Hey there....

Well ive been in the Honda game for a couple of years now and im lookin to get my feet wet into some racing. It seems like for my region (Northeast) that NASA would be a better choice seeing as it looks like they have a few more events. (I could be wrong, SCCA was other option) HondaChallenge is what im mainly looking to get into.....

I think im going to be more into HPDE events as oppose to autocross also...I dont think i would be a big fan of 30 second-1:45 sections....personally, i would rather be attacking lap times and eventually becoming familiar with a more "Race" type environment.

However, going through some of the FAQ's and looking at some rules and restrictions, it only raised more questions!!! I figure it would be best to have some first hand up to date response from the people who actually have some seat time and have been through the stages im in at this point in time.

On with some ?'s.......

I see that you have to graduate through the HPDE programs. 1-4 i believe. Understanding that level one is with an instructor getting you out on the track and some seat time. Which is exactly what i want. Some seat time / instruction.

Do I need to have any other kind of pre-requisite to joining NASA for HPDE obviously starting at lvl1??? There are a bunch of events at tracks that are not too far from me, and like I said i want to get my feet wet. really wet......

Obviously having a cage in your car is both much safer, and increases the stability of your ride, but is it mandatory for the entry level? HPDE1?

I was reading through some of the rules with regards to engine modification and chassis....Does it matter which motor goes in which chassis? I understand each motor has a minimum weight requirement, but are you NOT ABLE to do any kind of swaps. it gives an example of a GSR motor in a ITR shell...and that not being ok....but you use a JDM GSR B18C with ITR crank, pistons and head in ITR shell it will be ITR.....

i qould most likely be putting either a GSR or ITR into a DC2 GS trim chassis....if that would be allowed.....


thanks for any help you guys can give me, and i look forward to maybe meeting up and getting some chase time on you other drivers out there!!!! thanks again!

Dc2

 

I think a lot of your confusion stems from one thing you might be misunderstanding. Honda Challenge and HPDE's are not the same thing. You can do anything to your car and do HPDE's as long as your car is safe enough and passes inspection. And you do not need a cage. Honda Challenge is a wheel to wheel racing series where there are a lot of rules and restrictions, and you would need a cage.

HPDE's are fun and easy to get into, just register, pass tech, and show up.

 

hmmmm......

so i would just have to sign up / register for NASA, and show up to a HPDE event??? that would be fcukin awesome....


also its gonna be wise to do some HPDE events before i try to get myself into something like Honda challenge?

 

You do not need to register for NASA to do HPDE events. HPDE is a "high performance driving event" or "high performance driving education". They are usually put on by local clubs, BMW clubs, Porsche clubs, etc etc. Go to a local tracks website and look through their schedule.

Also, before you even THINK about wheel to wheel, you need to get on track, and get seat time, a LOT of seat time. Racing isn't something you just jump into, I have a few HPDEs under my belt and consider myself a fairly competent driver, but I wouldn't think of wheel to wheel at this point. Also, don't go modifying your car for "racing" right now, just get out on track with what you have, just make sure it has decent pads and tires and you'll be good to go.

 

This might be a tad oversimplified, but pretty much. HPDE's are non-competitive track events where passing is only allowed in certain groups based on experience level. Like you already noted, at first you would have access to instructors.

It's definitely wise, but it's also required. Before you're allowed to race wheel to wheel you would have to get licensed. And it seems like you read a bit about this before, but, you would have to move up from HPDE1 to HPDE4, being promoted only when the instructors see that you're qualified. And you can only be considered for a license if you're already in HPDE4.

 

Like verticle said, you don't have to do your HPDE's through NASA. I believe if you went to your first NASA HPDE with track experience you would be placed in the appropriate HPDE group.

 

heres what one of the local tracks has as a requirement for there "test and tune" days....

