ViperASR

The answer is yes and no.
For ProSolo Bridgestone doesn't offer contingency, so the fast guys all run the BFG since you can walk away with a set of tires.
For national tours and nationals, Bridgestone does offer contingency, but IIRC the BFG contingency is better.

My guess is the tires are both capable of winning, with the Nexen being the unknown. But most of the fast guys run the BFG for better contingency. Like running Hoosiers/Maxxis in TT.

DavidNJ

Congratulations!!! Your description of the testing and development is very impressive. It sounds more like the development of a pro-series road racing car than Solo II.

Edelbrock has a 50-state legal supercharger kit using the current design twin-screw compressor (a setup not available on the S2000) that has gotten good reviews. It might reduce the power difference between an S2000 and an ND MX-5. EDELBROCK SUPERCHARGER SYSTEM (50 STATE LEGAL w/ TUNING) - 2016+ MAZDA ND MX-5 MIATA - SakeBomb Garage LLC

engifineer

Awesome job on the win for sure. It was a HUGE class this year! The ND will certainly be fun to try and keep up with.

Some of the BFG guys were talking about swapping to their Bridgestones when the temps dropped into the 40's over night on our run days. The stones I think are turning out to be better when the temps are lower. Overall I am happy the BFG's are not 100% taking over (although in Lincoln they do appear better if warm out .. at least to some degree) since they are RIDICULOUSLY priced for a street tire. $40 per tire more than the stones when I last looked, at least for a 255 in our size.

Not good with screen names to real names, but thanks to any of those on here if you helped push me back to grid on day two... after snapping the CV joint at the line on run three :P

It was awesome running in such a huge class. I have been to nats 3 times, an this is the first time I remember an whole heat being one class only. CS was close last year but I think they still had some other classes mixed in.

Anyone know what happened with the big group class picture we took?

Mrsideways

I want to try the nexans.... I have a feeling there is something special about them.
The BFG's at Lincoln was the first time I drove the car and felt like I could predict what the tire was doing. I've had a real issue going from Hoosiers to street tires feeling when the tire is going to let go. In the softly sprung cars in GS and DS that I ran the fist two years you could really lean on the car. Going to STX I felt like the car would just wash wide or lose the rear completely randomly. I felt like I had to drive at 8 or 9/10ths all the time. I still feel like that on the BFG's on asphalt. But on Concrete I feel like I can actually lean on them hard. I think a good portion is we got the car to work right as well. When we tested on Concrete of the BFG vs the 71R I went back to that feeling of not knowing when it's gonna give up. For the last 2 years I've felt like I was driving at 8/10ths and I"m pretty sure every one in grid was sick of hearing me complain about these shit ass tires we are forced to drive on. I wanted my hoosiers back. Well on the way home Ed noted that I never once complained about the tires. I did plenty of complaining about them in the course walk, but once I drove on em they felt great. It was the first time in years of driving these treaded dreadful tires that I actually enjoyed em. I'm not ready to give up my hoosiers yet, but these BFG's on that surface sure felt great.

Mrsideways

I'd love a Career change in that direction.

s2000ellier

robrob

Congratulations guys. I may have to trade my NC up to an ND.

spdracerut

I did a back-of-the-envelope comparison of acceleration between the ND and AP2 S2k by comparing dyno charts. Because the ND is so light and has fat low-mid range torque, it's quicker than the S2k everywhere below 6k rpms. So everyday street driving. Throw on the CARB legal Edelbrock blower kit which raises the power from 135whp to ~200whp and you have a seriously fun street car. it will be significantly faster than any naturally aspirated S2k (200whp/2350lbs vs 220whp/2850lbs). I browsed the Miata forums a bit and guys are getting really impressive fuel economy too. Seems to average about 35mpg. Some guy managed over 50mpg on a highway drive. In dense cities like LA where traffic is always stop and go, guys are getting mid-upper 20s. Looking at fuelly.com, 30-32mpg where S2ks are 24mpg.

cracknut

Congrats Ian!

Also thanks for posting the testing and development info. Very interesting.