National Auto Sport News
Published on September 18, 2017 15:17
NAPA, Calif., Sept. 18, 2017 — The fourth annual NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo Tires is racking up entries from across the country that will ensure strong competition October 6-8 at Thunderhill Raceway.
In Spec Miata, Teen Mazda Challenge racer Nick Sommers won last year’s Championships event at Buttonwillow Raceway. Obviously, Sommers is looking for a repeat. His performances this year certainly indicate that he can get it done again. His first-generation 1.6-liter Mazda Miata is well prepped and as competitive as any car in the field.
“At Thunderhill, you can be competitive in a 1.8 or a 1.6. I think the 1.6 is a little bit more competitive on the first half of the track because you’ve got to be able to carry a little bit more speed, and the 1.6 allows you to do that,” Sommers said. “But the 1.8 helps you down the straights a little bit more and there are a few long straights there, so it’s about a 50/50.”
Sommers is bringing a large crew and a lot of friends and family to Thunderhill to watch the NASA Western States Championships. Look for Sommers to be dicing with Tristan Littlehale, Justin Casey and other Teen Mazda Challenge drivers Matt Million and Hannah Grisham.
Hannah Grisham with Morningstar Racing, is looking for a top-five finish and to establish herself as one of the elite drivers in the Teen Mazda Challenge and NASA overall. Grisham is currently third in points in the Teen Mazda Challenge.
“She’s trying to make her place as a driver and gain the respect and trust of her fellow competitors,” said Morningstar Racing team owner James Brown. “She’s going there to show Mazda that she has the talent and capability to be a Mazda factory works driver.”
In Spec E30, Steve Stepanian finished fifth at the 2016 Western States Championships, and is currently fourth in the 2017 points chase in the Southern California Region. Stepanian has had some big wins this year, so he’s making sure his car is tip-top and, after a DQ earlier this season, compliant with the rules. Stepanian is also competing in German Touring Series 2 class.
“So, getting the car stuff together, it’s pretty much like a normal race weekend for us,” he said. “We’re just being a little more aggressive because we’re running in two classes.”
In terms of preparing himself as a driver, Stepanian has been reviewing video of the track and focusing on visualization to add to his experience at Thunderhill racing at the NASA 25 Hour.
“I haven’t raced Thunderhill that much,” Stepanian said. “I’ve only done the 25 Hour stints there, which is a lot of seat time, sort of, but it’s a different type of racing, so you’ve got to prepare for sprints a little differently. The biggest thing I have to remind myself of is to enjoy it. I have raced in NASA for many years, some of them I’ve really wanted to win, and I’ve focused on it. This last season, I focused on fun. I didn’t care where I started. I didn’t care what I did. If I qualified well, great. If I didn’t, I just made sure I enjoyed my time there, and it was probably my most enjoyable season of racing.”
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About Toyo Tires
Established in 1966, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. represents the innovation, quality, performance, and excellent service that Toyo Tires has delivered worldwide for more than 70 years.Toyo offers a complete selection of premium replacement tires for nearly every make and model including light trucks, SUVs, high performance cars, and luxury vehicles, as well as commercial trucks. Many of these tires are built here in the United States at our state-of-the-art factory in Bartow County, Georgia.
About NASA
The National Auto Sport Association was formed in 1991 with the premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at major racing venues throughout the United States. NASA has created programs that allow owners of racecars and high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events (HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.
NASA Membership
NASA members are entitled to enter and participate in any NASA event across the country, and membership includes an array of benefits, including vendor discounts and a subscription to NASA’s online magazine, Speed News. Members will also receive an official membership hard card that will identify them as part of the organization and a welcome packet that includes more information on the many benefits and programs available to NASA members. While participating at events, all NASA members are covered by a uniquely extensive insurance policy, which includes General Liability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, and Excess Medical coverage. Best of all, membership is only $45. Refer to www.nasaproracing.com for member information.
NASA Thanks Our Partners
NASA would like to thank its National sponsors for their continued support: Toyo Tires, Hawk Performance, and Winding Road Racing. We also want to thank Mazda, Honda Performance Development, Nissan, and Ford Motor Company for supporting our members. We greatly appreciate those companies that offer our racers contingency support, including Toyo Tires, AST Suspension, BFGoodrich, Ford Racing, Maxxis Tires, Traqmate, Hawk Performance, Honda Performance Development (HPD), Hoosier Racing Tire, MAZDASPEED, Nissan, Frozen Rotors, P2R Power Rev Racing, Spec Clutches, Sampson Racing Communications, Winding Road Racing, Tilton, Whiteline, Supertech Performance, Fuel Lab, AKG Motorsports, Maximum Motorsports, and G-LOC Brakes. NASA competitors can also get discounts from Mazda, Honda Performance Development, APR Performance, F.A.S.T., Metal MC2 Conditioner, Tire Stickers, ProMotive, HotelStorm, FR.Sport, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Racing Fire Systems, Fuel Safe, Avis, Konig, Winding Road Racing.
NASA at a Glance
- NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.
- NASA has more than 14,000 members in 15 regions.
- Key events include the NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo Tires at Thunderhill Raceway, Oct. 6-8, 2017; Eastern States Championships presented by Toyo Tires at Sebring International Raceway Oct. 20-22, 2017; and the season culminating NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance, Dec. 1-3, 2017.
- Each NASA Championship event will run 30 race classes and nine Time-Trial classes during the event.
- NASA runs over 150 events each year encompassing over 250 races, including the association's Rally Sport and Time-Trial program.
- Manufacturer partners include Mazda, Honda, Nissan, and Ford Motor Company.
- NASA Management: Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director; Ryan Flaherty, National Chairman; Jeremy Croiset, Director of Business Development; Dave Ho, Business Operations Manager.
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Published on August 29, 2017 15:54
It has been a busy summer for all the NASA regions, and we know it has been busy for you the drivers as well! The fields at our two Championship events are starting to fill out(West Entries and East Entries) and we are looking forward to great racing at these two fantastic tracks! Will you be a part of all the excitement?
With the Holiday weekend coming up, we have decided to extend the deadline for the next price bump until the end of Labor Day weekend for both the Eastern and Western States Championship Events. Be sure to sign up by midnight Monday, September 4th for your last chance at early registration pricing and save yourself $100!
If you haven’t registered yet, don’t wait any longer! We look forward to seeing you at the 2017 NASA Championship Events.
Published on June 07, 2017 19:16
You're in luck! There's still a little time to save money on your entry to the 2017 NASA Championships. We didn't remind you that early bird registration was about to end and because of that, we've decided to extend that option a couple more days just for you.
Register for either NASA Championship event before June 9th, 2017 at 11:59pm and get the cheapest entry fee we'll offer this year at just $649. That is 3 solid days of fierce competition at 2 of the best tracks in the country!
You can also lock in that lowest price entry by reserving your entry for either event right now for just $249. That's right, you can take advantage of the Entry Reservation option and secure your spot for the event. This option reserves your place for the event, secures your car number (which is first come, first available), and ensures your place in your class should your class sell out. Remember, space is limited, so at least reserve your place today!
Will you challenge yourself to earn your place in the NASA History Books or simply come to be a part of the biggest NASA race event of the year? Regarded as the best event of the year on either coast, you owe it to yourself to consider attending!
Head over to either registration page below to get yourself registered now!
2017 Western States Championships Registration:
www.nasaproracing.com/events/2590
2017 Eastern States Championships Registration:
www.nasaproracing.com/events/2591
Don't forget!!!For just $249, you can reserve your entry right now and the balance for the event won’t be due until September 18 for West, or October 2 for East. This allows you to lock in your entry at the greatest discounted rate before prices go up.
Please visit nasachampionships.com for more information about the Championships as updates become available!
Published on April 11, 2017 19:59
The 2017 NASA Championship tour begins with a visit to beautiful Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, CA on October 5-8, 2017 for the NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo Tires. This Northern California facility regarded by many as one of the best race tracks in the country is sure to thrill during this NASA Championships weekend. This raceway will test the skills of the best NASA competitors from the west as they battle to see who will be crowned a NASA Champion! Will it be you?
We then turn our attention east as we travel to world-famous Sebring International Raceway for the NASA Eastern States Championships presented by Toyo Tires on October 19-22, 2017. Set in Sebring Florida, this historic raceway is America’s oldest road racing track with over six decades of history that has played host to some of the greatest names in motorsports. Juan Manuel Fangio, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Bruce McLaren, Hans Stuck, Tom Kristensen, all previous race winners at this amazingly challenging Raceway! Come be a part of that legacy and vie for a NASA championship title!
2017 Western States Championships Registration:
www.nasaproracing.com/events/2590
2017 Eastern States Championships Registration:
www.nasaproracing.com/events/2591
Back by popular demand!!!Pay just $249 right now to reserve your entry and the balance won’t be due until September 18 for West, or October 2 for East. This allows you to lock in your entry at the greatest discounted rate before prices go up.
Please visit nasachampionships.com for more about the Championships as updates become available!
Published on March 29, 2017 16:43
NASA 2017 Ford Performance Contingency Program
NAPA VALLEY, CA (March 29, 2017) – The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is pleased to
announce the Ford Performance Contingency Program for NASA competitors in 2017.
The program will provide fantastic cash awards to NASA racers competing
regionally and at either NASA Championship event. The program provides
awards to competitors in the American Iron Series, Spec Iron, Super Touring,
Performance Touring, and Super Unlimited classes.
Spec Iron competitors are eligible for up to $1,000 in cash
awards for regional championship top 3 finishes! Additionally, Spec
Iron along with the other classes in the American Iron Series, Performance
Touring, Super Touring, and Super Unlimited classes are eligible for $2,250 in
cash awards for top 3 finishes in their respective regional championships. To
sweeten the pot even further, Ford Performance will offer NASA competitors at
both Eastern and Western States Championships the chance to collect $4,250 in
additional cash awards!
The contingency program is available beginning immediately
to all NASA competitors in these respective classes at each NASA regional and
Championship event. For complete information on the contingency program, please
visit http://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies.
