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This past weekend, Greg “The News Editor” Kachadurian and I attended the Atlanta Cars and Coffee Caffeine and Octane. As we were heading out Greg said “checkout the wing on that Miata” and so we did. The car turned out to Georgia Tech’s Wreck Racing last year’s entry into the Grassroots Motorsports $2011 Challenge.

 

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Built by a team of engineering students the Miata has a Lexus LS400 V8 engine and transmission, set back far in the chassis. On top of the engine is a supercharger from what looks to be a 3.8L FWD GM engine (Pontiac Bonneville, Buick Park Avenue) with an intercooler sandwiched in between. Defying the rules of a “full windshield” is a full windshield… from a motorcycle. Clever. Also, the shifter is faucet handle.

 

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However, the most amazing thing about this car were the people surrounding it. The three guys new it inside and out, answered all my questions, and were generally extremely passionate and proud of it. This must have been a great experience for them and I am sure that they will all go on to have awesome careers in the automotive world.

 

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The team won the Grassroots Motorsports $2010 Challenge with this car with victories in the autocross and concourse events. They beat out 53 other teams from other schools, tuning shops, and privateers. Congratulations!

Images: Copyright 2012 Hooniverse/Greg  Kachadurian