onefastviking

Mid Ohio, where they will hold NASA Nationals this year is a great track. With the rules now the same and with the money that Toyo and other parts suppliers are putting up for the classes it should be a large field of Spec Boxster's this year. Plus it's fun with people cooking out and meeting Rennlisters and others from all around the country, I have made many new friends each year I go to Nationals.

Carrera51

Awesome news! Thanks to all who helped work through this to save SPB in NASA.

J richard

Hey I was interested in what your are doing here. I was looking into just this setup, with one small twist, a spec boxster 2.5 mated to a 5speed, and a 3.4 mated to a built up 5speed so they could be swapped out as a unit without all the changes of uprights/subframes/axles etc... think a 5 speed box could be made robust enough? it could be done reasonably?

GTgears

pm sent so as not to take this thread off track.

Vonschmidt

As someone looking to add a second car to my rig we have been going back and forth from spec miata to spec boxter. My existing car is a highly modified Porsche GT2 and so i think the contrast in power would make me a better driver.

it now seems as if the future of this spec class in NASA is assured which has been one of the considerations. Can anyone that has both or has driven both types of cars give me some additional insight.

stuttgart46

The SPB is more fun and at the end of the day it's a Porsche. The parts cost more for the SPB but keep in mind that the front runners in SM are running $30K and up cars. I have yet to see cheating in any of the SPB guys and the group in Texas is a great group of guys. SM stretches the rule book to a point where I don't want to be.
Do you run at MSR Houston?

Vonschmidt

We have run there although I am not the one stationed down there full time. I agree that the Spec Boxter is in the end a Porsche for good and bad. Right now I'm looking at a well prepped and nationally vetted option in both classes. I don't have illusions that I will win I just don't want to be sweeping up the track after everyone else is out celebrating.

Seriously learning momentum is my goal, and running with good friends is second. Any idea on the cycle cost for each.

jakermc

Best thing about Spec Box in TX is the ability to learn and improve your driving. The best talent in the class is there (as demonstrated by NASA and PCA National standings) and they openly share set-up information and data with one another. They genuinely want each other to improve and willingly help one another get faster. You get free coaching with the price of admission.

stuttgart46

+1. I've never seen a community like the one here in Texas.

Vonschmidt

Thanks it's a hard call. I hav really learned to respect the PCA group and the compadre amoung the guys and gals at the track is nothing short of amazing. To hear this continues into a competitive portion of our sport shows just what makes up the people who enjoy Motorsports. Any thought on the cycle cost of this class.

stuttgart46

PM sent

J richard

Can't really comment on the SM... But I had my Sbox stet up like the cup, same seat, shifter, wheel pedal setup, so they have a very common feel from the door handle forward, of course its softer and slower but its nice having a similarity between cars.

Vonschmidt

Makes sense to me. Thanks

mglobe

I have to respectfully disagree on these two comments. My car, which I will gladly sell you for less than $30k, is fully capable of running at the front of the pack with one of the fast guys in it. It's been run at a 2:00 pace. Stephen Farrell's dad just sold his car, which posted the second fastest lap at Mid Ohio during the nationals, and which was in a podium position with just a few laps to go, for MUCH less than $30k. A friend of mine bought it. Gale Corley just sold his '99 for a very reasonable price as well. These cars I mention are quality builds, that you could go out and win in right out of the box.

As far as cheating goes, at Nationals this past year they were pulling all sorts of bits and pieces out of the SM's at impound. NASA had a shock-dyno there, and they were testing shocks to make sure folks weren't running trick suspensions. I've never seen half of the effort to police the class in SPBOx as I've seen in SM.

SPECBOX is a great class, so is Spec Miata. I don't think it's fair to paint either as a class where you have to spend a fortune to win, nor where cheating is rampant.

stuttgart46

Mike,
I am referring to Drago and the cars from Auto Technick that were front runners at Nationals. I know for a fact that most of the cars that Jeff is building at Auto Technick are now starting at $35K.