MX5 MK3 SuperCup - a fresh start

[mattmk391]

I hope starting a seperate topic for this is ok, the 'Mazda MX5' one has gone downhill a little lately...

Anyway, It looks like the MX5 SuperCup has more entries for the second round at Snetterton than for the season opener according to BRSCC entry lists which looks good for the rest of the season!
There's also a website which has been set-up by the drivers with info about the championship:

http://www.mx5supercup.co.uk/index.html

It's a work in progress (clearly) but the first step to getting back to the healthy grids and close racing of previous seasons is to get the word out there. There must be plenty of cars which didn't race last year (or the year before even) and are still tucked away or for sale for whatever reasons...

[mattmk391]

15-16 entrants later in the season is realistic I think, there are plenty of cars already built and not being raced anywhere/up for sale, plus the remaining circuits are really good (Donington, Brands, Anglesey, Cadwell, Oulton off the top of my head) and the track time is secure. That would lead nicely into 2014.

Some people aren’t interested in class racing and there are few options for modern production, RWD, reasonable budget single model championships at the moment.

The other points you raise have been discussed at length in the other Mazda topic.

If people are concerned or want more info they should contact Drew at the BRSCC, I’m just trying to raise awareness (in a very lazy internet way ) that the championship is up and running and has solid foundations again.

[mattmk391]

Really good weekend, a bit of sunshine doesn't half make a difference too.

Some more cars on the grid and only 1.6 seconds covering the top 4 over the line for race 2. Carrying on the good close racing seen in the Ma5da Cup last year.

Twitter account to go with the web site... @Mx5SuperCup. (Also run by the drivers)

[mattmk391]

Cool picture, someones spent a long time modelling that in CAD (if it wasn't Mazda!)

[mattmk391]

The BRSCC haven't mentioned a winter championship. As we're using track time booked originally booked for Caterhams I wouldn't think they will have planned for one.

Getting all the existing cars out for the main championship is the priority for this year I think.

Saw a tweet over the weekend from Paul Sheard Autos offering 50% off arrive and drive packages in the SuperCup.

ETA: an adverts appeared on the website this morning: http://www.mx5supercup.co.uk/11.html

Edited by mattmk391 on Monday 29th April 08:33

[mattmk391]

sorry, I'm wandering a bit further off topic here...

Stuart Mills said:

You are correct the MX150R's are not MK3 based at all. I felt those interested in MK3 could also be interested in these as a cheaper option, lighter and stiffer but as you say should be on a different thread. Sorry for appearing to hijack.

I'd be interested to see any computer FE Analysis you've done on this, particularly for the MK3s, I do quite a lot of structural type analysis with work (sadly, not automotive). I'd say both the MX150R and MK3 are far to complex shapes to get any sort of meaningful figures using hand calcs.

I know the mk3 is supposed to be considerably stiffer as a road car than the mk1 was (22% bending, 47% torsional Wikipedia informs me!), but it would be good to see what difference adding the 6 point rollcage makes. I can't say I've noticed any flexing while racing (I didn't in the mk1 either tbh) so I'd image it's quite a big difference over the road car, but having never driven either on the road I can't compare.

I also remember at Uni seeing some interesting ideas for incorporating crumple zones into tubular chassis' without increasing weight, I believe Caterham were doing research into it. How does the MX150 dissipate energy in an impact?

[mattmk391]

A quick Google gave me some figures for the MK3 torsional stiffness – no source was given but it seems in line (lower) than most similar cars whose sources were referenced…

Mazda MX5 NC (road car, no roll cage) = 8800Nm/deg.
MX150R caged(?) = 4000lbft/deg = 5423Nm/deg (I like to use SI units)

Does weight need to be taken into account too?

Minimum championship weights with driver.
Mk3 = 1110Kg
MX150R = 815Kg *has this been reduced? I couldn’t find the regs to check*.

So the MK3 stiffness is 8800/1110 = 7.9Nm/deg/Kg
The MX150R stiffness is 5423/815 = 6.6Nm/deg/Kg

So not including effects of adding a roll cage the MK3 would appear to be stiffer anyway?

