Installing AWR Engine Mounts on the NA Miata
The little 1.6-liter engine in the NA6 Miata moves too much. This engine movement, combined with soft factory differential bushings, contributes to a lot of drivetrain movement.
Chris Simmons
Chris Simmons is a race car driver, instructor, business owner and all around gearhead. His passion for motorsport started in the drifting community and progressed into wheel to wheel racing of all kinds. When off track Chris can be found training and working on a myriad of projects. After a hiatus from writing, he is back to share his passion, knowledge and experience in regard to motorsports on and off the track.
Nashville Superspeedway – September 2023
How’s that for a title? About as basic as I could make it. But that doesn’t mean this event was basic. In fact, through all the issues I endured this season, I still managed to capture the regional championship and…
Rewiring the 1.6l NA Miata … Part 1
The now ST6 Miata has had some serious electrical gremlins from day one. Intermittent starting issues, random fuel cuts, and erratic idling to name a few. I knew at some point I would rewire the car completely. What I didn’t…
Back to Barber 2023 – Pressing Play on the Race Season
It’s been hard sitting out part of the race season due to injury. Especially while transitioning the Miata to Super Touring 6. But I did my time and took it easy for 8 weeks to rehab the severely broken right…
Converting the Budget Spec Miata to ST6
I spoke about this before in Trying Not to Finish Last at NCM. Although the budget Spec Miata is a blast to drive, it will never be competitive when the expensive equipment comes out to play. That is why I…
Pressing Pause on the Race Season!
Apparently, I am not a ballerina. This profound realization came to me as I crawled across the living room floor while dealing with a very sharp and clarifying pain. Moments before, I was walking down my stairs, half asleep on…
Effective Defog and Defrost Strategies for Racecars…
And why I need to implement them now. In past seasons, races in the rain were rare, with only a few to suffer through. But lately, it seems like every race weekend has weather looming over it. Half the races…
Trying Not to Finish Last at NCM
Last place, or almost last, we’ve all been there. At one time, it was a lack of experience. Other times I can point the finger at good ol’ bad luck. And now, it’s an issue I haven’t faced in a…
The Obituary of Memphis International Raceway
I wasn’t quite sure what to say at the time. Memphis International Raceway is where I learned to race and was a fixture, on and off, throughout my childhood. It was a polarizing track. Home mostly to drag racers, but…
Miss Shifting my Way to Second at Nashville Superspeedway
I’ve moved out of the Mid-South to the beautiful ‘mountains’ of Northern Alabama. But, I’m still close enough to call the Mid-South region with the National Auto Sport Association home. Making the Nashville Superspeedway (NSS) event in … Nashville, TN…
2022 Wrap up: Part 1?
This is becoming a theme for me and one I am not particularly happy about. The last two years have been full of change coupled with excessive work. I left a job and business that I worked for nearly 20…
Back to Barber 2022
I’ve said it a hundred times before but I’ve been very busy lately. Busier than usual actually. So busy in fact, that I am surprised I’ve had a race season at all. Let alone changing series mid-season.