Roadster 4 hr endurance - for
200 A-spec points!
I've done it!
A mighty smackdown on the Mazda Miata 1800RS '00
My margin of victory was 1.253 seconds! Does it count?
I don't know if I have the energy left to write-up a race report, I'm too worn out.
I ran against lineup # 2 after the Tsukuba preview as suggested by Dotini:tup:, and basically used Dotini's tactics.
A
huge thank you is in order!!
I first ran and won the race for 192 A-spec points against a lineup that did not include the Mazda Miata 1800RS, to give me some practice.
My Mazda Miata 1600 NRA '04's length has been reduced by about a foot due to all the rear bumper impacts it has sustained!
Race Report:
Yesterday, I decided that it was finally time to have some fun at Tsukuba in a Miata, so I checked my garage to see what was available and found a slightly used Mazda MX-5 Miata 1600 NRA '04 that could use some track work. I loaded it on a cargo plane and flew to Tsukuba. When I got to the Tsukuba track there were already a number of Miata's ready to race so I gave the track stewards a check for my entrance fee and strapped on my race helmet. The other Miata's on the track were as follows:
Mazda MX-5 Miata J-Limited '93 (yellow)
Mazda MX-5 Miata 1.8 RS '98 (orange)
Mazda MX-5 Miata VR-Limited '95 (maroon)
Mazda MX-5 Miata 1800 RS '00 (black)
Mazda MX-5 Miata SR-Limited '97 (green)
I had my pit crew install N1/N3 tires, and prepared my Miata (which has dirty oil, 10,000 miles on the odometer, and 113 horsepower) with the following suspension setup:
Brakes: 8/12
Springs: 9.0/9.7
Ride height: 100/100
Bound: 3/4
Rebound: 5/6
Camber: 2.1/1.1
Toe: 0/2
Stabilizers: 3/4
Gearing was set so only 4 gears would get used
Ltd. Slip: 5/30/5
Ballast at 161kg and 15 to the rear
From the start I slide alongside the green SR-Ltd in turn one and pass so I can chase after the black 1800 RS Miata (my nemesis). In turn three I am able to lightly punt the 1800 RS aside and take over 4th place. I then chase the pack and pit at the end of lap 1 for N3/N3 tires. When I exit the pits I am 30 seconds behind the leading yellow J-Ltd.
On lap 10, I catch and pass the 5th place SR-Ltd in turn 3. I'm now 11 seconds behind the leading yellow J-Ltd. During lap 12, I cut the grass in turn 7 and pull out in front of the black 1800 RS and BLOCK down the straight. I'm now in 4th place and still 10 seconds behind the leading J-Ltd.
On lap 15, I catch and pass the 3rd place VR-Ltd in turn one. The black 1800 RS also passes the VR-Ltd and attaches itself to my back bumper. I now BLOCK/BLOCK/BLOCK for the next 24 laps.
During these blocking laps, the leading yellow J-Ltd pulls out a 15 second lead over me. On lap 39 I notice the black 1800 RS slide over to the right on the straight, so I cut in front and enter the pits as well. When I exit the pits, I am 43 seconds behind the yellow J-Ltd and in 5th place.
The yellow J-Ltd pits on lap 42. The race lead is taken over by the maroon VR-Ltd who now has a 26 second lead over me. The VR-Ltd pits on lap 44, so the yellow J-Ltd re-takes 1st place and has a 13 second lead over me. I now take up chase in earnest since my Miata's fuel load has been reduced and faster lap times are possible.
On lap 52, I catch and pass the orange 1.8 RS and take over 2nd place, now some 4 seconds behind the yellow J-Ltd. On lap 53, the black 1800 RS passes the orange 1.8 RS as well and regains its affinity for my back bumper. I just hold place for the next 23 laps with constant BLOCKING every lap.
On lap 77 I notice that the black 1800 RS moves to the right on the long straight, so once again I cut in front and enter the pits as well. I exit the pits in 4th place, 31 seconds behind the leading yellow J-Ltd.
The black 1800 RS falls back to 6th place because when it exits the pits, the green SR-Ltd sneaks by (my pit crew somehow mislaid the jack that they had "borrowed" from the 1800 RS pit box, so the pit crew for the 1800 RS had to change its tires by hand). The orange 1.8 RS pits on lap 83, so I pass it while its in the pits and take over 3rd place in the race.
