Call me crazy, but I just spent the weekend driving a Miata as hard as I possibly could up at the Thunderhill track in Willows CA. (I'm a newbie at it.)
http://www.thunderhill.com/Thunderhill_Map_hr.html

So, here's a newbie question. Will that sort of driving flex to car too much and risk messing up a moonroof/sunroof?

BB

 

I seriously doubt it since new performance cars are getting increasingly rigid and I never heard anyone complain about it on older tracked cars with moon roofs.

-Stephen

 

No, it shouldn't. There are many cars on the road nowadays that have gone for years without having such issues. I've owned a T-top sports car that I've run on track, and will creak more on rough and unsettled roads than it would under hard cornering. But they've never twisted themselves out of shape to the point where the T-tops leaked or anything. And with the increased rigidity that the RX-8 has been tested at, I would expect that problem to be minimized.

Depending on what structure items have been compromised with the addition of the sunroof, the chassis might flex a little more under hard cornering (but I don't expect it to mess up the sunroof).

It's a valid question, it might happen (as I understand it, the Plymouth Prowler has issues with doors fitting because the body sags after awhile).

---jps

 

I just drove a full weekend at Thunderhill track and WOW!

It was an all-Miata event and I've a new-found respect for the car. I got the class for my wife for xmas and she asked me to drive too.

Very, very, very fun! Now I'm looking at tires, rollbar etc. I was looking at the RX-8 for the last 6 mos and now am rethinking . . . wondering if I should just get someone's use Miata and turning it into and autocross play car with track days whereever I might find 'em!

Still, I am REALLY smitten by the RX. After my newbie weekend exposure to all the enthusiast jargon . . . apex, balance etc. I'm re-reading all the RX reviews and it looks like a FINE car . . .

I'm weighing a new slick car at 31000 msrp against a 10,000 Miata . . . joining SCCA for the autocross and open track days etc.

I may have found a new serious hobby.

BB

 

It's too late, you're hooked...

One piece of advice that I will give is that once you get going, it's very easy to get caught up in more money faster car more money faster car... I think James Garner put it best when he said that the thrill was not taking a car around the corner at 90 mph, it's taking a car capable of taking that corner at 30 mph, and driving it around that corner at 29.99 mph. Basically what he was saying was that the thrill is in wringing the most out of a car, whether it's a stock Miata, or a Porsche GT3 race car.

If you are on a budget, you can still set up your daily driver/street car for track fun. For some cars, all you have to do is make sure you have tires and brake pads that can handle the stress of a track weekend. Sometimes you should upgrade coolant, brake fluids, and things like that too. Other cars will need one or two upgrades. For example, you should upgrade the radiator on an FD before you run it hard on track (it'll run without, but not for long). So I wouldn't have a problem putting the RX8 on track on a regular basis.

But then again, it's a pretty good feeling when you take something like a used Miata that needs a little work, getting it running good enough for track, and add/upgrade things as money allows.

---jps

 

Best money spent for auto-x/lapping newbies is a driving school in your stock car. This gives you an idea of the limits of the stock car.. Tires would be my next mod.

 

Thanks for the input!

Is there a good spot on the forun for this kind of topic?

In line with what uses have mentioned, I'm already set for another two-day performance coming at Buttonwillow, CA, heading to the Revitup event tomorrow at Hollywood Park, L.A. and may head out to an autocross event out at Norton AFB in San Bernardino, CA this Sat . . .

I'm looking for all the seat-time I can get in auto-x and track days. Whether I race or not, I agree with the reference to Mr. Garner and on $$$ vs. pushing a car.

Our Miata is ALL stock. I pushed it last weekend as far as my little stock tires would allow. Wow.

At one point I was able to trail and instructor car while I had another instructor in my car. As a chaser I was able to key on his lines/apexes while my passenger suggested when I could hit the gas and how far to push.

Wow!

Yup, I've got the bug!

BB

 

Yes, there is, and here it goes...

---jps