Some people get into motorsports because they think that modifying their cars with aftermarket parts will allow them to drive faster. Others prefer to invest their time and money into seat time, realizing that any car can only be driven as fast as the skill level of the driver permits. These people realize that training and practice are the real keys to winning races – not adding more horsepower or braking to a vehicle.
Enter the B-Spec Series, an SCCA sanctioned racing class that was created for compact street-stock cars that racers could drive to and from the racetrack if they wanted. The idea was to create something similar to the SCCA Spec Miata class, with rules against hardcore modifications to equalize the playing field for the vehicles. In B-Spec competition, the ability to win races really boils down to the driver’s skill and preparation.
Not too long ago, I received a special invite from good friends at Mazdaspeed and Honda Performance Development. They apparently scheduled a private track day to allow certain people to track test a B-Spec Mazdaspeed 2 and an HPD-prepared Honda Fit at Willow Springs International Raceway, and as luck would have it, I was one of those people. I obviously jumped at the offer!
Although both the HPD Fit and the Mazdaspeed 2 were similarly prepared for racing, each car felt very different. As a person who is rather accustomed to driving underpowered cars (such as my collection of 1970s and 1980s Toyota Corollas), I felt that both the Fit and the 2 had more than adequate power for a small, relatively technical track like Streets of Willow.
Since both Honda and Mazda happened to have bone-stock versions of both cars available for test driving as well, I decided to start off my driving test with a completely stock Honda Fit.
The completely stock 1.5 liter Honda Fit that I drove had 117 horsepower and a 5-speed manual transmission. The car was completely comfortable to drive. I’ve always liked the Honda Fit, and think it’s a great car for commuting or just getting around town. Being able to test out the Fit’s sporty side was pretty fun.
The silver Honda Fit I drove felt a bit faster than the bone-stock Mazda 2. It also has a nicer interior and nice ergonomics, so the Fit felt a bit easier to drive for me. For those who are unfamiliar with what I look like, I’m a big guy, so I appreciated the fact that the Fit was roomy and comfortable inside. However, when a Fit is completely stock from the factory, the car leans like crazy in the turns, and the brakes felt really mushy and soft – I wasn’t sure if all Honda Fits were like this on the track, or if the brakes were just super hot from other people driving the car hard before me.
Once I maneuvered my way around the roll cage and got myself strapped in, I really enjoyed driving the race-prepared HPD Fit. The race prepared Fit was obviously much, much stiffer; body roll on this car was no longer an issue. The HPD/Bilstein suspension made the car much more nimble and responsive to steering input. It really made the car that much more fun to drive!
(Thanks to Richard Fong of DSPORT Magazine and Dan Hsu of Japanese Nostalgic Car for picking up my camera and snapping pics of me while I was driving, BTW!)
The HPD Fit was a blast to drive! It was MUCH more fun to drive than the stock Fit, which I already liked. The brakes on the HPD-prepared Fit were also noticeably better than stock, but to be honest, they didn’t feel a TON better. I’m not sure what type of brake fluid or brake lines the car was using, so maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe there was just a little bit of air in the brake lines? Not sure. Either way, it’s something that can be remedied very easily.
(Thanks to Terry Pham for this photo)
I think the Honda Fit is one good looking car, no matter if it’s stock or track prepared. I love red and white on cars… I just think this particular Fit would look even more handsome with a better looking graphics package. Can you just imagine this car with a more cohesive racing livery and some white Sprint Hart CPF wheels? Awesome!
By the way, according to the SCCA B-Spec rulebook, cars in this series MUST use 15×7 wheels, and all wheels must be the same size and offset. The wheels chosen can be any offset as long as the tire tread doesn’t protrude past the fender when you’re looking straight down at the ground. The SCCA is obviously not down with the HellaFlush look. Haha! Either way, I think a set of white Sprint Hart CPF wheels would fit the car perfectly AND adhere to the strict SCCA rulebook.
The next car I drove was the completely stock Mazda 2. Although I hated the green color of the car I tested (Forgive me for saying this, Mazda friends… but it honestly reminded me of Lil Bow Wow’s Incredible Hulk-themed car in the Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift movie. Not a good look.), I actually enjoyed driving the car itself.
