NASA Cup / SCCA ITS Update! Everyone Read!

[Nismo_Freak]

Part One

Mike Kojima was named head of the NASA SE-R Cup!

This is a major major victory for the Cup contenders as well as owners of ALL Nissans interested in getting into open course racing. NASA is very newbie friendly and has integrated classroom sessions and many available DE events to gain entry into the series. Check with your local chapter for more info.

Part Two

Proposed changes to current NASA SE-R Cup (Cup and SRX) regulations.

Some of my ideas. My goal is to make the rules simpler and easier to enforce, encorage more cars, plus make it easier if someone wants to run an aero kit or wing, to buy off the shelf cheap aero stuff. I want to make the SR cars look more racy to attract more media and public interest. I would like SR cars to look as trick as World Challange or Honda Challange cars. More interest, more participants.

Remove weight penalties for G20 and B15

Allow fastbrakes big front brakes on G20 since B15's have factory Brembos

Change rear spoiler rule for SR, making spoiler open as long as it doesnt stick out past rear bumper, stick out over roof, or is wider than the side of the car (reason being its to hard to find a spoiler that fits the rules and a big spoiler slows the car down)

Change the front splitter/ airdam rule allowing any comercialy avalible airdam/front bumper that any competitor can buy (no one off custom stuff), splitter must be no more than 4" from edge of fasica.

Allow non factory side skirts in SR as long as they are easily comercialy avalible to anyone.

Chaging the SR cage rules to the same as Honda Challange, that what you do inside the drivers compartment is open with a 15 lb penalty. Hopefuly this will encorage stiffer and safer cages. After seeing Steve Ellsworths car tweek after his crash at Infinieon, I think we should allow more attachment points, etc. The HC rules are simple.

Mandating that the entire unibody must remain for SRX but with open cages.

Clarifiying DOT tires for SRX.

Considering a Nissan Challange series with classes sorta like this:

NC1- 300ZXTT, 350Z with FA, SRX cars, Z31 300ZXT, ITE, SU, Turbo S13/14 drift cars, any FA carsNC2- 300ZX, 350Z, USTCC, ITS, PS2NC3- SR, ITA, GA16 Sentras, PS3

If we do this, Nissan wants us to keep the SE-R Cup name on NC3 and keep the SR class intact.

Also considering teaming up with the major magazines to promote a NASA sanctioned Time Attack Series.

What do you guys think?

Make note! SE-R Cup is now going to be open to NON-SR powered cars! This includes you KA-T, CA, and even RB guys!

Under the current rules the ITS 240SX's would need to run in SRX against turbocharged cars. Now with the proposed restructuring you guys would get to run against other naturally aspirated cars making it much more competitive.

Part 3

Mike wants to get your comments, even for you guys wanting to get into the series lets show some interest!

Go ahead and post your replies here and I will see about getting Mike to drop by and read them, and give us a post or two!

Let's get these 240's on the track, and have some fun!

[justmerging]

I am very interested. I was rather dissapointed when I was searching for classes to run my car in before. However, with this restructuring(sp?) I am very excited. I have done a few local autocrosses but more info on class regulations will be needed before I move on to this. Especially with the new classes. Also what kind of safety equipment is required besides the obvious helmet.

Come on guys I'd like to get some all out racing going. It's the only other form I have yet to do(everything else bores me at this point, except rally, that's a blast. However we need to show some interest for this to happen.

[Exar-Kun]

Sweet stuff.

I'll respond more this weekend. Looks like a great start!

-Chet

[Nismo_Freak]

I am very interested. I was rather dissapointed when I was searching for classes to run my car in before. However, with this restructuring(sp?) I am very excited. I have done a few local autocrosses but more info on class regulations will be needed before I move on to this. Especially with the new classes. Also what kind of safety equipment is required besides the obvious helmet.

Come on guys I'd like to get some all out racing going. It's the only other form I have yet to do(everything else bores me at this point, except rally, that's a blast. However we need to show some interest for this to happen.

http://www.sercup.com/

Also another update (albeit late)

Nissan has officially recognized the SE-R Cup! I'm sure we will see more of this bond integrated once Mike has the opportunity to work his magic.

This means, for those of us who make it to the top and win in the series, Nissan will pay out contingency money.

I have the paperwork and application somewhere and I will dig out more info on it.

[Joe]

awesome!im definatley interested in this, id really like to see a final set of rules for the NC1 class.

[PROJECTRB240SX]

I wonder if I can get my SR20DET 240Z into this action?

[nismofly]

with this much openness my race car is definately going to be another s13 now

im off to hit the lottery to fund all this

[rbsileighty]

Sweetness... I am game. I've got a lot of work to do safety wise... but I'd say it's worth it.

[D1 guy]

Im in mississippi and Im very interested. Will there be any events in my area...region.....east coast?

[GoofyATX240]

I'm down for it this is badass.

[DriftingisLame]

Anyone got any suggestions for an s13 roll cage?

oh yeah.. road racing.

[Nismo_Freak]

I will be following up with Mike to see if we can get a full safety list. Odds are the updates will only embroaden the current mandates to allow variations, but the core requirements will remain the same.

As for roll cage construction, again I will try to put forth as much as I know, and a few previous comments Mike has made on some of the SE-R Cup cars.

[float_6969]

w00t! This sounds awesome! I'm gonna tear up some SR's! Show 'em what a CA can do! More info please!

[Nismo_Freak]

w00t! This sounds awesome! I'm gonna lose to some n/a SR's! Show 'em what a CA can do! More info please!

Fixed

Those SE-R cats got quiet a bit of seat time, I don't think there will be much ownage goin on for a while.

[turtl631]

This sounds great. Although I wouldn't be able to participate personally for a while, it would be nice to be able to move up to something like this eventually.

