Big news from NASA regarding National Championships

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TOYO OFFERS LARGE CASH PRIZES FOR NASA CHAMPIONSHIPS

NASA is pleased to announce that Toyo Tires will offer a lucrative prize package to the top finishers at the inaugural NASA Championship event at Mid Ohio on September 14-17th, 2006. Toyo is offering over $168,000 in cash awards to NASA racers that run in the classes that specify the Toyo Proxes RA1 tire. “This package really affirms Toyo’s high level of support and commitment to our racers,” said Ryan Flaherty NASA’s National Chairman. “This is the first time that our racers can earn a NASA National Championship and this level of sponsorship will only add to the significance of that achievement.”

Toyo Tires Senior Director of Marketing, Travis Roffler said, “The NASA Championship event allows us to support the most prestigious event in NASA racing and it is an honor to offer this prize package. Toyo is proud to support this series and we look forward to an exciting race season.”

The cash award program will apply to the race classes at the NASA Championship event which use the Toyo Proxes RA1 as the required tire. The eligible classes are: American Iron (AI)
Camaro-Mustang Challenge (CMC)
Spec. Miata (SM)
Spec. Miata 2 (SM2)
944-Spec
SE-R Cup SR Division
Spec Focus
GTI Cup Honda Challenge U (HU)
Honda Challenge 1 (H1)
Honda Challenge 2 (H2)
Honda Challenge 3 (H3)
Honda Challenge 4 (H4)
Honda Challenge 5 (H5)
Pro-7


The contingency program will award drivers a cash payout in the following amounts based on number of starters in class: 30 or more in class
1st Place = $4,000 cash
2nd Place = $3,000 cash
3rd Place = $2,000 cash
4th Place = $1,000 cash
5th Place = $750 cash
6th Place = $500 cash
15-29 in class
1st Place = $2,000 cash
2nd Place = $1,500 cash
3rd Place = $1,000 cash
4th Place = $500 cash
5th Place = $350 cash
10-14 in class
1st Place = $1,000 cash
2nd Place = $750 cash
3rd Place = $500 cash
4th Place = $400 cash
5th Place = $300 cash



Founded in 1991, the National Auto Sport Association is a membership-driven organization that stages over 120 professionally managed events for automobile racers and driving enthusiasts coast to coast. With more than 10,000 members in 15 chapters nationwide, NASA’s amateur racing programs cover a variety of motorsport disciplines, including competition road racing, high-performance driving events for street-licensed cars, rallying, autocross, drifting and time trial competitions
 
Like most spec tire contingency programs, the guys in the back will subsidize the ones up front. A much more fair program is one that offers ALL drivers a share either through discounts on tires or some other method that decouples winning the race from the contingency support. Unfortunately Toyo and NASA chose to not do that.
 
If racing wasn't performance oriented it wouldn't be racing...



I noticed 944-Spec among the eligible classes. I thought they didn't have a spec tire? Just curious, because I plan to focus on SCCA ITS racing, but I would like to run a big National race... especially for $$.
 
The Toyo contingency, spec tire, Nationals qualification, regional points eligibility thing is going to go down in history as one of the least-well-thought-out racing rules and policy situations in a LONG time, I expect.

There are SO many conflicting rules (class-to-class, region-to-region, regional-vs-Nationals) that NASA's management is going to be doing some amazing shuckin' and jivin' at the last minute, to try to make it all look like a cohesive whole. They have already PO'd a lot of folks - notably Honda Challenge entrants on the east coast - with the Toyo spec-tire announcement. Add to that, the almost certain waffling that will result to try to bolster Nationals entries and it's a recipe for bad feelings.

It seems pretty clear that, if one is running a Toyo-spec class, one must run Toyos to collect points to qualify for Nationals. Some regions/classes essentially got this waived however, it appears. The Spec Nissan SE-R class(es?) have a spec tire but apparently allow cars built to IT rules to run on whatever they want - undoubtedly to encourage participation. What are the implications of that?

