Max 5 Championship

[Triple J Motorsport]

Can someone give me the low down on this?

Looks interesting!

[Dan Friel]

Everyting you need should be at: www.max5racing.com

[Triple J Motorsport]

Cheers Dan

[sprocket]

From a commentators view gives good racing.
Final race 23/24 Oct @ Croft,and is a championship next year.
Theres a scholarship offering a drive in 05, check out www.mx5scholarship.co.uk

[KennyG]

They put up a really good show at Oulton Park Saturday gone and will be at Croft weekend after next. Very entertaining to watch and photograph and it looks to be a good championship to join for next year. Nice to see a one-make getting a decent sized grid.

Friendly bunch that even spin in sympathy as 17 & 55 demonstrated at Lakeside. Gotcha boys.

[sprocket]

Originally posted by KennyG
They put up a really good show at Oulton Park Saturday gone and will be at Croft weekend after next. Very entertaining to watch and photograph and it looks to be a good championship to join for next year. Nice to see a one-make getting a decent sized grid.

Friendly bunch that even spin in sympathy as 17 & 55 demonstrated at Lakeside. Gotcha boys.

KG it was one of each sex! With syncro-spinning like that it'll make a olympic sport.

[KennyG]

I realised that after I had posted. I usually say 'guys' which is slightly more PC. I'm not noted for being a PC expert.

This was shot 2, the first is on my site, and I think the contra-rotating spins are worth 4 out of 5. You can see the two marshals on the right with their magic wands trying to make them stop and the one on the far left thinking 'Oh no, not again'.

[Triple J Motorsport]

Some useful drivers in it to

[Triple J Motorsport]

Never recieved any response from the contacts on the web site, shame as series looks quite good

[sprocket]

Originally posted by ZetecNo9
Never recieved any response from the contacts on the web site, shame as series looks quite good

John,if your interested speak to Christian Dick on the scholarship site.Havi'n spent last thursday with them @ Mallory Park they are good fun.(And I was only in the Passenger seat)
Richard Sproston.

[Simon Mason]

I tried contacting them through the web site as well and got no reply. So I phoned Alyn, watched them (the Paul Sheard team) testing at Mallory and Oulton Park and now I have a car and the championship kit on order.

Personaly I can't see a cheaper series in UK with decent grids and decent drivers in it.

Can't wait.

[sprocket]

Originally posted by Simon Mason
I tried contacting them through the web site as well and got no reply. So I phoned Alyn, watched them (the Paul Sheard team) testing at Mallory and Oulton Park and now I have a car and the championship kit on order.

Personaly I can't see a cheaper series in UK with decent grids and decent drivers in it.

Can't wait.

Simon,you'll enjoy the Rac'in as much as I enjoy commentating on them.

[sprocket]

Originally posted by sprocket
From a commentators view gives good racing.
Final race 23/24 Oct @ Croft,and is a championship next year.
Theres a scholarship offering a drive in 05, check out www.mx5scholarship.co.uk

As above final round this wk/end @ Croft,

[Triple J Motorsport]

As are the MGOC races which is another series / car MG F or TF that interests me alot trouble is the 6 hour drive to Croft doesn't !!

[Simon Mason]

MG's is defo more costly to race in. Plus I think the nature of MX5's is going to bring in quite good drivers who could'nt afford or were not interested in racing anything else of bottom budget cost. Besides have you ever driven an MGF or TF in anger? Made me feel like taking up knitting.

[Triple J Motorsport]

Yes I have tested a TF Cup car in the wet

What makes you say that Simon?

[Simon Mason]

I've only driven road spec cars on track and they were all without exception dull. As for the racers I know allot of the bits I disliked about the road car can be dialed out but I know from ex-race winners (when it was major series) that the cars are not exactly made for racing and since they run grippy tyres (which incidentaly is what makes them look quick) the chassis and its components are under much more stress then they were ever designed for. In short good car but unless you love MG, I can't see any reason to race one.

