All posts categorized Autocross

SFI Padding and Vinyl Cover for Blackbird Fabworx Rollbar in Miata

In the previous post I wrote about getting the Blackbird Fabworx rollbar professionally installed on the 1999 Mazda Miata. But if you want to drive the car on the street, you also need SFI padding on the rollbar to reduce the chances of the driver getting a concussion or worse in the event of an accident.

Bethania Garage, that sells the competitor HardDog rollbar, also sells SFI padding and custom stitches a cover for the Blackbird Fabworx rollbar. However, they do not advertise that on their site. You have to email them.

Blackbird Fabworx Rollbar in Miata

In September of 2019, with great fanfare and urgency, I purchased the Blackbird Fabworx rollbar for my NB Miata MX-5.

Now, after more than 3 years of the rollbar sitting around in my garage, I finally gave up on installing it and went to T&Z Auto Service in South River, NJ run by Mr. David Deerson and paid him to install it professionally.

His pricing was acceptable and now I finally have a beautiful rollbar in the car and am ready to go to the track for an HPDE event. Below are some pictures.

First Autocross in the Miata in 2022

I went for an autocross in the Miata today in the Norther New Jersey SCCA (NNJR-SCCA) club at Metlife Stadium.

I found the course to be more difficult than the earlier courses and it had several sharp turns. My performance (Figure 3) was not as well as I had hoped as I came last in my class.

First Autocross in the Miata

With great trepidation I took the Miata to my local SCCA club autocross event today. I was number 919 in the E-Street class (Figure 1) and ended up chatting with other E-Street racers and their Miata configurations. One of them had upgraded his Base trim 1999 NB Miata to the Performance Package trim by adding all the required Mazda components that would form that trim including a Limited Slip Differential. It is something I might consider in the future.

Tires for E-Street

In keeping with our post on wheels for E-street class for Autocross, I ordered Dunlop Direzza ZIII tires from TireRack.com with 200 treadwear and size 190/50R15 for my 15”x6” OEM wheels.