Y'all know I'm an equal-opportunity critic but NASA this winter has been a really blinding example of a sanctioning body going through puberty - growing pains, cracking voice, blemishes, social awkwardness, moodiness, and all.

K
 
If racing wasn't performance oriented it wouldn't be racing...
I noticed 944-Spec among the eligible classes. I thought they didn't have a spec tire? Just curious, because I plan to focus on SCCA ITS racing, but I would like to run a big National race... especially for $$.
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944 spec has had a spec tire since Jan 2003. It as always been the RA-1.

More details can be found at http://944spec.com
 
I ran NASA twice last year. Good guys. Nice, relaxed weekends. Really missed the intensity of IT racing, in my run group, with similar cars. NASA is a pleasant diversion, SCCA is bread and butter.

Putting that aside, Joe (944 Spec Joe), do you think that we'll see more of you guys (944 Cup) run ITS this year with the weight break? The one truly healthy series I saw during my two NASA weekends was 944 Cup. LOTS of cars here in the SEDiv. Really would like to see those guys run ITS next year.

Your thoughts?
 
Like most spec tire contingency programs, the guys in the back will subsidize the ones up front. A much more fair program is one that offers ALL drivers a share either through discounts on tires or some other method that decouples winning the race from the contingency support. Unfortunately Toyo and NASA chose to not do that.
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Look at any tire contingency program out there, and it's about results. Doesn't matter if it's Kumho, Toyo, Hoosier, Goodyear, or whoever. You finish up front, you get product/$$$$. You have to understand why companies offer contingencies. It's about marketing. What's going to motivate people to buy your product if it can't be at the front?
 
From the 944-Spec SouthEast site http://southeast.44cup.com/rules/944Cup-Spec-Tire-Ruling.htm

"944Cup Rules & Regulations

Updated: 8/16/05

RE: Spec Tires

A Spec Tire rule will not be implemented for the 2006 season.

The 944Cup is designed around the premise that PCA and SCCA prepared cars can race in the 944Cup Series as well as PCA and SCCA races without making changes to their cars. Imposing a spec tire rule would weaken this concept. Having different rules for the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Chapters is not advisable, for the same reason.

Each new rule imposed on the series, makes it less flexible, and less likely to attract new drivers. Racers with more money can still out do the other guys because they will always be able to afford fresher rubber, no matter what the cost.

As an alternative, for those looking to reduce tire cost, used tires are available from professional race teams that run them only a few heat cycles. Advertisements can be found in the back of GRM magazine.

Periodic reviews of the rules and regulations are conducted, and as the 944Cup series continues to grow, the spec tire issue may be addressed again in the future."

Apparently, different regions have different rules.

What will the qualifications be to be able to enter the national race?
 
Well 944 cup is not the same as 944 spec.

944 cup is a series for the PCA and ITS prepared 944. It is based on the east coast

944 spec is series solely designed on the 944 with rules develop just for close spec racing. It runs on the west coast.

944 could be legal for both 944 cup and 944 spec, but they are different classes. A prepared to the limit 944 spec is a rather underprepared 944 cup car.

The reason there are two series is they came from different origins. 944 cup wanted to join PCA and ITS cars. 944 spec was formed to race low buck equal cars with no concern to and exisiting rule set.

Yes both classes with run at Nationals. 944 spec will have a the Toyo as spec tire as it always has and will have toyo contingency. 944 cup will run with open tires and as far as I know will not have any toyo contingency with it. If you have car prepped to 944 cup rules I might be able to run in 944 only if meets all the spec rules which are more restrictive in terms of wheels/tires and suspension and engine prep.

944 cup and 944 spec officals have talked about forming one 944 class, but the intent of each class makes that difficult especially for 2006.
 
It'll be interesting to see how this situation - and others like it - resolve themselves in the context of a NASA National Championship event. This is an example of how SCCA ended up with Regional and National classes, although that original distinction has largely been lost in the last 20 or so years.

