Racing the 'NC' MX5 Cup at NJMP in American Endurance Racing

In this video Matt takes the start of the second race (of two) in the American Endurance Racing Championship's New Jersey Motorsports Park race weekend. Team Road & Track & Friends, consisting of Matt, Jack Baruth, Larry Webster, and Jesse Lazare won class 2 in the first race, and ride shotgun with Matt in the first 5 laps of the second.
The MX5 Cup race car is prepped by Bozi & Bojan Taterevic and Josh Howard and features a spec powertrain, Penske shocks, lightweight wheels and 200 treadwear series Dunlop Direzza street tires, per race rules.
Learn more about American Endurance Racing at:
www.americanend...
Title photo by Artin Karimian
/ roadracetech

[@Furyjoell]

"This isn't Le Mans, this is an endurance race" Wait, what?

[@lukey2603]

he said LeMons i guess...

[@TheSmokingTire]

Joell Mabe yeah that was awkward, I meant to say an "amateur endurance race"

[@mattwasilewicz9677]

haha yeah, I did a double take at that comment as well. Seeing as Le Mans is basically the world standard for endurance racing lol

[@muhann4d]

Joell Mabe Matt has a point, though. Le Mans has become a 24h sprint race which is amazing.

[@MarioFunk]

I got yer meaning, Matt. The point is, everyone is racing for fun, not glory, and are not backed by multi-million dollar factory teams that can save an overzealous driver who is thinking with his balls... In other words, you don't win a race on the first lap, but you certainly can lose one on the first lap.

[@GorillaEgg]

that start of the race was crazy

[@Loebane]

When you pointed out the 370Z at the beginning, I figured it was a set up for later in the episode where it would hit you in a corner or something.

[@stigmsr1]

Loebane yeah I was waiting for the punt from the z too

[@codyace]

they got shown the black flag quite a bit. very out of control both days.

[@wobblysauce]

Even before Matt mentioned the Z, the run to the S/F line was a bit out there.

[@Kamukix]

Yep, I 100% expected that the Z was going to get a bit toooo out of control and have an incident. That car looked like it was having a time even before they hit the s/f line. Thankfully it was only the clutch that needed some work after the race.

[@BryanHoefer]

Great video. I enjoyed the narrative giving more insight into what was going on as compared to just watching.

[@kevinnieves5113]

Really enjoyed this video, wouldn't mind a bit more commentary personally. Looking forward to the next one.

[@TheSmokingTire]

thanks for the notes. I wanted to keep it from getting too much where people were like "shut up and drive"

[@kevinnieves5113]

True, you know your audience hahaa.

[@idno4856]

For what it's worth Matt , I thought that you found the right balance here, but I would have been ok with more commentary. Looking forward to more of these types of vids and maybe a related t-shirt for sale in the future?

[@Kamukix]

Nooooo, I thought your balance (and especially delivery!) of commentary to letting the race unfold naturally, was EXCELLENT. I would love to see more like this one.

[@kevinnieves5113]

Its a bit people, just a tad; To know more in depth of whats going on and the reason behind certain decisions. To get insight from Matt of whats like to be in the cockpit.... But I agree, the balance was great here.

[@BurtSampson]

Looks fun as fuck.

[@tgough88]

This is oddly therapeutic Matt. Cool way to get a little bit of a sense for what it's like to be in an event like this.

[@Archi2g]

mx5 content = best content (aside from that honda and a potential mazdaspeed autoazam az-1)

[@Camhin1]

Archi do you watch pacific Coast Auto?

friday video o.O

[@ferdlloox7071]

I would be happy to see more videos like this. I can imagine how much fun it was to drive the car.

[@jeffeffinggluck]

if only the weather would have cooperated. congrats on the win on Saturday. To say that looks fun is one of the greater understatements I've ever made.

[@crowntug]

Love the voice over at parts!

[@993mike]

The opening lap of a club race is awesome - it's where you feel the most alive with all the action going on. While I personally race a Porsche 968, anybody that would diss a Miata street or race car is a fool. They are great cars.

