Roadrace Your Cobra ?

[tommyboy]

Just thought I would pass this along.
The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) has opened up a Midwest region for road racing. NASA has many different classes for road racing.
One of the events they offer is called there High Performance Driving Event (HPDE) or more commonly referred to as "Open Track". NASA is holding events at Road America, Autobahn(Joliet), Blackhawk Farms, Putnam Park(Indiana) and a couple of other midwest locations.
I thought this could be a good way to get members of the WCCC together for some on track experiences. You have to become an NASA member ($35-40 a year) but this then allows you to participate in there HPDE events. Everyone would start out in HPDE group 1. Instructors show you the proper methods and theory of getting the car around the track. As you progress you may move up through HPDE 2, 3 and 4. An NASA event is held mostly on the weekends. You can sign up for 1, 2 or 3 days of track time. Two days of HPDE events gets you about 8, 20 minute or so sessions for about $295.00 . In my past experiences of open track this is plenty of time on the track.
For more info check out www.nasaproracing.com for schedules.
First event is in April. Let me know what you think.
Thanks, Tom.

[Morris]

Tom

Thanks for the info.....

Will they let modified Cobra's particapate in this event.....???

Different wheel and tire combination....brakes....chassis.... etc....

Morris

[scottj]

Tom,

I'm very interested.

Scott

[OhBuoy]

I am intersted as well. I was a NASA member for a while, not sure if I renewed last year. What about those of us with a single hoop roll bar?

[bwana50]

I attended a NASA HPDE event at Willow Springs a couple years ago. Very cool!

Morris - HPDE isn't competition, so you can run pretty much anything.

Oh Buoy - not sure about single hoops; I have dual roll bars, so it wasn't an issue.

I hope they come to Heartland Park...

[flipper35]

You must have roll over protection for the instructor also.

[OhBuoy]

Do they offer lead/follow?

[RACER X #99]

NASA HPDE is a great place to start for any nubie who wants to try some Open Track.

NASA also does HPDE at Summit Point WV and Watkins Glen NY.

I believe unless you have taken your Cobra on the track you will never really understand the Cobra experience.

Good luck to you "new" Open Trackers.

Cranky

[flipper35]

OhBouy, what they told me was take your regular car for the first phase and then do lead/follow with the Cobra for phase two if you don't have roll over protection. I am sure Roger can explain it much better than I.

[pilotdad13]

Tom , I'm very interested, I have done some track events at Road America, Blackhawk and Gingerman, and you can't discribe the thrill, you need to experance it, awesum! I'll check the web for added info. Fred

[ItBites]

I had to take the NASA class last year since I was a new member. Since I have only one hoop, they asked the instructor pool if anyone wanted to ride with me. A nice English fellow was willing and off we went. They did not require a second hoop.

After we went past the McLaren F1 like it was standing still, he kept pushing me to increase speed on the banked turns. Afterward, I told him it wouldn't do another 5 mph with me in the car, and he said: "I wouldn't tell you it'll handle it if it won't... I'm sitting in the seat that is going 10mph faster than your seat, and with no roll bar..."

Great guy, great track (PIR in PHX) and absolutely no hassles from the NASA crew about the car or the hoop.

BTW, they told me that even if no one wanted to ride with me, that I could take the class as lead-follow, so don't worry... just take your ride out there and thrash on it - NASA is pretty cool about Cobras.

[Morris]

Cranky

And some of us old guy's...... that have won allot of races..... you see it's a great place to test and work out the issues with the cars..... especially if you get as much time on the track as they say you do....

The more testing you do the better the car will go.....and I mean making changes to the suspension to get the car to do what you want it to....

So it might surprise you that there are some very experieced drivers out there just having fun and playing with the car because they can never leave anything as is ....and have the feeling they must change it and make it better....

Besides ...where can you go and rent a track for $300 dollars and do all of your testing....

Morris

[RACER X #99]

Morris,
I didn't mean to imply that HPDE was just for beginners, just that it was a good place to start.Lots of us just enjoy playing racecar driver without the fender to fender competition.
Cranky

[Blas]

So is someone following up on this?
Will this be an event for WCCC?

[Big-Foot]

HPDE events are also great for those veterans among us that want cheap track time to work on setups..

I am VERY pumped that NASA is coming to town.

My Spec Racer and I are waiting with bait on our breath!

[tommyboy]

The way I see it, anyone that is interested in the NASA HPDE events should get on the NASA web site (www.nasaproracing.com) look at their schedule of events for the Midwest region. First event is at Road America April 8-10. Follow NASA procedures for registration.
Any and all that sign up can post here on WCCC if they are going and on which days. Also post where you might be staying. We can always group together at the track.
FYI, Road America is a fantastic place. I am sure anyone that has never done anything like this or has never been on Road America's track will have a great time and lots of bench racing afterwards. By the way you get to run the full track- Longest track in America !

[coyled]

Road america can be intimidating for beginners. Your first time with nasa, you go through a one or two day school session. You have instructors that ride with you the first few days. I highly recomend it, even if you don't get the full on open track itch because it will make you a better and safer driver on the street. They generally let you run with one hoop. Some will let the instructor ride with no hoop, some instructors won't ride in a cobra period. A short techinical track tends to keep speeds down and is a good way to learn. At high speeds, the low speed stuff apply's, but the penalty is higher for mistakes. Scott

[Morris]

Scott

Do you know anything about Mr. Bacons Cobra he races and the suspension and body work...??

Morris

[coyled]

Morris, his cobra started off life as a hi tech. Harrison autodynamics in phoenix did the set up work on Bob's cobra as well as all of my recent shanges in the suspension on my cobra. Bob's cobra has the control arms lengthend to widen the track. He also has a rocker type front suspension and a cockpit adjustable front bar, no rear bar. Ohlin shocks, 600hp 427, carbon fiber body, rear wing. I would bet that it is the fastest road race cobra in the country. He ran a 1:01 at PIR recently. A fast Trans am car with a good driver will run 1:00 flat. The fastest cobra I know of other than Bob's, ran 1:05's to 1:06's there.It is a wicked cobra. Bob wants to go to Road america this year with us. He might run like a 2:15. Scott

[Morris]

Scott

Can you get me in touch with him.....

Also when are you guy's thinking about coming up to Road America...?

I'd love to have mine done and meet you at Road America...

Morris