We’re getting the March newsletter out a little early because we want to be sure you’re all aware that Chrono and ARC are coming! Specifically, the very first running of the NCRC Chrono Time Trial Series, which will occur at our upcoming dates at Thunderhill Raceway on February 29 and March 1. In conjunction with ARC wheel-to-wheel racing, Chrono is a true time trial series with a points system that kicks off at the February 29 date at Thunderhill and continues the next day and into the remainder of 2020.
Speaking of the upcoming dates at Thunderhill, the second day of the weekend will see NCRC’s first reverse running of the track in 2020. Also known as Llihrednuht, this track is challenging but fun. If you’ve never done Thunderhill in reverse, it’s like a completely different track that will absolutely rewire your brain. We can’t recommend it enough, which is why we have several weekend dates at Thunderhill in 2020 with Llihrednuht run on Sunday!
As noted in the previous newsletter, the ARC and Chrono series will be overseen by Brian Lock, NCRC’s new competition director. He’s worked with the NCRC team to create a racing series designed to reduce cost creep while ensuring fun, competitive racing under a reality-based ruleset. Brian himself is an accomplished professional driver and the owner of Valkyrie Autosport in Santa Cruz, so he knows a thing or two about driving and preparing cars. We know his experience will translate well to the development of the Chrono series, and even before it kicks off next week it’s clear that he’s built an incredible foundation that puts value on driver experience and enjoyment. As always, we welcome your feedback, so as the series grows please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts on how we can make it better. All rules and regulations for the ARC and Chrono series can be found here for your reference.
New grid setup
At the last NCRC event, February 13-14 at Laguna Seca, we introduced a new grid setup with the goal of spreading cars out so folks can enjoy more open track during their sessions. It’s a color-coded system based on lap times that gets the faster drivers out first.
We’ll continue this system at future dates, so if you haven’t seen it yet, we encourage you to spend a minute reviewing the lap times posted at grid and asking questions during your driver’s meeting.
Most of you already know that we cancelled the March 2 date at Laguna due to a lack of signups, but we wanted to be sure to mention it here to prevent any confusion. We apologize for this, as we know many of you were looking forward to another cool, dry, and fast day at Laguna, but it’s an unfortunate reality of the business. And it’s a perfect segue into highlighting the NCRC referral program, which you can access at https://americanracingclub. com/ncrc-referral-program/ . For every person you refer, you will receive a $25 credit, with the new driver also getting a $25 credit. We want to ensure that we get a good turnout at future events and that new people are introduced to this incredible pastime. As always, thanks for your support!
PADDOCK PROFILES
Paddock Profiles will be brief profiles of NCRC drivers and their vehicles. At events we will be going around and asking if people are interested in being profiled, and if so you may find yourself here!
This past Valentine’s Day, NCRC hosted a date at Laguna Seca, a track that everyone loves, and attendees likely also fell in love with the setup that SP Motorsports brought to the paddock. With three well-sorted Porsches, a huge canopy offering abundant shade, and free coffee and snacks for passersby, it certainly drew a crowd. The best part was that every one of their cars could be rented for the day for a reasonable price, especially when you consider everything that comes with the deal (hint: it’s more than just coffee).
Chatting with John Mai, SP Motorsports’ co-owner and CMO, you quickly learn that he’s not just about fast cars. In fact, the entire aim of the company is to take an already fast car and not just make it faster through carefully selected mods, but also make the driver faster through coaching and practice. In fact, SP Motorsports has almost a decade of experience, and they’ve recently begun offering the enthusiast community a turn-key track day solution for drivers of all levels. They back that up with a line of fully track-prepped cars that are tailored to provide the best possible driving experience. Best of all, their all-inclusive track car rental includes the car and professional-level coaching, a pit crew, track insurance, and a VIP lounge with catering. All starting at $1200 per day; what’s not to love? This year alone, SP Motorsports intends to offer its services at over 100 track days taking place at eight of California’s most famous and popular tracks. You can visit their site at SPMSRACING.COM for more details.
Speaking of love, many likely fell head over heels for SP Motorsports’ first-gen Boxster. Clad in a fresh-yet-retro Miller High Life livery, it started life as a Spec Boxster and John says it’s well sorted, fast, and fun. Sitting next to SP Motorsports’ 981 Cayman S and 991 GT3 Cup, the Boxster is probably the most analog of the bunch – and yes, probably the slowest, but definitely the most rewarding. That said, any of the cars would be a great way to experience SP Motorsports’ all-inclusive track car rental service for yourself, and we can’t wait to see this team and their cars at future NCRC days.
