NASA prototype

Randy V

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Meh....

Screwed up organization (my opinion) with big dreams....
 

Randy V

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Randy, I don't know anything about them, have you had prior dealings with them?

Too many Al... They are a "professional" racing organization who has hijacked most of the SCCA rule book and called it their own (all in the name of brotherly love and cross pollenation - right...)....
They have managed to usurp a number of SCCA Regions, by offering money for Corner Workers (SCCA is completely a volunteer organization) at events on the same weekends or adjacent weekends to SCCA events - causing hardship for the workers, not to mention the workers demanding to be paid by SCCA Regions since "NASA does it..."....
NASA does/did not have nearly the safety margins that SCCA has in the corners in terms of the number of workers and their required training... Hence you may not have the worker there that is able to help you safely from your vehicle if/when disaster happens..
I could go on for days....
I've raced a number of NASA events where I saw shoddy cars which would not pass an SCCA safety inspection. Raced with other drivers who had heart conditions that would not allow them to pass an SCCA physical. On and on... All in the name of the almighty buck..
The very last NASA event I raced at, I was racing my Cobra at Brainerd International Raceway and went off the track at the exit of T1 at 145 MPH as captured by my Data Acquisition system. My car launched into the air at that speed and flew just under ninety feet on the first hop, then bounced back into the air for another 45 feet before it landed on its wheels and struggled for control all the way up to the point where I crashed into the trees still going 70MPH. I went from 70 to Zero in 23 inches (which is how much the car crushed up to the first chassis upright X).. The corner workers just stood there in the infield as I pulled myself from the smoking ruins of my racecar. I managed to stand up and that was all it took for them to say I was okay... So they continued the session and left me standing out there - alone - for 45 minutes. At which point in time, they sent a guy out with a bottle of water to tell me that I needed to stand in a different spot until they were done with the next session. They had only one flatbed wrecker and it was busy (gone to lunch - since the session I was in was a qualifying session and not a race).. Total time standing on the corner by my wrecked car was 2 hours. I was not brought to medical but back to my paddock where they pushed my mangled car off the trailer.
Yeah - this is a Professional Organization this NASA group...
They would have lost their shirts if they had to pay an additional wrecker crew and an actual medical person...

Where NASA has made it big is in the fact that they will let damned near anything out on the racetrack. One day, there will be a widow and a team of lawyers that will stop that sort of madness... Waivers are completely meaningless in cases of negligence.

Sorry for the thread drift - the car looks nice, but that's about as far as I think it will really go....
 
Wow Randy, I had no idea. Glad you're okay after that experience.
I would have been more than a little furious.
 
Too many Al... They are a "professional" racing organization who has hijacked most of the SCCA rule book and called it their own (all in the name of brotherly love and cross pollenation - right...)....
They have managed to usurp a number of SCCA Regions, by offering money for Corner Workers (SCCA is completely a volunteer organization) at events on the same weekends or adjacent weekends to SCCA events - causing hardship for the workers, not to mention the workers demanding to be paid by SCCA Regions since "NASA does it..."....
NASA does/did not have nearly the safety margins that SCCA has in the corners in terms of the number of workers and their required training... Hence you may not have the worker there that is able to help you safely from your vehicle if/when disaster happens..
I could go on for days....
I've raced a number of NASA events where I saw shoddy cars which would not pass an SCCA safety inspection. Raced with other drivers who had heart conditions that would not allow them to pass an SCCA physical. On and on... All in the name of the almighty buck..
The very last NASA event I raced at, I was racing my Cobra at Brainerd International Raceway and went off the track at the exit of T1 at 145 MPH as captured by my Data Acquisition system. My car launched into the air at that speed and flew just under ninety feet on the first hop, then bounced back into the air for another 45 feet before it landed on its wheels and struggled for control all the way up to the point where I crashed into the trees still going 70MPH. I went from 70 to Zero in 23 inches (which is how much the car crushed up to the first chassis upright X).. The corner workers just stood there in the infield as I pulled myself from the smoking ruins of my racecar. I managed to stand up and that was all it took for them to say I was okay... So they continued the session and left me standing out there - alone - for 45 minutes. At which point in time, they sent a guy out with a bottle of water to tell me that I needed to stand in a different spot until they were done with the next session. They had only one flatbed wrecker and it was busy (gone to lunch - since the session I was in was a qualifying session and not a race).. Total time standing on the corner by my wrecked car was 2 hours. I was not brought to medical but back to my paddock where they pushed my mangled car off the trailer.
Yeah - this is a Professional Organization this NASA group...
They would have lost their shirts if they had to pay an additional wrecker crew and an actual medical person...

Where NASA has made it big is in the fact that they will let damned near anything out on the racetrack. One day, there will be a widow and a team of lawyers that will stop that sort of madness... Waivers are completely meaningless in cases of negligence.

Sorry for the thread drift - the car looks nice, but that's about as far as I think it will really go....

Randy, The NASA guys at your race sound like jerks. I think that this car is named for the class, not the affiliation with NASA. The construction, weight and drivetrain are interesting, I imagine it could be raced at SCCA events.
 

Randy V

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Sorry - no class in the SCCA would support that car. It's a spec car to be built for a proposed spec class within NASA. Most likely run in one of Nasa's SU run-whatchu-brung class...
I will admit that 60k is not a bad price, but until it's real and available, I think it's just going to be so much smoke...
 
Hello Randy,

I’m saddened to hear of your negative experience at a NASA event. In my 5 years as an employee of NASA, I have witnessed our goals of providing the best operating events continually raise the industry standard each and every year. We always have proper safety vehicles and EMTs on staff at every event. I understand this accident you’re referring to be almost 10 years ago and in the life of a 24 year old company, I believe you’ll agree that’s a awful long time. Since your last involvement with NASA, we’ve grown by leaps and bounds in the area of safety and event management. We were the first amateur sanctioning body to mandate the use of a 38.1 head and neck restraint system used in conjunction with side nets/head bolster seat. We have participant insurance coverage that is second to none which covers anyone in case they are hurt at one of our events. We ensure our events are properly staffed and ready to run before a participant ever attends the event by compensating our workers for their efforts. If that isn’t an American way of thinking, I can’t think of something better that is. The specific region you competed in changed management shortly after the incident you referenced above and has grown into one of our biggest and most successful regions in the country. In short, a lot has changed in the time since you last competed with us. It is my hope that you will allow us the opportunity to change your views by inviting you join us at a future event. Because of the situation with your last event experience, I’d like to offer you a complimentary membership and entry fee to a NASA event of your choosing. If you’d like to give the new NASA a try, I’m sure it will change your views considerably. If you’d like to reach me, I can be reached by email me at [email protected].

Regards,
Will Faules
NASA Divisional Director
 

Keith

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I was using classic British understatement..but you're quite correct. Freaking low it is.:shocked:. (IMO and Pete's) :)
 

Pete McCluskey.

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Woggs together:furious: if you ain't wheelspinning between corners you ain't got enough horsepower..... Who said that? Cheats use Google.:furious:
 

Randy V

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Will, welcome to GT40s.com...

Thank you for your notes and reassurances... I am happy to hear that NASA has taken such steps...
 
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