While the Test and Tune days are open to all sorts of race cars, it's not open to just any driver--all drivers must present proof of a current SCCA, Professional Sports Car Racing, VSCCA, SVRA, Vintage National License, RCCA, Pro-Rally, NASCAR, CART, FIA, EMRA, or CASC license.


i dont think this is considered a HPDE day cause it only shows 3 dates....if you go on the NASA website, it shows a HPDE at that same raceway on 3/27/10....but on the tracks website i cant find anything!! hmmm.....

you guys are being SUPER helpful! thanks alot for the comments!

 

 

Test and Tune days are not HPDE. As you see, they are for licensed racers to come out and test racecars ie full safety equipment. No instructors...

HPDE usually have classroom instructors and an instructor who will ride along with you. It sounds like what you will want to do is start in HPDE1, move up through HPDE2 and HPDE3. Then you can consider whether you want to instruct (HPDE4), time trial or wheel-to-wheel roadrace ie Honda Challenge etc.

 

it looks like signing up with something like NASA gives you access to a whole list of events.

for $49 for a year membership, it seems like it would get me into the door i think....

i can register for any HPDE they have listed, and get myself into the classroom / track.

now im just nervous about bringing my car i have a.t.m. to the track.....

 

It seems that you have to be a member of one of these car clubs to be able to attend the HPDE for that day....rather than be specific for one club, i would prolly go for the NASA membership....that way i can run whatever, wherever.



Here is a list of NASA's HPDE's in my area........

***************************************

March 27 - Lime Rock Park - Full Day - HPDE

April 11 - Pocono East- OPEN TRACK/ TRAINING

April 16 - NJMP Lightning Course - HPDE / OPEN TRACK

April 17-18 - NJMP Lightning Course - HPDE / NASA RACE

April 30 - Lime Rock Park - Full Day - HPDE

May 3-4 - Watkins Glen - HPDE

May 14 - Monticello Motor Club - HPDE

May 28 - NJMP Lightning Course - HPDE / OPEN TRACK - Comp Sch.

May 29-30 - NJMP Lightning Course - HPDE / NASA RACE

June 25 - Monticello Motor Club - HPDE

July 16 - Pocono All Three Courses - HPDE

July 17 - Pocono Double Infield Course - HPDE / NASA RACE

July 18 - Pocono Single Infield Course - HPDE / NASA RACE

August 13-14 - Lime Rock Park 1/2 day - HPDE / NASA RACE

September 4-5 - Pocono North and East Course - HPDE / NASA RACE

September 17 - Monticello Motor Club - HPDE

October 1 - Watkins Glen - HPDE / OPEN TRACK

October 2-3 - Watkins Glen - HPDE / NASA RACE

October 29 - NJMP Thunderbolt - HPDE / OPEN TRACK

October 30 - 31 - NJMP Thunderbolt - HPDE / NASA RACE



***************************************


With that many events a possiblity to go to with NASA i think its the better choice....i can get my foot in the door (and on the floor) at some of these....

im gonna contact NASA Northeast and see what they have to say....


THNX AGAIN!!!

 

Spencer "Lo-Buk EF" can guide you in all that is NE NASA.
He has much knowledge and is a champion in his parts.

IMO your best bet is to start doing the hpde deal.
Work your way up, believe me you wont be door to door overnight.
It takes time lots of seat time.
You can also go to an accredited racing school which NASA recognizes.
This however isnt the cheapest method.
Bottom line you have a way to go before you get out there, and actually race.
Go out there for now and run have fun learn lots.

 

^^^^


awesome....i sent him a PM, hopefully he will be able to help me out!