Now I am by no means claiming these figures to be anything more than back of fag packet stuff here. Please correct tme if I’ve done something daft.

In fact, it doesn't really matter which is stiffer as the mk3 is great fun to drive and I'm sure you will say the MX150R is a well.

Track width for the MK3 is 1490mm apparently.

Between £8-10k seems to be the going rate for a race ready MK3 at the moment, but you could build one yourself for less I would think. Yes, more expensive than the MX150, but you do get 10 year younger mechanicals, more power and a good looking body shell for that.

[mattmk391]

Like you say though even the mk3 MX5 pales in comparison to some of these new Astons, I saw some stiffness figures up in the 20-30,000Nm/deg range for those, I suppose you get what you pay for.

I always keep an eye out for bumpers on eBay and they're not as expensive as people may think...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-MX5-MK3-MK3-5-FACE...

ETA: found a rear bumper too..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-MAZDA-MX-5-GENUINE-...

Edited by mattmk391 on Thursday 2nd May 22:24

[mattmk391]

The SuperCup is at Anglesey this weekend, triple header for anybody interested in spectating (and braving the weather by the looks of it!)

Steady grids with a couple of new drivers entering. As it's one of the biggest distances to travel some regular drivers have chosen to miss this one.

Again sharing the meeting with Caterhams so plenty of racing both days.

Info on the website:

http://www.mx5supercup.co.uk/

and on twitter:

@MX5SuperCup

[mattmk391]

Apologies for the thread resurrection...

The Supercup is entering it's final round at Oulton on the 14th of September. Back in July the BRSCC announced they would be running the championship again in 2014 which gave all us drivers a big boost.

As everyone hoped the grids have grown back into the mid teens over the season and with Ma5da increasingly quiet this is the only single make, current model and reasonable budget champiosnhip out there.

The cars remain great fun and evenly matched and have taken drivers such as Luke Herbert (Michelin Clios Series), Rob Boston (Ginetta Supercup) and Adam Gore (Production Lotus) onto further success'.

There are now three teams offering drives in the championship and several other drivers builing cars for 2014:

http://www.mx5supercup.co.uk/18.html


The racing has been great: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDDWi7O7ES0&fea...

It's been one of my most enjoyable seasons racing, so looking foward to next year.

Website: http://www.mx5supercup.co.uk/index.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MX5SuperCup

Come and check it out and speak to the drivers at Oulton Park on September the 14th should anyone want to know more.

Shameless plug of the champioship I know, but there are times when we can all take a leaf out of Andy97's book

[mattmk391]

Well, season over now for the SuperCup.

18 cars on the grid for the final round at Oulton, which is more than we hoped for at the start of this thread.

Really close racing with the top 6 cars covered by 1.1 seconds over the line in race 1, I kid you not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4-zmjbzchI

http://www.tsl-timing.com/brscc/2013/133732xsc.pdf

Looking even better now for 2014!

[mattmk391]

The two were level on points going into that last race, #67 Andrew Clarkson got back on track first to take the Championship.

Final points table here: http://www.mx5supercup.co.uk/8.html

Looked like Paul had it sewn up before the red flag for the air ambulance, a very dramatic end to the season.

Edited by mattmk391 on Monday 16th September 15:06

[mattmk391]

An update for 2014 to carry on the story (if anyone reads back through the thread or remembers it)...

27 Drivers are registered for the 2014 championship already with 4 weeks to go until the first race at Silverstone, with a couple more expected.

Control parts added to all cars for this year include:

Racing Beat stainless 4-1 Exhaust Manifold
Pipercross Intake system
Eibach adjustable anti-roll bars (front and rear)
(standard Mazda parts of the above can also be retained)

Power is now up to around 180BHP.


