NASA ADDS NEW COMPETITION DIRECTOR TO NATIONAL STAFF
NASA announced today that Bryan Cohn will assume the newly created position of National Competition Manager. Bryan’s focus will include overseeing the operation of the NASA National Championships at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course as well as working on all of NASA’s competition programs.
Bryan brings a magnitude of experience with him which equips him well for the new position with NASA. Bryan first started attending motorsports events in 1969 at the age of five years old. He has worked as a mechanic on just about every kind of car in racing, over a 20 year period. He has been an Event Chairman, Chief Driving Instructor, Tech Inspector, Corner Worker, Board Member, and even a Regional Executive for SCCA. Until recently, he was also the National Club Racing Competition Manager for the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
“Having Bryan come aboard is very exciting for us,” said Jerry Kunzman, NASA Executive Director. “He brings so much to the table at such a critical time in our program. He will be part of the history in the making and we are glad to have him with us.”
Founded in 1991, the National Auto Sport Association is a membership-driven organization that stages over 120 professionally managed events for automobile racers and driving enthusiasts coast to coast. With more than 10,000 members in 15 chapters nationwide, NASA’s amateur racing programs cover a variety of motorsport disciplines, including competition road racing, high-performance driving events for street-licensed cars, rallying, autocross, drifting and time trial competitions.
I saw that last week Dave. Bryan leaving kind of says it all about the tension and log jam that exists within SCCA .
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Kevin Firlein Autosport,Inc.
Runoffs - 1 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze, 3x drivers of the year
2004 Star Mazda East Coast series champions
8 Divisional championships 6 Regional championships
anyone ever participate in a Nasa event? Looks like one is comming up March 18th at Road Atlanta- I like SCCA but like racing more! Looks like our cars would be KCC-1 and race against Lotus 7s, Cobra replicas, etc- does that sound safe? Radicals are also in the group & we don't have a problem racing w/ them...
March in Atlanta is awesome. I could easily justify not going to one of the "hot" events and doing this instead...
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Sean O'Connell
1996 RF96 FC
1996 RF96 FB
2004 Mygale SJ04 Zetec
I've attended a NASA autocross, and was blown away by the organization, customer service and overall quility of the event.
If I recall they are an outright for profit business and it shows by how the customers at this event were treated. They want us to come back and spend more. I even got a reminder call wwhen the next event was being held at the same venue. I'm a firm believer that this capitalistic, market driven model in the long run will be very successful.
I'm personally going to spend my money where I get the best racing value of my limited racing dollars.
I have friends who race Factory Cobras with them and am told thier events are more like events (things going on other then racing) then straight races.
If they has a safe race class for the OW cars, I'd be intrested in testing the waters.
Sean, if you go, I'd be intrested in hearing about you experiance.
__________________ AMBROSE BULDO - Abuldo at AOL.com Possibly looking for FF FIT Conversion Candidate CURRENT: Intrepid Siverstone KPV3 Kart GONE: CITATION 87/93 FC, VD RF-85FF , 1981 FIAT Spider Turbo
I have a friend that races a 944 with NASA. He seems to like it except that they seem to be lax when it comes to tech/rules.
There was a guy who had an illegal car (too many engine mods), but for the championship event, the tech guys said that they would only look at the car after the race and only if he won by a substantial margin.
Not a problem for me, but do they have the same policy for safety issues or drivers who are 'not playing nice'?
Still I would be willing to do a session or two just to see.
Where did you go to find out the classes? Last time I looked, I didn't find anything that indicated that formula cars could run in their organization.
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I found the info & printed the forms, the SE region has hillclimbs too--- I really miss the Chimney Rock Hillclimb!
Haven't found where entry fees are listed yet
Last edited by rickjohnson356; February 28th, 2006 at 7:03 PM.
Reason: add more info
I have raced with them. We did have our own group. Open wheel and sports racers, included SRF as well. I don't know about now, but then they also had damage rule that if incident was your fault, you paid to fix both cars. (contact incidents). It did leave a lot to discretion of the stewards, but we never had any disagreements of any significance. Also, LOTS of track time, typically four or five half hour sessions per day. And insurance was as good or better than SCCA, for drivers and crew and guests, so long as they all had the $50 per year membership cards.
On the tech issues, about the same safety ones, but they don't seem to mind an outdated belts or helmet here and there, so long as they appear to be in good working order, and no fuel sampling ports. On the mechanical side of tech, it was pretty much the honor system, kind of like CF or CFC, but protest was allowed, with the losing party paying all costs, and not done at the track, but at a shop mutually agreed upon by the competitors. No post race impound, or scaling, exceept in protest situations. Log books issued first event with them, but not necessarily before first on track session. Normally , you grabbed one, filled out inside cover, and between sessions, left it in the seat of the car, and eventually a steward would stop by and look at everything and sign it.
eye'd rather not run with SRF.........the times i've run with them i came to understand...........that if i can't eat them in an FF car, give it up.......that the average SRF will run wierd lines in or out of corners and will often not see a lower profile car.....and IMHO the average SRF never gives anyone a point bye because the SRF cars are so closely matched that they have no wish to let anyone by on purpose, so it's not their habit to think about a point bye to anyone, even if they are another class and are acknowledged to be faster in general
Bryan is a great person with only the best of intensions for his fellow formula car competitors. I've met him a very few times, but he always knew me and was always a big help.