The orange 1.8 RS comes out of the pits just behind me, so I now have a two car buffer back to the 1800 RS who has been following the green SR-Ltd. for the last few laps.
The yellow J-Ltd pits on lap 84 and gives up race lead to the maroon VR-Ltd. The yellow J-Ltd exits the pits just in front of me (by about 4 seconds). The maroon VR-Ltd now has about a 14 second lead over me. The VR-Ltd pits on lap 89, so the yellow J-Ltd Miata re-takes 1st place. I'm now 1 second back! And I have about a 5 second lead over the black 1800 RS who has still not passed the orange 1.8 RS.
I look back on lap 91 and see that the 1800RS has finally gotten by the orange 1.8 RS and is in hot pursuit. On lap 92 the black 1800 RS is once again glued to my back bumper. I'm back to BLOCKING/BLOCKING for the next 23 laps.
On lap 115, I notice my nemesis slide over to the right on the long straight, so I cut in front and enter the pits as well. I exit the pits in 4th place again and I am about 30 seconds behind the leading yellow J-Ltd Miata.
The orange 1.8 RS pits on lap 124 and comes out of the pits just in front of me. On lap 125 the yellow J-Ltd pits and gives 1st place to the maroon VR-Ltd. The VR-Ltd has a 12 second lead over me at this point. On lap 127 I catch and pass the orange 1.8 RS in turn one and take over 3rd place in the race.
By lap 131 I'm back on the rear bumper of the 2nd place yellow J-Ltd. The VR-Ltd pits on lap 133, so the yellow J-Ltd takes over 1st place, with me in second place, and the black 1800 RS just behind me in 3rd.
Its back to BLOCKING/BLOCKING for the next 20 laps. On lap 153 the 1800 RS veers to the right on the long straight, so I again, cut in front and enter the pits. I exit the pits in 4th place again, and still 30 seconds behind the leading J-Ltd Miata.
The orange 1.8 RS pits on lap 165, so I get to take over 3rd place in the race. The yellow J-Ltd pits on lap 166, so the maroon VR-Ltd takes over the lead of the race. I'm 8 seconds behind the leading VR-Ltd Miata, in third place just behind the yellow J-Ltd.
I just hold station behind the yellow J-Ltd, so the VR-Ltd pulls out a 15 second lead over me before it pits on lap 177. The VR-Ltd gets passed while its in the pits by the J-Ltd, me, and the black 1800 RS and falls back for good. I'm now in second place, just behind the yellow J-Ltd Miata again.
I BLOCK for the next 10 laps. On lap 188, in anticipation of the black 1800 RS's final pit stop, I use some NOS and pass the leading J-Ltd Miata and take the race lead! (for the 1st time in the race!) The black 1800 RS also takes this opportunity to pass the yellow J-Ltd, so it just re-attaches itself to my back bumper.
On lap 189 I've pulled over to the right at the end of the long straight (so I can see the black 1800 RS enter the pits) however, the black 1800 RS does not enter the pits, instead it pulls up alongside and we have rubbing duel thru turn 8. This leads to my biggest scare of the race because the black 1800 RS nearly spins me out, and I actually whack the inside wall before I get straightened out. I guess the 1800 RS did not like my blocking and other more devious methods of staying in front!
Finally, on lap 190, the tires on the black 1800 RS are giving up because I can see in my rear view mirror that it runs wide in turn 8 and allows the yellow J-Ltd to retake 2nd place as they cross the start/finish line. The yellow J-Ltd takes up the chase, but its a full 2 seconds behind me!
During lap 191, the black 1800 RS pushes the yellow J-Ltd out of the way so it can continue to chase me. However, this is its last gasp, since the black 1800RS finally pits on lap 191 and gets to watch the yellow J-Ltd , the orange 1.8 RS and the maroon VR-Ltd all stream by as it sits in the pits taking on tires and fuel.
For the next three laps I finally get to catch my breath, and just cruise to my impressive winning margin of 1.253 seconds over the ever-present yellow J-Ltd Miata. The race ends after 4 hours, 1 minute and 8 seconds, and I have completed 194 laps. My left side tires are orange but I think I could have gotten one more good lap out of them if it was needed. At the end of the race I have one bar of NOS left.
My best lap without NOS was about 1 minute and 13 seconds flat. I ran some laps in the 1 minute and 12 second range with NOS.
Respectfully,
GTsail290