Spec Miata is easily one of the greatest grassroots racing classes – ever.
- Cost of Entry into Grassroots Amateur Racing
Cars can be purchased anywhere from $10,000 or built from $15,000 on up depending on your budget and criteria. - People to Race Against All Over the United States
Generally, no matter where you go to race in the country, there is always a good number of Spec Miata’s entered in a race. If you are a novice just getting started, or an experienced racer, you should always have someone to race with. - The Best Competition
Many current professional racers started their racing careers in a Spec Miata. Typically, at most Hoosier Super Tour Events, the top 15-20 cars qualify within 1 second, with the top qualifiers being separated by hundredths of a second. - Multiple Sanctioning Bodies
Choose the sanctioning body that works for you in your area. There are lots of options for running your Spec Miata. - Sprint and Endurance Racing
Spec Miata’s are great at running in multiple run groups in a race weekend as well as going to both sprint races that are generally 40 minutes or less. Or get your buddies together and run longer endurance races that range from 1 hour all the way up to 25 hours!= - Factory Support and Contingency from Mazda
The Mazda support experience is second to none! As a racer in the Mazda Motorsports program, you receive parts pricing on par with what a Mazda dealer would receive. It’s Mazda’s way of sponsoring everyone who campaigns a Mazda product. Not only that, Mazda also offers a very generous contingency program to help you afford to keep racing, which has paid OVER 2.5 MILLION DOLLARS across thousands of Spec Miata racers over the years. - 4 Iterations of Miata’s
You can race a Spec Miata from 1990 through 2005, all with slightly different balance of performance (BOP) criteria to make the cars equal. - The only tie in SCCA History at the National Championship Runoffs, which happened in 2023 at Virginia International Raceway. Watch the ending here!
Spec Miata is one of the SCCA’s strongest spec road racing classes, offering a path for entry-level and experienced club racers to compete as either a destination SCCA class, or as a step on the ladder to professional racing.
Some professional racers who have raced in Spec Miata racers are:
- Connor Zilisch, Randy Pobst, Tom Long, Jared Thomas, Dylan Machavern, Matt Pombo, Jim Daniels, Preston Pardus, Todd Buras, Danny Steyn, Charles Espenlaub, Stuart MacAleer, Andrew Carbonnel, Nick Bruni, Danny Bender – just to name a few!
Spec Miata started as a National class in 2006, and for almost 20 years has been the most subscribed class within SCCA and NASA. Determining the total number of Spec Miata’s in the country is impossible, but estimates from Mazda are that there have been around 5,000 cars built.
In 2018, 83 Spec Miata’s took the green flag for the NASA National Championship at Circuit of the America’s in Austin, TX. A few years later at the 2021 SCCA National Championship Runoffs, 91 Spec Miata’s took the green flag at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
What are the specifications of the cars?
The Spec Miata race car is based on the NA and NB-generation (1990-2005) Mazda MX-5. Full listing of SCCA SM rules here, and NASA here.
- 4 different cars from 1990-2005 all with their own balance of performance (BOP) ruleset (weight and restrictor plate) to make all the cars as equal as possible:
- NA 1.6: 1990-1993
- NA 1.8: 1994-1997
- NB1: 1999-2000
- NB2: 2001-2005
- Penske Shocks
- Torsen Limited Slip Differential
- Eibach Sway Bars and Springs
- Weights ranging from 2300lbs to 2450lbs.
- 205/50/15 Tires
- 15×7 13lb wheels
How and where can I race a Spec Miata?
Spec Miata can be raced in a number of different sanctioning body events, from sprint races to 25 hour endurance races throughout the United States, many at Americas most iconic professional race tracks. SCCA and NASA offer a National Championship for Spec Miata once a year, which is generally at a rotating track.
Spec Miata’s race all over the United States on any given weekend with large car counts consisting of novice racers to professionals. Spec Miata’s are eligible to run other classes outside of Spec Miata and often run in 2 or more run groups per weekend. Having this opportunity to “double dip” helps new racers with maximum track time per weekend and cuts down the overall cost per lap.
Spec Miata’s also run in Champcar, AER, WRL, FARA, and others for endurance racing. This flexibility gives racers hundreds of events each year in which to participate.
Is there a Championship?
Spec Miata is a National Championship-eligible SCCA and NASA class. Drivers can enter their respective sanctioning body event after meeting the required qualifying requirements.
Where do I get parts for my Spec Miata?
Mazda Motorsports is your go to location for all of the OEM parts needed to maintain and enhance your car. Mazda also offers ‘Competition Motorsports’ parts (parts that did not come on the car from the factory) like Radiators from C&R, the required Penske Shocks, Wheels, and many other items. There are also numerous Mazda partners and vendors in the community that provide parts to keep your car going strong for years to come.
What support does Mazda Motorsports provide?
Not only does Mazda Motorsport provide un-matched factory technical support, we also provide racers with a very generous contingency program. Here are just a few highlights:
Mazda Technical Support:
- Dedicated US based phone staff to answer questions
- Access to OEM & competition parts for all years of Spec Miata.
- Access to OEM Factory Service Manuals
- Consistent parts development program
I heard Mazda is getting away from supporting Spec Miata because they want to see everyone in newer cars. Is this true?
This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Mazda cares about brand loyalty regardless of which model you choose they just want you in a Mazda product. Outside of the parts support and biggest contingency program in grassroots racing, Mazda is leading the charge in other areas to make sure Spec Miata lives on forever:
- Tire Testing
Numerous times Mazda has facilitated a comprehensive tire test with multiple tire manufacturers to make sure the cars are on the best tire possible. This takes a lot of resources and costs quite a bit of money to do properly. Mazda does not sell tires, so this is for the benefit and commitment to the class. - Shocks
Back in 2019 when Bilstein could no longer provide any of the shocks required in the rules, Mazda spent over $250,000 to help find a replacement for the no longer available Bilstein required shock. Mazda helped with setting up a shock test that multiple shock manufacturers were invited to compete for the business. Professional drivers, data technicians and others were hired, cars and tracks were rented, and a comprehensive multi-day test was performed. At the end of the day the Penske shock was a fantastic solution that could not have been achieved without Mazda’s commitment to Spec Miata. The Penske shock got the series a new shock that did not make the cars faster which was important for those that already had Bilstein’s on their cars and didn’t want to switch right away. The Penske shock made the cars easier to drive and handle bumps better, but it did not go faster which was really important to all those with existing cars in the series. - Product Development
Mazda has a list of parts that are currently being made in other countries that could be a problem for availability in the future. Recognizing what could be problematic has allowed Mazda to start taking over production in the US to make sure the products needed to race a Spec Miata are available. A factory hard top is a good example as the OEM tops out of Japan are much more difficult to get than in the past and have increased to over $3,000. Mazda has engineered/developed a replacement US made hardtop that will weigh the same as OEM and have the same profile and be offered at a much more competitive price point. - Mazda Shootout
Spec Miata racers are currently eligible and often chosen to be a part of the Mazda Shootout at the end of the year that awards scholarship money to up and coming racers to matriculate through the Mazda racing ladder. - Street Cars
Don’t forget; if you ever want to purchase new Mazda street car, as a member of the Mazda Team Support Program you get special (X plan) pricing not offered to the general public on new vehicles.
How do I get started?
- Get a car – Buy, build, rent or borrow a car.
- Setup your Mazda Motorsports Account (here)
- Get a license (choose your sanctioning body)
- Sign up for your first event.
