NASA Announces New Spec3 Class

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woodym3

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Using the same philosophy as their Spec E30 class, NASA has developed a class for the E36 325i. NASA Mid-Atlantic director Chris Cobetto's announcement mentioned that RRT had a big hand in testing components and building a car to test the viability of the various spec parts, tires and wheels. The spec tire will be the Toyo 888 in a 225/50-15 size. These cars will not be fast, but readily available and inexpensive to prepare for racing. A link to the rules is at the end of the NASA release:

http://www.nasaproracing.com/news/2009/nasa-announces-new-spec-class.html
 
It will be very interesting to see how they do this first year. It seems like a great place to start racing.
 
Damn it. I was just about to sell my E36 325i. Now I may have to rethink that decision. I've never raced it (or any of my cars for that matter). Then again, I haven't even done my first autocross yet, so I'm probably not ready to prepare and race a car in Spec3 competition. If I've learned anything, it is that crawl, walk, run is usually a good strategy.
 
///MARINE said:
Damn it. I was just about to sell my E36 325i. Now I may have to rethink that decision. I've never raced it (or any of my cars for that matter). Then again, I haven't even done my first autocross yet, so I'm probably not ready to prepare and race a car in Spec3 competition. If I've learned anything, it is that crawl, walk, run is usually a good strategy.
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I'd buy it from you, but it looks like yours is a 92 and non-vanos, so it's not eligible anyway. Sorry :)
 
Scany said:
I'd buy it from you, but it looks like yours is a 92 and non-vanos, so it's not eligible anyway. Sorry :)
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Hmmm... *Looking around the garage at the interior I took apart in order to install the roll cage* I didn't know it was ineligible. I figured the 1993-on was just a typo. I don't see how non-vanos would be an unfair advantage... Rules are rules however and I shall abide by them for the good of this great nation! Perhaps it was not meant to be. *picks up door panel*
 
///MARINE said:
Hmmm... *Looking around the garage at the interior I took apart in order to install the roll cage* I didn't know it was ineligible. I figured the 1993-on was just a typo. I don't see how non-vanos would be an unfair advantage... Rules are rules however and I shall abide by them for the good of this great nation! Perhaps it was not meant to be. *picks up door panel*
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Non-vanos is banned because it is significantly slower on most tracks. Rather than worry about trying to weight them differently, they're just makign it a single car class.
 
Nick325xiT 5spd said:
...that said the "stock LSDs will be allowed" language worries me. Those were damned rare....
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As rare as seatwarmers I guess. As far as I've understood it the LSD was part of the cold weather package. Though you can get seatwarmers without the cold weather package
 
'94. So apparently, the Spec 3 car is a '93 with the cold weather package.

I know for a fact that my old '94 325i (which I really, really regret selling) *had* the CWP and did NOT have the LSD.
 
Nick325xiT 5spd said:
Non-vanos is banned because it is significantly slower on most tracks. Rather than worry about trying to weight them differently, they're just makign it a single car class.
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Fair enough. I'm positive that it will be an exciting series and I look forward to enjoying it as a spectator. Is there any indication of the amount of participants yet?
 
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Three cars were done and racing last season (J. McAvoy in the RRT car aka the prototype, J. Packer in #242 aka the first completed chassis, and G. Widas in a black one.) Last I heard, 20+ suspension kits had been sold, so I think we will see a bunch of fresh cars this season.

I have driven both the RRT car and Packer's car at VIR and Summit, they are quick and fun. Not as tail-happy/throttle-steer-y as a frontpack Spec E30 (I drove Cobetto's 2 time national championship winning one back to back with a Spec3) but more stable and easier to drive fast IMHO.

Packer's car had some understeer, we did several things over the winter to try to reduce that. Sooner or later we will update that car's page ( http://www.get-fast.net/325is.html ), possibly after its first races of the year, this coming weekend at VIR.

It will be awesome to see how this class develops!

Jon
 
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