At only 100 horsepower, the Mazda 2 definitely felt less powerful than the Honda Fit (the Fit has 17 more horsepower), but for some reason, it felt sportier.
The Mazda 2 was much smaller than the Fit inside, and the interior seemed relatively low rent, but that can be expected – it’s the least expensive car in Mazda’s lineup! Who cares about interior plastic anyway… most of that crap will be stripped out in favor of a roll cage! The Mazda 2 definitely felt more nimble than the Fit. Perhaps it’s because the Mazda 2 was lighter, or perhaps the differences I felt were due to the car’s short wheelbase.
Probably the main thing that I remember about driving the Mazda 2 is the fact that it had OUTSTANDING brakes! When I stepped on the brake pedal, the car responded immediately – I felt as if the car had stainless steel brake lines or high performance pads, but when I got the car back to the paddock, the Mazdaspeed guys assured me that the car was bone stock. Wow. I couldn’t believe it. Those brakes seemed too good for an OEM car. Good job, Mazda!
As much as I liked the stock Mazda 2, driving the Mazdaspeed version was a complete upgrade, and a lot more fun overall.
When equipped with the Mazdaspeed B-Spec Kit, the car gets upgraded with Bilstein coilover shocks and race springs, rear sway bar, stainless steel braided brake lines, Hawk DTC-60 brake pads, high performance intake filter, oil cooler kit, A/C delete kit, and a strut bearing plate. All you need to do is add the rollcage and other safety equipment, like seats, harnesses and fire extinguisher, and you’re good to go!
The car that I tested was running a set of 15×7 5Zigen FN01RC wheels with 205/50/R15 BF Goodrich R1 tires. Upgrading from a street tire to a real race compound tire like the BFG R1 is like a day and night difference (on both the Fit and the Mazda 2). It’s not even a fair comparison. With the Mazdaspeed suspension upgrades and the race tires, the Mazdaspeed 2 just stuck to the track like crazy! It was responsive, nimble, and certainly quick enough for a track like Streets of Willow. Most importantly, the car was FUN! After all, isn’t that what racing is all about?
The only gripe I had about the Mazdaspeed 2 is the fact that it was even harder to squeeze into than the race-prepared Honda Fit. I understand that it’s a race car, so it needs suitable side impact protection from the roll cage. However, the door bars on the Mazdaspeed 2 were so incredibly high that I felt like I should take yoga classes to prepare my body for the contortionist feat known as getting in the car.
Everyone on the paddock had a good laugh watching me struggle to get in (and out) of the Mazdaspeed 2, so I felt MUCH better when I saw my lanky friend Dan Hsu from JNC Magazine having trouble squeezing into the car as well! I’m 6 feet tall, and Dan must be 6’4″ or something… it was really tough for us tall guys to squeeze in there!
While everyone was having fun at the track, I couldn’t help but notice this black Mercedes SUV with a huge camera rig on the roof! They were filming something at Big Willow!
It looked as if they were filming some sort of Audi commercial or something… they had two R8s driving the track, with one of the matte black SUVs with a boom arm attached to the roof filming from a low angle in front, as a helicopter chased them down, flying super low to film a different viewpoint presumably… could this possibly be the handiwork of Jeff Zwart? I heard he films commercials in a blacked out SUV… does anyone know what they were filming over there?
Either way, I had an incredible time test driving the B-Spec offerings from both Mazda and Honda. This really does look like an interesting series for those looking to get involved with SCCA racing to improve their driving skill! Since both of these cars are pretty inexpensive (as far as new cars go), I think that B-Spec racing is going to be pretty popular – especially since people will be able to drive their cars to and from the track, with a set of race tires and a jack packed inside the car!
For more information on the B-Spec Series, click this link for the SCCA rulebook.
Alternatively, you can download/print the B-Spec rulebook in PDF format from our friends at MotorWorldHype.
:: Antonio Alvendia
Photos by Antonio Alvendia, Dan Hsu, Richard Fong, and Terry Pham
I did some research on the brakes setup for the HPD Fit. It looks like they just used a ventilated front disc with the stock calipers thus not being able to feel a difference between the stock Fit Sport and the HPD Fit. The rears remained stock drums. I drive a base model 2011 GE8 Honda Fit and enjoy the responses and predictability it produces. It’s no AE86 but the fact that it struggles like a Corolla on low end power but is aggressive in high RPM’s doesn’t really change my driving style which I also like about the Fit.