 

replied
basically, the short of it is
1. become a nasa member
2. sign up for an hpde in group 1
3. make sure your car is ready for track use. good brake pads and fluid, tires in good shape (dont have to be fancy, just n good shape), battery is tight, no sketchy seats or harnesses, ect.
4. show up on the day of the event, go through tech and registration and have a blast on track

 

For Nasa HPDE, checkout their webapge at http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/index.html as it has quite a bit of info on HPDE with their main webpage being http://www.nasaproracing.com. Usually, you can get your car teched before the event (for free), and I think that each region has a list of HPDE tech stations - just go to the main webpage and then select your region in the Jump to box. During the tech, they will want to have the battery cable connection completely covered, and they used a little duct tape on the post for my car. I believe that they may charge for tech at the track, so best to get it done before the event especially if they find any issues. If you do go with Nasa, then ask an instructor if you could ride along during a HPDE-4 session, as it is interesting to see the course at full speed. Just listen to the instructors and group leader, and you should have a lot of fun out there... - Jim

 

All of the NASA HPDE events I have been to I have never paid to get my car tech'ed at the track. In HPDE 1 you register for an event way early because spots fill up fast, show up at the track, attend the all hands meeting, they tell you when to show up to your first classroom instruction, then usually 15 minutes after your classroom instruction lets out you show up to the grid, you wait for your instructor to get there and crap your pants because you feel like you are the only person whose instructor isn't showing up to grid, the instructor shows up checks your car over to make sure he feels it is safe, asks for your pre-tech inspection form (printed from NASA website) and then you get in the car and drive. Usually the instructor will have a headset for you to communicate with them which slides under your helmet.

I forgot to mention that the pre-tech form is filled out by you, unless you feel you are totally unqualified, then you could ask somebody to help you prior to coming to the track.

I was freaking out the first time I went to an HPDE over-analyzing everything, but when I got there everything came together.

Hope this helped some.

 

In Northern California, the pre tech form for HPDE is filled out by the approved HPDE tech stations and not by the driver. As far as tech at the event, I thought I had read somewhere that Nasa charges for it, but in any case, the tech station at the events is usually pretty busy in the morning, so it is better to get the tech done by one of the HPDE tech stations before the event - plus it gives a chance to fix something they find wrong. The HPDE tech stations often do a very quick look over the vehicle, so if it is the first time out on track with a car, then it might be good to have a more thorough inspection done, but the cost will probably be say $50-100+ dollars depending on how long the inspection is. If the brake fluid is over two years old, then probably would be good to get it flushed, and replaced, and maybe use a higher temp fluid, plus use good pads as was mentioned. - Jim

 

East and West Coast NASA differs in their tech inspection stuff. None of the East Coast regions charge for at-track inspections, and do not require a pretech.

 

Woogie Boogie!

 

I personally would recommend flushing brake fluid and replacing with high temp fluid no matter what before your first track day. I also strongly recommend some better pads if budget allows, but at the very least, make sure you have LOTS of material left, or a backup set of pads. There is nothing worse then having to cut your day or weekend short because you didn't have the car prepared well enough. This is coming from experience, I thought I had plenty of pad left to get me through a weekend, and at the end of day 1 I had brake problems.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcFoemiavx0

 

....we will be in touch...Thank You!!!!

yea the NASA page has been a big help.....and askin for a ride in a HPDE-4 car is a GREAT IDEA!!!....


awesome....yea im gonna do a full check on EVERYTHING....not just for NASA, but for myself and own safety as well...........oh and im sure im gonna be sh!ttin my pants while waiting on the grid....THATS FOR SURE!!!...heheheheh

I just put new pads and rotors on about 2 weeks before i put the car away last summer....but draining the lines and higher temp fluid is certainly a must!....

Awesome news....ill have my own filled out pre-tech sheet just because...


yea...changed em very very recently so i think i should be good....and that would certainly suck to have to cut the day short!ughhh.............id be so mad at myself.....


Well you guys are being SUPER helpful. and this is only getting me more and more excited about doing this. I think im gonna end up taping my entire car (lol) and tracking that....not REALLY what i would want to do, but i need to get myself out there....new tires (which will be acquired) and my new brake pads and rotors seem like the first things on your guys check list......along with a drain and hi-temp fluid for the brakes...

excitement continues to build and i havent even put my name on a piece of paper yet....


Dc2

 

With BMW CCA, you can also "run whatever, wherever". You do not need to be driving a BMW or even to own a BMW, and you can sign up for any BMW CCA event with your membership. Just like with NASA.