Published on March 16, 2017 17:39
NASA 2017 MAXXIS Tires Contingency Program
Napa Valley, CA (March 16, 2017) – The National Auto Sport
Association (NASA) is pleased to announce the 2017 Maxxis contingency program for
NASA competitors. This program is available to all NASA competitors including the
newly added Western Endurance Racing Championship series beginning immediately. Additionally
added for 2017, Maxxis is extending their contingency program to all NASA Rally
Sport competitors competing on the Maxxis Victra R19 rally tire. For complete
details on the new 2017 Maxxis Tire contingency program, please visit: https://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies
Published on March 15, 2017 17:50
Napa Valley, CA (March 15, 2017) — The National Auto Sport
Association (NASA) is pleased to announce the revised 2017, Hawk Performance
Contingency Program. Although it may look like the same program, there are some
drastic change this year that should come as a welcomed change within the NASA
community. For the first time, NASA competitors finishing 1st
through 5th are eligible for Hawk Bucks’ Not only will Hawk
Performance provide more NASA competitors with more awards, they have also made
a new for 2017 program for NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill competitors.
“This new program from Hawk
Performance continues to demonstrate how important NASA competitors are to the
Hawk family” said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Director of Business Development. “This
new program makes more awards available to more NASA competitors making it
easier than ever to save money on your racing endeavors. My hats off to our
Official Brake Supplier.”
Not only are competitors eligible to win up to
$100 per weekend toward the purchase of Hawk Performance products, they can also
combine those rewards toward their purchase. The program program
is available to all NASA competitors beginning immediately. Hawk is also
graciously including any events that preceded this announcement for the 2017
season openers. For complete details on the 2017 Hawk Performance contingency
program, please visit: https://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies
Published on March 14, 2017 17:02
Napa Valley, CA (March 14, 2017) – NASA is pleased to
announce that the AST Suspension contingency program has been renewed for 2017.
While otherwise similar to last year's arrangement, Time Trial drivers can now
claim AST contingency for regional events as well.
NASA Eastern and Western States Championships participants
will have the opportunity to win a generous $1,000 credit in any of the 31
eligible classes. Second place will be able to claim $500 in AST credit, while
3rd place can claim $250 in credit.
AST Suspension North America credit may be redeemed toward
the purchase of any new AST 4100, 5100, 5200 or 5300 series dampers, or Moton
Club Sport, 3-Way, 4-Way dampers. Alternatively, the credit can also go towards
the rebuild of current AST/Moton dampers.
The program
will be made available immediately to all NASA competitors across all classes
listed. For complete details on the new contingency program, please visit http://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies.
Published on March 13, 2017 17:46
NASA 2017 BF Goodrich Tires Contingency Program
NAPA VALLEY, CA (March 13, 2017) – The National Auto
Sport Association (NASA) is pleased to announce the continued support of the BF
Goodrich Tires Contingency Program for NASA competitors in 2017. The program
will provide tires to NASA competitors competing both regionally
and at either NASA Championship event. The program provides tire awards to
American Iron Extreme, German Touring Series, Performance Touring, Super
Touring, Super Unlimited, as well as all Endurance Racing classes.
The contingency program is available beginning immediately
to all NASA competitors in these respective classes at each NASA regional and
Championship event. For complete information on the contingency program, please
visit http://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies.
Published on March 11, 2017 03:04
NASA 2017 Hoosier Contingency Program
Napa Valley, CA (March 10, 2017) –
The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is pleased to announce the official
2017 Hoosier contingency program for NASA competitors. The program is
available to all NASA competitors beginning immediately. Hoosier is also
graciously including any events that preceded this announcement for the 2017
season openers. For complete details on the 2017 Hoosiers contingency
program, please visit: https://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies
Published on February 09, 2017 00:43
Napa Valley, CA – (February 8, 2017) The National Auto Sport
Association (NASA) is pleased to announce the official 2017 Toyo Tires
Contingency Support Program. Whatever class you run in be it Racing,
Enduro or Time Trials, Toyo Tires is offering you the chance to win “Toyo
Bucks”. Competitors in our American Iron, Spec Iron, and CMC classes will be
eligible for nearly $5,000 in awards per weekend. Participants in the NASA
Prototype NP01, Spec E46 and Factory Five classes will be eligible for up to
nearly $4,000 per weekend while the smaller tired classes of Spec Miata, Spec
E30, and 944 Spec will be eligible for up to nearly $2200 in awards per
weekend.
Toyo is also bringing back their extremely lucrative NASA
Championships contingency program making up to $10,750 in cash awards available
to each NASA class that specifies the use of Toyo Tires. In total,
Toyo Tires is making over $300,000 in cash awards available to NASA
competitors at our two Championship events in 2017!
“The Toyo Tires contingency program is the best in the
industry” said Jeremy Croiset, NASA’s Director of Business
Development. “Their program allows our competitors the opportunity
to stretch their racing dollars further and get more out of their year because
of choosing NASA and Toyo Tires. Their contingency program really is second to
none in the industry. Toyo continues to demonstrate their commitment to amateur
motorsports continually giving back to their customer and we’re proud to have
them onboard as the Official Tire of NASA.”
"We continue to enjoy a wonderful relationship with
NASA and the fantastic membership that races with them” said Marc Sanzenbacher,
Senior Manager of Motorsports at Toyo Tires. “The competitors that choose Toyo
as their brand of choice are very important to us and we’re thrilled to be in a
position that allows us to give back to every single one of them.”
These programs are available
immediately for NASA competitors to take advantage of and Toyo Tires will
retroactively honor any awards submitted for 2017 within the next 30 days. For
complete details on the new 2017 Toyo Tires Contingency Program, please
visit https://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies.
Published on January 10, 2017 22:57
NAPA VALLEY, CA (January 10, 2017) – The National
Auto Sport Association (NASA) is pleased to announce the 2017 Mazda Motorsports Contingency
Program for NASA competitors in 2017. This newly revised program will
provide fantastic cash awards to NASA racers competing in Rally Sport, 25 Hours
of Thunderhill, Regional Champions, Western Endurance Racing Championships
(WERC) and at both NASA Championships events.
Mazda made many Adjustments for the
2017 Season Based on Customer Feedback they collected.
In an effort to continuously improve, we surveyed and spoke with our customers
to learn what adjustments we could make to provide more value to them as a
whole. The overwhelming feedback was to pay deeper into the field and to better
reward those who beat more competitors.
Here is a highlight of some of the
program improvements:
• For 2017, Mazda will often pay for fourth place finishes
and sometimes as deep as fifth.
• To earn full contingency, our racers will have to beat four
competitors, among other requirements (e.g., Mazda 22” decals have replaced the
MAZDASPEED 26” decals).
• Based on paying deeper (i.e. paying more competitors and
many more total submissions) along with other Mazda requirements, we need to
receive the contingency documents timely (within 45 days of the race).
With many adjustments to the contingency program, our racers will need to
closely read the document (first PDF link below). You’re encouraged to call our
competition parts department (800-435-2508) for any questions you have before
your season begins.
Spec Miata competitors are eligible for up to
$3,350 in cash awards for regional championship and a $250 bonus if they
competed in either NASA Championships. Mazda is awarding up
to $6,600 in cash awards for the top 5 finishes in their respective
championship races. To sweeten the pot even further, Mazda
Motorsports will offer Time Trial competitors at both Western and Eastern
Championships a chance to win up to $1000 for the top 3!
The contingency program is available beginning immediately
to all NASA competitors in these respective classes at each NASA event. For
complete information on the contingency program, please visit 2017 Mazda Contingency Awards Program
Published on January 06, 2017 03:47
NASA
Announces Details for the 2017 NASA Championships Presented by Toyo Tires
Napa Valley,
CA (January 5,2017) - The National
Auto Sport Association (NASA) is pleased to announce that the 2017 NASA Western
States Championships presented by Toyo Tires will take place at the challenging
Northern California circuit, Thunderhill Raceway Park
on October 5-8, 2017. NASA competitors from all over the western half of the
country will converge on this competitor favorite situated in Willows,
California, to challenge for top step on the podium to claim a NASA
Championship. 
Turning our attention toward the East, the 2017 NASA Eastern States Championships presented by
Toyo Tires will move to the fantastic Sebring International Raceway Circuit.
The historic circuit located in beautiful Sebring, Florida has played host to
many of the world’s greatest motor races and on October 19 through 22, NASA
competitors will battle it out to see who earns their place in NASA history.
“We are
really excited about the 2017 Championship schedule,” said Jeremy Croiset, NASA
Director of Business Development. “These two tracks will provide NASA
competitors with a challenging backdrop to decide who reigns supreme in 2017!
Ideally situated to provide the best weather possible for the events, we expect
full fields of NASA competitors at our two marque events.”
2017 will
mark the 26th anniversary for NASA and the 12th anniversary for our NASA
Championship events. We expect to welcome over 600 competitors to our
Championship events in 2017 providing competitors with the same fantastic
benefits they have come to expect from the event. From the famous trackside
gatherings and wonderfully lucrative contingency programs to the extremely
competitive racing, the NASA Championships has truly become “the” place to
race.
Look for
additional announcements regarding the 2017 NASA Championship events in the
future.
Published on December 08, 2016 01:08
Ike talks race cars with John Lindsey, General Counsel of NASA Pro Racing. They talk about how John got into cars long before he was licensed, his car history, how he got started in racing, losing his rookie stripes, and taking a shower in cheap beer. John tells us about helping to start the USC Car Club, running the only autocross ever held at the LA Colisseum, and hooning in the streets during the LA riots when the police had more pressing issues. John then got involved with NASA, and talks about how his start in southern California turned into national involvement, why to choose NASA over competitors such as SCCA, and how NASA goes out of their way to make newcomers welcome with events such as Hyperfest. John has also volunteered at rallies, pinch hitting as heavy sweep in a rental – an experience I’m quite familiar with. He also tells us about the hilarious Irish rally drivers we have on the east coast, which I can also confirm is absolutely true. Finally, we hear about his favorite events, NASA and otherwise, the joyts of how-to DIY internet videos for the most obscure things, comparing notes on eating KFC with a spork, and how the National Auto Sport Association almost had to change their name because of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Listen here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/untitledcarshow/episodes/2016-12-06T22_34_30-08_00.
Listen on Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/untitled-car-shows-podcast/id806574884?mt=2&i=378679593
Link to article: http://www.rightfootdown.com/untitledcarshow/john-lindsey-nasa-pro-racing/
Published on December 07, 2016 04:23
Flying Lizard Audi Wins NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance
Ryno Ginetta second
WILLOWS,
Calif., (Dec. 4, 2016) - The 14th edition of the NASA 25 Hours of
Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance has been won for the second
year in a row by the No. 45 Flying Lizard Audi R8.
In
a dramatic late race twist the dominate No. 57 Ginetta of Ryno Racing
came to the pits with a right rear suspension problem at 9:15 a.m.