Dude! I’ve been looking into the Mazda 2 just this week. I read that article that C&D did when they raced these exact cars I believe at the 25 hrs of Thunderhill. Loved reading the Mazda 2 drivers review on how nimble and responsive it felt. I could get into a car like this. Fun to drive, cheap on gas and purchase price, looks nice lowered. I’d definitely do some 15×8 or 15×9 949 Racing 6UL wheels and some sticky 205/50/15’s, intake, catback, and springs/shocks and go have a blast at Miller Motorsports Park (local track) plus get me 40mpg on my 75 mile roundtrip work commute.
@Chris : Thanks for the clarification on the Fit brakes! I agree… the Fit IS aggressive in high rpms, and that’s one of the things that I like about the car. I just assumed that I’d feel a bigger difference in the brakes after they added things like stainless steel braided brake lines and/or high performance pads. Honestly though, I’m not a professional driver, and it’s very likely that I just wasn’t able to FEEL the changes in all the different aspects of the car like a professional driver would. Maybe I’ll go read what the MotoIQ guys have to say on this subject – I respect those guys more than anyone else when it comes to technical data on a car. I trust tech data from sites like MotoIQ and Edmunds.com because of their knowledge and experience in testing cars. Edmunds is pretty bad ass, actually.
@hechtspeed (the other Chris! haha) : Wow, no way! Great timing on this article for sure, then! C&D didn’t lie – the Mazda 2 REALLY IS nimble and responsive. Those are two things I really love about driving my AE86s… they are nimble and responsive. I DO think that people could get into a car like this as you say… and YES it will be cheap on gas if you leave it close to stock… maybe add an intake and/or exhaust.
I do think the Mazda 2 looks nicer lowered (just about ANYTHING does), but I just wanted to remind you… if you want to stay competitive according to the SCCA rulebook, you won’t be able to use 15×8 or 15×9 wheels if you’re gonna race in the B-Spec series. You gotta stick to 15x7s my man!
We should probably research all the different 15×7 4×100 wheel options for the B-Spec cars. Obviously we know that 5Zigen will have FN01RC wheels available. I’m absolutely sure that Enkei Wheels will have RPF1 available in that size… and most likely Enkei 92 as well. I wonder if Enkei Apache II will be available in 15×7 and 4×100 as well? Hmmm….? http://www.enkeiwheels.com
I wonder who else… SSR? Work? Klutch Republik? Rotiform? Fifteen52? Rota? Konig? XXR? I’m pretty sure the latter 3 will easily be found on lots of cars because of their inexpensive price point.
Yep, I understand the 15×7 wheel rule. I doubt I’d be racing head to head with my car though. Rubbin’ is racin’. It’d be my daily driver after I sold the WRX. Lots of wheel options in 4×100 for 15×7. Rota has wheels for sure. I like the Enkei 92 wheel as an option. Would look nice with red on gold 92 mesh or white on gold mesh.
For a 15×7 wheel, I’d go cheap and light. I think the 949 Racing 6UL is the best bang for the buck that is easily accessible. Their 15×7 wheel is $129/ea, 11.3lbs and +36mm offset. Boom! I think I’d run the 15×8 for a street car, get a little wider for the “look” and fit some 205 or 195/50/15’s, sticky ones, since they’re cheaper per tire compared to 17’s or 18’s.
I have always been a small car guy (even though I’m 6’4″). My nickname in High School was “metro” because I drove a white 3 door Geo Metro hatch. 😉 3 cylinders FTW!!!
Great article as always! I’m really looking forward to this whole BSpec racing!
And another cool thing, anyone interested in competing in BSpec for 2012, will be able to do so in the MotoIQ Pacific Tuner Car Championships. In addition to the Tuner Under and Tuner Over classes (open to all makes and models of cars), they’ve decided to add support for BSpec!
Check out the article that was posted today:
http://www.motoIQ.com
@hechtspeed : WAIT… you’re selling the WRX… for a Mazda 2? Is it just for the gas economy? What’s your thought process on this decision? I thought you loved that WRX!
