FAQ Page - Frequently Asked Questions 

Originally written in 2002. Updated in October 2005

Q: How reliable are your cars?
A: All cars are pro-built and maintained to the highest standard possible. All wear and tear items are replaced well before they need to be. This ensures outmost reliability of the vehicle and safety of the driver.

Q: Okay, so they are reliable. But how competitive are your rental cars?
A: Not to sound condescending, but our cars are faster than 99% of the drivers that race them. Case and point - same car (#50), during the same weekend (July 12-13 2003) on the same circuit (Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin) went over 2 seconds per lap faster with a different driver. And only because our driver tried following the race leader for 1 1/2 laps. Our cars are very competitive. Some have Sunbelt motors that passed SCCA Pro tear-down (4th and 5th place at Mid-Ohio Pro Race in August 2005). Will the car with the Sunbelt motor help you win the race? Personally, I don't think so. I know of one front runner who replaced his Sunbelt motor with a new Mazda crate motor and posted identical lap times. Subsequently, he was able to lower his lap times with more practice. But he is one of the smoothest drivers I've ever seen.

If you really want to become a competitive driver and are about 8 years old, beg your parents to get you into a go-kart. Otherwise, order a copy of "Going Faster! Mastering the Art of Race Driving!" by Carl Lopez, Skip Barber Racing School.

Q: I am 6'3" and weigh 220#.  I do not fit very well in a street Miata (Surprise!). Will I be able to fit in your rental Spec Miata?
A: I am glad you asked. I am 6'00" tall and weigh 180#, and I have significantly more leg, elbow and head room in my Spec Miata than I do in my '95 street Miata. 

While you will not fit in all Spec Miatas, you will fit in at least one or two of our cars just fine. We have had several tall drivers in the past, most recently Jason Saini (6'3"). In Jason's case, we removed the seat cover from #85 Frosty's Kirkey race seat and instead provided him with a thin foam pad to sit on. That provided Jason with ample leg room, and head room was never an issue. We have also been able to accommodate 6'00" 240# drivers just fine.

Okay, so the secret is finally out - #85 Frosty's custom cage was built from the ground up with a big and tall driver in mind :)

Q: How much do you charge for a one-day SCCA Driver School event?
A: $900

Q: How much do you charge for a test day?
A: That depends on the track and the amount of time that is being offered. Since track use of a car is directly proportional to the wear and tear of said car, the costs need to be in line to offset expenses. Thus, call or email for more details.

Q: How much do you charge for a two-day Driver School event?
A: $900 + $900 = $1,800

Q: How much for a single-day race event?
A: $900

Q: How much for a two-day race weekend?
A: $900 +  $900 = $1,800

Q: How much for a Double Regional weekend?
A: $900 +  $900 = $1,800

Q: Schedule permitting, what is the cost for racing in ITA and Spec Miata for twice the races and track time?
A: $600 per day in addition to the above-listed fees. When available, this is the best deal yet: 4 races in a single weekend for only $3,000. ($900+$600+$900+$600=$3,000). Try that with Skip Barber or Panoz :) 

Q: Can I get a better deal ?
A: Absolutely! Commit and prepay for 5 Double Regional weekends or 10 single weekend events, and receive a ten (10%) percent discount.

Q: I just don't know. The cost of the rentals sounds like a lot. I thought Spec Miatas are cheap. Maybe I should build my own or buy one for $8,000-$9,000?
A: This is a personal question that is best answered with a question - how much do you value your time? There is a lot more than the cost of the base car to consider. The on-going (recurring) costs are the ones to keep in mind when making this decision. There is the cost of tires, brake pads, brake rotors and brake fluid. These are all consumable items.  The tires are $660 per set; the brakes will set you back $220 front and back. The rotors are about $200 for all four corners. ATE Super Blue Racing fluid is $12 per 12 fl oz. And then you will also need a set of full-tread rain tires @ $660 plus wheels ($500). Then you will need to do the motor oil (Redline $35; filter @ $8), Transmission (Redline, $18) and Differential (Redline, $9) fluid changes.

And do not forget the shop time at $70-$80/hour ($400-$500 in prep work). Then you will need to fill up your Spec Miata with gas ($33.00); be sure to bring three 5-gallon gas jugs with you (~$30 plus fuel). And what about towing the car to the track? You will need at least a $1200 open trailer plus a cheap tow vehicle ($3000). Don’t forget that the latter also requires fuel ($50-100), depending on MPG and distance. 

Okay, so you made it to the track. After a season worth of racing, you may need new front hubs ($100 ea), ball joint dust boots, and suspension bushings if your $8000 Miata is still on its original ones ($300). Don’t forget other items that take only so many hours of abuse and fail. A new clutch is $300, plus an $800 transmission rebuild. A new crate motor is approximately $2300 from Mazda, and none of the above include labor to swap the worn stuff out. Like with anything in life, you get what you pay for.

So, what do you want to do? Do you want to play Joe Mechanic, or do you want to go racing? If the money is tight and you don’t mind doing all of the above on your own time and pay as you go, then perhaps we are not the right outfit for you.  Else if you value your time and would rather spend the non-race weekends with your family instead of wrenching, then come race with us! And start today by calling us at 262-375-5180.

Best regards,

GMK
George M. Kofman (Rentals AT SpecMiata DOT com)
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