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#1
SteveS

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Hi guys, I'm a new member and this is my first post. I bought and old 1993 SM2 Miata from a friend cheap that's been sitting and attended the drivers school at Summit Point. The car seems down on power but won "most improved."  Then attended the first regional at Summit but since the intake isn't sealed and it's on Hoosiers, had to run in SM, and got murdered.  The SM cars just drive away, much faster.  In the D.C. region, there is no SM2, (which is what my car is decaled)--just SSM and SM.  How do I get this car in the best class for it?  Looked all over for SM2, and can't find any current information on it.  I have a 2nd set of brand new Hoosiers, so need to sell those and buy Toyos to switch to SSM?  What about SM2--is it still active in the NY region?  The motor on the car is sealed. Thanks in advance for any help. BTW,  I've been doing HPDE for five years in a modded C5 Z06 Corvette, but the Miata is a blast to drive, so the Corvette may get sold.   



#2
Richard Astacio

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The New England Region runs both SM2 and SM, tracks that they visit: Palmer Motorsports, Thompson MotorSpeedway, Lime Rock, New Hampshire Motor Speedway 


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#3
OrangeCrush86

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What is SM2?


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#4
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Google search, spec miata sm2


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#5
OrangeCrush86

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I did search for it, but I didn't see much that points to a car having greatly reduced power as described above.

 

For whatever reasons this class has been splintered many times. SM, SMT, SSM, SM2, maybe more?


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#6
Bench Racer

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I did search for it, but I didn't see much that points to a car having greatly reduced power as described above.

Some people do have worn out motors. 


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#7
Richard Astacio

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Its a class for all the NA cars, 1.6 and 1.8 only. 99 cars and above can not participate in this class. 


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#8
Alberto

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Might want to ask your buddy if he ever did a performance / pro or rebuilt head on the car.  Also, try and do a compression test and leakdown test if you can get access to those tools easily and cheaply enough.  Lastly, may want to try and get the car on a dyno and/or maybe get it tuned / adjusted by a SM shop near you.  Timing and the AFM can be adjusted to get some power.  A fuel pressure regulator can be added to help tune the AF ratio leaning it out a bit to get some additional HP.

 

 

I still remember my first season.  The lot of us from licensing school got 1.6 cars and just raced them.  The fields were large out here with 70-80 cars being the norm back then. It felt like every other car was able to just pull away like they had turbos.  Since we still had people to race with at our power and skill levels, it didn't matter.  Each race we improved our lap times by multiple seconds so we were closing the gaps each weekend.

 

Eventually, we decided to dyno our cars.  We were all down on power ranging from 99-104 rwhp.  Our regional Sealed SM class sealed at 115 so we all knew we could improve the car as well as our driving.  Some got rebuilt pro heads.  Some got new engines from local shops.  I decided to rebuild my engine myself.  We all moved up a bit in the field as a result of that - and our continued learning about racing and driving these cars at the limit.

 

So much to learn.  So much fun to be had learning. :)


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#9
Brandon

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Hi guys, I'm a new member and this is my first post. I bought and old 1993 SM2 Miata from a friend cheap that's been sitting and attended the drivers school at Summit Point. The car seems down on power but won "most improved."  Then attended the first regional at Summit but since the intake isn't sealed and it's on Hoosiers, had to run in SM, and got murdered.  The SM cars just drive away, much faster.  In the D.C. region, there is no SM2, (which is what my car is decaled)--just SSM and SM.  How do I get this car in the best class for it?  Looked all over for SM2, and can't find any current information on it.  I have a 2nd set of brand new Hoosiers, so need to sell those and buy Toyos to switch to SSM?  What about SM2--is it still active in the NY region?  The motor on the car is sealed. Thanks in advance for any help. BTW,  I've been doing HPDE for five years in a modded C5 Z06 Corvette, but the Miata is a blast to drive, so the Corvette may get sold.   

 

Don't be discouraged by your experience in the SM group. As Alberto and others have noted, their first time at race-pace was equally disheartening and made one question their ability or hobby selection.

 

I've only been racing since 2009 and have learned equivocally there is time to be found in the platform you happen to be racing "right now" but there's even more potential in the nut behind the wheel.

 

Seat time.

Seat time.

Seat time.

 

I started with a NA8 SSM (which DCR won't even allow to race in MARRS anymore - only a single one grandfathered as I understand) which meant a 4.1 differential and 100# more minimum weight so I was woefully uncompetitive with the others (2300# NA6 w/Mazdacomp diffs) but I stuck through it and upgraded the car as I went along with getting more seat time, seat time seat time!

 

Regarding the class to run with: determine your potential for updating to current SM specs and whether you want to do that or perhaps focus on SSM and all that entails. As Rich noted, the prevalence of SM2 (90-97 only) isn't nearly as ubiquitous as SSM oftentimes is, but most other regions besides DCR do have a group which includes SM2.

 

Send me a PM with your contact details and I'll be happy to provide some more information about racing here in the NE.

 

Welcome aboard the fun train and I'm looking forward to meeting and racing with you in the near future.

 

Brandon

RE Northern New Jersey


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#10
DrDomm

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Steve, where do you live?   :scratchchin:


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#11
Alberto

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#12
Armando Ramirez

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Don't be discouraged by your experience in the SM group. As Alberto and others have noted, their first time at race-pace was equally disheartening and made one question their ability or hobby selection.

 

I've only been racing since 2009 and have learned equivocally there is time to be found in the platform you happen to be racing "right now" but there's even more potential in the nut behind the wheel.

