Mazda Mx5 Mk1 Race Car

[harry289]

I've always been Clio mad. I've owned three 172 cups and a Clio 197. Of course these got me the track day bug! After doing a couple of track days at my local circuit, cadwell park, I felt I had the need to get into motorsport competitively. Overtaking on the left down the straights is boring! I set about getting my race licence in 2014. At first the plan was to transform my 172 into a race car to compete in the track attack triclore trophy, production class. It ended up that year the grids were small and competition didn't seem great so I was on the lookout for something different but within my budget.
Hello Mx5! With entries over 50 cars per race weekend, strong, reliable engines and drive train and competition at its best this was right up my street!

With it being the first rear wheel drive car I've have ever driven, I thought I'd best have a day to get to know the car's characteristics before jumping in at the deep end. I've never had so much fun on track. These little cars are very underated. Never the less I was very slow. I was taking it easy but to be fair a lap time of 1:55 was nowhere near good enough. I had a lot to learn!

 

[harry289]

The time came. My first race weekend! Was I prepared? Nope. Lol.

I was honestly ready to sell up after this meeting. You will see why further down...

The championship I chose to race in was the BRSCC Mazda Mx5 Championship. Because of the high number of entries the races are split in to an A race and a B race. The A race being the fastest half and the B race being the not so fast.

The format for cadwell was one qualifying session followed by 3 races spread over a 2 day meeting. Each session 20 minutes long.

A quick check over the car and applying the championship decals to look as if I knew what I was doing. Excuse the budget set up.

 

[imprezaworks]

Great stuff mate. Aslong as its fun who cares

 

[harry289]

Qualifying went horrifically. I thought to myself to just take the first few laps steady but then on my first fast lap the heavens opened! RWD isn't so fun in the wet for a newbie! My driving style changed. I stiffened up which is probably the worst thing I could have done. Oh yeah I was blind through hall bends too as my sunstrip came off, sticking itself too my visor!

I think a few others struggled in the tricky conditions as I found myself 14th out of 26. All be it in the B race.

Pre race selfie with my chief mechanic. (She turns the go pro on)

I have never done a racing start before. I guessed the revs, dropped the clutch and tried not to stall it. I was determined to make it around the first corner cleanly as I didn't was my dreams to end prematurely. This proved difficult. I saw an array of brake lights in front of me. I slammed on the anchors to avoid a 4 car pile up. Holy smokes. I made it through. Just. Out came the safety car for a couple of laps. This gave me chance to reduce my heart rate and get my head together. Race one saw 4 overtakes, all going in to park corner after park straight for those who know cadwell. Top 10 finish in my first race. Buzzing!

 

[harry289]

Race 2 saw 7th, no dramas. I made up all 3 places on the first lap. Race 3 on the other hand...disaster!

Someone stalled on the grid causing a 3 car pile up. 2 cars were write offs. In a separate incident, also on the start line, 2 cars went into the pit wall but were able to take the restart.
On the restart, f**k I missed second gear. Lap one was hectic and I had contact with another car going into the mountain. I survived and he rejoined further down the pack. Onto lap 2 I was in contention for a top 5 finish but going onto park straight this happened....



Made me feel a bit sick. Both drivers were relatively okay. Needless to say the race was stopped and the Marshalls post was destroyed. Race void.

 

[Mr Burns]

Awesome, I never realised you drove in the BRSCC. I watch every race as it's such good close racing! Are you racing this year?

 

[Euan94]

Blimey that's a rather big accident!

I'd love to race in one of the mx5 championships one day, they always look great fun. Quite surprising how quickly they get around for a little 1.6 as well!

 

[harry289]

Awesome, I never realised you drove in the BRSCC. I watch every race as it's such good close racing! Are you racing this year?

I sure am! Its very close. Often too close.

Next round was Oulton Park. Fair way to travel for me for just a Saturday. Practice was wet and slow. Qualy was damp and slow. Race 1 I made it around the first corner and got caught up in someone elses mess. DNF for me! Will had written his car off so I guess I got off pretty lightly.

The rush was on to get my car repaired in time for Race 2! I almost forgot to torque my wheel nuts up.

Totally opposite to race 1. The sun was out, the track was dry and I felt the need to make up for the morning's disaster. Starting from the very back I held my revs approx 1.5k RPM higher than I had previously. I slingshotted off the line making up 5 places before the first corner. I went from 24th to 9th by the end of the race. It was a great experience for me and gave me a little more confidence for the rest of the 2014 season.

 

[harry289]

With all the tracks being new to me bar cadwell park, I was always slow in qualifying as I was learning the track. This made for good Overtaking experience for myself. Brands hatch saw a 9th and 10th, Croft saw a 16th out of 36 overall and Donington Park saw a 20th to 5th in race one. A 24th to 8th in race 2 and a 7th place finish in race 3. A very close finish indeed....

