Who has gotten top time of the day in a 5.0 powered miata?

I'm still on the fence about auto x-ing a v8 miata and being real fast!

I'm not trying to argue turbo vs v8.

I'm looking for miata owners who auto x ther car before the swap and after.

Are there storys of people who converted there car and learned how to drive there v8 car faster than the turbo miata guy and vett?

 

I have not autocrossed it yet but I do keep up with or even pass the Corvettes at track days. Usually I keep up with them fine on the straights and then end up passing them on the twisties.

The main disadvantage a converted Miata has against a Corvette is aerodynamics. The Corvettes just seem to get more and more stable as they climb over 100 mph. The Miata starts to get a little unstable around 120 mph. Note that the only aero I have is a GV-style chin spoiler, a R-rear spoiler and a few holes in my hood.

-Jason

 

Depending on how they are configured, autocross courses will favor one kind of car or another. Cars like Corvettes will do best with longer straights and a minimum of tight turns. A Minis and go-karts are at there best with short straights and tight twisties.

Regardless of what some claim, the weight a V-8 swap adds to the car is a liability. Although it's not a lot, and the car is far from being ruined, the additional weight is not a plus. Balance and CG aside, with respect to performance and handling, it's a simple fact that less weight is good and more weight is bad. On the other hand, in most situations(including a road race course), point A to point B times will be faster with a V-8. That's because car's improved acceleration will more than offset any degradation in cornering speed. An extreme example of that would be a Cobra; mediocre handling + lots of acceleration = fast.