M758

NASA is good organization.

I am a NASA official (Az 944 spec director) and have been involved with NASA starting in 1999 and closely since 2002. NASA is not perfect, but BECAUSE they are for profit model their goals are much more clear.

They support activies that bring racers to their events. If racers are not happy they don't run and that hits each local NASA region in the pocket book. NASA regions are franchises so each local region director has a vested interest in keeping his/her local attendance numbers up. So remember that when dealing with NASA. No hidden agenda, just a drive to increase and maintain attendance. NASA also know it is not the only game in town.

That is my experenced form dealing with local officials and the big 3 at the National office too.

M758

Weston,
I think I know where some of your frustration comes from. However having been around racing and track days for 10+ years I have seen alot of things.

IMHO NASA has a very good model. Not perfect, but very good. Sometimes you have to take good with bad, but overall I think it is good. Sole source of supply for any consumeable is a double edge sword. Especially when you consider more than just a group racers in your area.

I would be happy to listen to more your issues offline. I believe I understand them and frankly believe that overall it is best solution when all things are considered. I would be happy to elaborate.

MJR911

Where is Cup Daddy when you need him?

Potomac-Greg

Cup Daddy is too politically savvy to get involved in this thread!

Steward B.

I'm not going to jump into this thread as I don't have my fire suit handy but I must say that Antonio's Avatar is certainly a winner!

Potomac-Greg

I have grown up in NASA HPDE but will do my first racing in SCCA so I can't speak to their racing programs. I was talking to a long-term SCCA member last week and told him that SCCA could learn a lot from NASA in the area of HPDE and time trial. Those are your future racers, and NASA does a great job of promoting their HPDEs and grooming HPDE people for racing. I can't say that I have known anyone who has done an SCCA PDX, and I do not recall seeing one promoted at any venue. My friend (20+ years racing) says that SCCA seems to promote PDX to its members -- who are mostly past the PDX level. NASA's got a great thing going, and I suppose every race organization is going to have its issues.

Carrera51

Streak summed up NASA Mid Atlantic well based on my experience racing with them.

comatb

Cup Daddy is going through some medical issues at the moment so please accept that he is unable to respond even if he wanted to.

Get well Cup Daddy!

944Cup

Thanks Bill, for your patience and understanding for my absence. Surgery on both my eyes this week has limited my viewing time on the forums. Though late to the party, looks like there is no shortage of answers and commentary to the questions raised here. Be glad to answer any questions I can about the plans next year for the series.

Would like to take the time to thank the many drivers who have supported the series as we conclude the 9th season of the 944 Cup series, and to the sanctioning bodies who have given us the opportunity to be on track with them.........NASA, PCA, SCCA, EMRA, and others. It's has been a heck of a ride, and, thanks to SCCA Pro Racing, we had our best event in the history of the series at Nationals just last month.

Look forward to sharing more good times ahead.

Dave Derecola
National Director
944 Cup

Sterling Doc

I would echo Joe's comments (M471).

As a series director, NASA gives me a lot of flexibility. This year, we've done, pursuit races, inverted starts, everyone -drive-someone-else's-car, all because my local guys wanted it, and NASA MW was accommodating. We had a blast. Tomorrow, we will swap cars with the V8 CMC cars, for a one lap shootout autocross format (season ended with year end banquet last night, so today is just for giggles). Where else can you do that? I've raced with other organizations, even this year, and had fun, too, but I race most with NASA, because they allow me the most flexibiity to have a great time (it's good for business!).

The National guys are not some mysterious power brokers. The first time I met John Lindsey, I didn't know who he was by looking at him, only by name (one of the three NASA owners). I was trying to figure out how to dump the $hitter on my rental RV at NASA Nationals in 2007. John had just finished his, and came over to help me get it done, then gave me his gloves for the ride home, so I could do it again before returning the RV. Now that's customer service.

The National Office was very reasonable when all of the 944 Spec Directors met with them in 2008 out in California. Lots of things changed for the better for 944 Spec b/c of that. Mistakes have been made, but they been willing to change course when presented with a good case that it makes sense on a national basis. It's hard to please everyone, all the time, but judging by NASA's growth, they're doing a pretty fair job with the majority.

gums

Good to here from you, DD, I was worried for a second there...

944Cup

Thanks for the concern Frank, recovering well, just very slow.

Had a conference call with PCA last nite. Super Cup will continue in 2011 with an all PCA schedule running in SP3. Will include 3 regional championships: North, South and Canada. Will likely include 6 Rounds of racing in each Chapter.

jaje

I started my DEs in NASA years back and really enjoyed them. They had a much clearer progression from DE to Racing than the PCA (though I did not do an SCCA PDX system so cannot comment on that). The competition school was much more involved and had several exercises (such as driving the track with a partner car side by side). In fact, many trends NASA has done are now being used by other groups (such as allowing passing by point by in corners for Adv and Instructor group).

From what I've found, NASA is also open to comments more than other groups as they've been changing their formula allowing the racers to add some more fun in their races as noted by Sterling Doc. We also get contingency money from Toyo which is a great help in buying new tires.

If the flawed automatic assumption that since NASA is for profit and doesn't care then no one would attend their events. From my experiences and observations, I've found it is the direct opposite and explains why NASA has grown so quickly and maintained that growth. Also...Porsche is a for profit corporation so the same critique can be applied to them as well as NASA.

Garylimey

I enjoyed the NASA events, especially MA. I'm looking forward to racing with NASA next season when I switch over to GTS3

944Cup

As an independent grassroots race series, the 944 Cup has always created its own schedule and with various sanctioning bodies from its inception in 2002 when we began with just one Chapter in the MidAtlantic. 944 Cup has always controlled its own schedule selecting venues that provided the best options for the series.

NASA never "pushed" the series out, as to this date the series is still running dates with NASA in several regions. The 944 Cup was a NASA National class for three years while the NASA National Championships were being held at Mid Ohio.

When NASA took their Championship out to Miller in Utah, the 944 Cup decided that venue was not desirable for the series and we decided to keep our Nationals on the East Coast and schedule the 944 Cup Nationals at VIR the last 2 years. The first year was at a NASA sanctioned event and the past year was with SCCA Pro Racing.

In 2011, the 944 Cup will continue to race with various sanctioning bodies with most of its regional races with PCA as they currently offer the best option for the series.