[Triple J Motorsport]

The cup cars with the slicks run in the MGCC not the MGOC. The MG F/TF in the MGOC are trophy spec cars running on Yoko road tyres.

I want to test a MGOC F and the MX5

The advantage of the MG F is that you can run with a roof. This is great when like me you only have a open trailer to tow with.

But we'll see the price of the MX5 looks good do know what the cost of the championship kit is, as I would build my own.

[Simon Mason]

Zetec, I'm building my own car to and trailering with an open top as well.

I bought a tailored waterproof MX5 car cover on Ebay for £55 which has straps running diagonaly underneath it for those really nasty days.

The kit has cost me £2700 inc VAT although I have ordered the kit without the race seat because their kit one is **** and I am lucky to have a sponor for this item. The kit includes, wheels, tyres, roll cage, fire extinguisher, seat belts, springs and dampers.

Speak to the various MX5 Eunos importers about a car because they will do some mega deals on ones for racing. Mine cost £1500 with the interior and typical road car bits removed for the importer to sell. Apparantly the Jap spec Eunos is the car to build from not a UK spec MX5, because the UK MX5's don't have LSD's and of course have endured years of our weather.

I'm budgeting on another £500 on extra bits that might have reached the end of thier life, like performance air filter, suspenion bushes, perhaps a few electrical sensors and so on. Ebay has been good source for some of these items already. As time goes buy this will increase but I know I can make the first race of 05 with this budget and some hard grafting long nights under the car.

The organisers (whilst rubbish at responding to email) are very helpfull as are the current competitors. Looking longer term I can't see anything but a boom for the series so long as they control cheating, as such I think its also quite a decent investment in time and fun which in modern motorsport is seriously rare.

[Triple J Motorsport]

What in the kit for £2700 ? Cage, seat belts, pumbed in system, 4 wheels and tyres? Shocks springs? Plastic quarter lights

What about rebuilding engine and gearbox? or is that included. If that's the case then should be able to build for £5K. If not guess £6K+ which makes their price of £7.5K complete look good

Cheers

John

[Simon Mason]

Yep thats all in the kit as mentioned.

Apparantly the high mileage engines have been the fastest this year. If they are ALL to be believed (and I see no reason why not) then all any of the front runners have done is either nothing or just cleaned up the head. The japs build the engines very tight by all accounts. Gear boxes are the only weak point it seems. I have been advised to budget for a rebuild at some stage.

Only permitted mods are exhaust after manifold and standard air filter replacement. ECU's have been swapped around a few times this year apparantly and the engine internals must be "as standard" in other words thats looks machined so its illegal.

So yes £5K to £6K doing it yourself is achievable since you can't really do much to the cars at all. Most mods will simply be replacing tired items and gentle fettling, perhaps a respray if you want etc. Mine has reasonably decent paint so I'm leaving it.

[Triple J Motorsport]

Simon

So is air filter and exhaust included as well?

Sounds like I need to organise a test

You can play with the timing and assume blue print (within original engineering spec) the engines and boxes

I'll try calling them and see if they answer telephones

John

[Simon Mason]

No John I have said whats in the kit, nothing more nothing less.

Yep timing can be adjusted, engines must be as standard but frankly they are rather vague about that appart from the "it must be as manufactured" get out clause. In other words it would seem they don't have a spec sheet for the engines. In short as I said they are working to the does it look modified or standard approach to the engines.

[sprocket]

John,give the guys @ Shearspeed a ring,either Paul or Christian.(see scholarship for tel no's)
If your a gambler,your not ineligible for scholarship!!
Richard.

[andy97]

PH Sportscars at Shardlow, near Donington Park has loads of MX 5s/ Eunos' and spares for sale at good prices, including cars that would make ideal race conversions. Paul can be contacted on 01332 799 298 or Mob: 0468 324 150