Exo Car ‘Ghettocet’ Build Guide: Roll Cage Intermission
Let’s call this intermission on the Ghettocet Miata. A time to get up, stretch our legs, and see how far we have come. Frankly, I let my imagination run wild…
DIY 1.6L NA Miata Short Ram Cold Side Intake
I wanted to simplify the intake path on the Miata as soon as I converted it to Super Touring 6. After fruitless research yielded conflicting results and very little non-anecdotal…
Winter in July at Barber Motorsports Park – NASA Mid South 2024
I appreciate the irony of naming the annual summer pilgrimage to Barber Motorsports Park, ‘Winter in July.’ And just like in previous years, the weather did not disappoint. The heat…
Exo Car ‘Ghettocet’ Build Guide Part 8: Roll Cage Mount Plates
It is finally here: the fabrication portion of the exo car build. Getting to this point has been quite the process: digging up all of my old equipment and piecing…
What is Driftopia?
I find it hard to believe, but I have been here for two decades, writing about my passion for motorsports. Am I getting old(er)? While this site has ebbed and…
Making a Tube Bender Stand (Out of an Old Engine Stand)
Mechanical tube benders need to be mounted securely to the floor for operation. Typically, a hammer drill and concrete anchors are used to secure the mount to the floor. This…
Converting the JD2 Mechanical Tube Bender to Hydraulic … on a Budget
I have a bit more work to do before starting the roll cage on the exo car build. One of those tasks is converting my 15-plus-year-old mechanical tube bender to…
Driver Cooling and How to Stay Cool in the Racecar
Racing doesn’t just happen on the track; much preparation goes into each event. But if you can’t stay cool in the racecar, no amount of physical or mental prep will…
NOCO NLP30: The Budget, Lightweight Lithium-ion Racecar Battery
The old adage goes something like this: You can build your car fast, cheap, and reliable. Now, pick two. This principle seems to hold true with racecars and most things…
Exo Car “Ghettocet” Build Guide Part 7 – Roll Cage Considerations
The roll cage is a pivotal moment in the exo car build, and I am taking a super small step back to ensure the cage is executed properly. After all,…
An Unusual Weekend at Nashville Superspeedway – May 2024
May has been a busy month. Formula Drift, NOLA Motorsports Park, and then Nashville Superspeedway. Nashville would turn out to be an interesting conclusion to the month with wild weather…
NA Miata MX-5 Front Wheel Bearing / Hub Assembly Replacement
In the previous Failure Points segment, I discussed a recent front wheel bearing failure on the Super Touring 6 Miata. This failure was abrupt, and there was no indication of…
Failure Points: NA Miata Front Wheel Bearing
The harsh environment of the racetrack pushes a car right to its limit and beyond. As such, racecar failures are bound to happen in many different ways. Failure Points is…
Exo Car “Ghettocet” Build Guide Part 6 – Addressing the Surface Rust
The 1991 Mazda Miata from which I am building the exo car has led a rough life. This was especially evident when I finished the chassis cleaning in part 5;…