Z06 Silver Bullet

Currently only 7 cars registered and we have our own run group.

Sweet, can we say some open track time or what.

I'll be coming home to change brake pads sat. night I think for sure now.

Makes me want to run slicks now instead of the street tires.

Falcon

Yea, I saw that. Looks like they're running HPDE3 & 4 together to make room for us.

tcmc5

Now I'm extra bummed I won't be there.

varkwso

I know other NASA region TTers are pushing hard for that. I can see the downside for the HPDE guys though....

dmwhite

i think its the right thing to do....running a TT in a DE group is just not a good idea...

NASA seems to be growing at a rapid rate and eventually (if not already) certain groups (racers, tt'ers, or DE guys) will start to suffer if something isnt done...at CMP there are 3 race groups and a TT group, "luckily" there arent many DE participants so i guess they combined HPDE 3 and 4 to make more room for the other groups...the SE event at Road Atl was WAY too crowded, tons of cars in every group...is nasa going to have to split up its racing and HPDE weekends? put a cap on entries? what are some options? (sorry to ramble on, its something i've been thinking about as a nasa racer)

now, since there's only ~7 cars in the TT group at cmp, i think they need to let me come out with them and get some more practice time...

varkwso

HPDE is getting squeezed by the race groups. NASA may need to go to the PCA Club race model. But then racing is going to get more expensive - right now it looks like HPDE subsidizes the race programs. Other HPDE programs seem to give more track time to the HPDE on a given weekend. But all of them are getting crowded!

Falcon

You're right, David, the NASA events are packing up. R/A was a zoo. I think there were 40 cars in the TT/HPDE4 group. It was tough to get a clean lap in TT and the purpose of TT'ing is a clean, open track.

Aside from the on track packing, the paddock at R/A was really an issue.

I'm pleased to see the popularity of NASA and hope it continues, and I'm sure there will be methods of giving us all what we want. It might turn out that there'll be enough participation for one weekend of racing and TT, and another weekend for HPDE's, or some combination like that. I like running with NASA and enjoy their laid back approach. Jim Pantis and Chris Cobetto have done good jobs in bringing NASA to the forefront. The problem in the future is that NASA might become a victim of its own success, but Jim and Chris are smart guys and they’ll figure out a way to manage that growth.

dmwhite

i don't mind paying more to get a less crowded track and more seat time...i honestly think they are getting enough business now to support separate weekends, i think there were over 100 racers at road atlanta (thats as many entries as we had at our bmwcca race-only weekend at vir back in sept)...there were enough DE cars there to have a DE only weekend...

Falcon, my sentiments exactly the organizers are great folks, i hope they can come up with a reasonable solution. 40 cars is just too much for a DE group at road atlanta! i think there were 70+ cars in the "thunder" race group on saturday...

anyways, i cant wait to race with NASA this weekend!! see some of you guys there...

racerwannabe

hope you guys don't run over me !!! i'm gonna try out the new ride..i didn't see another ttr.
johnny

Ag-z06

I stopped going to NASA HPDE events three years ago for this reason. Jamming 4 HPDE and 3-4 Race groups into a day is just crazy. I recall the first few events I ran with NASA I was getting 10-12 minute sessions, due to delays, race cars dumping oil, and other episodes of disorganization.
Not throwing stones, especially because I still have friends in that organization, but it definitely doesn't seem to be getting any better over time... The HPDE groups always helped subsidize the racers.

Z06 Silver Bullet

With under 10 of us you shouldn't see other cars to often Johnny.

If you look at the number of cars in total most run sessions won't have more than 25 cars it appears max. CMP is a little tighter than RA and doesn't draw the same crowds.

Maybe we can get some of those HPDE4 instructors to come over and run with us once they see this open track in our group.

rasrboy

I wish we only had 10 cars in our TT group at Mid-Ohio. I had to deal with 46 cars on Sat and a few less on Sunday. VERY,VERY hard to get clean laps.

Aaron

Z06 Silver Bullet

I ahevn't gone to a race weekend at a major track in along time and not had it packed to the limit. Whether it's NASA, PCA, whoever.
They are all trying to maximize profit and the cost of rental is sky high at some of the well known tracks.