K
 
It'll be interesting to see how this situation - and others like it - resolve themselves in the context of a NASA National Championship event. This is an example of how SCCA ended up with Regional and National classes, although that original distinction has largely been lost in the last 20 or so years.

K
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Can you share some of that w/ us Kirk? I first started looking at SCCA Club Racing back in '87. I remember the Rabbit GTI's running in SS (should have done what GregA did, and just pulled the trigger and ran the damn thing!), and the 1st gen. RX7 running in ITS.
 
It'll be interesting to see how this situation - and others like it - resolve themselves in the context of a NASA National Championship event.
K
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I agree up until now NASA has had alot of flexilbility and been able to do things in many different ways. The addition of a "nationals" event is great, but it brings it share of issues related to cross region was of doing things.

944 cup and 944 spec were happy to co-exist thousands of miles apart for the past 4 years or so. Now they are being dragged together. Even Honda Challenge has had to deal with east coast vs west coast things.

When you get rapid growth and lots of new ideas some are bound to need to be revised.
 
Up until IT came along, the distinction between National and Regional was less about classes, and more about events. Pretty much all of the club racing classes were eligible for both kinds of event. IT - then F440, and a pile of other stuff - quickly grew to the point where some of the most well-subscribed classes are only regional-eligible.

So why aren't the biggest classes running for the chance to be showcased at the RunOffs? How will NASA define which classes ultimately populate its "big show?" The decisions behind the current distinction in SCCA are OLD, and like the original intent behind the IT class rules, are pretty much lost to history. We get to watch NASA make its in real time, on the Internet! :)

K
 
Up until IT came along, the distinction between National and Regional was less about classes, and more about events. Pretty much all of the club racing classes were eligible for both kinds of event. IT - then F440, and a pile of other stuff - quickly grew to the point where some of the most well-subscribed classes are only regional-eligible.

So why aren't the biggest classes running for the chance to be showcased at the RunOffs? How will NASA define which classes ultimately populate its "big show?" The decisions behind the current distinction in SCCA are OLD, and like the original intent behind the IT class rules, are pretty much lost to history. We get to watch NASA make its in real time, on the Internet! :)

K
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Lore has it that "National" racing was once much more of a special event, with some big names and money aiming for the National champ. It was a "trail" across the nation, from what I hear, but there are many who really know much better than I.

I do remember the Bob Sharp Datsuns being very strong "C Prod"? cars...and one PL Newman cutting his teeth, and winning the championship in one.

Now, it is intereseting how many regions depend on Regional classes like IT to really pay the bills of National races. My understanding is that some regions lose money or take a significant risk of losing money on National events. IT, and other popular Regional classes have subsidizied racing for all in some regions, from what I am told by those further up the ladder.

The point about the Runoffs not showcasing the biggest classes is very true. The Runoffs as been pretty weak of late.

NASA has a tricky balancing act, but it may be easier due to it's freedom from preconceived notions and lack of historical comparisions.
 
Lore has it that "National" racing was once much more of a special event, with some big names and money aiming for the National champ. It was a "trail" across the nation, from what I hear, but there are many who really know much better than I.

I do remember the Bob Sharp Datsuns being very strong "C Prod"? cars...and one PL Newman cutting his teeth, and winning the championship in one.

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Minor point, but PLN "cut his teeth" by nickel and diming his way in B sedan and a driving a used tr6 in D production before formally hooking up with BSR


It'll be interesting to see how this situation - and others like it - resolve themselves in the context of a NASA National Championship event. This is an example of how SCCA ended up with Regional and National classes, although that original distinction has largely been lost in the last 20 or so years.

K
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Actually, sounds more like the Cal Club fiasco all over again.
 
Minor point, but PLN "cut his teeth" by nickel and diming his way in B sedan and a driving a used tr6 in D production before formally hooking up with BSR
Actually, sounds more like the Cal Club fiasco all over again.
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well the 510 he bought from bob sharp and the used tr6 was the group 44 car they sold him when they went to the tr7. not exactly nickel and dime. good thing he had the talent to justify the good equipment.
 
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