The 2014 season came to a close, the car looking a little sorry for itself but she had done me proud. I was to give her a mini rebuild over the winter ready for 2015 which brings the car to its current spec. The aim for the next season was to become a regular A race runner.

 

[harry289]

Engine/Gearbox
Skimmed head, 3 angle cut valves, standard bottom end
AK Automotive race exhaust, K and N panel filter
Cold air feed, adjusted MAY and engine timing
Alloy radiator, SFS coolant hoses, motul coolant
Rebuilt gearbox, AP Racing clutch, Quaife knob, Vlsd.

Suspension/brakes
Gaz gold professional coilovers
IL Motorsport bushes, powdercoat ed suspension arms, Powerflex ARB bushes
New ball joints, track rods and ends. New wheel bearings
Refreshed calipers, Mintex M1144 pads, Brembo HC discs, Hel braided hoses, Millers motorsport 300 fluid

Interior/safety
Safety devices roll cage, lifeline fire extinguisher, msa rain light
Sparco 6 point hans harness, Corbeau Revolution seat, Sparco steering wheel, OMP boss
30KG Ballast to meet the 960kg minimum weight.

Other
R package splitter, cold air feed, wide rear view mirror

 

[harry289]

2015
Silverstone saw me straight into the A race. I went from 28th to 21st. The competition is so much greater than the previous year. I must have had contact 6 or 7 times in the 2 races. My freshly powdercoated right wishbone got bent slightly in race 1
The improvements I made over winter made the car feel so much more balanced. It gave me the confidence to push harder!

Round 2 was at Brands Hatch on the GP circuit supporting the Blancpain endurance series. It was also one of my favourite races. Footage can be found here!

 

[harry289]

And then back to the notorious cadwell park. This meeting didn't disappoint. It was my best chance for a top 10 overall. Close racing would be an understatement. Only us in mazdas could prove you can go 4 abreast into the mountain!

 

[harry289]

I managed 14th with lap times into the 1 minute 47s. Big contrast to the times I was doing in 2014.

Oulton Park however saw my best result of the season with a 12th!

Croft didn't go to plan. Wet qualy meant I was in the B race due to my inexperience of wet weather driving. However the sun came out and I went from 12th to 5th! Should have been 3rd. Yay a trophy!

Which didn't come without a little damage...

I finished the season 16th out of 94 drivers. I also missed 2 race meetings due to work commitments. Not bad for someone on a £555 a meeting budget. I only used one set of tyres and one set of brakes all season. I'm only a tyre fitter on minimum wage so I do the best I can! It's just hard racing against others who have a set of new tyres, brakes, new engines, lots of testing, race team support. I do everything myself.

Let's see what 2016 brings. Change of championship. I will be racing in the 750mc 5club MX5 cup :smile:

Thanks for reading.

 

[harry289]

 

[Andy.]

Looks like great fun! I just noticed that Chris Hart is racing in this, I used to work for him many many years ago! He seems quite competitive for an older, larger guy.

 

[Waitey]

Love this.

What was your total spend each season?

 

[JonC219]

That crash was huge! Looked as if the guy in the black car got a better run out the corner but then the gap just disappeared for him

 

[harry289]

Looks like great fun! I just noticed that Chris Hart is racing in this, I used to work for him many many years ago! He seems quite competitive for an older, larger guy.

Yeah he's probably got the fastest engine on the grid too. He has about 6 to 10mph over my car along the straights. I also have a bit of his paint down my drivers side after brands hatch. But yeah he's a lovely guy and a great character!

 

[harry289]

Love this.

What was your total spend each season?

Starting up is the hardest bit. Licence, racewear, trailer, registration, the car itself! Luckily I had use of a tow car - Mercedes viano 2.2turbo courtesy of my disable dad and my disabled brother. I used the tyres and brakes that came with the car. If your honestly interested in how much it costs drop me a PM

 

[harry289]

With the first meeting of the season just days away, I thought I best finish off the preparation of the car. Oil and oil filter change, timing check and a full brake fluid flush with Millers motorsport 300.

 

[Waitey]

What are you allowed to do regarding engine tuning?

 

[harry289]

What are you allowed to do regarding engine tuning?

Replacement panel air filter. 63mm cold air feed.
Standard exhaust manifold but you can grind off the internal welds for better flow, exhaust system free up to a bore of 3 inch I think.
Head skimming is free to raise compression. Valve seats can be cut.
.50 larger pistons if you have the block rehoned
Static engine timing is free.

On a dyno you can play with the air/fuel meter to optimize performance.

Flywheel, valves, camshafts etc all have to be standard.

