Tim Comeau

I usually post on the 944 & 944S2 forum, but wanted to let people know over here, too. We are building on the original set of rules from the Phoenix group. They now have 18 944-spec.com cars racing, plus others being built. We in SoCal have 6 and we haven't even had our first race yet! Our first event is at Fontana, California Speedway on March 7-9. See the rules at <a href="http://www.944-spec.com" target="_blank">www.944-spec.com</a> These rules are the simplest and most affordable. The cars are really very close to stock, on spec tires, and must weigh 2600 lbs after the race including the driver. NASA is the sanctioning body and this racing will spread all over the country quickly because the cars are so even and so cheap! This is great for the 944 community and great racing for the fans of the 944's. See for yourself at:
<a href="http://www.944-spec.com" target="_blank">www.944-spec.com</a>
<a href="http://www.nasaproracing.com" target="_blank">www.nasaproracing.com</a>
If you're in SoCal and want more info please email me directly at timcomeau@***.net or just post to the forum.
RENNLIST works!
Tim Comeau
SoCal 944-spec Series Director

Skip

Keep coming north to Portland and we'll form a team assault on the track - at least 8-10 cars up here ready to go! (not including my cheater car)

Devia

Tim -

Where's Fontana!? Sorry, just don't know all the areas in California, lol, and I'm a native!

Thanks,

Julie

Danno

Are there any racetracks between Portland and Thunderhill?

Fontana is just a little north of you: <a href="http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?Ds=n&uz=92335&Pyt=Tmap&city=Fontana&state=CA&csz=Fontana%2C+CA&s lt=34.092178&sln=-117.434624&zip=&country=us&mag=6&cs=7&map.x=388&map.y=278" target="_blank">MA P</a>

Here is Doug's adventure at California Speedway: <a href="http://www.nsxfiles.com/fontana_ferrari.htm" target="_blank">Chapter 84 - FCA At Calif. Speedway</a>

Tim Comeau

Thanks for the ton of info, Danno. You're nice and helpful as usual- maps and everything. Yeah, Fontana for us in San Diego is North on 15, East on 10 for about 30 seconds, then exit at Cherry Ave. Go to the left. Look for the huge red structure. Addmission is free for the NASA event on March 7-9.
Sear's Point, is in Sonoma. How's that Danno?
Also, Skip you raise a good point about the cheater cars,i.e.,the ones that have been "over prepared" for the spec class. The cars are so cheap and thus the parts are so cheap that it costs you almost nothing to take coilovers in the rear off, sell them off, and put the max allowed 30mm torsion bars back in there. How much does a stock NA 944 motor cost(to replace that race motor in there now)? Diddley-sqaut! Which costs more? A fiberglass hood or a stock steel one? See what I mean? Sell it off and put the stock one back on so you can come join in some close racing!
Tim Comeau
NASA SoCal 944-spec Series Director

ERAU-944

i'm biting my lip till spec racing makes it to the east coast, that could dissuade my buddies and i from trying to get an ITS car together for scca racing... <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

Skip

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Tim Comeau:
<strong>Also, Skip you raise a good point about the cheater cars,i.e.,the ones that have been "over prepared" for the spec class. The cars are so cheap and thus the parts are so cheap that it costs you almost nothing to take coilovers in the rear off, sell them off, and put the max allowed 30mm torsion bars back in there. How much does a stock NA 944 motor cost(to replace that race motor in there now)? Diddley-sqaut! Which costs more? A fiberglass hood or a stock steel one? See what I mean? Sell it off and put the stock one back on so you can come join in some close racing!
Tim Comeau
NASA SoCal 944-spec Series Director</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Sorry, Tim - I was not taking a shot at your rules... just an old joke you may not have been aware of.

Regarding the rules of your events, though... if my car is prepared to the same level that allows it in ITS, then it really_should be allowed to compete against the other Spec or Cup cars (given allowances to make me change to a given spec-tire or other such formality of the sponsors saying). I'm not here to debate it - I've given up and plan to run another car separately if the opportunity arises for me to join the 944-Cup or 944-Spec Series'.

FWIW, my 2.7l car is a bit faster than most 2.5l ITS cars - but not nearly as fast as a national class-winning ITS car (say with Broadfoot or Milledge preparation).

