Jump to content

Photo

So Who's going to win NASA championships?

- - - - -

  • Please log in to reply
28 replies to this topic

#21
FTodaro

FTodaro

    Veteran Member

  • SMembers
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,084 posts
  • Location:Columbus Ohio
  • Region:Great Lakes
  • Car Year:2001
  • Car Number:35

Looks like I was very close....

It was very close and what was impressive is that there was some good respectful racing in the middle and back of the pack also. Not much carnage which is always nice to see. I feel bad for Ryan Roberson, who was having a fantastic runoffs with good speed, right up in the top 3 to 5 range. He was hit on the first lap and put him off, so he was DFL when he got back on the track. He worked his way up to 13th only to find out that his tie rod was damaged on lap one to the point it failed on the last corner of the last lap and put him in the wall at the finish line. Talk about some bad luck.

 

I said it previously in the other thread, but I am also happy for the Caveman, he has had a difficult year, and sometimes the results don't reflect the effort but Kyle earned it, Congrats old teammate.

 

In hindsight I should have gotten my ass off the couch and participated, I will be honest i have had my issues with NASA but i agree with Jim's assessment that I thought they ran a good show and did not make it more difficult than it needed to be.

 

My only suggestion, and if they did a survey i think they would find that only having one qualifying race reduces the need or the necessity of the the number of qualifiers they ran. You could do really well all week qualifying and get someone put you off in the race that would leave you no way to recover. Something to think about, but i bet folks would give up a qualifying session for another race even it its 20 min. race, IMO. Then average the race results like in years past. 

 

Congrats to Jim, he came prepared as always, not a surprise and also to Jared, Jared did his homework, he made several trips to Mid O this year and Kicked our ass a good one at the NASA events. The only guy who touched him this year was Davis. Jonathan is a solid consistent driver. I have raced against this dude for 10 years, makes very few mistakes and is a pain in the ass, as it should be.

 

I think this champs was another example of the drivers making the class look good.

 

Lets hope we can say the same at VIR.


  • Jim Drago, screaming monkey and Ryan Roberson like this

Frank
TnT Racing
SCCA Ohio Valley Region
 

Make it Rain - Made Paypal donation of $100+ We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver Donor - Made PayPal donation

#22
Xav

Xav

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 49 posts
  • Location:Chesapeake
  • Region:Mid Atlantic
  • Car Year:1999
  • Car Number:9

It was very close and what was impressive is that there was some good respectful racing in the middle and back of the pack also. Not much carnage which is always nice to see. I feel bad for Ryan Roberson, who was having a fantastic runoffs with good speed, right up in the top 3 to 5 range. He was hit on the first lap and put him off, so he was DFL when he got back on the track. He worked his way up to 13th only to find out that his tie rod was damaged on lap one to the point it failed on the last corner of the last lap and put him in the wall at the finish line. Talk about some bad luck.

 

I said it previously in the other thread, but I am also happy for the Caveman, he has had a difficult year, and sometimes the results don't reflect the effort but Kyle earned it, Congrats old teammate.

 

In hindsight I should have gotten my ass off the couch and participated, I will be honest i have had my issues with NASA but i agree with Jim's assessment that I thought they ran a good show and did not make it more difficult than it needed to be.

 

My only suggestion, and if they did a survey i think they would find that only having one qualifying race reduces the need or the necessity of the the number of qualifiers they ran. You could do really well all week qualifying and get someone put you off in the race that would leave you no way to recover. Something to think about, but i bet folks would give up a qualifying session for another race even it its 20 min. race, IMO. Then average the race results like in years past. 

 

Congrats to Jim, he came prepared as always, not a surprise and also to Jared, Jared did his homework, he made several trips to Mid O this year and Kicked our ass a good one at the NASA events. The only guy who touched him this year was Davis. Jonathan is a solid consistent driver. I have raced against this dude for 10 years, makes very few mistakes and is a pain in the ass, as it should be.

 

I think this champs was another example of the drivers making the class look good.

 

Lets hope we can say the same at VIR.

 

There will be a survey going out hopefully by the end of the week. Your feedback matches that of several others I talked to. I'd highly recommend filling out the surveys to note that. imo -it's always about moving forward and learning from the past.

