39 replies to this topic

[Todd Tagget]

Was at a PDX this weekend and had a chance to put the car on the scales.. Came in with a full tank (minus 45 miles of hwy driving) at 2390 including the passenger Kirky and my fat butt (I'm right around 200 lbs with clothes and helmet)...
So by my calculations I still need to drop 30 some lbs to be at minimums..
What am I missing here? I've gutted the car,, put the cage in ( Evil genius with full NASCAR sides on both sides)..
Anything else I can remove??

[Austin Robison]

Fuel is an easy place to lose a few pounds. Gasoline is about, what...6 pounds per gallon? Load up with 5 gallons less of fuel and there's 30 pounds right there.

[DES4]

You don't have to be at your minimum; 30 pounds is a decent cushion. Trying to nail your minimum will likely get you caught out light a time or two. Keep in mind that scales can be affected by conditions/temperature, and that all scales do not agree. From what I've seen of the cars that actually do have to pass over the scales regularly, they're kept a few pounds over, and even at National events, they're often overweight by more than 30 lbs.

You won't be losing any races because you didn't have your car's weight at minimum.

[Bruce Wilson]

Fuel management is key. Fuel weighs 7 pounds per gallon, and in a 1.6, you'll use about 1 gallon every 7 minutes. Empty the tank using a good fuel test hose after every session and re-weigh your car throughout the weekend, especially after putting a different set of tires on. Put in as much as you need using the math previously stated pus a small buffer to make weight and/or esnure you make it through qualitfying or race. Remember you can run out during qualifying as long as you make weight, but running out in a race is really bad form I've used this strategy for the better part of a decade and have never run out of gas (that I can remember) and get as close as 5 lbs over, which is risky but every little bit counts and afterall this is SM Just remember that it is your responsibility to calibrate to the track scales, which may be off -- even throughout the duration of a weekend!

-bw

[James York]

As Bruce says, fuel management (it's weight and use) is key. No competitive national driver is coming in at 30 lbs over the scales at the end of a session unless: 1) they just can't make weight, aka "big boned", or 2) didn't run the entire session as planned (short laps, FCY, etc)

I typically finish a session no more than 10 lbs over and have actually come across at +1 during a Runoffs qual session one year. (I drove one more lap than I had planned after Drago messed up our two car draft we had going.

After you figure out what you use in your car, doing the gas calculation and putting in the right amount because habit. Just running around in PDX, I would't worry about getting minimum, but do use the time to figure out your actual burn rate and just run car somewhere below 1/2 tank or so its a little lighter for the fun.

[Jaime Florence]

Todd,

My car is a 1993 with an Evil Genius cage. It seems to be heavier then other cars in the padock here. I weigh in at 2,317 lbs with 1 gallon of fuel. I weight 195 myself.

This weight is my absolute minimum (until I can lose some more balast off my gut) with no Cool Suit and no aux. fire extinguisher. I am hopng to run the Cool Suit again when it's hot but it costs me 20 lbs. filled with ice, so I'll have to lay off the In-N-Out Buger I guess.

I hope this helps.

Jaime

[Todd Tagget]

Hey thanks Jaimie we sound like we are only a few ounces off.. I'm giving up carbs..
So the consensus is 30 lbs isn't absurd ?

[Alberto]

Todd,

My car is a 1993 with an Evil Genius cage. It seems to be heavier then other cars in the padock here. I weigh in at 2,317 lbs with 1 gallon of fuel. I weight 195 myself.

This weight is my absolute minimum (until I can lose some more balast off my gut) with no Cool Suit and no aux. fire extinguisher. I am hopng to run the Cool Suit again when it's hot but it costs me 20 lbs. filled with ice, so I'll have to lay off the In-N-Out Buger I guess.

I hope this helps.

Jaime

Interesting...

My car is a 90 base model (build date 1989). Running a TC Design cage with "NASCAR" setup for both doors and a Sparco Pro Adv seat. Running ESR ballast system w/ 32lbs worth of plates (base plate +1). I just had my car corner weighted at TFB Performance w/ a 195lb driver weight and ~1.75 gallons of fuel. No cool suit. 2.5lb fire extinguisher. Total weight was 2,322.

TFB warned that scales differ so be careful when trying to get close to minimum. I'll probably remove the 2nd plate that I'm running depending on what the scales at impound show.