(21+ hours into the race of which it led to that point). The No. 45
Audi R8, run by the Flying Lizard team, lurked in the top three all race
just waiting for the 57 to have a problem. It was time for the
defending race champions to take the overall lead. Darren Law was behind
the wheel of the 45 when he took the lead with three hours remaining.
It was not clear sailing from that point. NASA officials parked the 45
for 15-minutes at 10:20 a.m. for on track contact. The deficit to the second place 57 Ginetta was just six laps at the checkered flag.
The 45 Audi R8 with Toyo Tires was driven by Darren Law, Mike Hedlund,
Johannes van Overbeek and Dion von Moltke and covered 751 laps,
approximately 2,103-miles.
"Two
in a row," exclaimed Darren Law. "We had some adversity this weekend. I
didn't think we would have gotten the prototype, but they had problems
this morning and it worked out. We had that late penalty this morning.
We had enough of a lead that it really didn't matter, but it was an
anxious moment. The car ran flawlessly, the Toyo Tires were great and
the crew was right on all day. Everything came together. It was also
nice to bookend the overall podium with our No. 74 Porsche coming in
third place. Unbelievable!"
The No. 57 Ryno Racing Ginetta was able to hold on and take second overall and first in the ESR 
Class. The 57 was driven by Ryan Carpenter, Colin Braun, Parker Chase, Bryan Herta and Colton Herta. The team covered 745 laps.
"It's
a great day for us," Braun said. "The Ryno Racing guys did great all
day. We had a stub axle break on the right rear of both cars this
morning. Other than that we ran flawless for the whole race, just tires,
gas, oil and a fresh driver. All of the drivers did a great job staying
out of trouble. That is the cruelness of this sport. You have to have
all of the pieces together. We just didn't have everything locked down.
Both parts broke within 20-minutes of each other. We showed we had a
superfast car. The Ginetta guys build a solid car. We showed it can go
25 hours of grueling racing. An impressive testament to the team and the
car maker."
The E0 Class was won by the pole sitting No. 11 Nissan 350Z of Valkyrie Autosport. The car was 
driven by Andy Lee, Brian Lock, Anan Sharma and Giles Powell and covered 677 laps.
"It went basically according to plan, except for one thing," Brian Lock said. "We busted a seal in the steering rack around midnight.
After leading pretty solidly for the first half of the race the doubts
started to creep in. Was the part going to hold out? We were waiting for
a catastrophic failure, but it never happened. We must have pumped
10-quarts of oil through that thing. The 350Z is bullet-proof. For our
first 25 hour win we are just ecstatic."
In E1 it was the No. 95 BMW of Grip Racing that pulled off the win over the No. 46 BMW of Art 
Racing that finished on the same lap. Drivers Mason Filippi, Chuck
Hurley, Mark Drennan, Eric Sidebotham and Andrew Newell covered 677
laps.
"It
is awesome," Andrew Newell said. "This is my eighth year running the
25. I have placed before, but this is my first win. Everyone seemed to
race me really clean. At the end it came down to us and the No. 46 car.
We both had to pit with 10-minutes remaining for a splash and go. We
were running out of gas with two laps to go, but brought it home. The
car ran like a top all race."
The No. 29 BMW of KD Motorsports came home as the E2 Class winner covering 645 laps. The 29 
was driven by Matt Lowell, Corey Peters and Kevin Doyle.
"Nothing
went wrong, just flawless," Kevin Doyle said. "The car held together.
All three drivers ran clean the entire 25 hours. Our biggest issue was
we had to change front brake pads. We planned for it and we made a nice
clean stop to change the pads and other than gas and oil that was it."
The
No. 38 Mazda Miata of RA Motorsports won the E3 Class for the second
year in a row covering 604 laps. The Miata was driven by Ron Gaymon, Ray
Meister, Duke Zander and Todd Tagget.
"It's
amazing," Ray Meister said. "It was totally unexpected. If you stay on
the track and the car holds up it will work out. We really didn't
expect to win. With this car we had no real drama all race. That was our
secret. Our 40 team had some drama, but we ran a nice clean race with
no mechanical issues."
In
the ENP Class the No. 71 Diamond Level Motorsports NASA elan NP01
Prototype powered by Mazda won the class and was sixth overall covering
701 laps. The prototype was driven by Jeremy Croiset, Thomas Woods,
Aaron Meyer, Jason Ricker 
and Jaime Florence.
"Wow,"
Jeremy Croiset said. "I am almost speechless. The NASA elan Prototype
NP01 powered by Mazda ran flawlessly. For me personally this is a total
vindication of the program. I knew this car was capable of what we
achieved today. We had zero mechanical issues. Not a single complication
the entire 25 hours. If that isn't a seal of approval on the NASA
prototype project I don't what is. We finished the most grueling race in
the world without a single mechanical flaw. A huge thanks to Toyo
Tires, Vet Sports, Bylight, Fisher House and of course Diamond Level
Motorsports who prepared the car. It was an amazing effort. A massive
thanks to everyone at Elan Motorsports."
Professional
drivers listed on the entry include: Bryan Herta, Colton Herta, Ryan
Eversley, Al Unser Jr., Sean Rayhall, Dion von Moltke, Colin Braun,
Johannes van Overbeek, Darren Law, Tommy Sadler, Darren Law, Tyler
McQuarrie, Kelly Collins and Taz Harvey with more expected.
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About Hawk Performance
Hawk
Performance is a leading supplier of severe duty and high-performance
friction products manufactured in ISO-certified facilities for the
motorsports 
and performance automotive aftermarket. Hawk Performance products are
engineered to allow users to control, command, and conquer the terrain
for which their vehicles are designed. Decades of experience in
developing friction materials for aerospace, industrial, military,
automotive and motorsports applications give Hawk Performance an
advantage over the competition. In the past decade, Hawk Performance
friction products have won more motorsports championships than any other
friction manufacturer. More information at www.hawkperformance.com.
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The
National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 with the
premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at
major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs
that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven
vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a
controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many
different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number
of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events
(HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.
NASA Membership
NASA
members are entitled to enter and participate in any NASA event across
the country, and membership includes an array of benefits, including
vendor discounts and a subscription to the organizations online
newsletter the NASA Speed News. Members will also receive a colorful
membership hard card that will identify them as part of the organization
and a welcome packet that includes more information on the many
benefits and programs available to NASA members. While participating at
events, all NASA members are covered by an extensive insurance policy,
which includes General Liability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment,
and Excess Medical coverage. Best of all, membership is only $45. Refer
to www.nasaproracing.com for member information.
NASA Thanks Our Partners
NASA
would like to thank its National sponsors for their continued support:
Toyo Tires, Mazda, Hawk Performance, Winding Road Racing, Millers Oils,
and GoPro. We also want to thank MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance
Development (HPD), Nissan, and Ford Motor Company for supporting our
members. We greatly appreciate those companies that offer our racers
contingency support, including Toyo Tires, AIM Sports, AST Suspension,
BFGoodrich, Ford Racing, Maxxis Tires, Traqmate, Hawk Performance, Honda
Performance Development (HPD), Hoosier Racing Tire, Injector Pulse,
MAZDASPEED, Nissan, Frozen Rotors, Rossini Race Engines, Spec Clutches,
Sampson Racing Communications, Winding Road Racing, and Yokohama. NASA
competitors can also get discounts from Millers Oils, Mazda, Honda
Performance Development, FR.Sport, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Promotive,
Racing Fire Systems, Ford Performance Racing School, Tire Stickers, Fuel
Safe, Avis, Konig, Winding Road Racing.
NASA at a Glance
*
NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport
competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and
high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance
capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.
* NASA has over 14,000 members in 15 regions.
* Key events include the Eastern States Championships at Watkins Glen International Sept. 23-25;
NASA Western States Championships at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Oct.
13-16, 2016 and the season culminating NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill,
Dec. 3-4 presented by Hawk Performance.
* The NASA National Championships will run 31 race classes and nine Time-Trial classes during the event.
*
NASA runs over 150 events each year encompassing over 250 races,
including the association's Rally Sport and Time-Trial program.
* Manufacturer partners include MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance Development (HPD), Nissan and Ford Racing.
*
NASA Management: Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director; Ryan Flaherty,
National Chairman; Jeremy Croiset, Director of Business Development;
Dave Ho, Business Operations Manager.
Follow NASA
Facebook: National Auto Sport Association
Twitter: nasaproracing
Instagram: nasaracing
|
| |
Published on December 04, 2016 17:56
NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance at 20 Hours
Ryno Ginettaleads with five to go
NAPA
VALLEY, Calif., (Dec. 3, 2016) - The 14th edition of the NASA 25 Hours
of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance has five hours remaining
and the pole sitting No. 57 Ryno Racing Ginetta still heads the field.
As
the sun begins to rise over the 2.8-mile, 15-turn Thunderhill Raceway
circuit the field is still full with 58 of 62 starters still running.
The No. 57 Ryno Racing Ginetta remains the overall leader. In hot
pursuit is the No. 45 Audi R8 of the 2015 overall winning Flying Lizard
team. IndyCar team owner Bryan Herta likes the way the Ginetta is
running and the way the team is working. The 57 has covered 625 laps so
far in the race.
"I
am knocking the rust off after being out of a race car for a few
years," Herta said. "The car is running great. We have cycled all of the
drivers through from both cars. My son Colton has driven both cars a
lot and he looks fresh, oh to be 16 again. We are waiting for the sun to
come up and see what the last five hours brings to the finish.
Hopefully we can keep it together to the checker."
The No. 45 Flying Lizard Audi R8 remains just seven laps down to the faster 
Ginetta and leads the ES Class. Faster competition at the 25 is no
stranger to the team. They rely on consistency from the drivers and
excellent pit work and strategy to stay at the front.
"The
Toyo Audi is running great," driver, Darren Law said. "We are just
focusing on clean pit stops and keeping the car on the track. The 57 car
is fast and so far has held up. We don't have the pace to go and race
them, we just have to hope they have a problem. We are running our
program and the car is great on the Toyo tires."
The E0 pole sitter No. 11 Nissan 350Z leads the class.
"We
have a few issues with the Nissan 350Z right now," driver, Andy Lee
said. "My last stint was about maintaining. I couldn't push as hard as I
wanted to. We are having some power steering problems, so not on the
pace we would like. I had some contact with one of the Radicals coming
inside of me into Turn 14 and we made contact. It didn't seem major,
other than I had a flat tire."
In E1 the No. 95 BMW of Grip Racing leads.
