Competitors in Prep Mode for NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires
August 27, 2012 4:55 PM —
Napa Valley, California - The NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course are now less than 30 days away. Top competitors from across the country are in...
Napa Valley, California - The NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course are now less than 30 days away. Top competitors from across the country are in...
preparation mode as they ready for their run at a NASA National Champion trophy from September 5-9.
This year's NASA Championships are shaping up to be the most competitive ever with deep fields of seasoned veterans and talented rookies battling for the top spots. With 49 GTS entries, 23 in Honda Challenge, 22 American Iron and over 27 "Supersize" competitors shooting for the title of NASA National Champion in multiple classes, the racing at Mid-Ohio next month is sure to be exciting.
Chris Cobetto is a returning NASA Championships top American Iron Class competitor and former SpecE30 class champion. In 2012, Cobetto will bring his No. 4 2012 Ford Mustang to the 2.25-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio road course located 30 minutes north of Columbus with help from PAS Mustang RTR, Performance Autosport, Baer Brakes, Kenny Brown, HAWK, MOTON, HRE Wheels/C and R Racing and Tranzilla .Cobetto qualified for the Nationals by competing in NASA Mid-Atlantic Region races at Summit Point Raceway and Virginia International Raceway (VIR).
Cobetto jokes about his race preparation, saying,"I do Yoga twice daily while visualizing my victory, immediately followed by a raw egg dropped into a glass of champagne and race gas aromatherapy. From a personal perspective, I change my diet to be more protein oriented and swim and speed walk in order to develop a bit more physical stamina. I actually start envisioning the track in my head. I envision the braking zones, each turn, what gear I will be in and potential situations I may encounter while on the track. I review the participant list and the schedule to find out with whom I'll be racing both in and out of class as well what wave my class will be and if and when I run into lap traffic."
Cobetto continued adding that "Mid-Ohio is one of my favorite tracks. I really enjoy the rhythm of the track. I focus the set-up of my Mustang on the braking zones and turns leading onto straightaways. Passing is at a premium there, so it gets pretty exciting for the drivers and for spectators alike."
The Montpelier, Virginia resident also makes sure he has a full complement of spares.
"The main thing we do leading up to the event is to heat cycle and season our Toyo RA-1 tires so that we can have the right tires with the right heat cycle numbers during the critical races at Mid-Ohio. We prepare with extra parts. We want to make sure that we have plenty of rotors from Baer Brakes, pads from HAWK, and tires. The transmission is going back to Tranzilla for a rebuild just before the event so it is fresh."
Jonathan Meris from Elk Grove, California is a Honda Challenge 2 competitor and is a two-time NASA National Champion. Meris is looking for the hat-trick in 2012.
"My NASA home region is Northern California," Meris said. "But this year I was able to run outside my region. I was fortunate to be at Buttonwillow Raceway earlier in the year, but closer to home I run at Thunderhill Raceway."
Meris added that "This year the Meris Motorsports team is looking to "three-peat" at the NASA Championships. However, we're building and racing a new car from the ground up, despite winning back-to-back NASA Championships in our previous Meris Motorsport Honda Civic. The debut of the Meris Motorsports Acura Integra will be at the 2012 NASA HPD Honda Challenge National Championships. With that said, we're hoping to have a few test days before the new car goes wheel-to-wheel, and we're keeping our fingers crossed! Without the support from SPC Performance, Special Projects Motorsports, and K-Tuned, this new build would not be possible."
Meris and his team will travel cross country for the NASAChampionships. So far, the trip has not been without concern.
"Like last year, the Meris Motorsports team has to tow and travel 2550 miles, one way, from California to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. On a unique note, our tow rig's fuel injectors decided to go south on us just weeks before the long haul which puts us in a budgetary bind for our build. As we speak, we're scrambling to either find a different rig for the tow or an affordable solution to repair our Duramax truck."
Meris is focused on the competition next month.
"Competition will be fierce in Honda Challenge this year and seeing that we're campaigning a new car, lots of tuning, sorting, and adjusting will be a sure bet throughout the Championship weekend. I hope to be able to be a part of the front pack. When the timing is right and the opportunity comes, hopefully I'll be there to pounce to take the top spot. Fortunately, the Toyo Tires from Track Fast Motorsports will give me the grip when I need it!"