I'd just like to wish him the best of luck / success in his new position.
I'm signed up & Poma is considering it. I told them I would only do it w/ a $$ refund if I elect not to participate based on the other cars in the group, which they said was fine.
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Sean O'Connell
1996 RF96 FC
1996 RF96 FB
2004 Mygale SJ04 Zetec
I'm still here and I'm not going any place anytime soon. Heck, I finally got back on the Royale today and installed the floor without gluing my cats or myself to the garage floor!
NASA regions hold formula car groups on a demand basis. For example, the SouthWest Region runs both FV's and FM's, but not together (of course). We run Formula Renaults in Nor Cal as well. For the most part at this time our class structure is tin top based, but that is market driven more than anytihng else. As we all know the growth in the marketplace has been standard automobile based for some time. One of my responsabilities is class growth/consoladation and expantion into new areas.
A few things that are very important to know:
I did not leave on bad terms. In fact, things that were on my plate (like drivers that were in process of getting license waivers) when I left have been handled in complete cooperation between myself Wyndi and Terry. Let's be real, what good would come from me jacking drivers up? After all, many of you I count as friends. Wyndi has asked questions about sanctioning, the Trials program, etc and I've done my best to help her out. Again, she is my friend and she is doing her best to help people that are my friends.
I'm still a member and will keep my membership. Jerry (my boss and owner) is a member of SCCA. I'll probably keep my SCCA National license as well as obtain my NASA competition license.
This was a great oportunity for me and my family (including my little girl Emma who is just a few days short of 5 weeks old). I work from home. I get to see more of my wife and little girl.
The new job is a huge personal challenge for me. I like that.
I look at this as a great oportunity for SCCA. They get to look at how the internal operations can be improved upon, review the assignment of tasks, etc.
I met Bryan Cohn for the first time last September @ M-O the day we got back from Niagara Falls to find that what seemed like all of the Apexspeed racing community had pitched in to make sure we were going to get 'participant' T-shirts for the grandkids to see years from now. Bryan was at our paddock almost as early as Dale got there from Illinois. Bryan asked continiously if there was anything he could do to help, and then seemed to check back in with Marshall every few hours. After Fred Schumucker, and Dave and Sherrie, I think Bryan was almost the happiest guy on pit lane to see us finish. Bryan has a SERIOUS passion for club racing. I never got to thank Bryan, but I always had the idea that he understood. Class act.
Obviously his move to NASA is going to cause many of us to check out what NASA is doing.
Many years ago, probably before a lot of Apexspeed readers were yet born, GT1Vette told me that there was only one club in the US of A that had a true "national championship" and that was the SCCA. His reasoning was that primarily for that reason SCCA was the strongest club in the country, and until some other club went to the lengths to stage a true national championship, SCCA's status would not change.
Competition is a good thing. Improves the breed.
We at Purple Frog Racing wish Bryan godspeed.
Obviously we expect he'll keep us all posted on new developments.
Postings such as Mike's(both Mike's) Bill's and Kevin's are just a small sample of the good will that has come my way through my many years of involvment with SCCA.
Some of you know how I got where I am, but for those that don't you'll find this interesting:
The year, 1955: My grandfather owned a 1941 Chevy convertible after WWII. He was driving in downtown ST. Louis when it broke down one day. It happened to be close to Continental Cars, a dealer in Jaguar's MG's and the like. He went there to use the phone to call for a tow and sitting on the showroom floor was a new XK120. He ended up trading in the Chevy on the Jag and drove it home!
He got into SCCA (this was the days of sponsors) not long after, served as treasurer, chair for the Daniel Boone National Rally and drug my Mum along as his navi as my grandmother hated the Jag and wouldn't get in the bloody thing!
My dad grew up in Duluth MN, knowing the Archers. He was a member of LOL and loved to St. Louis fora job in 1961. Met my mom at an SCCA meeting. I was born in 1965. Went to my first race in Olathe KS at age 5 (1969).
It's been downhill ever since.....
Hopefully this little tidbit helps you all understand it wasn't easy to leave SCCA. I'm glad to know that everyone understands it's a career and not a "calling".
With that being said, I gotta get back to work! For info on the Championship, check out: www.nasachampionship.com
Bryan...can I still do the free entry to all the races like we worked with SCCA where I bring you free beer?? I am surprised we never got caught. I assume with NASA we can work the same gig..hope so cause it really helps by the end of the year. Just kidding in very small type.
See you at HPT in April?
[size=2]I would like to jump on the Bryan bandwagon, if I may. When I moved to St. Louis I (like many others I suspect) had Bryan as my first contact with SCCA. He spent much time with me "shopping" for a Club Ford. He later helped me sell that car and I purchased his Reynard.[/size]
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[size=2]From day one, Bryan has always been a straight shooter and someone I could depend on to steer me in the right direction when I had racing questions.[/size]
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[size=2]Bryan is a great ambassador for the sport and NASA will benefit greatly with him added to their staff.[/size]
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[size=2]Good luck in your new venture Bryan![/size]
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[size=2]Doug McCune[/size]
General Formula Car Discussion
NASA Adds New Competition Director to National Staff