"The
drivers have been keeping themselves out of trouble," crew chief, Brian
Marsteller said. "We just want to keep it out of the pits and doing
laps. That is kind of our motto, it has worked for us in the past. We
are just going to keep on truckin' along. The drivers are keeping the
car out of trouble. There have been a few scary moments, but all of the
drivers talked and agreed to keep themselves out of trouble. You can't
win it in the first 24 hours, but you certainly can lose it."
The No. 29 BMW of KD Motorsports leads the E2 Class.
"The
race is going pretty smooth so far," crew chief, Andrew Wymore said.
"We are maintaining our strategy of staying out the pits and keeping
everyone calm and focused. We are a pit stop ahead of second place, so
we are about a lap and half up on them. We really haven't had any big
drama, just some light contact. The suns up and we are all happy and
ready to go."
The No. 38 Mazda Miata of RAM Motorsports leads the E3 Class.
"The
race is going pretty good and I am having a good time," driver, Ward
Rose said. "We are anxious for sun rise as our headlights have dimmed a
little. I had some side-to-side contact with one guy during my stint,
he deserved it. The 38 Miata is running great. We are not the fastest in
our class, I got passed by a few cars in our category, but they are
probably having more problems than we are at the moment."
In the ENP Class the No. 71 Diamond Level Motorsports NASA elan NP01 
Prototype powered by Mazda continues to lead the class and running in the top six overall.
"We
are looking forward to the sun coming here in a few minutes," driver,
Jeremy Croiset said. "The team put me out in the NASA elan Prototype
NP01 powered by Mazda for a double stint during the night. I was able to
turn some quick laps and show the pace of this great car. This is
really a proving ground for this great little platform. I was able to
turn the fastest lap of our race in that stint at like 4 a.m. We are plugging away in hopes of an overall podium."
Professional
drivers listed on the entry include: Bryan Herta, Colton Herta, Ryan
Eversley, Al Unser Jr., Sean Rayhall, Dion von Moltke, Colin Braun,
Johannes van Overbeek, Darren Law, Tommy Sadler, Darren Law, Tyler
McQuarrie, Kelly Collins and Taz Harvey with more expected.
|
|
|
|
About Hawk Performance
Hawk
Performance is a leading supplier of severe duty and high-performance
friction products manufactured in ISO-certified facilities for the
motorsports
and performance automotive aftermarket. Hawk Performance products are
engineered to allow users to control, command, and conquer the terrain
for which their vehicles are designed. Decades of experience in
developing friction materials for aerospace, industrial, military,
automotive and motorsports applications give Hawk Performance an
advantage over the competition. In the past decade, Hawk Performance
friction products have won more motorsports championships than any other
friction manufacturer. More information at www.hawkperformance.com.
|
The
National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 with the
premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at
major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs
that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven
vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a
controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many
different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number
of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events
(HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.
NASA Membership
NASA
members are entitled to enter and participate in any NASA event across
the country, and membership includes an array of benefits, including
vendor discounts and a subscription to the organizations online
newsletter the NASA Speed News. Members will also receive a colorful
membership hard card that will identify them as part of the organization
and a welcome packet that includes more information on the many
benefits and programs available to NASA members. While participating at
events, all NASA members are covered by an extensive insurance policy,
which includes General Liability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment,
and Excess Medical coverage. Best of all, membership is only $45. Refer
to www.nasaproracing.com for member information.
NASA Thanks Our Partners
NASA
would like to thank its National sponsors for their continued support:
Toyo Tires, Mazda, Hawk Performance, Winding Road Racing, Millers Oils,
and GoPro. We also want to thank MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance
Development (HPD), Nissan, and Ford Motor Company for supporting our
members. We greatly appreciate those companies that offer our racers
contingency support, including Toyo Tires, AIM Sports, AST Suspension,
BFGoodrich, Ford Racing, Maxxis Tires, Traqmate, Hawk Performance, Honda
Performance Development (HPD), Hoosier Racing Tire, Injector Pulse,
MAZDASPEED, Nissan, Frozen Rotors, Rossini Race Engines, Spec Clutches,
Sampson Racing Communications, Winding Road Racing, and Yokohama. NASA
competitors can also get discounts from Millers Oils, Mazda, Honda
Performance Development, FR.Sport, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Promotive,
Racing Fire Systems, Ford Performance Racing School, Tire Stickers, Fuel
Safe, Avis, Konig, Winding Road Racing.
NASA at a Glance
*
NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport
competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and
high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance
capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.
* NASA has over 14,000 members in 15 regions.
* Key events include the Eastern States Championships at Watkins Glen International Sept. 23-25;
NASA Western States Championships at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Oct.
13-16, 2016 and the season culminating NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill,
Dec. 3-4 presented by Hawk Performance.
* The NASA National Championships will run 31 race classes and nine Time-Trial classes during the event.
*
NASA runs over 150 events each year encompassing over 250 races,
including the association's Rally Sport and Time-Trial program.
* Manufacturer partners include MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance Development (HPD), Nissan and Ford Racing.
*
NASA Management: Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director; Ryan Flaherty,
National Chairman; Jeremy Croiset, Director of Business Development;
Dave Ho, Business Operations Manager.
Follow NASA
Facebook: National Auto Sport Association
Twitter: nasaproracing
Instagram: nasaracing
|
| |
Published on December 01, 2016 21:12
NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance is Ready for Green on Saturday
Mazda dealers, van Overbeek for five, Grip Racing and NP01 with veterans
NAPA VALLEY, Calif., (Dec. 1, 2016)
- The 14th edition of the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by
Hawk Performance is ready to take the green flag for
twice-around-the-clock plus one-hour of racing December 3-4.
Robert
Davis, Senior Vice-President, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO),
said, "No one visits Thunderhill in December for the weather. This race
separates the racers from the posers. It is 25 hours of decision making
behind the wheel and 
behind pit wall. We started this four years ago as a fun factory guy
versus dealer challenge, and now it has evolved into an amazing team
effort with some of our greatest ambassadors, testing our latest
production-based racecars, with Mazda employees behind the pit wall.
We're pleased to have Scott Clark, the COO from Michelin, joining us
this year, further supporting the long and deep Mazda Michelin/BFG
relationship. The goal this weekend is to go fast, have fun, and not
freeze to death."
The Thunderhill team will consist of three Mazda MX-5 Cup racecars, the exact cars that debuted at Thunderhill last year.
The
Mazda driver line-up is as follows: Taz Harvey, Dublin Mazda (Dublin,
Calif.); Richard Fisher, Autobarn Mazda (Chicago, Ill.); Spencer
Brockman, Mazda of Milford (Milford, Mass.); Michael Brockman, Mazda of
Milford (Milford, Mass.); Mark Abouzeid, Chico Mazda (Chico, Calif.);
Ben Robertaccio, Morrie's Mazda (Minnetonka, Minn.); CJ Wilson, CJ
Wilson Mazda (Chicago, Ill.); Camden Jones, Velocity Mazda (Tyler,
Texas); Tom Bogar, Autex Mazda (Keene, N.H.); Scott Clark, Michelin/BFG;
Liam Dwyer and Stevan McAleer of the Freedom Autosport racing team.
Johannes
van Overbeek has won the 25 overall four times. Normally you would find
him in the ESM Prototype racing at Daytona, Sebring, Le Mans or Fuji.
He will be competing in the No. 45 Flying Lizard Audi R8 with teammates
Darren Law, Dion von Moltke and Mike Hedlund.
"The 25 hour is a throwback race which makes it unique," van Overbeek
said. "For anyone who has worked their way up the racing ladder, as I
did, the 25 Hour is a great reminder of the passion, competition and
dedication at the club level. I've been lucky to win the race four times
overall and I'll be striving for my fifth, which nobody has ever
accomplished. The task will be made easier by working with Flying
Lizard, Toyo Tires and Audi. The 25 hour is really a race against
yourself. You make thousands of passes, mostly at night and in all kinds
of weather. No matter how fast your car is, if you make one mistake
you're finished. Every year I've won the race, save one, our car didn't
have a mark on it. As the saying goes, 'clean cars win races.' Having
said that, there are some quick drivers and prototype class cars that
will be crewed by pros. This year might be the most competitive year
yet. I can't wait to get to work with Darren, Dion and Mike."
The
2015 E1 Class champions Grip Racing are coming back with two BMW's.
Team owner Jason Vein takes a unique approach to filing the seats in his
BMWs by inviting competitors that he competes against the rest of the
year to drive his cars at the 25.
"For the 25 we team up and work together with drivers we normally
compete against," said Jason Vein, team owner. "We learn from each
other, so we can all be stronger during the race and the next season. We
have a great group of drivers including: Chuck Hurley, Andrew Newell,
Mason Filippi, Eric Sidebotham, Mark Drennan, C. Jason Vein, Bruce
Trenery, Andrew Wait, Dean Mansour, Andrei Kisel and Jeff McGunniss.
Completing the race with as little time on pit lane as we can is always
the goal. Racing the clock for as many laps as we can get. There are a
lot of great teams in the class and we look forward to giving it all we
can. We are replacing most of the moving parts on the car so it is as
fresh as we can get it so we are ready for this weekend."
Coming
off ts first full year of competition, the NASA Prototype élan NP01with
Mazda power is coming full circle. Last year the car raced by NASA's
own Jeremy Croiset, won its class at the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill.
The new team is making a special veteran's racing effort this year. A
number of the crew will be made up of veterans that will come together
for the first time to work as a team toward the overall goal of tackling
this grueling race.
"The
car has received a few upgrades since last year," Croiset said. "We
have upgraded uprights, rear lower wishbones, a stronger front splitter
and upgraded axles. The car now has a full season of hard racing under
its belt and we learned a ton of tremendously valuable information in
last year's NASA 25. Driving this year will be Jason Ricker, Tomas
Woods, Aaron Meyer, Jaime Florence, and myself. First goal is finishing
the race. You can't do anything in this event without finishing. We want
to win the NASA Prototype class, but would also love to shoot for an
overall podium. The competition is really stout this year and they will
make it tough for us."
"My
Toyo Tires NASA Prototype élan NP01 is being stabled under Diamond
Level Motorsports who has prepped and will manage the car for the race,"
Croiset continued. "Something special one of our drivers is
spearheading this year revolves around a veteran's initiative. Tom Woods
is a veteran himself that also works with veterans returning from
combat. The ideal is to promote healing and rehabilitation through
teamwork and there isn't a better race in the world to use as a
backdrop."
