ITA/7 vs ITB vs SM in the Midwest
Hello, midwest IT racers.
I am finally hitting a point in life where I can actually do some wheel-to-wheel racing. I am doing some track days / DE events this year in my street car, but would like to pick up a dedicated track car that is road race capable in the next year or so. I am in no way building a car, so I would buy something "race-ready".
I am in Iowa, and looking around at Midwest Council, NASA, and SCCA events that are anywhere close to here, it is evident that there are WAY more Spec Miatas than anything else at a given event. What do you guys say about the relative merits of starting out in an ITA/7 RX7, an ITB Rabbit, or a Spec Miata? I know the initial cost on an SM is more, but as you guys well know, the initial cost is a very small part of the overall budget. I'm torn.
Cliffs Notes: Wannabe road racer in Iowa needs to pick between ITA/7 RX7, ITB Rabbit, or SM - discuss
Thanks for any thoughts!
ITA/7 vs ITB vs SM in Midwest
Morgan
Most of the info posted is basically correct. However, IT7 is a relatively new class that started in 2004 when a bunch of RX7 drivers convinced MIDIV to opt them out of ITA. IT7 started in SEDIV a few years earlier. ITA in MIDIV was dominated by Hondas and a 240SX so the RX7 guys got their own class. There really isn't a move back to ITA, its just that some weekends there isn't much of a IT7 class so the drivers run in ITA. preparation for the cars is identical for ITA and IT7.
I ran a1980 ITA/7 RX7 for 6 years. Only 1 DNF and that was a crash. The cars tend to be very reliable and low maintenance. They are a great club racer. In those 6 years I never changed or rebuilt an engine, transmission or differential. I sold it in 2005 in preparation for retiring and the guy who bought it hasn't had much trouble either and he's way faster than I ever was. He's been known to run ahead of the ITA and ITS cars in the IT group. I think it's for sale as he is building a FS car.
I'd stay away from the VW's but only because they seem to break more and require more maintenance than the Mazdas.
Good luck in your search. BTW, I lived in Ankeny when I had the RX7.
Mike Trier