Those of you who have been around forever might know the Track Dog, the car that Flyin' Miata built to run the GRM-sponsored Open Track Challenge in 2002 and 2003. It was even chosen as one of GRM's favorite feature cars in 2009.
Well, I say Flyin' Miata built it. Really, it was built by Bill Cardell and myself on evenings and weekends. It was a total thrash and we worked on a bunch of cool new tech. In 2003, Miatas just weren't running aero or transmission coolers or making 350 hp reliably.
After two years of running, it became obvious that we didn't have access to a track to bring it to the level it required, and the OTC shut down a year later. The car got pushed into a corner at the FM shop where it sat.
A few years later, I started on the Targa Miata. This one was my own build, it started as a 200k mile bare shell on jackstands and was basically conjured out of thin air using salvage parts. It ran the Targa Newfoundland in 2008 with an engine that used a stroker kit developed on the Track Dog. It went back in 2011 with an L33 V8, then became a track R&D car with an LS3.
They've never met before. They've been in the same shop, but never both been functional together. We sold the Track Dog to a local enthusiast a few months ago and he's got it up and running. Today, they both went to the same track day. The Track Dog is still a work in progress and isn't wearing the wing and splitter and giant turbo that were part of its war paint, but it's still the same car.
These two cars have occupied me for 17 years. They've taught me an enormous amount and they've broken many things. I loved seeing them together.