Professional
drivers listed on the entry include: Bryan Herta, Colton Herta, Ryan
Eversley, Al Unser Jr., Sean Rayhall, Dion von Moltke, Colin Braun,
Johannes van Overbeek, Darren Law, Tommy Sadler, Darren Law, Tyler
McQuarrie, Kelly Collins and Taz Harvey with more expected.
|
|
|
|
About Hawk Performance
Hawk
Performance is a leading supplier of severe duty and high-performance
friction products manufactured in ISO-certified facilities for the
motorsports
and performance automotive aftermarket. Hawk Performance products are
engineered to allow users to control, command, and conquer the terrain
for which their vehicles are designed. Decades of experience in
developing friction materials for aerospace, industrial, military,
automotive and motorsports applications give Hawk Performance an
advantage over the competition. In the past decade, Hawk Performance
friction products have won more motorsports championships than any other
friction manufacturer. More information at www.hawkperformance.com.
|
The
National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 with the
premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at
major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs
that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven
vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a
controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many
different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number
of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events
(HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.
NASA Membership
NASA
members are entitled to enter and participate in any NASA event across
the country, and membership includes an array of benefits, including
vendor discounts and a subscription to the organizations online
newsletter the NASA Speed News. Members will also receive a colorful
membership hard card that will identify them as part of the organization
and a welcome packet that includes more information on the many
benefits and programs available to NASA members. While participating at
events, all NASA members are covered by an extensive insurance policy,
which includes General Liability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment,
and Excess Medical coverage. Best of all, membership is only $45. Refer
to www.nasaproracing.com for member information.
NASA Thanks Our Partners
NASA
would like to thank its National sponsors for their continued support:
Toyo Tires, Mazda, Hawk Performance, Winding Road Racing, Millers Oils,
and GoPro. We also want to thank MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance
Development (HPD), Nissan, and Ford Motor Company for supporting our
members. We greatly appreciate those companies that offer our racers
contingency support, including Toyo Tires, AIM Sports, AST Suspension,
BFGoodrich, Ford Racing, Maxxis Tires, Traqmate, Hawk Performance, Honda
Performance Development (HPD), Hoosier Racing Tire, Injector Pulse,
MAZDASPEED, Nissan, Frozen Rotors, Rossini Race Engines, Spec Clutches,
Sampson Racing Communications, Winding Road Racing, and Yokohama. NASA
competitors can also get discounts from Millers Oils, Mazda, Honda
Performance Development, FR.Sport, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Promotive,
Racing Fire Systems, Ford Performance Racing School, Tire Stickers, Fuel
Safe, Avis, Konig, Winding Road Racing.
NASA at a Glance
*
NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport
competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and
high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance
capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.
* NASA has over 14,000 members in 15 regions.
* Key events include the Eastern States Championships at Watkins Glen International Sept. 23-25;
NASA Western States Championships at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Oct.
13-16, 2016 and the season culminating NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Dec. 3-4 presented by Hawk Performance.
* The NASA National Championships will run 31 race classes and nine Time-Trial classes during the event.
*
NASA runs over 150 events each year encompassing over 250 races,
including the association's Rally Sport and Time-Trial program.
* Manufacturer partners include MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance Development (HPD), Nissan and Ford Racing.
*
NASA Management: Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director; Ryan Flaherty,
National Chairman; Jeremy Croiset, Director of Business Development;
Dave Ho, Business Operations Manager.
Follow NASA
Facebook: National Auto Sport Association
Twitter: nasaproracing
Instagram: nasaracing
|
| |
Published on November 23, 2016 18:08
NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance Getting Lamborghini, Honda and Wolf
Foust, Miller, Eversley in the field
NAPA VALLEY, Calif., (Nov. 23, 2016)
- The 14th edition of the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by
Hawk Performance is shaping up to be the most competitive ever. The
twice-around-the-clock plus one-hour race to run December 3-4.
The NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance is getting heavy entries at the sharp end the grid.
Drifting
and IMSA competitor Tyler McQuarrie is anchoring a strong line-up
drivers that will be running a new Lamborghini Gallardo. McQuarrie is
being joined by Le Mans and IMSA driver Marc Miller as well as drifting
and rallycross ace Tanner Foust along with accomplished sports car
drivers Tom Dyer and Pat O'Keefe.
"Every year the competition gets stronger and stronger, but this year
seems to be even more so," McQuarrie said. "I think the Lamborghini will
be very competitive especially since it is all wheel drive. We
typically see some wet conditions during this race and that will put us
at a huge advantage. I think our main competition will be the Flying
Lizard Audi R8. They have a great car, drivers, and team. We can't make
any mistakes if we want a shot at them. I love the 25 because it is a
complete team effort. The track is dark at night, weather is typically
very bad, tons of traffic on track, so it is a true test for the entire
team. Simply just finishing is a massive accomplishment, but we are
going there to get the win!"
Team
Honda Research is coming back to the 25, this year with two turbo
charged Honda Civics. This is the first year for turbo engines in the
Civic and the all Honda associate team is looking forward seeing how the
cars will perform under the rigors of a day and an hour of racing.
"We
are running two newly built 2016 Honda Civic Coupes," John Whiteman,
race strategist and team co-manager said. "Because the Civics were
developed in North America, they are truly an example of our mantra 'we
race what we develop and develop what we race.' We have 10 drivers
currently assigned to drive, five per car. All drivers are Honda
associates from the U.S. and Canada. They driver lineup is Matt Staal,
Lawrence Hwang, Derek Ferretti, Scot Nicol, Sage Marie, Mike Tsay, Doug
Chan, Calvin Tam, Chad Gilsinger and, Brian Shanfeld."
"This
is the first year for OEM turbo charged engines in the Honda Civic," he
continued. "As such, we have had to learn about the new engines in
terms of race conditions durability and how to optimize fuel economy
versus performance. Team Honda Research is a 100% Honda Associate team
that is the official race team of Honda R&D Americas, Inc. The team
is supported by Honda Performance Development and American Honda Motor
Co, Inc. While the race cars, transporters and equipment is owned by
Honda all the associate hours for building and racing the cars is
entirely voluntary and unpaid."
Sports car ace Ryan Eversley will be in the JFC Racing MJ-V8 Wolf with teammates Al Unser Jr., Mike Jackson and Todd Harris.
"The
Wolf is an extremely capable machine," Eversley said. "The amount of
aero generated from the massive wings and also the tunnels under the car
makes it incredibly fun to drive. We were one of the fastest cars
entered last year and now we'll have twice the power and more aero so
I'm excited to see what it can do! There are some very strong cars
entered and if I had to choose I'd say that the Flying Lizard Audi will
be tough to beat. We'll have the pace, but they've got the proven
reliability. There's a few other prototypes entered as well that could
be considered favorites as well. Ryno Racing, etc. Should be fun as
usual!"
Eversley likes the back to basics racing that the 25 provides.
"I
enjoy the 25 hour because it's an event that's more about the
experience and less about the modern day racing politics," he continued.
"You don't hear about driver rankings or B.O.P. (Balance of
Performance). You hear about race car drivers in race cars, racing and
it's just a ton of fun. Prototypes with Indy 500 winners share the track
with Spec Miata drivers that have rookies driving them. What's not to
love?"
Professional
drivers listed on the entry include: Bryan Herta, Colton Herta, Ryan
Eversley, Al Unser Jr., Kyle Marcelli, Dion von Moltke, Colin Braun,
Johannes van Overbeek, Darren Law, Sean Rayhall, Tyler McQuarrie, Kelly
Collins, Taz Harvey with more expected.
|
|
|
|
About Hawk Performance
Hawk
Performance is a leading supplier of severe duty and high-performance
friction products manufactured in ISO-certified facilities for the
motorsports
and performance automotive aftermarket. Hawk Performance products are
engineered to allow users to control, command, and conquer the terrain
for which their vehicles are designed. Decades of experience in
developing friction materials for aerospace, industrial, military,
automotive and motorsports applications give Hawk Performance an
advantage over the competition. In the past decade, Hawk Performance
friction products have won more motorsports championships than any other
friction manufacturer. More information at www.hawkperformance.com.
|
The
National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 with the
premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at
major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs
that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven
vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a
controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many
different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number
of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events
(HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.
NASA Membership
NASA
members are entitled to enter and participate in any NASA event across
the country, and membership includes an array of benefits, including
vendor discounts and a subscription to the organizations online
newsletter the NASA Speed News. Members will also receive a colorful
membership hard card that will identify them as part of the organization
and a welcome packet that includes more information on the many
benefits and programs available to NASA members. While participating at
events, all NASA members are covered by an extensive insurance policy,
which includes General Liability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment,
and Excess Medical coverage. Best of all, membership is only $45. Refer
to www.nasaproracing.com for member information.
NASA Thanks Our Partners
NASA
would like to thank its National sponsors for their continued support:
Toyo Tires, Mazda, Hawk Performance, Winding Road Racing, Millers Oils,
and GoPro. We also want to thank MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance
Development (HPD), Nissan, and Ford Motor Company for supporting our
members. We greatly appreciate those companies that offer our racers
contingency support, including Toyo Tires, AIM Sports, AST Suspension,
BFGoodrich, Ford Racing, Maxxis Tires, Traqmate, Hawk Performance, Honda
Performance Development (HPD), Hoosier Racing Tire, Injector Pulse,
MAZDASPEED, Nissan, Frozen Rotors, Rossini Race Engines, Spec Clutches,
Sampson Racing Communications, Winding Road Racing, and Yokohama. NASA
competitors can also get discounts from Millers Oils, Mazda, Honda
Performance Development, FR.Sport, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Promotive,
Racing Fire Systems, Ford Performance Racing School, Tire Stickers, Fuel
Safe, Avis, Konig, Winding Road Racing.
NASA at a Glance
*
NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport
competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and
high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance
capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.
* NASA has over 14,000 members in 15 regions.
* Key events include the Eastern States Championships at Watkins Glen International Sept. 23-25;
NASA Western States Championships at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Oct.
13-16, 2016 and the season culminating NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Dec. 3-4 presented by Hawk Performance.
* The NASA National Championships will run 31 race classes and nine Time-Trial classes during the event.
*
NASA runs over 150 events each year encompassing over 250 races,
including the association's Rally Sport and Time-Trial program.
* Manufacturer partners include MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance Development (HPD), Nissan and Ford Racing.
*
NASA Management: Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director; Ryan Flaherty,
National Chairman; Jeremy Croiset, Director of Business Development;
Dave Ho, Business Operations Manager.