As for the wheels, I didn’t think of 949 Racing at first, but for sure those wheels are very popular with the Mazda crowd and those that track their cars a lot. At $129/wheel, that IS pretty inexpensive. I bet there are even other less expensive options out there!
As far as the Enkei 92s, I do agree… they WOULD look cool on the Mazda 2, but dude… if Enkei Apache II wheels are available in 4×100 PCD and 15×7, I think THOSE would be the ticket! Super sick.
WOW, if you’re 6’4″ and you’re gonna squeeze into a Mazda 2, you’re gonna re-enact that photo of Dan Hsu from JNC getting into the car on a daily basis! hehe! I wonder if the top of Dan’s helmet made contact with the roof of the vehicle! haha
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Dude. That mazdaspeed 2 actually looks pretty cool with the graphics on it and orange (or red?) mirrors. It would be great if someone actually made a stylish fromt spoiler for it and a cool looking rear wing so the car would look more aggressive. It might handle well, but the thing still lools too smily to me! Haha
@Nikolas : Thanks for the info! I think the direct link to the story you’re referring to on MotoIQ is: http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles/id/2345/mptcc–2012-season-announcement.aspx
Well, the problem with the WRX is its getting old. 10 years old, 145,000 miles and climbing at a rate of 22,000/year with my new commute. Gas would save a lot. Just going from premium to regular and from 28mpg to at least 40 mpg in the “Deuce”. I’ve got a bunch of maintenance due on the Suby right now. Brakes, tires, diff/trans fluids, timing belt, plugs. I’m really torn on what to do. Dump a bunch of money into an old car that has a bunch of paint flaws and maintenance due or pick up a new car like the Mazda “Deuce”. I can still get about $8k-$9k for the WRX right now. Has some desirable mods (JDM adjustable projectors, full 04 STi interior, 06 STi winged trunk, cobb AccessPort Stage 2, springs/shocks, full turbo back…
I do like the car, but I’m not a “WRX Guy” like you are a “AE86 Guy” you know. I’m not super brand loyal to the WRX.
Argh!!! I’m so back and forth.
Dude, this Mazda 2 is probably 200-300 lbs heavier than that old Geo Metro and it has more room inside, I mean, its got 4 doors. haha
Agreed, those Apache 2’s are rad and old school lookin’. Great wheel choice.
@hechtspeed: Hmmm… Tough call! Speaking strictly financially, selling your older WRX for a Mazda 2 or Honda Fit might be a good decision for the time being. It might not have the same type of “fun factor” that a WRX might have, but if you’re primarily using the car for city driving and occasional track use, this might be the ticket for you.
I say this with the understanding that you have to think about kids and family matters, and every penny helps cases like this. If you were 20 years old and living at home with your parents, I’d have a completely different route for you! haha…
Either way, if you decide you’d like to return to the AWD life, you could always pick up another WRX or STi easily in the future. It’s not like those things are rare or anything.
Finding a car that’s FUN to drive, PRACTICAL (in terms of passenger/cargo room) and GAS EFFICIENT is really hard these days. I bought a BMW 5 series (E39T) wagon for daily use because it allows me to haul all my photo gear around, PLUS it accomodates 4-5 people in the car, and it’s not TOO bad on gas. (I have a 525i. Well, I have a 528i E39 wagon as well… it’s for sale. But the funny thing is, the 528i gets 24mpg while the 525i gets 20.6mpg. Go figure. The 528i takes 87 octane all day, whereas the 525i demands high octane. The 528i was WAY cheaper to drive/maintain… but still, these cars don’t have the reliability of Japanese cars.
If you’re looking to get your money back (return on investment), now is probably a good time to flip your car!
BTW: When I say FLIP your car, I mean SELL it… not FLIP it on its roof on the side of the road. lol
Oh, if I were single, it’d be a different story.
Miata, CRX, FFR Cobra kit car, 28-33 Ford Roadster, coupe or sedan, or 930 Porsche, skies the limit if single, but “Because Family Man”, those are not options. 
