Answer: Wheel hop

 

You guys are pussies. Launch the car to get wheel spin off the line. You will hurt your diff more if you attempt to launch but end up not spinning the wheels (unless you take off like you leave a regular stop light daily driving). I would rather see too much wheel spin versus none. Don't freakin stay floored and smoke the crap out of them... you should spin for about two seconds then catch and be accelerating hard (course providing).

 

You're a cool guy.

Have you ever competed in a ProSolo?

 

How many diffs and axels have you gone through?

OP, don't launch unless you have to. Auto-x starts shouldn't be a drag race, Pro Solo starts are. There are plenty of threads about launching if you need. If so, 5k + then modulate the throttle as needed. Make sure to load the diff before launching if you do. The timing lights should be some distance from the start, so even a great launch isn't going to get you much time compared to a street start in most scenarios. A street start will be the most gentle on the car. Best of luck!

-Marc

 

Question, for those who know, just a pure curious kind of question. Do Miata's have a stronger rear end than the s2000? I was at an autocross last year and a turbo miata launched, with wheel hop, all 6 of his runs. He drove the car home, and there was no trouble to it. I thought he would have destroyed the rear end

 

If you don't feel comfortable launching the car, don't do it. If it's your first autocross, you'll have plenty of other areas to make big improvements in time. After you're done shaving seconds off and starting to shave tenths and hundreths, then it may be a good idea to work on your start--but you won't reach that point your first event, probably not even your first season.

 

After talking about this with a couple NC Miata owners, they both claim the internals are similar and manufactured by the same company. Not sure about the NA and NB Miata with the torsen unit. I wonder if this turbo Miata had the differential built/reinforced? Wheel hopping doesn't mean the diff will break at that moment, it's simply harder on the diff than spinning the tires which is harder on the diff than a street start. Having rebuilt/replaced my differential after breaking one at the 2011 Blytheville Pro Solo, I am extra cautious not to add any unnecessary stress to the diff than necessary. Replacing them is a pain and expensive.

-Marc

 

i've driven a few pro solos in an ap1 with 265 rear rubber

held up fine for me and my codriver .. the only thing we worried about was the best possible launch

you want to launch at the rpm that allows the car to be in the powerband when the tires hook up.. without excessive spinning

 

Ap1 launches on Hoosiers, I believe I launched at 8k... 8k then drop the clutch! Still would only get a little wheel spin.. diff fine

 

on turbo Miata NA the gearbox breaks before the diff
on non-FI'ed Miatas there is not enough grunt to break anything...