Follow NASA
Facebook: National Auto Sport Association
Twitter: nasaproracing
Instagram: nasaracing
|
| |
Published on November 21, 2016 21:14
Matt
Cresci Wins 2016 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout
- California
Racer Scores $100,000 Scholarship for 2017 Battery
Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup -
IRVINE,
Calif. (November 18, 2016) – After
two days of intense competition at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale,
Louisiana, Matt Cresci from Los Gatos,
California won the 2016 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout. The
$100,000 scholarship that came with the victory is the
largest prize in grassroots motorsports. Launched in
2006, the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout has promoted ten
talented grassroots racers into the professional
ranks.
By
winning the shootout, Cresci has earned the resources
to compete in the 2017 Battery Tender Global Mazda
MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The 2017 MX-5
Cup season will begin the weekend of April 20-23 at
the Barber Motorsports Park, near Birmingham, Alabama,
during the Verizon IndyCar weekend.
Cresci earned
his way into the shootout by being among the fastest
Miata racers in the country, having competed in the
Teen Mazda Challenge and NASA Spec Miata. Cresci is
a recent graduate of Santa Clara University with a
business degree.
The Quotes:
Matt
Cresci: "It is an indescribable feeling to achieve a
goal that I have had for over fifteen years, it
really is a dream come true. I look forward to my
role as a Mazda Scholarship driver, and can't thank
Mazda enough for the opportunity to prove myself
among such an outstanding field of competitors.
Onwards and upwards!"
John
Doonan, director of motorsports, Mazda North
American Operations: “For our 11th annual
shootout, we raised the bar again with an intense
competition among eight great racers. The NOLA
facility was perfect for our testing as it made for
a level field, since none of the eight had raced
there. This has become a signature event for Mazda
and demonstrates our long-term commitment to
supporting grassroots motorsports.”
Scott
Goodyear, judge: "My first time as a judge for
the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout was an eye-opening
experience. All eight competitors were very strong
and have the raw talent to succeed. It was a very
tough process to select just one, and a thrill to be a
part of the next generation of Mazda road-racers.”
The cars: Long Road
Racing, the builders of the Mazda MX-5 Cup race car,
prepared four 2016 Mazda Global MX-5 Cup racecars for
the finalists to drive. BFGoodrich Tires provided
their g-Force tires for the competition.
The criteria: Given that
each of the finalists had proven themselves on the
track with race wins and championships, the criteria
to move up needed to be more encompassing. To succeed
on the professional level requires a balance of both
on-track and off-track skills including the following:
· Driving ability – Fast
laps/consistent laps
· Technical skills – Understanding
of vehicle dynamics and suspension, ability to
evaluate vehicle handling, and ability to analyze data
· The business of
motorsports – Business
proposal and presentation
The judges:
The judges brought a wealth of both on-track and
off-track expertise. The panel consisted of:
· Peter Calhoun –
Motorsport Marketing Manager, BFGoodrich Tires.
Among his duties, Calhoun oversees the longtime
Mazda/BFG partnership.
· Andrew Carbonell – One
of the leading Mazda racers competing in the
Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Carbonell was
also one of the lead test drivers in the development
of the new MX-5 Cup race car.
· Robby Foley – A 2015
Mazda Road to 24 Scholarship winner, Foley scored
two wins in the 2016 MX-5 Cup season.
· Scott Goodyear – The
retired IndyCar race winner and current ESPN/ABC TV
IndyCar and Indy 500 on-air analyst also competed as
a factory sports car racer for Porsche (Le Mans 24
Hours), Jaguar (Rolex 24 at Daytona) and Audi.
· Spencer Pigot – The
2015 Indy Lights powered by Mazda champion competed
in his first Indy 500 in 2016. Spencer has earned
multiple Mazda Road to Indy scholarships, and also
joins the factory driver line-up in the Mazda
Prototype in the long-distance endurance races.
· Marcus Shen – The
engineering director for the Mazda factory IMSA
Prototype program. Shen is a Formula SAE alum from
the University of Florida.
The
Runner-ups for the 2016 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout were
a strong group of racers from the SCCA, NASA, and
iRacing.
· Michael Carter,
Savannah, Georgia – At-Large Nominee – SCCA Spec
Miata
· Julian Garfield, Mount
Airy, Maryland – At-Large Nominee – SCCA SOLO
· Justin Hille,
Ypsilanti, Michigan – SCCA Runoffs Spec Miata
Champion
· Tyler Kicera, Mount
Gretna, Pennsylvania – NASA East Spec Miata Champion
· Daniel Langon, Alamo,
California – Teen Mazda Challenge Western Region
Champion
· Matthew Machiko,
Wexford, Pennsylvania – SCCA Runoffs Formula Mazda
Champion
· Pablo Lopez Padin, A
Coruña, Spain – iRacing Global Mazda MX-5 Combine
Cup Champion
About
Mazda Motorsports
Mazda
Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto
racing development ladder system of any auto
manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24
program offers a number of scholarships to advance
drivers up the sports car racing ladder, beginning
with the Global MX-5 Cup series and culminating with
the Mazda Prototype team. The Mazda Road to Indy is
a similar program that includes Mazda-powered
categories of USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights. In
grassroots road racing, more Mazdas race on any
given weekend in North America than any other
manufacturer. Mazda is also the title sponsor of the
renowned Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey,
Calif. Follow all of the latest news at MazdaMotorsports.com, @MazdaRacing on
Twitter, and MazdaMotorsports on Instagram and
Facebook.
Dean
Case
Communications
Officer
Mazda
Motorsports
Mazda
North American Operations
(310)
318-4582
Published on November 08, 2016 16:56
NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance is Attracting Top Entries and Drivers
Herta, Unser Jr., Braun, van Overbeek, Law, von Moltke, McQuarrie will race
NAPA VALLEY, Calif., (Nov. 8, 2016)
- The 14th edition of the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by
Hawk Performance is getting top entries and drivers for the
twice-around-the-clock plus one-hour race to run December 3-4.
With
the race a month away the field for the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill
presented by Hawk Performance is filling with a variety of top entries
in each class and a who's who of drivers from IndyCar to IMSA.
Flying
Lizard Motorsports is returning to defend its overall win in 2015 with
their Audi R8 LMS Ultra on Toyo tires with drivers Darren Law, Johannes
van Overbeek, 
Dion von Moltke and Mike Hedlund.
"The
25 is just a really fun event," Darren Law said. "It's is low pressure,
kind of old school racing. We are in one of the fastest cars so you are
constantly just flying by other drivers. It takes a lot of patience and
race craft to pick the right time to go or not go when passing the
other cars, sometimes 20 a lap. It is really a blast out there, but you
have to be extra careful because of the large difference in the closing
speeds and skill levels of the drivers. It also has a huge range of
changing conditions from warm to cold from wet to dry, light to dark,
you never know what you are going to get and you will probably get all
of those conditions and more."
The Lizard team uses the 25 as a testing ground for Toyo tires.
"The
25 hour is an important year-long wrap up for us after a season of
development with Toyo," Law continued. "We have been working on
different constructions, different compounds as well as testing through
different temperature ranges and track conditions. This event will
provide the critical data in a variety of race conditions over an
extended period of time. Race conditions are always different than
testing and we hope to prove that the work we have done all season has
paid off and going in the right direction."
Ryno
Racing is returning to the 25 with their Ginetta G57, the same LMP3 car
the team ran last year, but with added Chevrolet horsepower, LMP2 aero
and traction control. Team owner Ryan Carpenter will be driving with
IndyCar team owner Bryan 
Herta and his son Colton Herta along with IMSA WeatherTech Series competitors Colin Braun and Parker Chase.
"Last
year's race was a tough one," Braun said. "Ryno Racing did a fantastic
job with all the preparation and we showed we had a fast car.
Unfortunately Ryan had a little incident in the last corner and spun
across the track into the inside wall and the car was fairly damaged. It
was a bummer because there are many places you can get away with a
little mistake at Thunderhill, but the one place you really cannot is
that corner. It was just such a big consequence for a tiny mistake. But
we showed we had a fast car. I really enjoy the race because it reminds
you of what this sport is all about. Very passionate people all out
racing to just race, very bare and raw, which is so cool. I feel it
refreshes me on why racing and sports car racing is such an amazing
sport! Looking around the paddock and pit lane at 2 a.m. is just amazing!"
Braun
started his racing career in the NASA Formula Renault series and is
looking forward to driving with Carpenter and the Herta's.
"Very
excited about our driver line-up this year," he continued. "Having Ryan
with us again is going to be great, we all learned a lot from 2015 to
put towards this year so that experience will be great. And to have
Bryan and Colton join us will be awesome. Bryan's experience and
knowledge will be invaluable. Colton looks to be on the path to stardom,
so it will be neat to get to race alongside both of them. I have a huge
respect and understanding of how cool it is to work with your father as
well, since my dad has been engineering my IMSA car at CORE for the
past year. I am glad those guys will be able to race as a father/son
duo. Really excited!"
Fantasy
Junction with Winding Road Racing is bringing the Riley built Daytona
Prototype to Thunder Hill. Driving the DP car will be Spencer Trenery
who has 
IMSA experience as well as multi-time Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona starter
Rob Gewirtz, Mazda MX-5 Cup champion driver Mark Drennan and Darrell
Anderson who was second overall at the 25 in 2015.
"We
have fielded teams in nearly every 12 and 25 hour NASA races since
their inception," Trenery said. "Generally in E1 and E3 and ESR, and we
have been on the podium many times. In 2014, I finished second overall
and first in ES with the Award Racing Porsche. We are running a Daytona
Prototype that we have converted from 5.0L to 6.2L, added a sixth gear,
and some significant downforce. We are looking forward to a very
competitive race next month."
Professional
drivers listed on the entry include: Bryan Herta, Colton Herta, Ryan
Eversley, Al Unser Jr., Kyle Marcelli, Randy Pobst, Burt Frisselle,
Brian Frisselle, Dion von Moltke, Colin Braun, Johannes van Overbeek,
Darren Law, Tommy Sadler, Sean Rayhall, Darren Law, Tyler McQuarrie,
Kelly Collins, Taz Harvey, with more expected.
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About Hawk Performance
Hawk
Performance is a leading supplier of severe duty and high-performance
friction products manufactured in ISO-certified facilities for the
motorsports
and performance automotive aftermarket. Hawk Performance products are
engineered to allow users to control, command, and conquer the terrain
for which their vehicles are designed. Decades of experience in
developing friction materials for aerospace, industrial, military,
automotive and motorsports applications give Hawk Performance an
advantage over the competition. In the past decade, Hawk Performance
friction products have won more motorsports championships than any other
friction manufacturer. More information at www.hawkperformance.com.
