Normally I wouldn't look twice at a Mazda Miata, it's just not what I consider a performance vehicle.  However, while sitting in the stands watching the road racers tear up Firebird Raceway's road course, this red Miata came around the corner and headed up the tracks straight away. What was odd was the sound, a throaty rumble that certainly doesn't come from a Mazda 4-banger! I tracked this car down in the pits and found it sitting, hood open. 4-banger, nope, how about an aluminum headed 400 horsepower small block Ford?

Apparently a company named Monster Motorsports made these little beasts. This motor is equipped with a Trick Flow intake and aluminum Twisted Wedge cylinder heads. Transmission is a T-5 five speed. The rear end is a narrowed independent rear end pirated from a Thunderbird Super Coupe. The owner said the car is his daily driver and he enjoys just coming down to the track and making some spirited runs without worrying about Johnny Law! Here's a few more pictures;

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