Congrats to Jim - a very much deserved win.


  • Jim Drago likes this

#9 SM

NASA National SM Director

NASA Mid-Atlantic Race Director

http://www.injectorpulse.com


#23
Ron Alan

Ron Alan

    Veteran Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,732 posts
  • Location:Northern CA
  • Car Year:1995

 

 

My only suggestion, and if they did a survey i think they would find that only having one qualifying race reduces the need or the necessity of the the number of qualifiers they ran. You could do really well all week qualifying and get someone put you off in the race that would leave you no way to recover. Something to think about, but i bet folks would give up a qualifying session for another race even it its 20 min. race, IMO. Then average the race results like in years past. 

 

 

Funny how things come full circle! When the schedule/format was announced for COTA last year(SM) I reached out to NASA and asked "why the change?" After years of 2 qual races and a main...suddenly we had become SCCA(at least for SM)?? The answer I got was basically there was some big influence to change the format...and so it happened.

 

Don't get me wrong...no issue with either format...but the difference has always defined both organizations!

What NASA did this year was just weird :( 

At a minimum they should have given points/combined both results of the qual and qual race to form a grid for the main race!

 

My vote is to go back to the original format...qual race, qual race, Main race!

 

Congrats Jim on the win! 


  • FTodaro likes this

Ron

RAmotorsports

 

Donor - Made PayPal donation Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver

#24
Jim Drago

Jim Drago

    East Street Racing / 2 Time National Champion

  • Administrators
  • 6,566 posts
  • Location:Memphis, Tn
  • Region:Mid South
  • Car Year:2005
  • Car Number:2

Funny how things come full circle! When the schedule/format was announced for COTA last year(SM) I reached out to NASA and asked "why the change?" After years of 2 qual races and a main...suddenly we had become SCCA(at least for SM)?? The answer I got was basically there was some big influence to change the format...and so it happened.
 
Don't get me wrong...no issue with either format...but the difference has always defined both organizations!
What NASA did this year was just weird :( 
At a minimum they should have given points/combined both results of the qual and qual race to form a grid for the main race!
 
My vote is to go back to the original format...qual race, qual race, Main race!
 
Congrats Jim on the win!

I "think" the prize money and the carnage in the champs in the qualifying races at Sebring the year before were potential reasons for the change? I have had some bad luck in qualifying races in years past, not a huge fan of qualifying races.  However, I agree 100% this year was just weird and some combination or something should have been applied or better yet just the old format.. qualifying twice for a qualifying race seemed odd.  I think one qualifying and two qualifying races work best as well.  Or even just two qualifying sessions and one big race, but the combination this year seemed odd. Thanks for the congratulations


East Street Auto Parts
Jim@Eaststreet.com
800 700 9080

NASA Champs Winner - NASA Champs Winner Hoosier Super Tour points Champion - Hoosier Super Tour points Champion ARRC Champion - Won the ARRC Race in a Spec Miata Series Champ - Won a points based series in a Spec Miata BFG Supertour Winner - Majors Winner - Circuit of the Americas Winner - We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner SCCA National Champion - Won SCCA Runoffs at Road America SCCA National Champion - Won SCCA Runoffs at Road America

#25
Danny Steyn

Danny Steyn

    Zulu rain warrior

  • SMembers
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,439 posts
  • Location:Fort Lauderdale
  • Region:FL
  • Car Year:1999
  • Car Number:39

Personally I prefer straight quallies where best times determine starting positions for the main, but I also see valid reasons to have the qually races build up points to determine the starting grid  


Danny
Danny Steyn Racing | DSR YouTube Channel
Danny Steyn Photography | Adept Studios | Ocean MachineryOPM AutosportsRossini Racing Engines | G-Loc Brakes | 

 

2 x SCCA Runoffs Champ | 1 x NASA National Champ | 6 x June Sprints Champ | 10 x ARRC Champ

1 x SCCA Super Sweep | 2 x Triple Crown | 4 x Hoosier Super Tour Points Champ | 6 x Majors Points Champ | 5 x SEDiv Driver of the Year

 

 