Meris likes Mid-Ohio despite the geographical challenge getting to the track presents.
"Mid-Ohio is a real fun course. It has all the attributes and aspects that make it a technical course, but also is very high speed. My only gripe would be that it's 2500 miles away from home! The Meris Motorsports team tries to adapt to the conditions of the track at every race we attend. Luckily, for us, we've raced at every one of the NASA Championships since its inception and with that, we've acquired a great amount of data from racing at Mid-Ohio. I think what separates the fastest from the fast cars is the set-up of the car at the back section of the course. I think that if a car's set-up is optimized from Madness all the way through the Carousel, that is what makes for quick lap times. Of course having the extra horsepower for the straights won't hurt either."
Meris Motorsports will be running the No. 727 Acura Integra built with help from SPC Performance, Special Projects MotorSports, Gear X, K-Tuned, Track Fast Motorsports, Hasport, Hondata, OS Giken LSDs, Koyo Cooling Systems, Rota Wheels, Exedy Clutch, GearSpeed, Pro Car Innovations, Muffler Tech, and RLZ ENGineering.
In Spec Miata, Alec Udell from The Woodlands, Texas, will be in the No. 2 Mazda Miata, with sponsorship from Motorsports Development Group and Gilfus Racing Enterprises.
"This year we have run Motorsports Ranch Houston, Texas World Speedway, Motosports Ranch Cresson, and Hallett Motor Racing Circuit to qualify for the Nationals," Udell said. "We have stripped the Miata fully and rebuilt it, putting the baseline set-up on for Mid-Ohio, as well as getting the body panels all touched up and looking neat and tidy. My approach to racing in the Nationals is to be there at the end of the race, conserve tires so you are able to run the fastest at the end, and be able to, hopefully, outrun the competition to the checker."
The Texan likes the Mid-Ohio elevation changes.
"I really enjoy driving Mid-Ohio. I love the elevation changes of the track. Mid-Ohio is very tricky and hard to fully understand. In addition, it always seems to rain one day when you are there, which spices up the competition and keeps everyone on a level playing field. We focus on getting the car handling correctly through the slower speed corners, and go from there with the set-up."
Udell will also be running in the American Iron Class behind the wheel of the No. 16 Boss 302 Mustang, powered by R Squared Racing, Motorsports Development Group, LeBouf Brothers Towing and Ford Racing.
Charlotte, North Carolina's Kevin Helms will be making the trek to the NASA Championships to run in Honda Challenge 1. Like Cobetto, Helms earned his National bid from running at Summit Point and VIR. Helms has an aggressive approach to his NASA Championships weekend.
"I want to be the top qualifier, win both qualifying races, and Lord willing "and the creek doesn't rise" WIN the National race," Helms said. "I think that Mid-Ohio is a fantastic circuit, very technical. It's a driver's circuit. I focus the set-up of my No. 5 Honda Civic on the fast Thunder Valley section of the track."
Helms makes sure to bring along plenty of spares from his sponsors.
"I also make sure make sure that I have enough parts to cover an entire week from sponsors like Carbotech Brakes, Exedy Clutch, RLZ Engineering, Phil's Tire Service, and Hondaworks."
The NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires will begin with open practice on September 5, qualifying races on September 6 and 7 ,with final competition running Saturday, September 8 and Sunday, September 9 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Notable NASA Championships Numbers:
* 49 GTS entries
* Over 35 Spec Miata entries to date, expecting over 60
* Over 35 Spec E30 entries received, expecting over 50
* 23 Honda Challenge presented by Honda Performance Development entries
* 20 American Iron cars coming including Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers and Firebirds
* 27 Supersize entries, drivers attempting to be crowned champion in multiple classes
* More than 350 competitors and 1,650 family and crew members are expected to converge on Mid-Ohio in September
To qualify for the NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires, NASA competitors must compete in and score points in five regional races around the country. The 2012 NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires weekend will feature over 400 competitors racing for the NASA National Champion trophy in 33 racing classes and nine Time Trial divisions around the famed Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
For additional information, please contact NASA Championships Media Director, Kyle Chura at kyle@kcapr.com or (248) 821-0468. More detail can be found at www.nasaproracing.com or www.nasachampionships.com.
