Spec Miata - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Spec Miata is a class of racing car used in Sports Car Club of America

Sports Car Club of America

The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...

(SCCA), National Auto Sport Association

National Auto Sport Association

The National Auto Sport Association is an American motorsports organization promoting road racing and high-performance driver education....

(NASA), and Midwestern Council

Midwestern Council

The Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs was formed in 1958 and is a confederation of eight separate Wisconsin and Illinois amateur racing organizations. The group holds regional races at local race tracks including Road America, Blackhawk Farms Raceway, Gingerman Raceway, Grattan Raceway Park,...

of Sports Car Clubs (MCSCC) road racing events.

The Spec Miata (SM) class is intended to provide the opportunity to compete in low-cost cars with limited modifications, suitable for racing competition. It is intended to encourage low cost, entry level, production car based competition. Spec Miata currently races both sprints and enduros where available.

Mazda Miatas in model years 1990 through 1993 with 1600 cc engines, model years 1994 through 1997 with 1800 cc engines, and model years 1999 through 2005 with 1800 cc engines have been approved by the SCCA for Regional racing in all divisions of the SCCA. The class was approved for National SCCA racing beginning in the 2006 racing season. The "First Ever" Miata National was held at PIR in Phoenix, AZ with Mike Halpin as the "First Ever" National race winner.

As its name shows, Spec Miata is a "specified" class. This means that the rules for allowable modifications to the car are very strict. The class intends to put drivers on a very even footing by making their cars as identical as possible. The rules are far more conservative than the Improved Touring

Improved Touring

Improved Touring is a category of classifications for cars in amateur road racing defined by the Sports Car Club of America. The class is used by other sanctioning bodies with compatible rules, such as the International Conference of Sports Car Clubs....

category, but provide equivalent safety measures.

Because of the support of Mazda through Mazdaspeed

Mazdaspeed

Mazdaspeed is Mazda's in-house race and street car tuning arm. It began in 1968 as "Mazda Sports Corner", a tuning and racing operation run by Takayoshi Ohashi, who also ran Mazda's Tokyo distributor...

, the wide availability of the car on the used market, plentiful and inexpensive parts, and the simplicity of maintenance on the cars, Spec Miata has become a very popular class. Also adding to the appeal is the fact that A Spec Miata can be raced in both SM and ITA/ITS in SCCA Regional Competition. A typical race-ready spec miata can be purchased on the market for $8000–$35,000 depending on race win history and specific modifications.

Garth Stein

Garth Stein

Garth Stein is an American author and film producer from Seattle, Washington.-Career:Stein earned a B.A. in 1987 from Columbia College of Columbia University and later received a Master of Fine Arts degree in film from the University's School of the Arts. Subsequently, Stein worked as a director,...

, author of the best selling novel The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a 2008 novel by American author and film producer Garth Stein — told from a dog's point of view. The novel became a New York Times bestseller, has remained on the list for more than 40 weeks, and became a #1 BookSense Pick.-Synopsis:The novel follows the...

, based the book on his experience as a race car driver, having won the points championship in the Northwest region Spec Miata class in 2003. Stein left racing after a serious crash — while racing in the rain.

Class rules

This section is not an exhaustive set of rules; it is intended to give the reader an idea of the preparation level of the cars in this class.

Spec Miatas use a specific Bilstein shock with an adjustable coil-over suspension

Suspension (vehicle)

Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...

with Eibach springs and adjustable front and rear sway bar

Sway bar

A sway bar or anti-roll bar or stabilizer bar is a part of an automobile suspension that helps reduce the roll of a vehicle that is induced by cornering or road irregularities. It connects opposite wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring...

s, steel braided brake lines.

Depending on the region, Toyo

Toyo Tire & Rubber Company

is a tire company based in Japan.-History:The company started in 1945. In 1966, the company expanded to the United States as Toyo Tire Corporation...

, Kumho, or Hankook tires are specified. For National competition, the Toyo RA-1 (205/50R15) is the spec tire. Toyo RA-1 is now required in SCCA as of January 1, 2010 though the R-888 may be used until supplies are exhausted. In 2012 Hoosier Tires will provide the spec tire for all National Events. The wheel size is fixed at 15x7, with the wheels weighing no less than 13 pounds.

Cars with 1.6 liter engines have a race weight of 2300 pounds (1057 kg) and first generation cars with a 1.8 liter displacement engine have a minimum race weight of 2350 pounds. "Second generation Miatas" (1999-05) have a minimum weight of 2400 pounds. (These rules as of January 1, 2012)

The 1.8 liter displacement cars may not run an aftermarket air intake and must run a throttle restrictor, while the 1.6 liter displacement cars do not require a restrictor and may run a modified air box. The full rules for the class may be found in the current Spec Miata Category Specifications of the SCCA rule book, called the GCR (General Competition Rules & Specifications).

Famous quotes

"Spec cars, such as SCCA Spec Miata, and now NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

—and increasingly Formula One

Formula One

Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

—take the car out of the equation and it becomes more driver vs. driver. This is the purest form of racing, and in some cases, such as Spec Miata, it might not draw a crowd, but so what? We're talking pure sport. I predict that in the next two decades, every major type of racing will be a spec series." - H.A. Wheeler

"What folks want to race is what we need to be racing, duh." [Jim Daniels, co-class founder and former SpecMiata.com owner]

SCCA National Champions

2011 Elivan Goulart, Shelton, CT

2010 Andrew Charbonneau, Delray Beach, FL

2009 Steven Gorriaran, Providence, R.I.

2008 Eric Foss, Northeast Oklahoma Region www.ericfossracing.com

2007 Brad Rampelberg, San Francisco Region

2006 Andrew Caddell, Northwest Region

NASA National Champions

2011 Nathanial Sparks www.joeymctaggartpostedthis.com

2008 Todd Lamb www.toddlamb.com

2007 Todd Lamb

2006 Greg Stasiowski

External links

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