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The
National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 with the
premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at
major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs
that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven
vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a
controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many
different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number
of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events
(HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.
NASA Membership
NASA
members are entitled to enter and participate in any NASA event across
the country, and membership includes an array of benefits, including
vendor discounts and a subscription to the organizations online
newsletter the NASA Speed News. Members will also receive a colorful
membership hard card that will identify them as part of the organization
and a welcome packet that includes more information on the many
benefits and programs available to NASA members. While participating at
events, all NASA members are covered by an extensive insurance policy,
which includes General Liability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment,
and Excess Medical coverage. Best of all, membership is only $45. Refer
to www.nasaproracing.com for member information.
NASA Thanks Our Partners
NASA
would like to thank its National sponsors for their continued support:
Toyo Tires, Mazda, Hawk Performance, Winding Road Racing, Millers Oils,
and GoPro. We also want to thank MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance
Development (HPD), Nissan, and Ford Motor Company for supporting our
members. We greatly appreciate those companies that offer our racers
contingency support, including Toyo Tires, AIM Sports, AST Suspension,
BFGoodrich, Ford Racing, Maxxis Tires, Traqmate, Hawk Performance, Honda
Performance Development (HPD), Hoosier Racing Tire, Injector Pulse,
MAZDASPEED, Nissan, Frozen Rotors, Rossini Race Engines, Spec Clutches,
Sampson Racing Communications, Winding Road Racing, and Yokohama. NASA
competitors can also get discounts from Millers Oils, Mazda, Honda
Performance Development, FR.Sport, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Promotive,
Racing Fire Systems, Ford Performance Racing School, Tire Stickers, Fuel
Safe, Avis, Konig, Winding Road Racing.
NASA at a Glance
*
NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport
competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and
high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance
capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.
* NASA has over 14,000 members in 15 regions.
* Key events include the Eastern States Championships at Watkins Glen International Sept. 23-25;
NASA Western States Championships at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Oct.
13-16, 2016 and the season culminating NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Dec. 3-4 presented by Hawk Performance.
* The NASA National Championships will run 31 race classes and nine Time-Trial classes during the event.
*
NASA runs over 150 events each year encompassing over 250 races,
including the association's Rally Sport and Time-Trial program.
* Manufacturer partners include MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance Development (HPD), Nissan and Ford Racing.
*
NASA Management: Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director; Ryan Flaherty,
National Chairman; Jeremy Croiset, Director of Business Development;
Dave Ho, Business Operations Manager.
Follow NASA
Facebook: National Auto Sport Association
Twitter: nasaproracing
Instagram: nasaproracing
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Published on October 20, 2016 16:41
October 20,
2016
Toyo Tires® Continues On-Site Hospitality and
Support of the 25-Hours of Thunderhill™
The Longest Endurance Road Race in North America
CYPRESS, CA
– Toyo Tires® continues its support of amateur road racing with VIP
track services and an on-site hospitality area at the 25-Hours of Thunderhill™, the longest endurance road race in North
America. This year’s race will take
place December 3-4 at Thunderhill Raceway Park in the rolling Northern
California foothills. Competitors using
Toyo® Proxes® tires will enjoy access to the Toyo Tires
hospitality area including meals on Friday (lunch and dinner), Saturday (breakfast,
lunch, dinner and a midnight snack), and Sunday (breakfast and lunch).
Registered
participants will also receive free mounting and balancing services from
Thunderhill AIM Tire on all preorders and via trackside service at Thunderhill
Raceway Park from December 2-4. The
program applies to racers using the Toyo Proxes® RS1™ full-slick,
the Proxes® RR DOT competition, the Proxes® R888™ and the
new Proxes® R888R™ tires in dry conditions; while the Proxes®
R1R™ and Proxes® RA1™ are approved for wet use.
“Toyo Tires continues
to demonstrate the importance they place on the road racing community",
said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Director of Business Development. "This VIP program
has quickly become a staple at the biggest pro-am endurance race in North
America drawing interest from nearly every team in the paddock and we're
thrilled Toyo Tires is hosting it again this year."
This is the 14th
year Toyo Tires has been the Official Tire of NASA and the fifth year the
company has provided VIP track services to support racers in the 25-Hours of
Thunderhill.
“We continue
to be ‘all in’ with our unrivaled support of the 25-Hours,” said Marc Sanzenbacher,
senior manager, motorsports, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “Amateur road racing represents the heart and
soul of our Proxes competition line of tires.
We are proud to support our loyal race teams in their quest to ‘Survive
the 25’.”
Space for
this special program is limited. Racers must register for the VIP
hospitality at toyotires.com/races-and-places/racer-direct-program
and tire purchases must be made through one of the following dealers by
November 21.
AIM Tire.
Ron Cortez
(707) 938-9193
aimtires@aol.com
Thunderhill
AIM Tire
Jim Thompson
(530) 519-2201
jim@thunderhill.com
To learn more about the 25-Hours of
Thunderhill, check out http://nasa25hour.com/. For more information about the Toyo Tires
contingency offered for NASA competitors, go to https://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies.
About Toyo Tires®
Established in 1966, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.
represents the innovation, quality, performance, and excellent service that
Toyo Tires has delivered worldwide for 70 years. The company offers a full line
of premium tires for nearly every vehicle including light trucks, SUVs,
crossovers, sports cars, luxury cars and hybrids as well as commercial
trucks. Many of the tires are built in the United States at their
state-of-the-art factory in White, Georgia. To find the right tire for your
vehicle as well as an authorized dealer, visit www.toyotires.com. Be sure to join the Toyo Tires community
on: Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
# #
#
EDITOR’S
NOTE: Photos of the 25-Hours of Thunderhill
are available at:
http://media.toyotires.com/image-gallery?view=category&mode=gallery&cat=2760
Media
Contact: Jay Jones, TMC
949-851-6313,
jay.jones@tmcauto.com
Toyo Media
Site: http://media.toyotires.com/
Published on October 16, 2016 02:06
Catch all the exciting action from the 2016 NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo Tires live from Buttonwillow Raceway Park. Coverage will begin tomorrow at 9:25am PST when each main race will decide who we crown as Champions concluding at 4:10pm.
Be sure to catch all the exciting action by visiting where you'll find our live stream and live timing allowing you to follow along.
Published on October 11, 2016 23:06
NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo Tires Ready for Green
250+ racers ready to compete
NAPA, Calif., (October 11, 2016)
- The third annual NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo
Tires is ready to go green this weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway October 14-16.
The
Buttonwillow track is proving to be a great draw for competitors from
across the country, with the added intrigue of running two different
layouts on the weekend.
Charles Buzzetti is competing in one of the largest fields of the three-day weekend, 
the 30 car Spec E30 Class in his No. 7 BMW.
"I've
been racing at Buttonwillow for almost 20 years and have thousands of
laps there," Buzzetti said. "I think the two configuration format helps
some and hurts others, but I like it. There are a lot of potential
winners for this event in the Spec E30 Class. I certainly consider
myself in that group. In no certain order I am looking for Steve
Stepanian, Andrew Clark, Larry Fraser, Michael Shahawn and Ray Zanotto
to all be tough. I am racing in two classes PTD and E30. I always plan
to win."
David Schotz is coming off of his 12th NASA Championship win at Watkins Glen 
and looking to add to his trophy case this weekend at Buttonwillow. He
is bringing his familiar yellow Pontiac Firebird as well as his black
Corvette.
"I'll
be running both of my cars this coming weekend. However, it just looks
as though for PT, I'm only able to race one or the other, since PTB and
PTC are in the same run group," Schotz said. "So at this time, I'll be
running the Firebird in PTB and TTB. And I'll be running the Corvette in
TTC only. Running the two configurations is a nice twist, but really Saturday and Sunday
are what matter and will be the same track layout. I've been racing
there on and off since the mid-2000's, great track, lots of fun and
challenging corners. My original goals were to win all four registered
classes. However, it looks like I'll now go for winning the three
classes that I'm able to run."
Tristan
Littlehale is coming into the NASA Western States Championships with no
knowledge of the two configurations that will be run, but is still one
of the favorites in the Spec Miata Class.
"I
have done one race with my ST3 BMW M3 at Buttonwillow, but not on any
of the configurations we'll be racing this weekend," Littlehale said. "I
like that NASA is limiting the advantage of people who have run
Buttonwillow with lots of seat time because it's usually run in CW No.
13. Adding to that, switching layouts in the middle of the weekend may
be confusing to some, but will bring out the true racers that have the
talent to make it happen in both configs. I'm racing in two classes this
weekend, ST3 and Spec Miata. This will be my second race weekend in
Spec Miata. With what is a new car, class and competitors for me. My
competition could be myself. I have only raced with the Spec Miata guys
one other weekend and it was good tight racing. If I had to say, my one
race at Sonoma Raceway was a preview of what champs has to bring. I
foresee Matt Cresci, Nick Sommers, Justin Casey and myself will all be
duking it out for the top step on Sunday.
I may have a disadvantage because of seat time with the new car/class
and my primary focus is ST3, but I'm going to be bringing it all for two
class wins."
To
qualify for the NASA National Championships presented by Toyo Tires,
NASA competitors must compete in and score points in five regional races
around the country.
Established
in 1966, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. represents the innovation, quality,
performance, and excellent service that Toyo Tires has delivered
worldwide for more than 70 years.
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About Toyo Tires
Toyo
offers a complete selection of premium replacement tires for nearly
every make and model including light trucks, SUVs, high performance
cars, and luxury vehicles, as well as commercial trucks. Many of these
tires are built here in the United States at our state-of-the-art
factory in Bartow County, Georgia.
About NASA
The
National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 with the
premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at
major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs
that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven
vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a
controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many
different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number
of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events
(HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.
NASA Membership
NASA
members are entitled to enter and participate in any NASA event across
the country, and membership includes an array of benefits, including
vendor discounts and a subscription to the organizations online
newsletter the NASA Speed News. Members will also receive a colorful
membership hard card that will identify them as part of the organization
and a welcome packet that includes more information on the many
benefits and programs available to NASA members. While participating at
events, all NASA members are covered by an extensive insurance policy,
which includes General Liability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment,
and Excess Medical coverage. Best of all, membership is only $45. Refer
to www.nasaproracing.com for member information.
