NASA events

[g3driver]

I was wondering if anyone knew how completive the a N/A NSX is in the NASA HPDE or Time trial events? My current set up is stock engine, dunlop starspec 17/18, bilsteins w/ OEM springs. I currently run out here in the west coast at Willow springs and Streets of willow.

Any advise or comments welcome.

Erik

 

[itrsteve]

The word competitive and HPDE do not exist together.

As far as TT you will be classed on power to weight with points given that could work against you if you have certain mods. I have never seen a NSX running TT with NASA but I believe they get classed as TTB stock.

For a reference the NASA TTB Buttonwillow record is 2:05.41 in a 95 firebird. And Streets of Willow is 1:32.77 in a M3.

Have fun

 

[jtower]

The word competitive and HPDE do not exist together.

you've never seen my friends and me at a hpde

 

[g3driver]

Why do you say that? I am new to NASA and just trying to get some information. Could you recommend something else?

The word competitive and HPDE do not exist together.

As far as TT you will be classed on power to weight with points given that could work against you if you have certain mods. I have never seen a NSX running TT with NASA but I believe they get classed as TTB stock.

For a reference the NASA TTB Buttonwillow record is 2:05.41 in a 95 firebird. And Streets of Willow is 1:32.77 in a M3.

Have fun

 

[itrsteve]

you've never seen my friends and me at a hpde

haha, true. With a bunch of buddies out together we'll have a little playful competing going on. I just wanted to make sure the OP went in without the racer mentality.

Why do you say that? I am new to NASA and just trying to get some information. Could you recommend something else?

No worries, you have to approach HPDE's as strictly schooling. There's all sorts of students on track with various different cars and you're classed off your skill progression level and not the car. So with that being said you don't have to worry how competitive with the car is at this phase. In TT is a different story though. Once you get up to HPDE3 or so start recording your runs and when you review them just get a stopwatch out to gauge your time and then compare against others in your class.

I can't say without doing math right now if you would be in TTB or TTC but I'm pretty pretty sure you would be in TTB terrirory, from there you could make a note of what others are getting for times to gauge where you and the nsx would roughly stand when the time comes.

 

[jtower]

figure out what class your car would be in, then compare those lap times to yours. pretty easy to see how competitive you'd be.

 

[RYU]

I've asked Coz to chime in. He's an instructor for NASA. If you're lucky he can share some seat time with you in your NSX.

 

[Coz]

How much seat time do you have ?
Who are you running with ?

NASA HPDE groups range from 1 to 4. 1 being beginners that have instructors. 2 starts no instructor in car and then you progress to DE 3 and then 4 before you can get a TT license and complete in TT.

I am an official instructor with NASA and also drive TTU.

Ravi, also on this board is also a NASA Instructor and drives a NA NSX also in TT. I believe he's in TTA. He has various mods, KW's, headers, tow links, and a few other things. He finished 2nd in his class in 2011. He is very competitive. We have a blast chasing each other around the various tracks.

I just so happen to be out playing with a HPDE group this last weekend at Firebird Main as a Asst Group Leader doing a ride along.

This is a NASA-AZ HPDE 3 group at speed. Some of these drivers are ready for DE 4.
So you can imagine the step up at speed will be in DE 4 before even getting to TT.

http://youtu.be/8dKzS80gOG0

If you have never driven with NASA, you will have to start in DE 1. If you have the skills, you can move up to 2 after some classroom to get you acquainted to our structure and rules and a couple of check rides.

I have had students go from DE 1 to DE 3 in one weekend.
The main things is you get out there, learn and have fun.
NASA is a great organization, you'll make a lot of friends and it will become your second family.

It has for me and many others.

We, NASA-AZ will be at Chuckwalla in Desert Center, CA on Feb 3-4 & 5.
We will also be at Autoclub Speedway in Fontana, CA on March 3 & 4.
You should try and make it out to one of those events and say hello or sign up for one.
If nothing else, both Ravi and I will be happy to take you out on a ride along.

I know Ravi and I will both be at Chuckwalla, not sure about Autoclub Speedway.

I was wondering if anyone knew how completive the a N/A NSX is in the NASA HPDE or Time trial events? My current set up is stock engine, dunlop starspec 17/18, bilsteins w/ OEM springs. I currently run out here in the west coast at Willow springs and Streets of willow.

Any advise or comments welcome.

Erik

 

[g3driver]

How much seat time do you have ?
Who are you running with ?

