[bobcowan]

I sincerly doubt your car will top out at 170mph. That's a lot more difficult than you might think; mostly because of poor aerodynamics. In any case, you don't have the seat time to be running that fast, so it's a moot point.

The Miata is a "momentum" car. They're not real fast on the straights, but they handle really well, and manage to keep their speeds up through the corners. You'll have a tough time keeping up with your friend if he doesn't want you to.

Be carefull about braking points. He'll dive deep and brake late. You can't do that. When you see him brake, that's when you brake. And brake hard; keep that safety zone. If he's a good instructer, he'll realize the car and experiance differances, and compensate. Trust what he says.

Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. Take your time. Learn to be smooth before you try to learn to be fast. If you're smooth, fast just comes naturally. I know some fast drivers who could be a lot faster if they were a smidgen smoother

A screaming tire is a happy tire. When you hear the tires scream a little - smile! You're right at the edge.

Most of all relaxe, and have fun. It's a blast. But, be carefull - it's more addictive than crack. And probably more expensive.