[@LoganNoone]

my favorite smoking tire video thus far. please upload more videos of races! that start was absurd

[@clubracer6]

The racing gods strike! My throttle cable came off our Continental ST cars at the Grand Am race in 09. Also in an MX-5. Love most of that track, but hate some bits of it. Especially that goofy decreasing radius part before you start heading back to the main straight.

[@PRC9011]

I rode this track last year on my motorcycle and always wanted to go back and go at it in a sorted car. This was very cool Mr Farrah!

[@romero1337]

absolutely love this, watching with the commentary is perfect

[@pgrens]

Thanks for sharing, Matt. Bummer about the clutch, but the car sounded great and seemed set up really well. Nice driving!

[@matthewmccarthy9283]

We need more AER videos. You seem to be having a lot of fun driving there and you talk about it so much in the podcast that the rest of us need more videos like this. Even if it's GoPros slapped in as an after thought and half edited later, we still want to see it.

[@MichaelBradeen]

First time you shifted at that double apex I clenched hard. Camera angle made it look like you were going to go straight off.

[@Gentlemen_london_]

Ooooohhhh The Sound Of Men In Stove Hats Furiously Smelting...😆😉😄

[@codyace]

Always great to see your videos from American Endurance Racing. Good to hear you're coming to Summit and Mid Ohio they're always great events. Keep that car together so you can play with the Jetta in class 3 (although for some reason we may magically become a 4 car at SP haha)

[@kevintao95]

the silver 370z wasn't warmed up all the way prob? it looks like tires and brakes, or maybe he didn't know the circuit, that NB was on its ass though too lmao

[@JHowardDesign]

That car had TONS of problems the entire weekend. From inexperienced driving to a poor setup, it went from bad to worse over and over. (In their defense, they weren't the only team with these problems... they just happened to have a car that was way too fast for what the team was capable of. )

[@WilliamLevesqueineX]

Probably deserved to be flagged with that lap 1, that guy had no buisness on track IMO. Not in wheel to wheel conditions.

[@n9athan]

JHowardDesign Their alignment or just overall suspension setup seemed really poor, it looked like it wanted to snap on every corner.

[@JHowardDesign]

You're right on. I thought they needed to be a lot softer with a bit more body roll given the overall lack of grip. My main issue is that guys like this go out and spend 50k to get a car ready but the car would have driven just as good if not better without all the mods. Yes, you need better brakes that are going to last... but what's the point if you're looping the car over and over?

[@gaberon1]

Love the different style of video! One takes are great but this is a welcome variation

[@rv9990]

this is like a real life Failrace overtaking challenge!

[@baloonia1]

Great stuff Matt, it's a bummer that you guys could not finish the race :( it looked really good out there on the track.

[@NoBrakes23]

Good shit. Look forward to seeing more from this series.

[@PetrolHead1]

Ok this is new.... and I like it!

[@socom308]

Love your videos Matt.

[@NDakovic]

sweet footage, ur very fortunate man

[@MarioFunk]

Loved this video, Matt. Looking forward to future race day One Takes!

[@rowboyto156]

Happy Friday!

[@jean-danielpoulin8800]

Nice video MAtt!

[@slaWterCH]

Good stuff! Looking forward to more videos like this.

[@Towert7]

Hey Matt, was the engine in this NC making about stock HP? I wonder how many track miles that car saw in order for the clutch to break.

[@googlyboobly51]

I can't wait to see laps from summit point! One of my favorite tracks on iracing, i've done god knows how many laps in an mx-5 and a skippy around that place! Best of luck and y'all definitely should have stolen the skippy shocks just the contemplation made for a helluva story.

[@SpeedySpeedBoi62]

This was super dope. Looking forward to more videos from this endurance series. Quick question: how do you minimize wind noise when filming in an open top car like this?

[@TheHooniverse]

Do they not require hand restraints on your convertible or do I just not see them in the video?

[@TheSmokingTire]

I'm wearing them. They are blue.

[@TheHooniverse]

Yep, I see them - was looking lower on the arm for some reason. That 370Z... yikes.