I have a few years running with speed ventures and SCCA (many years ago)
I have a friend that runs a RX-7 at NASA and loves it, so I will come out to fontana and look you guys up.

Thank you for all the input.

 

[Coz]

Very cool, look forward to meeting you.

How much seat time do you have ?
Who are you running with ?

I have a few years running with speed ventures and SCCA (many years ago)
I have a friend that runs a RX-7 at NASA and loves it, so I will come out to fontana and look you guys up.

Thank you for all the input.

 

[Scin]

I run my NSX in TTB in the Texas region. I'm about to do the whole season this year, having only run one time trial last year, which I did manage to win (9 cars in class).

I think the NSX can be very competitive in TTB. A lot will depend on your driving ability and ability to setup the car.

Your car as it stands would qualify for TTC and you may even be competitive in TTC with street tires. Once you add a faster tire like a Hoosier R6 (or if you have lots of money, Hoosier A6) you will immediately be bumped into TTB. If you end up running in TTB you will probably want to spend a few more points and do more mods to get the most out of the TTB rules. The tricky party about attempting to stay in TTC is tires, there are cars that start out with fewer points than the NSX in TTC and can spend them on Hoosiers and make life very difficult for you on street tires.

If I was you I would take my car as is and run a few time trials in TTC and see how you like it, then figure out if you want to stay in TTC or step up to TTB after that.

Most of the people in my TTB class are probably about 3 seconds off the pace of their cars, with maybe one or two serious competitors in my region.

PM me if you would like more information and setup advice. I also have a friend that is preparing to run his NSX in TTA this year, we will both be at the Texas Regional opener in two weeks.

Here is a link to the rules where you can figure out the point system and how to classify your car. I think the NSX starts with something like 16 points in TTC, http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/time_trial_rules.pdf .

 

[itrsteve]

A stock'ish NSX can squeak into TTC? That's pretty awesome, too bad you'll be fighting off highly modified E36 M3's... but it's all relative in the grand scheme of things. I would be curious to see how one would do in that arena.

 

[integrals]

NSX's start as TTC** cars (so handicapped with 14 points) so it must be virtually stock in TTC to stay there. Adding simply NT01 tires bumps you to TTB.


I ran all last year in TTA and finished well for the year with no engine modifications other than exhaust work.

This year I ballasted another 35lbs and have squeaked back into TTB. We are VERY competitive in TTB with stock HP. There was virtually less than a .5 second gap between the top 4 cars in the first event. Fantastic stuff!

TTA will be more difficult unless you have a little more power than stock. It was a rough year!

But like COZ said, its doable and I highly enjoy my near stock car running with quite a few race prepped cars and hanging in there!

Times don't lie!

 

[integrals]

Oh and yes Coz is correct. We will both be at the next two california events if you care to check out two opposite ends of the spectrum (stock tuned vs heavy modified tuned).

 

[docjohn]

I used to time trial in the late 90's....all I remember is the ridiculous downtime sitting around waiting for the timing scoring guys to get ready,then waiting your turn in line,then more waiting when some bozo takes an extra lap,but if you are a competative chap and don't want to trade paint it is worth a go.

 

[itrsteve]

NSX's start as TTC** cars (so handicapped with 14 points) so it must be virtually stock in TTC to stay there. Adding simply NT01 tires bumps you to TTB.

Excellent info thanks! I figured if a NSX got into TTC then there couldn't be much breathing room.

 

[Coz]

Much has changed since then John...

TT classes now run Big Bore and Small Bore as groups where open passing is allowed.

At least with NASA-AZ, our times are posted within 10-15 minutes after the session.

I used to time trial in the late 90's....all I remember is the ridiculous downtime sitting around waiting for the timing scoring guys to get ready,then waiting your turn in line,then more waiting when some bozo takes an extra lap,but if you are a competative chap and don't want to trade paint it is worth a go.

 

[docjohn]

Much has changed since then John...

TT classes now run Big Bore and Small Bore as groups where open passing is allowed.

At least with NASA-AZ, our times are posted within 10-15 minutes after the session.

Indeed now with the transponders and gps I guess you can just run and see what times you end up.Much better.

 

[Coz]

You bet John...
UMS Tuning here in AZ put together a group buy for the Qstar Q6000 which is a color GPS lap timer I bought into. Instant feed back is very important as well as analyzing the data at a later time, as you well know.

Indeed now with the transponders and gps I guess you can just run and see what times you end up.Much better.