Grassroots Motorsports: The Hardcore Sports Car Magazine

Our MX-5 Cup project may have not gotten a ton of Web time recently, but work has been progressing at a blistering pace. Once the parts showed up, they didn’t spend much time waiting to be put on the car. In fact, soon after the final bolt was turned, the car was on the hauler and bound for Roebling Road. (Don’t worry, the entire buildup will be detailed in the magazine.)

Our Mazda MX-5 Cup racer now has a painted cage. Looks nice.

Here’s a close-up shot of the painted cage.

Our Mazda MX-5 came back from the paint shop, and now the roll cage matches the rest of the car.

Two guys who have been very instrumental in this project, BSI Racing fabricator Vince Vetro (left) and Stu Brumer, the shop’s big cheese.

All MX-5 Cup cars must run the spec roll cage. It’s a weld-together affair, and Vince used his MIG welder to attach it to the car.

It’s starting to look like a race car.

Here’s the completed cage. The car is currently at the paint shop.

The cage comes partially put together, and those tubes were joined with a MIG welder. Vince used his TIG welder to finish the job. The cleaner-looking TIG weld is the one on the right.

Our MX-5 Cup car is starting to take shape, as its roll cage is now welded in. BSI Racing’s main fabricator, Vince Vetro, broke out his welding gear and made quick work of the job. The car is currently at the paint shop and should be back tomorrow. Don’t forget that this project is also being followed on Sports Car Revolution, the popular Speed TV show.

Here it is, our latest project car: a brand-new Mazda MX-5. This car will be campaigned in the SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook.

Before we could officially take delivery of the car, Aaron Coalwell, SCCA Pro Racing technical manager, had to seal the engine and differential.

Here’s the seal for the valve cover. There’s a computer chip stuck inside the epoxy. A similar seal can be found on one of the oil pan bolt heads.

Ah, the glamorous life of live on a TV set. Or Daytona Mazda’s service center, which is where the sealing took place. The whole process took about an hour.

When you see Aaron on Sports Car Revolution, now you know that he was sitting on a little white step-stool.

We also did some baseline dyno testing at BNO. (Dyno numbers to come soon.)

After the car was aligned and scaled, we headed to Roebling Road for some baseline testing. That contraption stuck to the back of the car is actually a very high-tech camera rig.

Once back at BSI Racing, the work could finally begin. The interior was quickly removed so the roll cage could be installed.

Gutted.

Class rules require a spec cage, and here’s what it looks like before installation.

And here’s the cage placed inside the car.

All of the cars are required to run a spec AiM data acquisition system. Here’s the dash unit.

Race cars need good seats. This Sparco Evo L model should do us well.

We have been fans of the Spec Miata class since its introduction, but the new MX-5 requires a new competition venue. The SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook should fill that need, as it will place drivers in identically prepared MX-5 sports cars.

Together with BSI Racing, Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development and Sports Car Revolution, we’re preparing a car for the series. Sports Car Revolution? Yep, as the construction of the car will also be detailed on the popular Speed TV show. Look for the installments to start within the next month or so.

Work on the car only began a week ago, and here’s what has happened so far.

Yep, we’ll soon have another road race car in our fleet, as a new Mazda MX-5 is headed our way. The venue? How about the Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook. We’ll be building this car along with MAZDASPEED, BSI Racing and Sports Car Revolution. Look for updates soon.