[Nismo_Freak]

This sounds great. Although I wouldn't be able to participate personally for a while, it would be nice to be able to move up to something like this eventually.

No doubt, I think 99% of us are all hopefulls at this point.

I don't know anyone on the board that has all the equipment currently setup for this caliber of racing yet, but (!) thats not to say we all can't work towards it.

[Sil240]

Hopefully there will be some East coast events as well.

[DriftingisLame]

Making a roll cage would be much more cost efficient for me than buying one.. Nismo_Freak, if you'd like to share some wisdom, shoot me an e-mail [email protected]

[skylndrftr]

awesome!im definatley interested in this, id really like to see a final set of rules for the NC1 class.

+1 especially as they apply to the 240 and motor swaps

[nismofly]

all the major se-r cup events right now are in california and mid-atlantic regions

ohio-indiana i think you can race se-r cup but there isnt too many people there, same with southeast, northeast is trying to get more attendance because right now we only have hpde's and time trials, and sometimes a sprint race...but the sprint races only run the E classes right now...

as far as a cage some of the veterans can tell you who the really good cage builders are

[GhostDriver]

This is great news...as for safety equipement, I did some searching and came across Autopower. Any thoughts on them?http://www.autopowerindustries.com/

[Joe]

a custom cage is always better. the autopower stuff is well made, but not that well designed sometimes. my friend had one in his s13 coupe and it didnt fit worth ****.

you guys need to seriously think about this, building a racecar and racing is a VERY expensive hobby.

[91rs13]

Great news about letting other motors in 240's in. I guess it is time to join NASA.

[EZcheese15]

This is excellent news! And I encourage as many people who can financially support it, to go for it.

I however won't be going for it. I don't have anything close to enough budget to get into this.

I think some of you are misunderstanding the caliber of racing this is. This is professional NASA sanctioned racing. It's not like "oh I bolted in a roll cage, now I'm going to race" kinda thing. It's the full blown deal. For those of you that can afford it, excellent...I can't wait to hear how things turn out. It would be great to see some NICO cars out on the track competing.

I'm not a professional racer, so I can't say exactly the kind of budget you need to compete in this sort of thing, but I would guess $30-$50k per year would make you competitive (along with driving skill). Maybe Kokima can chime in and give a better estimate.

Anyway, nevertheless, I'm excited. Hopefully Speed will start covering some of these events on a regular basis.

[Joe]

damn it dont cost that much to race, its only a local series.

if you already have the completed car, operating costs can be between 500-1000 (tires, wich is realistically 2 tires a weekend, travel, gas, food, entry fees, misc. broken thigs) for a raceweekend. and there are 8-10 races a season (depending on area, etc). there are always ways to cut costs too. sleep in the truck, stay with friends, etc.

my budget is a little under 500 for a full weekend right now. but im not racing. only HPDE/Drift.

[EZcheese15]

damn it dont cost that much to race, its only a local series.

if you already have the completed car, operating costs can be between 500-1000 (tires, wich is realistically 2 tires a weekend, travel, gas, food, entry fees, misc. broken thigs) for a raceweekend. and there are 8-10 races a season (depending on area, etc). there are always ways to cut costs too. sleep in the truck, stay with friends, etc.

my budget is a little under 500 for a full weekend right now. but im not racing. only HPDE/Drift.

Well, most people don't have a completed car. And if you are local to either the mid-atlantic area, or the Socal area, then yeah, it's cheaper. However, if you are in the middle of the country and want to compete, traveling expenses just shot through the roof. So maybe that $30-$50k budget is more like for the first season. But regardless, 10 races at $1k each is still $10k for the year.

Also, people need to realize, you *MUST* have a track-only car. This isn't for your daily driver. I just want people to realize this, because reading this thread gives me the impression that many people think this is just a step above autoX, when in fact, it's a few steps above it.

[91rs13]

Hopefully there will be some East coast events as well.

According to the Nasa Northeast website --they have a time trial on sept 19/20 at WGI
Modified by 91rs13 at 3:50 PM 8/27/2005

[Nismo_Freak]

I'm not a professional racer, so I can't say exactly the kind of budget you need to compete in this sort of thing, but I would guess $30-$50k per year would make you competitive (along with driving skill). Maybe Kokima can chime in and give a better estimate.

It's not that hardcore, except maybe if you plan on attending every race for a cup win.

It's something to look forward to organizing locally to set up a competetive group of racers.

You have to have local before you can have national. Thats the reasoning behind Mike wanting to integrate many other models, so that people outside of the a-typical regions where SE-R Cup is prominant can go out and have some fun.

Forgo the typical Z06, Miata, Porsche, and BMW track groupies and lets get a bunch of Nissans on there.

[nismofly]

the budget is the only reason i wont be running for a few years...after the cost of the car most of the racers will tell you its maybe another $12k-$15k to get racing, plus the per weekend budget thats been mentioned

on top of the car itself and all the parts for it, remember youre going to need a trailer and a tow truck, so maybe $2k for the trailer and depending how much you spend on a pickup truck to tow it

if i hit the lottery id probably be racing by this time next year...but what are the chances right?

thats why a realistic approach is important...you have to remember they dont let you just show up and race either, the way NASA works is you move up through the HPDE classes and get approved for each, then after many check rides at HPDE's do you get your comp license

running HPDE's will let you slowly collect and build everything and at the same time gaining experience and moving up in classes so its not a severely time consuming process when youre finally ready to race

[Nismo_Freak]

Guys, I'm not saying 16 year old kids are gonna be out there running wheel to wheel with the veterans in the matter of a month.

Basically for those of you who are interested, it's best to know that different setups ARE allowed, and it's something to work towards.

C'mon work with me here.