[Todd Tagget]

So why is there not a middle aged fat guy division ??

[Randy Thieme]

Todd,

My car is a 1993 with an Evil Genius cage. It seems to be heavier then other cars in the padock here. I weigh in at 2,317 lbs with 1 gallon of fuel. I weight 195 myself.

This weight is my absolute minimum (until I can lose some more balast off my gut) with no Cool Suit and no aux. fire extinguisher. I am hopng to run the Cool Suit again when it's hot but it costs me 20 lbs. filled with ice, so I'll have to lay off the In-N-Out Buger I guess.

I hope this helps.

Jaime

The '93's seem to be on the heavy side. In general the 1.6 cars trended up in weight each year. Per the brochures "archived" at www.miata.net (click on FAQ then Brochures) the 1990 curb weight was 2105, '92 was 2216 and '93 was 2222. Have not found a solid explanation why. For example, some people claim later doors were heavier due to added reinforcements but others discount that theory saying the reinforcements were always there. It is likely additional options like power this or that had something to do with it.

[Zauskycop]

I have a 91 with a VERY well built cage...double petty bar and such. We have worked VERY hard on getting the weight of the car down and FINALLY succeded at getting it to 2275 with a 210# driver. Then they added weight to NA's so now I have 30# of ballast on the right side (not a bad thing through the kink at RA)

...Learned a lot of very interesting things over the years shedding weight.

[Todd Tagget]

Tracy,, care to share a few secrets/tips? It did dawn on my that I still have the OEM exhaust so that's got to be a few lbs.. anything else I might be missing ?

[Zauskycop]

Why don't you PM me and I will be happy to share what I've learned ;-)

[Bench Racer]

1990 with OEM pumped fuel tank, then 1 gallon for safety, 2 gallon cool suite, nascar both doors, extra tubing in the roll cage, MazdaComp L/S, weighs in at 2020 pounds, driver is 208 pounds, drivers racing racing stuff is 14 pounds which adds up to 2242 pounds, so it'll require 58 pounds of ballast. Doing that now for the regional this weekend at the Farm.

Could do as many have done by eliminate the double/triple thickness at the top of the door frames (IIRC approx 9 pounds), vent window frame, plexi vent window.

Now that removing undercoating is legal it could go but a waste of good energy because it's weight wayyyyyyyyyy down low & from what I've heard it don't weigh very much.

[Jamz14]

Todd,

We have a 97 with NASCAR bars. Our weight is 2275 with a 5' 8" driver about 150 lbs and 2 gallons of fuel, and full gear.

[Ron Alan]

So why is there not a middle aged fat guy division ??

You obviously haven't been to a SFR regional...except for the 3 skinny fast kids up front, you'll fit right in

[dstevens]

Now that removing undercoating is legal it could go but a waste of good energy because it's weight wayyyyyyyyyy down low & from what I've heard it don't weigh very much.

With the right stuff it's pretty easy. And was pleased with the reduction not only in deadening but in old road grunge and what must a have been a gallon at least of leaked oil. What I was able to sweep up I did weigh and I found it worth my time.

http://roaddog.com/r...klagging-tools/


De Klagging tools by Dave Stevens, on Flickr


De Klagged by Dave Stevens, on Flickr


Post de Klagging by Dave Stevens, on Flickr

[Jim Drago]

Hey thanks Jaimie we sound like we are only a few ounces off.. I'm giving up carbs..
So the consensus is 30 lbs isn't absurd ?

I have been dam near killing myself and been on suicide watch about being 30 lbs over since we announced the 2400 lbs rule. I was over at 2450.. So at 2400, all had to come ALL off the backside. I am now within 10 lbs and when I come in after a race I have from a dixie cup to a 1/4 gallon left. Luckily my car picks up fuel to the last drop, many others do not. But coming in thirty lbs over is not a good scenario, at most 85-100 second a lap tracks I bet you are leaving an average of .2 or .3 per lap on the table, which is way too much in SM

[Jim Drago]

What I was able to sweep up I did weigh and I found it worth my time.

What did you see?

[FTodaro]

Dave I am impressed with the detail and the work. I like that paint booth set up what are you using on the other end of that vent tube in the picture.

I wish I had access to a paint booth!