Anyone run NASA

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 5:27 pm
Not that it matters now with everything closed down, but since Az. Region stopped holding events, I have run quite a bit with NASA. They are pretty safe considering it is the drivers not the sanctioning body or safety workers that make an event safe. My Gen3s run as ST3 cars with the big bore race group. the only problem is that NASA breaks their race group into big bore and small bore which is really high horesepower vs weight and low hp vs. wt. SRFs re big bore and run with Corvettes, Mustangs, GT3 Porsches and BMWs. Being seen is my number 1 concern. I am a fair to slow driver and have trouble passing cars in my class since they all have more hp. Sometimes I can pass in the corners but on most tracks the straights come to quickly and the big cars pass right back. But I still have fun and can race some of the E36 and E46 BMWs. I have two SRFs and have a coach who I try to race with. He is too fast for me but I am getting faster from this.
I'm hoping SCCA comes back to Az but I will continue to race here and make a few trips to SoCal to compete with SRF3s.
Elliott Freireich
Az region

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 6:28 pm
When I first started trying to decide what to race when transitioning from karts, I went and watched a NASA event at MSR Houston. There was a guy there, I believe Will Wheeler was his name, that ran a gen3 SRF. I spoke with him for a bit and he liked running with NASA TX to get more seat time and he had a lot of fun. He did caution me that the SRF3 was a great car in the class on small tracks, but on the tracks that favored HP he could be at a disadvantage.
I too may run some NASA events to get races in that could work with my schedule this year, although everything is up in the air now. I do however have some safety concerns because some of the cars we would run with are twice our size and weight, but run similar lap times. Watching a recent video of even a Miata going over the top of a Thunder Roadster recently and hitting the cage in the front concerns me in a nose to nose hit. The Thunder Roadster has a much more robust “cage” that includes the front halo bar more like a sprint car that we don’t have. Not sure the guy in the TR would have walked away in an SRF in that crash.
At the same race and class that I saw Will race a Radical SR3 hit the wall, then a 370ZX plowed into the back of him, and I believe one more car may have joined the melee before the crashing was over. So, accidents with full size and sports racers do happen.
Overall, The NASA TX is a good group of guys and are safety conscious, and it’s quite likely I’ll make a race with them. It would be fun if several of us went to a New Orleans race.

Justin

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 9:43 pm
If I recall correctly, the SRF3 is classed fairly uncompetitively in NASA. I suppose it's good to run a bunch of laps, but competing is going to be difficult. And while I will on occasion run with production-based cars, you can't deny the safety concern. Physics is physics. I have lots of friends in NASA NE, but haven't had a chance to run with them. It's a fun group.

Needs a Life!!!
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 12:12 pm
JustOne wrote:Overall, The NASA TX is a good group of guys and are safety conscious, and it’s quite likely I’ll make a race with them. It would be fun if several of us went to a New Orleans race.

Justin


Wait... NASA still races at NOLA? That would be fun.
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Forum Hermit
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 3:31 pm
Quick question on the NASA license process. Do they "now" accept an SCCA National License? Seems few years back, I asked the question and they wanted a "ride along" proof of ability. Seemed a bit "over-the-top" at the time. Have they moved off that NATIONALLY - or WAS THAT region dependent?

Cheers - Jim
When I used to fly, I was called an AVIATOR.
Now, I race cars. So, am I called a PAVIATOR?

Still Learning to Type
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:11 am
They do accept a current SCCA license. I think they require a copy of your physical in addition to the license. I went through the process a few months ago. It was pretty easy online and they were good about communication through email to make the process easy. They actually said I could it on the spot at an event - if I could provide the physical.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:25 pm
I tried renewing my NASA competition license (when I ran some their TT events for practice time) using my SCCA Physical, but since mine was signed by a Nurse Practitioner (standard practice these days) they wouldn't accept the physical without a doctor's signature as well. Since I only needed the license to run the 25 Hours of Thunderhill, they were willing to take my SCCA license in lieu of renewing my NASA license, and the SCCA physical (without a DR signature) just for that event only. Did I mention that they also wanted an EKG trace as well after you reach a "certain age"? Seems overkill given this level of racing...
Bob Breton - SRF 51 - San Francisco Region
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 12:47 pm
Funny thing about that EKG Bob, they gave me the same story when I first applied for a NASA comp license in 2015, so I sent them a copy of the only one I had that was done 20+ years ago. That kept them happy!

Ditto on the NP signing off on the physical, but then after saying that last year they sent me my 2019 NASA comp license anyway, (and I quickly renewed for 2020 early this year). In general tho NASA licensing group is pretty easy to work with.
Todd Butler
OR/SFR Region
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