LOCAL RIDE // TRACK SPEED ENGINEERING'S TIME ATTACK MIATA

In addition to their 25 Hours of Thunderhill efforts, Trackspeed Engineering is gearing up for a 2010 Redline Time Attack campaign with several events. The first event, The Octane Challenge, was Sunday at Willow Springs. Team co-founder Andrew Kidd and his turbocharged Mazda Miata sprinted to a second place finish in the on-tract portion of the event, turning a laptime of 1:29.324. Be sure to vote for Andrew and the Trackspeed Engineering Time Attack Miata in the online portion of the competition, by clicking the 'rate' button at the top of this page.

The car is based on a 1994 Mazda Miata, but it has been extensively modified to become one of the fastest track Miatas in the country. The centerpiece of the car is the drivetrain. Starting with a 1999 Mazda Miata motor and transmission, Andrew refreshed the motor with oversized Supertech pistons and Belfab rods, preparing the motor for high boost and track work. The exhaust manifold and turbo downpipe are custom stainless steel pieces, fabricated and designed by ABSURDflow Fabrication in New Jersey... [read more]

The exhaust manifold breathes into a Garrett GT2871R turbocharger, sporting fully v-banded attachments with the help of a TiAL turbine housing and wastegate.  The 750cc fuel injectors are controlled by a Megasquirt PnP standalone ECU. The entire package, tuned by Andrew himself, spins the rear tires to the tune of 279 horsepower and 254 foot-pounds of torque. Power is transmitted to the ground through a 6-speed transmission from a late-model Miata, and limited slip function is handled by an OEM Torsen-style LSD with a 3.909 gear ratio.

Power is nothing without control, and the Trackspeed machine has the grip to match the grunt. The suspension is centered around KONI RACE shocks and Ground Control coilover sleeves, with a Racing Beat front swaybar, polyurethane bushings, and a rear swaybar from a Mazdaspeed Miata. Contact patch is supplied by Nitto NT-01 tires, supported by 949Racing 6UL wheels. Additional grip is supplied in the form of a custom front splitter and undertray, and an APR GTC-200 rear aerofoil.

The car serves double duty as Andrew’s personal track machine and the Trackspeed Engineering R&D machine, testing products such as their new front big brake kit. Utilizing Wilwood Dynalite calipers on OEM Volkswagen Corrado rotors, the kit sports the benefits of a forged 4-piston caliper without the astronomical cost of a two-piece rotor. Trackspeed’s new brake kit represents the spirit that has accompanied this build from day one: utilize a combination of inexpensive, readily available parts to create an end product that is greater than the sum of its parts. Their new brake kit sports rotor replacement costs of under $30 each, making the ongoing costs of the kit far lower than their more expensive competitors. The entire car follows this principle, using readily available parts when possible to reduce replacement costs; this results in a car that will run Porsche and Corvette laptimes for far less than half the cost. The nature of the build is such that the car could easily be replicated for a customer looking for an inexpensive, brutally fast track toy.

Future plans for the car involve a cosmetic overhaul to better promote the shop’s products and services, as well as a healthy horsepower bump and a suspension overhaul to further reduce laptimes. Keep an eye out on ColdTrackDays.com for future updates on Trackspeed Engineering’s Time Attack campaign as well as the team’s 25 Hours of Thunderhill effort!