This year's NASA Championships are shaping up to be the most competitive ever with deep fields of seasoned veterans and talented rookies battling for the top spots. With 49 GTS entries, 23 in Honda Challenge, 22 American Iron and over 27 "Supersize" competitors shooting for the title of NASA National Champion in multiple classes, the racing at Mid-Ohio next month is sure to be exciting.
Chris Cobetto is a returning NASA Championships top American Iron Class competitor and former SpecE30 class champion. In 2012, Cobetto will bring his No. 4 2012 Ford Mustang to the 2.25-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio road course located 30 minutes north of Columbus with help from PAS Mustang RTR, Performance Autosport, Baer Brakes, Kenny Brown, HAWK, MOTON, HRE Wheels/C and R Racing and Tranzilla .Cobetto qualified for the Nationals by competing in NASA Mid-Atlantic Region races at Summit Point Raceway and Virginia International Raceway (VIR).
Cobetto jokes about his race preparation, saying,"I do Yoga twice daily while visualizing my victory, immediately followed by a raw egg dropped into a glass of champagne and race gas aromatherapy. From a personal perspective, I change my diet to be more protein oriented and swim and speed walk in order to develop a bit more physical stamina. I actually start envisioning the track in my head. I envision the braking zones, each turn, what gear I will be in and potential situations I may encounter while on the track. I review the participant list and the schedule to find out with whom I'll be racing both in and out of class as well what wave my class will be and if and when I run into lap traffic."
Cobetto continued adding that "Mid-Ohio is one of my favorite tracks. I really enjoy the rhythm of the track. I focus the set-up of my Mustang on the braking zones and turns leading onto straightaways. Passing is at a premium there, so it gets pretty exciting for the drivers and for spectators alike."
The Montpelier, Virginia resident also makes sure he has a full complement of spares.
"The main thing we do leading up to the event is to heat cycle and season our Toyo RA-1 tires so that we can have the right tires with the right heat cycle numbers during the critical races at Mid-Ohio. We prepare with extra parts. We want to make sure that we have plenty of rotors from Baer Brakes, pads from HAWK, and tires. The transmission is going back to Tranzilla for a rebuild just before the event so it is fresh."
Jonathan Meris from Elk Grove, California is a Honda Challenge 2 competitor and is a two-time NASA National Champion. Meris is looking for the hat-trick in 2012.
"My NASA home region is Northern California," Meris said. "But this year I was able to run outside my region. I was fortunate to be at Buttonwillow Raceway earlier in the year, but closer to home I run at Thunderhill Raceway."
Meris added that "This year the Meris Motorsports team is looking to "three-peat" at the NASA Championships. However, we're building and racing a new car from the ground up, despite winning back-to-back NASA Championships in our previous Meris Motorsport Honda Civic. The debut of the Meris Motorsports Acura Integra will be at the 2012 NASA HPD Honda Challenge National Championships. With that said, we're hoping to have a few test days before the new car goes wheel-to-wheel, and we're keeping our fingers crossed! Without the support from SPC Performance, Special Projects Motorsports, and K-Tuned, this new build would not be possible."
Meris and his team will travel cross country for the NASAChampionships. So far, the trip has not been without concern.
"Like last year, the Meris Motorsports team has to tow and travel 2550 miles, one way, from California to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. On a unique note, our tow rig's fuel injectors decided to go south on us just weeks before the long haul which puts us in a budgetary bind for our build. As we speak, we're scrambling to either find a different rig for the tow or an affordable solution to repair our Duramax truck."
Meris is focused on the competition next month.
"Competition will be fierce in Honda Challenge this year and seeing that we're campaigning a new car, lots of tuning, sorting, and adjusting will be a sure bet throughout the Championship weekend. I hope to be able to be a part of the front pack. When the timing is right and the opportunity comes, hopefully I'll be there to pounce to take the top spot. Fortunately, the Toyo Tires from Track Fast Motorsports will give me the grip when I need it!"
Meris likes Mid-Ohio despite the geographical challenge getting to the track presents.