[@mehkayla6685]

Well, didnt have to scroll far (farther than usual) before I saw the first testicle powder comment... Great video as always Matt

[@Bittertokken]

What!!! A Friday video??? Is this a thing now? :)

[@arisporrazzo4268]

Yes!

[@shaggnar2014]

When are you going to be at Summit Point again? I live 20 minutes from the track

[@tylerdavis6277]

don't mind me but why were you grabbing the e-brake lever every once in awhile

[@echannel1018]

more of this please

[@SgtFinaldo]

Nice and clean Matt. Good job, he could have pushed a bit harder, but probably destroyed the tires, ran the risk of errors, overheating, all the usual endurance flags if you dont measure the overall race. I know I dont have the patience and consistency to drive like that. Hope to see more vids like this.

[@ArdorHellion]

you guys should upload and narrate every race you participate in, in their entirety

[@tdolan500]

I meh'd at starting to watch this but that was fantastic. Looking forward to more.

[@MrRed0devil]

To finish first you must first finish Cool video

[@statonotto]

hey im curious about the setup of the engine. im going to do forced induction but im not sure if i should supercharge or turbo charge the engine. the reason i ask is because the engine is the MRZ ford version stock on these cars and its pretty hard for me to find some turbo headers for this cars exhaust system. looking to do it in about 2 more years but im trying to work out the budget for it rn.

[@SortaProfessional89]

i remember you talking about this on the podcast. that sucks man you guys were doing well out their..

[@sirjoi1628]

I love your videos man! Keep it up!

[@alvinross7243]

was that nb turbocharged it carried a lot more speed in the straights

[@SpitfireR3v]

That's me passing Matt at 10:46!

[@TheSmokingTire]

SpitfireR3v good driving!

[@Balo657]

Noon question but why so they put those nets on the driver?

[@toddwcarpenter]

Were you trying to put it in 5th gear? :)

[@mohamedmagdy4857]

5:48 you just got CHOPPED

[@OscarMaris]

Why isn't your engine over the red degrees?

[@ItsMikeArre]

Does any1 else wish all the youtube car guys would get cheap cars mod them and have a race like this ? I would be team smoking tire from day 1

[@GearHeadsGarageChannel]

Would be a lot of fun. Ferretti is having some sort of event like this but most of the people included don't actually build their own cars and its going to be big money compared to what a lot of smaller channels can afford etc. Would love to organize something like it one day if our channel was to grow big enough!

[@user-hr2zy7ct8h]

imo most "youtube car guys" are trying to be stand up comedians and superstars, they don't want to do endurance races, not to mention they aren't capable of it.

[@GearHeadsGarageChannel]

アマ Screw that racing is fun. I just cant go often cus its expensive! We mostly do projects.

[@user-hr2zy7ct8h]

yeah your channel looks good, I was talking about the "youtube car guys" which have countless subs (=budget) and do car reviews where you don't even really see the car they are reviewing, not to mention almost all of them don't even include onboard footage. If I click on a car video I want to see a) someone working on a car and explaining what he is doing b) someone reviewing a car with proper camera angles, no stupid selfie angles and to much talking (check the Doug Demuro channel if you want to know what I mean, I hate that guy and his videos so much) c) someone drifting or racing a car d) any onboard footage at all. I think that pretty much covers it, the only channel I'm perfectly satisfied with is this one here, I try to give critics and suggestions to the others so they can improve but as long as the money bell rings most of them don't seem to care much.

[@GearHeadsGarageChannel]

アマ I agree with your points, and thank you for the kind words!

[@oldatarigamer]

The NB seemed to be really moving, which is somewhat of suprise since the NC has a better power/weight ratio.

[@TheSmokingTire]

you are not required to run the stock powerplant in AER, you just get re-classed if you run faster. Some of the NB's were in our group (group 2) and some were group 3, one higher. Not sure what they did to get the extra bump. Also, I'm one of the slower guys on our team, but lots of the other teams run their fastest drivers at the start, so it could have just been a better driver than me.

[@MrPde27]

Curious if you've ever thought of doing more on track one takes. Just would love to see more of the cars on track instead of just canyon carving.

