2016 MX-5 Solo Development - CS - Continues

MX-5 Solo Development - CS - is wrapping up with the final product to be the caliber that Mazda, Ron Bauer, and all Mazda competitors expect.Mazda Motorsports is continuing to move forward on developing parts for the new MX-5 Miata with the help of SCCA Solo National Champion Ron Bauer. In our previous feature, we outlined the expectations of this development program; now it's time to start going into a little more depth.Bauer is running a 2016 MX-5, Club model, with the Brembo/BBS package. This package was chosen due to its lighter Brembo brakes and BBS wheels. Although aftermarket wheels can be sourced that are comparable in weight to the stock BBS, in CS, competitors are limited to the stock brake calipers. A few pounds in weight savings may not seem like much, but in the Street classes, most drivers try to save every ounce they can in an effort to have an advantage over their competitors. In the case of Bauer's car, with the floor mats and flat kit removed, along with a minimal amount of gas, his car weighs in at just 2259lbs! This is with the stock tires, so keep in mind that the weight will be a little higher with proper-sized tires.While the exhibition CS MX-5 performed quite well at the 2015 Solo Nationals, the adjustability of the parts on that car was limited. Therefore, Mazda Motorsports set out to source parts that had much larger ranges to determine where the "sweet" spot is, while still allowing each competitor plenty of room to fine tune their own car to their preferences.