[Bildon]

and not a scratch on it! .... did somebody say "yet" :P

[Bob Sieck]

FWIW, I would be surprised if ISC Mike showed up at the ARRC in one of his ITA Miatas. This weekend he's doing the 13hr @ VIR with trailer full of cars and, as previous posts accurately stated, he's not a fan of RA events.
I was fortunate to drive his 1.6 and 1.8 ITA Miata's in a few of the local Florida races this year. The're really "dialed in". :rolleyes:

Bob Sieck
ITA Miata - occasionally

[fixrim]

Colin, I saw your car in Stu's trailer, and it is as beautiful as you say. Class of the field, I am certain. I was disappointed however, that there is no Newfoundland Provincial Flag or even a Canadian Flag anywhere on the car !!

[Colin Harmer]

Bob,

I was trying to figure out how to get the "socialist flag" incorporated into the graphics, with a set of bull horns and a 12G shot gun for you... ( a perfect "best of both worlds" solution!)

For those of you who who haven't met us both...

Bob is a displaced CANADIAN (that's right CANADIAN) who has since become a US citizen (a Texan no less...the most american state!) and has taken particular pleasure in referring to me as his "socialist Canadian buddy"

So for all who see him, please ask how the Oilers are doing this year, and how the Stampede was etc. etc. etc.

Back at you Bobby my boy!

[fixrim]

Bob,

I was trying to figure out how to get the "socialist flag" incorporated into the graphics, with a set of bull horns and a 12G shot gun for you... ( a perfect "best of both worlds" solution!)

For those of you who who haven't met us both...

Bob is a displaced CANADIAN (that's right CANADIAN) who has since become a US citizen (a Texan no less...the most american state!) and has taken particular pleasure in referring to me as his "socialist Canadian buddy"

So for all who see him, please ask how the Oilers are doing this year, and how the Stampede was etc. etc. etc.

Back at you Bobby my boy!
[/b]

Well, I left all the Clinton loving, war protesting, Chavez loving, gun hating, anti american canadians long ago! Turned out I didn't fit, trying to debate the benefits of capitalism in such an ass backward socialist mecca. Couldnt wait to become a US citizen and forever shed my shameful socialist comrade background! Oh and don't even get me started on the queen!

And, for all of you who don't know much about Canada, Colin comes from the more left wing socialist east (think New York) where as I came from the oil rich cowboy west (Think Texas).

I am glad to report however, that Colin has learned the way of Canadia is not as great as these United States and plans to move to Florida. He promises me he will be voting red at ALL TIMES!

[Chris Wire]

Seems like it'd be a no brainer to bring both cars, but for whatever reason Mike doesn't seem to want to race at Road Atlanta.
[/b]

Might have something to do with what is unofficially referred to as the 'VanSteenburg rule'.

Several years ago ('99?) Mike won the ARRC in his ITS RX7. He was DQ'd in Tech for an illegal radiator setup. It was vertical. He won on appeal I believe, but the next year the GCR was updated to include language stipulating that the radiator had to have the same PLANE as the original.

Hence, the VanSteenburg rule. That coupled with Kip's DQ a few years ago during the BMW "Ballastgate" fiasco and I think you can see why Mike might rather stay home.