The Subaru is pretty dang practical as far as it having 4 doors and a trunk and pretty reliable and not crazy expensive to own or insure like a Vette or Supra or similar “real” sports car.
I average 28mpg in my Subaru, but its like 98% highway driving with very minimal traffic to slow me down. I have owned it for almost 2 years now and never taken it to the track. Needs brakes and real tires. My commute grew back in August from about 52 miles to 76 miles roundtrip. So, a smaller econo-ROD BSPECster makes more sense.
I am known by my family hot rodders to have “DON’TKNOWWHATTHEHELLIWANTOSIS” when it comes to cars. I have “Car of the Week” syndrome, that has morphed to “Car of the Day”. I pretty much go from wanting a WRX, AE86, FR-S/BRZ, 60’s Muscle Car, Mazda 2/Honda Fit, Civic, Mustang…. Those are the cars I’ve looked at and wanted in the last couple years.
It’s a tough call. Bringing it back to the Post at hand, B Spec, I think there is a bright future for econorods like the 2 and Fit, Fiesta (blew it when Ford went with the 4×108 bolt pattern, ya, your options are SVT Focus wheels and…SVT Focus wheels. haha) Yaris, iQ, xD and xA, Mini Cooper. Allows car heads to enjoy racing and modifying while being practical and money-wise.
Hechtspeed: Some other options for B-Spec, according to the SCCA rulebook…
Chevrolet Sonic, Fiat 500, Fiesta, Fit, Kia Rio 5door, Mazda 2, Mini Cooper, Nissan Versa, Yaris 3 or 5 door.
I guess it boils down to Yaris 5dr, Versa 5dr, Fit or Mazda 2…
I know what you mean. I have a similar problem. I want EVERYTHING. Good luck Chris!
@ hechtspeed – The wheels that were used on the HPD Fit was I think were 15×7 +35mm TR MotorSport C1 wheels, which (I maybe wrong ) are made by Enkei, and run about $80.00 + Tax and ship per wheel that weigh in around 12 lbs. To me that’s a hell of a deal for price and weight.
Also, not being bias because I currently drive a Fit but, if you’re in the market, I highly recommend a Fit. I work in television and always have to transport a crap load of gear. The storage on the Fit is amazing and my German Shepard loves the space in the back too! Price – I got mine for 18k (with a 8 yr/120k mile warranty) out the door and I average 35 MPG and fill up twice a week for work (500 miles round trip for work a week) at $38 bucks per a full tank of 91 (10.6 gal tank and I average 350 miles per full tank). As Antonio said, it’s super roomy (I’m 5’7 200 lbs and it’s just right for me) and can sit 4 adults comfortably. The only downfall of the Fit are steep hills. The MPG goes right out the door. The weight isn’t bad either, 2400 lbs +/-.
@ Antonio – My real curiosity about the HPD Fit is the suspension. I tried to go on the HPD website but I guess it’s for members only, so Antonio, how did the suspension feel and were you able to check out the setup? I know there are many coil over kits out there but due to way the Fit’s rear suspension setup there’s really no room for adjustments (like the AE86). I want to lower the Fit and get the stiffer feeling but not have to pay the coil over tax(Yea, I miss my AE86). Was the HPD Fit on full coil overs or coils overs in the front and damper and spring int he rear?
BTW, I do know what you mean about the brakes, they do get mushy after a while if you’re heavy on them. Not to fun in the canyons if you don’t adjust to the brakes or let them cool down.
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@Chris : Hmmm… you got me thinking now. Maybe a Fit might be a good choice for me too. If I fold down the back seats, I probably COULD put all my camera stuff in there when I’m doing big shoots.
A few years ago, I tested a bunch of small cars, Fit, Yaris, Versa, etc (the Mazda 2 wasn’t out at that time yet) and I liked the Fit best in terms of styling, ergonomics, engine, handling, and general usability. Hmm… maybe I should look into getting a used one for general in-town transportation. I don’t like to bring my AE86 to the grocery store or movies or random BS errands where I have to leave the car unattended for long periods of time.
Chris, I have a contact at HPD. I’ll see if I can get some more info about the HPD Fit suspension for ya!
