What makes the FT86 (and the Miata) so great is that you don't have to be Randy Pobst to drive these cars around the track. They are both slower, but they both are easy to drive to the limits (the stock Miata needs some additional suspension mods to get there) and are very rewarding cars to drive at the track. Yes, you will get lapped (usually) by faster cars, but that is not the point. The point is you can pretty much have the gas pedal down around the corners and still have full control of the car. The stock tires were picked more for drifting than lap times, but the car is still a blast to throw around with the stock tires because it is easy to break traction where the FT86 is usually at it's most fun
I agree with the guy above. If you buy the FT86 in stock form thinking you will be the fastest guy around the track you will get lapped all day by Mustangs, Focus ST's, etc.