NASA Thanks Our Partners
NASA
would like to thank its National sponsors for their continued support:
Toyo Tires, Mazda, Hawk Performance, Winding Road Racing, Millers Oils,
and GoPro. We also want to thank MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance
Development (HPD), Nissan, and Ford Motor Company for supporting our
members. We greatly appreciate those companies that offer our racers
contingency support, including Toyo Tires, AIM Sports, AST Suspension,
BFGoodrich, Ford Racing, Maxxis Tires, Traqmate, Hawk Performance, Honda
Performance Development (HPD), Hoosier Racing Tire, Injector Pulse,
MAZDASPEED, Nissan, Frozen Rotors, Rossini Race Engines, Spec Clutches,
Sampson Racing Communications, Winding Road Racing, and Yokohama. NASA
competitors can also get discounts from Millers Oils, Mazda, Honda
Performance Development, FR.Sport, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Promotive,
Racing Fire Systems, Ford Performance Racing School, Tire Stickers, Fuel
Safe, Avis, Konig, Winding Road Racing.
NASA at a Glance
*
NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport
competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and
high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance
capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.
* NASA has over 14,000 members in 15 regions.
*
Key events include the Eastern States Championships at Watkins Glen
International Sept. 23-25; NASA Western States Championships at
Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Oct. 13-16, 2016 and the season culminating NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Dec. 3-4 presented by Hawk Performance.
* The NASA National Championships will run 31 race classes and nine Time-Trial classes during the event.
*
NASA runs over 150 events each year encompassing over 250 races,
including the association's Rally Sport and Time-Trial program.
* Manufacturer partners include MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance Development (HPD), Nissan and Ford Racing.
*
NASA Management: Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director; Ryan Flaherty,
National Chairman; Jeremy Croiset, Director of Business Development;
Dave Ho, Business Operations Manager.
Follow NASA
Facebook: National Auto Sport Association
Twitter: nasaproracing
Instagram: nasaproracing
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Published on October 11, 2016 20:31
NASA Valley, CA: The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) has selected RaceHero as the exclusive provider for live timing and race results for all 15 NASA regions and NASA Championship races moving into next season. RaceHero provides a "weekend in your pocket" experience featuring real-time entry lists, schedules, live timing and race results. Racers can now track over 150 annual NASA events using RaceHero on phones, tablets and desktop computers making their NASA experience easier to manage during the weekend activities.
It's not a race without results and there are no results without timing and scoring. What once was tracked with a stopwatch is today completely orchestrated by computers. RaceHero allows us to provide an automated live stream from our existing timing systems to anyone in the world on any device, enabling us to grow our reach with no additional effort. It also simplifies the process of posting results and getting information out to competitors and fans alike.
“NASA Timing and scoring operators are typically volunteers working under tight schedules” said Roman Vaisman, NASA Chief Technology Officer. "Just like the racecars on track, speed and accuracy are critical for our Timing and Scoring staff. RaceHero automatically publishes accurate provisional results and lets us easily distribute official results with penalties and corrections without adding more work for our staff."
"While we can't do everything in-house, we look for partnerships where we aren't just directing our members to a third-party", said NASA Director of Business Development Jeremy Croiset. "We embed RaceHero's live timing and results in our websites where we can drive traffic, promote our sponsors and provide value to our members through the latest and greatest technology. Software entrepreneur and racer Brian Ghidinelli created RaceHero based on his passion for endurance sports car racing which is a core event offering from NASA and we’re thrilled to be working with him on this new program.”
About NASA: The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 with the premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events (HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs. For more information, log onto www.nasaproracing.com and connect with the community at Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
About RaceHero: RaceHero brings everything about race day to your pocket in a fun, social way. By looking beyond simple finishing position, RaceHero highlights big passes, personal bests and epic battles. Access entry lists, schedules, live timing and results from smartphones, tablets and laptops all driven automatically from existing timing and scoring systems. RaceHero is free to event organizers, promoters and racetracks and is available today at http://racehero.io and in the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores.
View a sample race result from NASA's recent race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca: Click Here!
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Published on October 10, 2016 20:18
NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo Tires Garnering Strong Competitors
Top amateur racers ready to converge on Buttonwillow
NAPA,
Calif., (Oct. 7, 2016) - The third annual NASA Western States
Championships presented by Toyo Tires is receiving entries from across
the country that will assure strong competition October14-16 at Buttonwillow Raceway.
NASA
Western States Championships event director Ryan Flaherty will be using
two different track configurations over the three-day event. The
Buttonwillow track layout options, known as CCW (counter clockwise),
will be a great test of speed and handling over the Championship
weekend.
"On
Friday we are using configuration No. 1 CCW," Flaherty said.
"Configuration No. 1 is 3-miles, which includes the Star Mazda Turn and
the Bus Stop. These two sections are challenging and require a precise
touch along with a good handling race car. On Saturday and Sunday we
will use configuration No. 25 that measures 2.92-miles, which removes
the technical Bus Stop and provides another passing opportunity and
higher speeds. Using the combination of tracks is a perfect blend of
technique and speed, providing a unique opportunity for NASA racers to
demonstrate their skills."
Justin
Casey (No. 51 Mazda Miata) is heading to Buttonwillow with two goals,
win the Spec Miata race overall, which will make him the NASA Western
States 
Champion on Sunday as well as win the Teen Mazda Challenge (TMC) championship that will be decided Friday and Saturday.
"I
have raced at Buttonwillow Raceway Park many times, the first time
being several years ago when I was racing with the Northern California
Karters," Casey said. "My biggest competition will be, that is if Mark
Drennan is not racing, Matt Cresci. Matt is a good friend of mine and he
always performs really well under high-stress situations, so I am
looking for him to give me a good run. My goals are the same as everyone else who is entered, to win this race. Simple."
Casey is also in the hunt for the Teen Mazda Challenge Championship.
"The
Teen Mazda Challenge is a series within NASA that consists of drivers
who are between the ages of 13 and 22 that race within the Spec Miata
Class. The drivers race against the entire Spec Miata field, follow the
same rules that NASA has created, and usually each region will have
four-to-six race weekends per season. TMC competitors are scored based
on their position compared to the rest of the TMC drivers. So for
example if someone finished second overall within the Spec Miata field,
but first overall amongst TMC drivers then that driver will be awarded
first place points for the TMC championship. The overall concept of the
Teen Mazda Challenge is to allow younger drivers to begin racing cars at
a younger age in order to allow more time to improve their race craft.
We are racing to be eligible to be invited to the Mazda Road to 24
Shootout. If the driver is invited and wins the shootout, then they win a
$100,000 scholarship to compete in The Battery Tender Global MX-5 Cup
for one year. So overall, this series provides an extraordinary
opportunity from Mazda for younger drivers to further develop their
racing career."
Manny Coats is a previous Honda Challenge Champion, winning at Mid-Ohio in 
2008 and 2011. He is bringing his No. 72 Acura Integra to Buttonwillow to go for a third Championship title.
"I
have a lot of laps around Buttonwillow in both configurations and it is
my favorite track in our region," Coats said. "Buttonwillow has a great
mix of technical turns, with some of them blind. I had a great battle
with Carlos (Valenzuela) last year at the Championships before I had a
mechanical failure that took me out of the race. I know he is bringing
an even better car this year, so I expect he may be the guy to beat.
There's also last year's H4 Champion, Steve Peterson, with a newer,
faster power plant than he had at last year's Championships."
To
qualify for the NASA National Championships presented by Toyo Tires,
NASA competitors must compete in and score points in five regional races
around the country.
Established
in 1966, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. represents the innovation, quality,
performance, and excellent service that Toyo Tires has delivered
worldwide for more than 70 years.
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About Toyo Tires
Toyo
offers a complete selection of premium replacement tires for nearly
every make and model including light trucks, SUVs, high performance
cars, and luxury vehicles, as well as commercial trucks. Many of these
tires are built here in the United States at our state-of-the-art
factory in Bartow County, Georgia.
About NASA
The
National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 with the
premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at
major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs
that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven
vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a
controlled professionally managed environment. NASA offers many
different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number
of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events
(HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.
NASA Membership
NASA
members are entitled to enter and participate in any NASA event across
the country, and membership includes an array of benefits, including
vendor discounts and a subscription to the organizations online
newsletter the NASA Speed News. Members will also receive a colorful
membership hard card that will identify them as part of the organization
and a welcome packet that includes more information on the many
benefits and programs available to NASA members. While participating at
events, all NASA members are covered by an extensive insurance policy,
which includes General Liability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment,
and Excess Medical coverage. Best of all, membership is only $45. Refer
to www.nasaproracing.com for member information.
NASA Thanks Our Partners
NASA
would like to thank its National sponsors for their continued support:
Toyo Tires, Mazda, Hawk Performance, Winding Road Racing, Millers Oils,
and GoPro. We also want to thank MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance
Development (HPD), Nissan, and Ford Motor Company for supporting our
members. We greatly appreciate those companies that offer our racers
contingency support, including Toyo Tires, AIM Sports, AST Suspension,
BFGoodrich, Ford Racing, Maxxis Tires, Traqmate, Hawk Performance, Honda
Performance Development (HPD), Hoosier Racing Tire, Injector Pulse,
MAZDASPEED, Nissan, Frozen Rotors, Rossini Race Engines, Spec Clutches,
Sampson Racing Communications, Winding Road Racing, and Yokohama. NASA
competitors can also get discounts from Millers Oils, Mazda, Honda
Performance Development, FR.Sport, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Promotive,
Racing Fire Systems, Ford Performance Racing School, Tire Stickers, Fuel
Safe, Avis, Konig, Winding Road Racing.
NASA at a Glance
*
NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport
competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and
high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance
capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.
* NASA has over 14,000 members in 15 regions.
*
Key events include the Eastern States Championships at Watkins Glen
International Sept. 23-25; NASA Western States Championships at
Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Oct. 13-16, 2016 and the season culminating NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Dec. 3-4 presented by Hawk Performance.
* The NASA National Championships will run 31 race classes and nine Time-Trial classes during the event.
*
NASA runs over 150 events each year encompassing over 250 races,
including the association's Rally Sport and Time-Trial program.
* Manufacturer partners include MAZDASPEED, Honda Performance Development (HPD), Nissan and Ford Racing.
*
NASA Management: Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director; Ryan Flaherty,
National Chairman; Jeremy Croiset, Director of Business Development;
Dave Ho, Business Operations Manager.
Follow NASA
Facebook: National Auto Sport Association
Twitter: nasaproracing
Instagram: nasaproracing
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