S

Tim Comeau

No offense taken,Skip! Hope I didn't sound defensive. Just trying to point out that guys who already have prepared 944 race cars can easily "de-tune" or "de-prepare" to make the cars fit the 944-spec rules and it probably won't cost them much if anything because the stock parts cost less than the race parts. But, it may be just as easy to start with a dead stock street car. I bought one with a burnt bearing for $500.00. Then I found this fully prepared 87 924S, built to POC GP class specs, which is also allowed in the class. So I'm running that car now. It got me to the racing sooner than slowly preparing the other 944. 944 cup is only on the East Coast right now. They have a weight handicapping system for cars entering the class under different sets of rules. That's ok for trying to include everyone with an existing car, but makes the spec management more cumbersome. That's why I went with the 944-spec.com rules. Simple. Inexpensive.
I hope others will join us including your group of 8 or so drivers because when we come together at Sear's Point or Thunderhill , the starting grids will be incredible. The racing will be close every single time this class gets on the track.
At your service,
Tim Comeau

Tim Comeau

Mike B., Get ahold of your local NASA chapter at nasaproracing.com. If you prepare the car to 944-spec.com rules it will fit into PCA club racing GT4S class in the meantime. So you can build and prepare and race the cars while getting a group together.
Tim Comeau

Matt Sheppard

Tim

What would, in your opinion, be the ideal year car to look for to start building from?

Thanks

Tim Comeau

Generally speaking, newer is better. The later cars have a few different things such as slightly different cams and headers. The dash is nicer because it's easier to see. The 1987-88 924S already comes with the shorter 5th gear though. Since you already own an 83 944 maybe you could start with that? Have you raced before? POC? I could recommend a car closer to you. Email me directly and I'll give you the guys phone number. timcomeau@***.net

deni durrell

Matt: i think that the cars allowed are all NAs with the exception of the S, S2, and '89 NA, 2.7l. The 924 S is allowed because it's pretty similar to the rest of the 944s (83-88). It's better to read the rules though on the site. In terms of choosing a good year for which to start, I think that it doesn't come down to which year, it comes down to which car can one find in the best shape suitable to the task. They all have to have a minimum weight, plus other things.

I think this program is great for people who just want to go racing and not have to worry about spending super huge amounts of cash doing it. POC, PCA, NASA are good for that. NA cars are so damn cheap these days, why not!? I just hope that this series is still going strong by the time I get my **** together. (I seem to have started an irresistible habit of collecting p-cars lately)...

M758

Hey Guys,
I raced with Tim last weekend at PIR in the 944-spec races. It was great fun. I have done all 11 races in 944-spec this season so far and I feel that there is no "perfect car". Any car from 83-88 can and will be competitive. The differences are not so great as to prevent any year from winning. Also parts can be interchanged so you can easily put 88 parts on and 83 chassis. On the track driver skill and understanding of how to set-up the car is the difference between the fast guys and the slower guys.

When picking a car, as deni said the quality of the car and how much work you do to mantain it will make the difference. Honestly many of the 944 have been through hard lives and will need some maintence to make them stand up to racing. Also the cars will need more attention that a standard street car.

The nice thing is that reasonble mechnical skills can get you very very far with these cars so that you only cost is your time and parts. This really keeps costs down for racing. Figure that for less than the price of 944 Turbo you can have fully prepared 944-spec race car that is faster that stock Turbo on the race track and autocross course. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

The goal was to have simple low cost fun racing where the driver really makes the difference. I think we have done that.

Skip's car would proably make a perfect spec car if he had a 2.5L motor. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

BTW.. Tim
I prefer the early intrior in race car since I can move the tach to the center gauge hole and rotate it so the 6 is at the top. Really helps in to view when racing.

If you guys have a chance or any interest in 944-spec got to Fontana and check it out. I'd love to make it, but since we have our first event at our new local purpose built 2.25 mile road course here in Phoenix the weekend after I will not be making the journey.

<img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" />

Matt Sheppard

What is the schedule for this weekend? I just see March 7-9 everywhere I look. I have a lunch committment on Saturday the 8th but will there be any 944 action on Fri. or before lunch Sat.? I have a neighbor who runs GTI spec who will be there too. . . So in the infamous words of Jules Winfield:

"I'm goin'! That's all there is to it - I'm f_in' goin'!"

Tim Comeau

Matt, the 944-spec cars will be there Sat and Sun. I'm going to try to get everybody to pit together. Admission is free. Come say hi. I'll have more info on the spec series and pictures of most of the guys in the Phoenix group. The rules are at <a href="http://www.944-spec.com." target="_blank">www.944-spec.com.</a>
Tim Comeau, San Diego
# 22 944-spec racer.