 

Seat time.

Seat time.

Seat time.

 

I started with a NA8 SSM (which DCR won't even allow to race in MARRS anymore - only a single one grandfathered as I understand) which meant a 4.1 differential and 100# more minimum weight so I was woefully uncompetitive with the others (2300# NA6 w/Mazdacomp diffs) but I stuck through it and upgraded the car as I went along with getting more seat time, seat time seat time!

 

Regarding the class to run with: determine your potential for updating to current SM specs and whether you want to do that or perhaps focus on SSM and all that entails. As Rich noted, the prevalence of SM2 (90-97 only) isn't nearly as ubiquitous as SSM oftentimes is, but most other regions besides DCR do have a group which includes SM2.

 

Send me a PM with your contact details and I'll be happy to provide some more information about racing here in the NE.

 

Welcome aboard the fun train and I'm looking forward to meeting and racing with you in the near future.

 

Brandon

RE Northern New Jersey

Very nice and helpful response.


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#13
SteveS

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Guys, thanks a ton for all the information and advice.  My son just got married in Dallas so was preoccupied and held hostage financially...lol.  I have a spare head and usually do all my own work, so could start with a compression check, etc. Planet Miata is only about an hour away so I'll call them and see about a dyno check and possible tune, and seal the intake for SSM in DC region.  Once in the right class, I've come to realize that the advice about seat time is profoundly correct. One niggling question is will changing to Toyos be ok for everywhere else, especially SM2 in the Northeast?  Also, my buddy built a new SM car, and has to switch to Penske shocks--he is in Majors and will be towards the front. He wants me to take his only once used Bilsteins--to freshen those up, but would you do this just because they are cheap? Hoping to meet some of you soon.  



#14
SteveS

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Steve, where do you live?   :scratchchin:

 

 

Steve, where do you live?   :scratchchin:

 

Actually Conklin, first exit in New York off 81. 



#15
OrangeCrush86

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If the Bilsteins are very cheap and you know the current shocks have a lot of races on them it wouldn't be bad idea. Just know that the Penskes are better in every way.


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#16
Alberto

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Yeah, I'd be reluctant to putting much money toward Bilsteins for use in SM since the field will slowly migrate over.  So make sure the price is right. :)

 

Do people run Toyos or SMs near you?

Is SSM a DC region only thing or does it apply to the rest of the races you run?


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#17
SteveS

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Yeah, I'd be reluctant to putting much money toward Bilsteins for use in SM since the field will slowly migrate over.  So make sure the price is right. :)

 

Do people run Toyos or SMs near you?

Is SSM a DC region only thing or does it apply to the rest of the races you run?

In DC region, SSM use Toyo and SM use Hoosiers.  Not sure yet about the Northeast region.   



#18
Brandon

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Take the Bilsteins, if only to have a set of spares, as without a shock dyno you won't know whether yours are worth replacing or if your buddy's set are junk.

 

A quick SSM summary:

DC Region SSM == 90-93, sealed engine, stock top hats with Bilsteins on RA-1s (to be clear, there is ONE grandfathered NA8 that has been sealed in DCR)

NE Division SSM == 90-97 stock top hats, Bilsteins on RA-1s (no sealing and the NA8s have to run without the R-package tie rod ends and with the 4.1 Torsen)

Weights are different between NA6 & NA8 also.

Basically you won't receive any MARRS points (DCR series) if you don't have a sealed engine but when running SSM elsewhere you should at least honor the SSM ruleset with the stock, unmodified AFM and intake tube (no ram air), and a "similar to Mazdacomp exhaust".

 

Regarding the use of the RRs at an SCCA event when running SM: unless you're the 3rd coming of Ayrton, the likelihood of you finishing high enough in the standings for anyone to make hay of it is low so take the tires you have and go have fun. However, if you are running as SSM, be prepared for some sideways looks if you're not running the RA-1s regardless of which track/region you're running with.


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#19
SteveS

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Take the Bilsteins, if only to have a set of spares, as without a shock dyno you won't know whether yours are worth replacing or if your buddy's set are junk.

 

A quick SSM summary:

DC Region SSM == 90-93, sealed engine, stock top hats with Bilsteins on RA-1s (to be clear, there is ONE grandfathered NA8 that has been sealed in DCR)

NE Division SSM == 90-97 stock top hats, Bilsteins on RA-1s (no sealing and the NA8s have to run without the R-package tie rod ends and with the 4.1 Torsen)

Weights are different between NA6 & NA8 also.

Basically you won't receive any MARRS points (DCR series) if you don't have a sealed engine but when running SSM elsewhere you should at least honor the SSM ruleset with the stock, unmodified AFM and intake tube (no ram air), and a "similar to Mazdacomp exhaust".

 

Regarding the use of the RRs at an SCCA event when running SM: unless you're the 3rd coming of Ayrton, the likelihood of you finishing high enough in the standings for anyone to make hay of it is low so take the tires you have and go have fun. However, if you are running as SSM, be prepared for some sideways looks if you're not running the RA-1s regardless of which track/region you're running with.

VERY helpful, Actually needed to take notes on this.  So the car can run SSM in the NYRRC regionals,  just use up the tires and make sure replacements are legal.  Just sealing the intake would qualify to run SSM in DC, and since I need to find 5 seconds/ lap, nobody's going to really care about using up the old RRs. Or, just run SM in DC and get the seat time.  Thanks for the common sense clarity.  






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