 

[LeeRS]

Sounds like good fun.
Fresh to see you are in it to enjoy it and you get your hands dirty.
Best of luck for the season. Keep the writeups coming.

 

[harry289]

Sounds like good fun.
Fresh to see you are in it to enjoy it and you get your hands dirty.
Best of luck for the season. Keep the writeups coming.

Thanks Lee! I'm definitely in it purely for the enjoyment factor. Seeing myself towards the front end of the pack is just a bonus.

At least 31 cars in each race at oulton park on the island circuit with the beefy hairpin. Await pictures of bent doors...

 

[harry289]

New calipers!

 

[172_Tom]

Did you buy the car from Finishline? They are a trader on here.

Impressive race results for your experience and small budget, well done!

 

[harry289]

Did you buy the car from Finishline? They are a trader on here.

Impressive race results for your experience and small budget, well done!

I bought it off someone who bought it off finishline. It was okay back then but nothing compared to how I have it now! I'm good friends with one of finishlines welders. He used to race in 2014 also. Finishline supply my brake pads - mintex m1144. Great for the money on a car like this. Maybe not so good on a clio though taking the same abuse.

Here's a picture of the two Finishline cars in 2014 in 8th and 9th place at brands hatch indy.

It was also on show at Autosport international

 

[harry289]

In the meantime I'm waiting for a few parts so thought I'd polish up the AK Automotive exhaust sy stem

 

[LeeRS]

You must have been bored
Whens your next race?
I look forward to the writeup. Have you got any incar footage?

 

[harry289]

Here is the first race of last year. A little rusty. First time in the A race. Had a little contact on the first lap dropping me back to dead last in 28th place. Work my way back up to 21st. Man on a mission with a bent wishbone.

 

[harry289]

Cadwell park 2015. Finished 14th. Good 3 way battle. I got put into the barrier on the first lap.

 

[harry289]

Donington Park 2014. Rubbish qualifying put me 20th on the grid. I made up 15 places to finish 5th. Last lap lunge included at the final chicane.

 

[imprezaworks]

Looks like so much fun

 

[imprezaworks]

I could see in the first race where you collided and on the pit straight you pointed at him, it was time to play lol

 

[Crybert]

It's does look great. Love how evenly matched the cars are

 

[harry289]

Erm... Well what can I say?

April the 2nd was the first meeting of the 2016 season. Bare in mind the car hasn't moved since October 2015. Myself and the car has had no practice or testing prior to Oulton Park.

Saturday morning was wet. I re-timed the engine over the winter and I'm very happy with the results! Muy wet driving had improved but it would seem so had the others after the large amounts of testing they had been doing.. I qualified 22nd/32. Race one went well. I got much faster and I was beginning to get used to driving this car again, avoided 3 incidents and finished 17th! Great result for me in these conditions.

Race 2 on the other hand. Storming start! Jumped passed the next 2 rows on the approach to the first corner but then this happened...



Rear quarter, door, wing and front bumper took a fair amount of damage. Passenger front wheel was toeing out like crazy. Such a shame. I'll let you decide who was at fault. The race was red flagged as the camera car couldn't move.

I limped it back round to the pitlane. It called over the tannoy that I was in the pit. Cue my girlfriend to come running over to me lol.
The guys from D and S motorsport pulled my wing back out to clear the wheel to try and get back out. I was in a little bit of pain as my shoulder half dislocated. I made the restart from the pitlane putting me dead last. I came back on the racing circuit at the field were already approaching the hairpin. The car drove like a Limited edition Corsa. Awful. Loads of understeer followed by unwanted oversteer. Even a whiteline RARB wouldnt help me. Never the less I made it up to 18th so not a wasted weekend. I still really enjoyed it and had a smile on my face! Just.

The car is almost fully repaired before Brands Hatch. I just need to do full geometry and new rear pads and brake discs all round. George Snee is my disc supplier!

 

[harry289]

Recently been to brands hatch. Me and car performed really well. Very close racing yet contact free!

Great race 1 footage of myself on TV!

 

[Jonnio]

Shame about the bump, can't see how you could be at fault for that? He seems to come across the track quite quickly!

Got told I should have a go at racing when I had some tuition at Oulton a few years back. Really could do with pulling my finger out one day and having a go somehow.

 

[harry289]

Shame about the bump, can't see how you could be at fault for that? He seems to come across the track quite quickly!

Got told I should have a go at racing when I had some tuition at Oulton a few years back. Really could do with pulling my finger out one day and having a go somehow.

You should definitely have a go. Especially if someone with experience can see you have some natural talent behind the wheel. There's a lot of pretty clueless drivers on track believe it or not. You're safer towards the front of the pack rather than at the back.

 

[harry289]

The racing was like this all race!

I'm at Croft this weekend. Anyone local? Would be a good meeting to watch as the clio 182 championship is there also.