A new MX5 SuperCup website is now up and running (it went 'live' today):

http://www.mx5supercup.co.uk/

Twitter account remains the same:

https://twitter.com/MX5SuperCup

So the championship is looking really good for 2014 and all the hard work from the drivers (and BRSCC) who stuck with it after the wheels fell of Ma5da is paying off

[mattmk391]

One of the criticisms levelled at the SuperCup cars over the winter was the noise (or lack of). Following a vote for existing and new drivers 70%+ were in favour of the manifold and intake. The manifold was a better option than just a new backbox as it gives a bit more power too. It also makes it them 'feel' more like a race car when you look under the bonnet which can be very important to some people.

The cost is approx £450 pounds for exhaust and Intake to the drivers, for a power increase of 10-15 bhp.

The update in spec has sparked a lot of interest in the championship and it seems to have paid off judging by the number of registered drivers and the arrival of at least 3 new 'teams'. It's possible the grids could be bigger than Ma5da ever managed (peaked at 26 i'm told) during this season.

I was initially skeptical of the benefits too, but so far it's looking good.

The BRSCC have balanced out the cost by writing into the regs that there will be no more techincal changes to the spec of the cars for at least 3 seasons (other than on the grounds of safety of course!).

ETA: Always makes me laugh how MX5 racing in general never fails to spark an internet debate!

Edited by mattmk391 on Friday 7th March 14:49

[mattmk391]

Since andy97 has kindly resurrected this thread here’s an update from inside the championship;

We (myself, dad and brother) built a new car over the winter for a little over £8k which included purchase of a 36k mile donor car which my brother qualified in 4th in its first race at Silverstone.

Average grids for the year have been 17/18 cars, peaked at Silverstone with 26 and low point was 15 at Snetterton. 30+ drivers in total have scored points so far this year. There have also been guys from MAX5 who’ve joined the SuperCup for the odd round.

There have been 4 different race winners and some very close racing.

Paul O’Neill (of BTCC and ITV4 fame) is guest driving this weekend August 30th at Oulton Park.

The BRSCC have really got behind the championship with a new website (http://www.mx5supercup.co.uk/), race day co-coordinators, and photography at every meeting by John Elsey (http://jonelseyphotography.photoshelter.com/), who is really rather good. The only thing maybe missing is TV coverage, but perhaps that will happen in the future, who knows.

Eligibility scrutineering has been much better, for example we’ve had ECU’s checked 3 times this year amongst other things like diff ratios, suspension mounts and gear linkages (all bar the ECU must be standard btw).

I, as a driver, have personally spoken to several people intending to build cars for 2015 including people from the mk1 championship and other one make series. Word is that the organisers have had more enquiries.

In my opinion, although not without drama, 2014 has gone even better than anyone expected for the Mk3’s and is a massive turnaround from the end of 2012!

I’ve certainly enjoyed the racing. Here’s my last race from Anglesey on YouTube, dropped from 3rd to 5th on the last lap ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4lWKBT3XL8

WRT more modifications the cars rev to 7500rpm as standard and as far as I know there are no plans at the moment to go down the BBR route and change the cams (which is the expensive part of that kit). I’ve just read the PH review and whoever drove it doesn’t seem to feel they make a huge difference. SuperCup cars already have intake, exhaust (manifold, race cat, backbox) and ECU mods. As it’s a one make championship absolute BHP is not really that important, Porsche Boxster racing is available as a more powerful one make option for those who want it, although at the last round pole in the MX5’s would have been 5th on the grid in the Boxters on the same day.

[mattmk391]

Great video...wrong Mazdas!

That's the older mk1cars racing, hopefully we'll see some of those guys giving the mk3 MX5s a try in the near future.

[mattmk391]

Well the 2014 season finished at Donington Yesterday, 22 identical cars on the grid at the final round.

Abbie Eaton beat Tom Roche by 3 points to take the title.

These videos (recently uploaded) are the TV coverage from back in August when Paul O'Neill of BTCC fame guest drove at Oulton Park.

Well worth a watch/skip through even if you've no interest in the championship as the racing was excellent, the top 3 separated by less than 1 second at the flag in both races:

http://youtu.be/E_cEXkF-gd0

http://youtu.be/WvezdRB_cho