June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner Series Champ - Won a points based series in a Spec Miata ARRC Champion - Won the ARRC Race in a Spec Miata We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver NASA Champs Winner - NASA Champs Winner June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner ARRC Champion - Won the ARRC Race in a Spec Miata ARRC Champion - Won the ARRC Race in a Spec Miata Majors Winner - BFG Supertour Winner -

#26
Danny Steyn

Danny Steyn

    Zulu rain warrior

  • SMembers
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,439 posts
  • Location:Fort Lauderdale
  • Region:FL
  • Car Year:1999
  • Car Number:39

I "think" the prize money and the carnage in the champs in the qualifying races at Sebring the year before were potential reasons for the change? 

 

Possibly also a result of VIR where the flash monsoon in one of the QR's caught out the the front runners and created an inverted starting grid


  • Jim Drago likes this

Danny
Danny Steyn Racing | DSR YouTube Channel
Danny Steyn Photography | Adept Studios | Ocean MachineryOPM AutosportsRossini Racing Engines | G-Loc Brakes | 

 

2 x SCCA Runoffs Champ | 1 x NASA National Champ | 6 x June Sprints Champ | 10 x ARRC Champ

1 x SCCA Super Sweep | 2 x Triple Crown | 4 x Hoosier Super Tour Points Champ | 6 x Majors Points Champ | 5 x SEDiv Driver of the Year

 

 

June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner Series Champ - Won a points based series in a Spec Miata ARRC Champion - Won the ARRC Race in a Spec Miata We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver NASA Champs Winner - NASA Champs Winner June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner ARRC Champion - Won the ARRC Race in a Spec Miata ARRC Champion - Won the ARRC Race in a Spec Miata Majors Winner - BFG Supertour Winner -

#27
UCFBrett

UCFBrett

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 46 posts
  • Location:Ventura, Calif.
  • Region:NASA SoCal
  • Car Year:1999
  • Car Number:25

Funny how things come full circle! When the schedule/format was announced for COTA last year(SM) I reached out to NASA and asked "why the change?" After years of 2 qual races and a main...suddenly we had become SCCA(at least for SM)?? The answer I got was basically there was some big influence to change the format...and so it happened.

 

Don't get me wrong...no issue with either format...but the difference has always defined both organizations!

What NASA did this year was just weird :(

At a minimum they should have given points/combined both results of the qual and qual race to form a grid for the main race!

 

My vote is to go back to the original format...qual race, qual race, Main race!

 

Congrats Jim on the win! 

 

 

 

NASA did conduct a survey among Championships competitors before the event, with a choice of formats, which included the format used last year and the format used at NASA Championships in the years before, in which the cumulative points total of Friday's and Saturday's qualifying races determined your starting position for Sunday's championship race. 

 

The format used at Mid-Ohio was the one chosen by the majority of those who responded to the survey.



#28
Ron Alan

Ron Alan

    Veteran Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,732 posts
  • Location:Northern CA
  • Car Year:1995

Thanks for the info Brett. I'm going to assume this was across the board for all classes/groups(sorry, paid no attention to other group formats)? 

 

Anyways...is what it is...just thought it odd this year...not what I would have voted for!


  • FTodaro likes this

Ron

RAmotorsports

 

Donor - Made PayPal donation Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver

#29
Jim Drago

Jim Drago

    East Street Racing / 2 Time National Champion

  • Administrators
  • 6,566 posts
  • Location:Memphis, Tn
  • Region:Mid South
  • Car Year:2005
  • Car Number:2

The race is up.. coverage starts around 1:14

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=dkC3rHEELOc


East Street Auto Parts
Jim@Eaststreet.com
800 700 9080

NASA Champs Winner - NASA Champs Winner Hoosier Super Tour points Champion - Hoosier Super Tour points Champion ARRC Champion - Won the ARRC Race in a Spec Miata Series Champ - Won a points based series in a Spec Miata BFG Supertour Winner - Majors Winner - Circuit of the Americas Winner - We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner June Sprints winner  - June Sprints winner SCCA National Champion - Won SCCA Runoffs at Road America SCCA National Champion - Won SCCA Runoffs at Road America




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users