"Mid-Ohio is a real fun course. It has all the attributes and aspects that make it a technical course, but also is very high speed. My only gripe would be that it's 2500 miles away from home! The Meris Motorsports team tries to adapt to the conditions of the track at every race we attend. Luckily, for us, we've raced at every one of the NASA Championships since its inception and with that, we've acquired a great amount of data from racing at Mid-Ohio. I think what separates the fastest from the fast cars is the set-up of the car at the back section of the course. I think that if a car's set-up is optimized from Madness all the way through the Carousel, that is what makes for quick lap times. Of course having the extra horsepower for the straights won't hurt either."
Meris Motorsports will be running the No. 727 Acura Integra built with help from SPC Performance, Special Projects MotorSports, Gear X, K-Tuned, Track Fast Motorsports, Hasport, Hondata, OS Giken LSDs, Koyo Cooling Systems, Rota Wheels, Exedy Clutch, GearSpeed, Pro Car Innovations, Muffler Tech, and RLZ ENGineering.
In Spec Miata, Alec Udell from The Woodlands, Texas, will be in the No. 2 Mazda Miata, with sponsorship from Motorsports Development Group and Gilfus Racing Enterprises.
"This year we have run Motorsports Ranch Houston, Texas World Speedway, Motosports Ranch Cresson, and Hallett Motor Racing Circuit to qualify for the Nationals," Udell said. "We have stripped the Miata fully and rebuilt it, putting the baseline set-up on for Mid-Ohio, as well as getting the body panels all touched up and looking neat and tidy. My approach to racing in the Nationals is to be there at the end of the race, conserve tires so you are able to run the fastest at the end, and be able to, hopefully, outrun the competition to the checker."
The Texan likes the Mid-Ohio elevation changes.
"I really enjoy driving Mid-Ohio. I love the elevation changes of the track. Mid-Ohio is very tricky and hard to fully understand. In addition, it always seems to rain one day when you are there, which spices up the competition and keeps everyone on a level playing field. We focus on getting the car handling correctly through the slower speed corners, and go from there with the set-up."
Udell will also be running in the American Iron Class behind the wheel of the No. 16 Boss 302 Mustang, powered by R Squared Racing, Motorsports Development Group, LeBouf Brothers Towing and Ford Racing.
Charlotte, North Carolina's Kevin Helms will be making the trek to the NASA Championships to run in Honda Challenge 1. Like Cobetto, Helms earned his National bid from running at Summit Point and VIR. Helms has an aggressive approach to his NASA Championships weekend.
"I want to be the top qualifier, win both qualifying races, and Lord willing "and the creek doesn't rise" WIN the National race," Helms said. "I think that Mid-Ohio is a fantastic circuit, very technical. It's a driver's circuit. I focus the set-up of my No. 5 Honda Civic on the fast Thunder Valley section of the track."
Helms makes sure to bring along plenty of spares from his sponsors.
"I also make sure make sure that I have enough parts to cover an entire week from sponsors like Carbotech Brakes, Exedy Clutch, RLZ Engineering, Phil's Tire Service, and Hondaworks."
The NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires will begin with open practice on September 5, qualifying races on September 6 and 7 ,with final competition running Saturday, September 8 and Sunday, September 9 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Notable NASA Championships Numbers:
* 49 GTS entries
* Over 35 Spec Miata entries to date, expecting over 60
* Over 35 Spec E30 entries received, expecting over 50
* 23 Honda Challenge presented by Honda Performance Development entries
* 20 American Iron cars coming including Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers and Firebirds
* 27 Supersize entries, drivers attempting to be crowned champion in multiple classes
* More than 350 competitors and 1,650 family and crew members are expected to converge on Mid-Ohio in September
To qualify for the NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires, NASA competitors must compete in and score points in five regional races around the country. The 2012 NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires weekend will feature over 400 competitors racing for the NASA National Champion trophy in 33 racing classes and nine Time Trial divisions around the famed Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
For additional information, please contact NASA Championships Media Director, Kyle Chura at kyle@kcapr.com or (248) 821-0468. More detail can be found at www.nasaproracing.com or www.nasachampionships.com.