About the brakes, I’m VERY particular about how brakes feel. That’s one of the things that impressed me so much about the Mazda 2. I think the Fit’s brakes could easily be improved with some more aggressive pads, maybe some slotted rotors to resurface the pads constantly, some stainless steel braided brake lines and a rebleed with some better brake fluid.
@ Antonio – For me the Fit was great to go from Hollywood to Vegas, but passing through the Cajon on the 15 North kinda sucked with the MPG meter in the Fit constantly reading 10 MPG on the steep grades. The GE8 Fit (2009-Present) has amazing amount of cargo space with the rear seats folded down (at least 6 medium size pelican cases a folding cart and two suit cases). I wish my AE86 coupe could fit all that in and make it to Vegas haha. By the way, if you are looking into a used Fit, I recommend eying the base model Fit. Same HP, same size etc etc but cheaper on insurance and if you are going to modify it, you save more money than buying a Sport model and getting rid/replacing parts you paid the extra money for.
Brakes issue-
From what I researched and found out about the HPD Fit and what was published here on this page, the Mazda 2 brake setup seemed gnarlier than the Fit’s. Better lines, pads, and fluid it seems like. So, if the HPD Fit was fitted with the same as the Mazda 2, I’m pretty sure there wouldn’t be an issue.
Anyway, if you would like to test out a Fit on the track again, I’d be more than willing to let you use mine… If I could drive your AE86!! haha I REALLY miss my Corolla…
@Chris: NICE! Thanks for the 411 on the Fit… hmm, when I’m finished dumping a whole lot of unnecessary money that I don’t have on an engine swap for my bone stock 5series BMW (has head problems, and it’s actually cheaper to just replace the motor… SMH BMW), then maybe I WILL look into a Fit. I also need to sell my other BMW first. I’m kinda crazy… I have zenki and kouki of EVERYTHING! TE27, AE86, and now BMW E39! haha so stupid. I bought the early E39 first, then upgraded to the late model E39… but the early one got better MPG and gave me less problems overall. My bad.
But back to Fitness… I think that’s some GREAT advice you gave, RE: getting a base model Fit since most parts will be swapped out anyway.
Yeah, unfortunately I didn’t get any data from Honda/HPD about the HPD upgrades on the Fit, so I didn’t include it in the article. I did, however, receive an email from a friend at HPD shortly after publishing this story (SO AWESOME – They read MOTORMAVENS?!?!?!?), and she said she would have a guy named Lee Niffenegger from HPD follow up with you on the suspension detail you asked for!
As far as trading cars… IDK we’ll have to see about that one bro! hahaha I’m gonna replace my clutch master, upgrade to stainless steel braided clutch line, and replace power steering on the AE86 today, thanks to parts at hookup prices from good old Herb at Cabe Toyota! 😀
The B-Spec kit for the Fit has coil overs for the front and separate damper and spring for the rear. The kit is simple, dampers, springs, brake pads, brake lines, cat-back exhaust, air filter, and a new belt to bypass the A/C. Just the bare bones to make the car safe and fun to race. We just announced that the kits will go on sale Feb 1st.
http://hondaracinghpd.blogspot.com/2012/01/hpd-fit-b-spec-kits-available-february.html
@Kevin from HPD: AWESOME. Thank you for the feedback and for the link! We’ve all been looking for more info on the HPD kit!
so what lap times did the cars clock? im curious what they got compared to my stock 4ag 86 with suspension mods
@Wolfgang : We didn’t have transponders, so we weren’t timing our laps. It actually would be pretty interesting to see how they would compare to a stock 4AG with suspension. The Mazda2 AND the Fit are probably faster than a bone stock 4AG… but with the AE86’s gearing and the rattle of the TRD shifter, the Corolla would probably feel faster while you’re driving it.
@ Antonio and Kevin – The HPD Kit looks solid and so does the price tag. But does the B-Spec series allow a LSD? If they do or don’t, the combination of the HPD Kit and a LSD seems like a fun and great combo for at SOW, or for spirited driving. I can’t wait to see results in the future.
Here we are 2 years later almost to the day and I sold my WRX on new years eve and bought a 2011 Honda Fit Sport 5 speed in Polished Metal Metallic (dark grey) with 27000 miles certified Honda. Love it so far! Already scheming for some 15’s and springs 😉