SCCA® Club Spec is designed to provide an affordable, stable set of rules that allow anyone to build a competitive and fun competition vehicle that can run in Solo®, Time Trials, Track Night in America®, and even HillClimbs with the same ruleset. As an added bonus, Club Spec cars can easily be used as daily drivers without suffering from an over-stiff suspension or climbing over a roll structure.
A 2005-’09 S197 Mustang GT or a 2006-’15 NC Miata might seem like opposite ends of the sports car spectrum – and in a way they are – but both platforms are widely available at affordable prices. That makes them perfect options that cover the motorsports dream of most people. But which one is right for you? We asked two SCCA members who built their own Club Spec cars to tell us what they wanted, what they experienced, and how it all turned out.
The Mighty Mustang
Keith Brown built a Mustang GT to the CSM (Club Spec Mustang) rules because of prior experience with the platform.
"I was talking about it with my wife," he explained. "Back in 2009 and 2010, she drove a 2007 Mustang Shelby GT and she really liked it. So Club Spec was an opportunity for us to run a Mustang again. She thought that could be really great, so she started looking and we found a car."
(For Keith Brown, building a Club Spec Mustang was an easy choice he doesn't regret.)
Keith has completed the Club Spec prep on his Mustang, and has tested it on the Solo course, saying, "I did pretty well. I was competitive and pretty close to where I normally am in the class."
But the real enjoyment has been driving his new Club Spec car on a daily basis.
"I've driven it around a bunch," Keith said. "I got a bunch of street miles on it trying to sort out some issues, and it's just a riot. It's comfortable on the road with these mods. It turns in, and it does all the things you could want on the car in a great way."
The Marvelous MX-5
The other end of Club Spec is the CSX (Club Spec MX-5). Mike King decided to go with the Miata, building up a 2013 NC Club trim model into his perfect competition car.
"I wanted a super-clean, low mileage example," he explained, "so it took me a few months to find one. I ended up with a 2013 model with the better engine and transmission internals. The Club trim guaranteed it had the 6-speed transmission and limited slip differential. I like to hit the ‘easy’ button!"
Building the Miata to CSX rules is also an easy process, achievable in a driver's own garage.
(This is just about everything needed to turn a stock NC MX-5 into a Club Spec MX-5.)
"The two biggest hurdles were finding everything in stock to finish the build, and the slightly elevated price of admission," he recalled. "Yes, this car could have been built cheaper, but the Penske/Eibach setup is beautiful, well-built, and works excellently both on an autocross course as well as road course. The suspension is very streetable, especially on its softest shock adjustment setting."
Of course, with any competition car, the real question to ask is whether it's competitive and enjoyable to run.
"The first time it saw any action was the Cleveland ProSolo, so I really didn't know what to expect," Mike said. "I was pleasantly surprised at how great it handled just throwing some initial shock and tire settings at the car. It was very civilized at the limit and held up well to all of Cleveland's bumps and surface changes. You could really throw the car around as much as you could try, and it just stayed planted and dug through the corners. This is a great car for a beginner or the most advanced driver."
(Mike King competed at the '24 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships in his CSX car. Photo by Jeff Loewe)
Making The Right Choice
The right answer in Club Spec could be either the Mustang or the Miata, depending on what you find fun. If you’re looking for V-8 rumble and torque, there’s CSM, and if you want neat-and-nimble prowess, CSX will get you there. Though if you're having trouble deciding, there's no reason you can't have both.
Learn more about Club Spec at scca.com/clubspec.
Photos courtesy Mike King and Keith Brown (unless otherwise attributed)
