When I bought my first car, a Toyota MR2, I did so without even considering the United States’ mid-engined alternative, the Pontiac Fiero. On account of its rep for catching fire, being tricky to drive, and popularity with kit car goobers, it's more often than not the butt of a joke. Plus, it was an '80s General Motors product, which was about as far as you could get in every way from the sport compacts of Japan's golden age—cars like my MR2. As I've grown older, though, and my horizons broader, I've found myself wondering: Was I missing out on something? In spite of the Fiero's reputation, was it actually good and a worthy alternative to the more esteemed MR2?
I got my answer from a couple of hours' track time in what's probably one of the best Fieros out there: The venerable number 90 of Salty Thunder Racing, a 24 Hours of Lemons team. While the series may be known for its $500 race cars, this two-time class winner is no hunk of junk. It's about as good an example of a Fiero as they come, and it convinced me that Pontiac's mid-engined sports car is an overlooked classic.
Cool looking car PMB! I've wanted to get to Japan for a numer of years. Closest I got was a business trip to Singapore which I should have taken the long way home through Tokyo instead of flying direct to Newark... maybe next year.
My main take-aways on the race setup were:
Tire Setup (Azenis 225/255) - Definitely got some heat cycles in the picture
of all the places the navy took me, Japan is the only one I really want to go back and check out again more thoroughly.
"I am not what you so glibly call to be a civilized man. I have broken with society for reasons which I alone am able to appreciate. I am therefore not subject to it's stupid laws, and I ask you to never allude to them in my presence again."