Patryk's Humble Miata: Proving Practice Makes Perfect
Patryk Skowronski made a couple missteps before he acquired this Miata. The first car was a 2002 Civic, which he quickly replaced with a lemony 240SX that, admittedly, was a panic purchase. Its seven owners all treated the car terribly, and soon after discovering the full extent of the damage, he realized there was no chance in giving it a good future. After flipping the Nissan, he took the sensible next step and bought himself a ‘97 Mazda Miata. Base model, painted Copper Red by the previous owner, black interior. Most importantly, it hadn’t been abused. It had been loved.
He knew he wanted to track the car, but he didn’t really know how. Fortunately, one of his housemates was interested in autocross, and so he dipped his toes in the water that way. After a couple afternoons spent clipping cones, his coworker serendipitously recommended he try Speed SF and graduate to HPDE events.
Safety first.
With a near-stock Miata modified with only BC Racing coilovers, fresh fluids, a Sparco bucket, and a Blackbird Fabworx rollbar, Patryk made his track foray at Thunderhill East Cyclone in the winter of 2019. David Fitz-Randolph was coaching him in his own normally aspirated Miata; giving Patryk a clear picture of what the platform could do in the right hands. David ran a few shakedowns, and after seeing what David could do, especially in the braking and turn-in phases, he amped up the aggression and started doing what one should do in a sorted Miata: carry entry speed.
“David’s car was a major influence on the development of my car. After that first track day, I was asking him questions constantly about specific parts as well as the general direction to take.”
By then, the bug had definitely bitten and Patryk started collecting the right go-fast parts. After adding a set of Xidas. Along with that came a set of Carbotech XP12s and 15x9” 6ULs wrapped in BF Rival S 1.5 rubber. A basic setup, but with a dependable platform like the NA, that was all that was needed at that formative period in his driving. That reliable foundation allowed him to get through that awkward first few events with minimal headache and find his feet.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Patryk was working on the car incessantly. He installed a Torsen 4.3 differential, poly bushings, a new radiator,Xida coilovers, as well as a coolant reroute, and touched just about everything except the motor. Essentially, this car got a full makeover and a couple of changes—depowering the steering rack and scrapping the air conditioner—that committed it to the life of a dedicated track car.
At that stage, he’d met all of the primary tuning goals aside from freeing up a few more horsepower. After adding a K&N intake, adjustable cam gears and a full custom exhaust, he took it to Blacktrax’s dyno to reveal the 1.8-liter was making a healthy 113 horsepower and 109 lb-ft of torque—plenty for a 2,200-pound car.
He’d checked all the boxes with this machine; it was a reliable, encouraging, incisive, and exhilarating track car. Most importantly, it was sturdy; he was going to the track regularly, usually driving it to the track with a set of track tires in a friend’s truck. Getting seat time was the main aim at the time, and the dependability of the platform gave him the peace of mind needed to make all those treks, drive within inches of the wall, and do it often. In his first year of serious tracking, he attended 15 events.
Aero was needed to make this anemic Mazda a front-runner.
After a year of tweaking his driving style and tinkering on the car, he stepped up the commitment and made a real attempt at the Speed SF Challenge’s S5 class. He built his car to suit the class rules, though stiff competition in the first few rounds revealed that he’d have to use a few more of the points available to him in order to be competitive. He carefully considered the modifications allowed by the points system and decided on an air dam, a splitter, and a 4’ wing from 9LivesRacing.
By adjusting the rake of the car to limit the snappiness, he found a happy balance that allows for some high-speed rotation, but not enough to sap confidence. With the wings pressing him into the pavement, he brakes less and carries more speed into the corners. Most importantly, he constantly modifies his suspension and alignment with the guidance of Scott Fraser, an autocrosser with intimate knowledge of the Miata.
For the 2021 season, the battle for victory in S5 came down to the final event. Zoe Downing dominated the first half of the season, but after Patryk modified his car with aero, he began to pull ahead. Though he had a 12-point lead heading into the final event, the double-points nature of the season finale meant Zoe still had a chance. He beat her in the dry on Saturday’s event, while she came out ahead the following wet day. Despite her strong performance in soggy conditions, Patryk finished with 295 points to Zoe’s 283, crowning him the S5 Champion.
This year, he’s got a few things planned, though he enjoys the state it’s in and doesn’t want to complicate things. Among the short list of expected modifications are a removable steering wheel, a more sophisticated data logging system, and a rear diffuser sitting in his living room that, as he puts it, is currently “marinating.”
Patryk’s lack of experience is tempered by a wisdom and an understanding that getting out and driving typically trumps a long list of modifications. This is reflected in his build and recent success. Truly, there are few platforms which require as little as the Miata to get going quickly. As this unassuming Mazda proves, a quick advancement in ability is attainable as long as the driver picks a platform which makes practicing as easy as showing up and bolting on a set of sticky tires.