[@TheSmokingTire]

I do as many track videos as are financially viable. Race tracks are farther away, more expensive, and cars on race tracks are not insured the same way they are on the street. Plus, street videos make more money, by a lot, than track videos. So as much as I love being at the track, pretty much everything production-wise is lined up against doing track videos.

[@MrPde27]

Totally get that. Thanks for the quick reply as well. It was just one of those viewer ideas I thought I'd share. Keep up the good work, and if your ever in central Florida I would love Matt to drive my car. Though he says he won't do another s2k lol. As long as this channel is active you will always have a subscriber 👍

[@albertcharron5995]

Is that a nurburgring picture on your wall. if so where did you get it

[@TheSmokingTire]

it's from a company called linear edge.

[@robertaBooey69]

The first car I shifted was this, I watched my dad my push in the clutch I shifted passenger seat. Reality this clutch and manual are the best

[@mikes9722]

Matt, where do you get those bad ass track outlines you have on your walls?

[@TheSmokingTire]

the company is called Linear Edge

[@mikes9722]

TheSmokingTire your awesome Matt thanks!

[@Bryce70]

The suspense from when he says "however..."

[@wooson]

What wheels are those?

[@sonikempire]

you should review my modded S55 AMG which is soon to have a QUAIFE!!

[@maramonaghan8991]

Is the car in the thumbnail the one you drove? It looks like a meathead car, but I can't be certain

[@TheSmokingTire]

Mara Monaghan yes

[@misterawesome1234]

may sound like a amateur question, but what are those nets for?

[@TheSmokingTire]

Reasure so your hands don't fly out of the car in a crash; or so debris has one last line of defense before hitting the driver

[@abualzuaree]

Matt when are you gonna do a meet and greet

[@TheSmokingTire]

Abubaker Alzuaree I do lots of public appearances and emcee gigs. Those Are just like meet and greets *but you actually get paid

[@Len_M.]

TheSmokingTire Meet and green? Is that a clue to bring an offering? Haha 😂

[@sarahdell4042]

What kinda tires are you guys running for endurance racing?

[@TheSmokingTire]

Sarah Dell direzza star spec

[@gabrielash9433]

How does the NC cup compare to the ND cup you just drove?

[@TheSmokingTire]

Gabriel Ash the ND has 10 more HP and weighs 200 lbs less but I was also spoiled because I drove it on slicks and the NC I've only driven on street tires

[@usagentcyclone]

that net centralized in the car looks like I would hit it over and over quickly going for the gearshift

[@ErronKebabb]

Aw darn, well that is part of racing. But still was a really well put together video, and I always like your narration. You weren't joking with how aggressive they were! Phew! Looked like some really solid, really fun laps that you did get in though! +1 :)

[@harryclay_z06]

This looked like every iRacing race I've ever been in haha

[@happyjayh]

is there a reason there is only a drivers side wing mirror on the car?

[@computerapple4]

happyjayh Because Race Car Bro.

[@BadDFWDrivers]

They're both there. You can see its shadow at 2:50.

[@alexb2298]

More footage next time covering more overtakes/stress of driver change and refuelling

[@grizzly9960]

More racing videos please :-)

[@MaggotBrain762]

man, you have a cool job...

[@MaggotBrain762]

not sure about that, maybe if my only job was as youtube commenter, but in real life sucks

[@hoisthanger1586]

What kind of tires can you run in that series?

[@TheSmokingTire]

any 200 treadwear street tire is fine.

[@Zadnak1]

My guess is Rival S

[@-Rambi-]

Started playing Forza 6 this week, it was a familiar voice in there. Surprised to say the least,

[@-Rambi-]

Just finished watching the video, In no shape or form is the following sentence to be taken as something negative; I thought you couldn't (drive), only seen your test drives and not any track events, well done, nice lines, you are not "just" a youtuber. BR seasoned scandinavien track warrior

[@grizzspec]

1:41 is pretty bad on Thunderbolt

[@modelcitizen1977]

I think they have the Gran Turismo mindset, where the best course of action is to get the lead early and stay away from the bullshit going on in the pack.

