[Texas Race #1] JAN 31st, 2009 - NASA at MSR Houston

The first race weekend of the NASA Texas Club Racing series is January 31st and February 1st, test day January 30th. Challenge racers Mark McKenzie, Colin Cohen, and myself participated in the NASA Texas series last year. We're looking for more Ferrari Challenge participation this year and that sounds promising from those over the border in Louisiana. Anyone can race that has a Competition License and car gets a NASA Annual Tech. For street cars and non racers there are also Driver Education groups. 430 C's and modified 360 C's race in ST1 and stock 360 C's, 355 C's, and 348 C's race in ST2. The race group is very fun also competing against Vettes, Porsche, BMW, and x-NASCAR's.

Event information found here...

http://www.nasatxracing.com/

If you haven't raced with NASA before please look through their rules and requirements. They accept competition licenses from some other organizations like SCCA. They do require a NASA log book and the rules are fairly strict with date stamps, head & neck restraint, and side bolsters. If you want to attend this race, get to work on your paperwork and car prep.

Once we get enough Challenge Car participation we can have our own Ferrari Cup and several companies have contacted me about providing contingencies.

 

There is more than I can tell you, please read through the http://www.nasatxracing.com/ and http://www.nasaproracing.com/ sites for all the driver and car requirements.

As a start I would join NASA and apply for a Competition License, the membership # and comp license are two different things. You also need a Medical, but they do take Medicals from other racing orgs. For the car I would imagine you'll be OK if your seat belts are updated (< 2 years, FIA can be a little longer) and you either have seats with head restraint or the side bolster net. You will also need an approved head & neck restraint like a Hans. Those are the basics, but read through the rules for details. It seems overwhelming at first, but this is a very dangerous sport and after you go through it once it isn't so bad and then you just have to worry about new rules.

 

Not since 2007.

 

More the better, sounds like Mark will be there. Colin and I have our cars at Norwoods for major and dyno, Norwoods is very busy now, hopefully they can get done by then.

We would need about 20-30 Ferraris to get our own group. Just typical stuff as SCCA to have a few classes in each group. Not much of a problem running with others, some speed differences, but if anything that makes it easy to pass or be passed on the straight.

You will have to work with NASA on that, they accept SCCA Club Racing licenses and I think PCA and BMW Club Racing licenses too. FIA and pro licenses would count too. If you don't have any racing license then only way you could probably race first weekend is showing racing school experience like Skip Barber plus other track experience. Without any of that you will need to go through their school program, which you might be able to get racing license after a weekend, but most likely it would take 2 weekends. I would get started talking to them working on the license.

 

Might be hard to find a tech there ahead of time, but a good idea if you can. There are several things they won't let you race for and it might not be something you can find the parts for or fix at the race. Read through all the safety rules to make sure you have everything set. Like I said pay most attention that you have proper belts, belt dates, window net, seat head bolster or right side restraint, head & neck restraint, and fire bottle/system dates. Those are the highest priority.

 

update...

Norwoods is more likely to finish my major by end of month as they had someone ahead of me cancel. However, it is still tight on both schedule and finances. My go/no go decision will be next week.

Colin - you were ahead of me, so will your Challenge be done or planning on Audi? Grand Am Cup?

Mark?

Louisiana boys?

No matter what I will be at Texas Race #2 March 14-15th at MSR Cresson (south of Ft. Worth).

 

what does that have to do with this race?

 

enjoy staying there, a couple restaurants and bars within walking distance plus a quick drive to Ocean if time.