[@dylanl9532]

Ummm, you would think showing footage of some passing and winning would be better than retiring after 5 only laps in an endurance race...

[@TheSmokingTire]

Dylan L I wasn't about to sit there and go through 9 hours of Race footage to make a video that will earn 50 bucks. I got a start, a fast lap, and a mechanical failure in like 8 mins here. Perfect KZbin length.

[@dylanl9532]

Good point.

[@mistamontiel00]

You can run it for 9 hours !? My ass would be sore as fuck

[@jacksonhunter4848]

mistamontiel00 as a team, 5 guys I think.

[@JohnDoe-zg6fq]

Cool. Nobody can shit their pants over his harness.

[@nukedathlonman]

Too bad the clutch gave up.

[@5abivt]

Saw Miata.. swore I wouldn't click it... here I am :/

[@KRBY555]

commentary sans LeMans was great

[@0HunterTheAssassin0]

my nc just got totaled ):

[@drongojonkins8945]

Beautiful mechanical sympathy though..

[@smueller12244]

Dude, there were a couple turns you came out of where i yelled "fuck yea matt" in my head lol. 370z was just bad, my sister drives better. That one miata tho...cya on the right!

[@carnagegalassi4798]

You should bring you're S351 Saleen to the Track and show these cucks what a real SCCA car can do ! . Saleen ,the power in the hands of few.

[@VinceMorin]

second !

[@MetalAsFork]

However,

[@belowtheinfluence8499]

WTF is up with youtube it is no longer recommending your videos to me. I can tell off of your views on your recent videos its doing the same to alot of other people.

[@TheSmokingTire]

KZbin's new algorithm is very simple: either you pay to have your videos promoted or they no longer appear in recommended videos. Part of the reason I keep saying KZbin is a dead end business model, and that's why I'll be leaving it soon.

[@belowtheinfluence8499]

Damn that sucks what platform are you going to transfer to, if at all? Your personality and gift of gab is plenty enough to be on TV if that is a route you are thinking of. It's not right, quality content creators like yourself are getting bent over by these terrible business models. Good luck to whatever path you decide to take your career in!

[@Kamukix]

DEFINITELY LET US KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING NEXT MATT!!!!! Some of us are angry old people (not even old, only 37....going on 429 years old lol) so we don't do a lot of social media, and don't want to lose you. :)

[@silentjmoto]

4th miata in a month

[@jacksonhunter4848]

Jaron Hamilton are you complaining?

[@MegaSasukeAmaterasu]

Simple. He doesnt know how to drive.

[@teunje]

ND > NB > NA > NC

[@why_11.]

tunkor why

[@hughfeehan5867]

Switch NA and NB and you got it right

[@Kamukix]

for me it's NB > ND > NC > NA....but it's almost impossible to rank them because it makes it look like one is bad. None of them are bad, they're all EXCELLENT cars. The most well rounded of the group is still likely the NC honestly despite the hate (from seemingly people who haven't driven one), then I like the NB because it combines the NA original feeling and lightness with a sexy shape inside/out, then the ND because it's like an NC + NA in one, then the NA......but I've already contradicted the list, and I want to contradict it again. If you throw price into the equation at all, it changes dramatically because the ND goes right to the bottom. You can get 90-95% of the car for about 50-80% less money than the ND which changes everything lol. *sigh* whatever, the MX-5 is such a perfect car that I don't care much which one I'm driving, I only care that the weather is pleasant enough that I can have the roof open at all times and STILL don't know what the radio sounds like in an MX-5 after many many years of driving them. (they do apparently put stereos in them, and I hear they're even nice....)

[@teunje]

Got an NA myself, I love it but I think the NB looks better and I've already had the NA for several years so wanting something different also plays a role.

[@Kamukix]

tunkor I agree that the NB looks amazing (the best to my eyes). Depending on how things go, I'd like to get one later this year or next year.

[@iliovecaRS]

First ?

[@Swexicaan]

congrats

[@VinceMorin]

congrats !

[@DR-ld4jn]

Oh god an NC 🤢🤢🤢