NARRA 2013 schedule

[SCLSSRT10]

Funny, I spent all weekend with the NARRA staff at the PRI show, up until Sunday @ 12:00 PM and no one had confirmed "Sebring IS being added to the schedule" as of that time. I am waiting to hear directly from the staff on this matter. I will post as soon as it is truly confirmed.

 

[bluestreak]

From what I heard they were waiting for confirmation from Sebring on the actual date (a couple were possible). He was expecting it last Monday but I guess hasn't got it yet. I sure hope they do get it though. They are being very mum on these other dates.

 

[shooter_t1]

I will be at TWS in TT1. Glad they posted the schedule early.

Good on you for stepping up. I had also planned on doing TT1 next year but will not be able to race in Feb. Good luck.

I have my fingers crossed for COTA though.

 

[Magnus_]

http://www.facebook.com/NARRAonline

2013 SCHEDULE UPDATE: No event in March to allow those who wish to go to COTA to do so (a few events happening there around this time). October and November will have events including one of the most famous (and historic) Formula One tracks in the country!

Can't believe no COTA.

 

[Boxer12]

Sebring is confirmed with ALMS race...Nov date. Also VIR in Oct with ALMS. So its official, full East Coast series except Texas in Feb. and Road Atlanta in Apr.

 

[redtanrt10]

Sebring is confirmed with ALMS race...Nov date. Also VIR in Oct with ALMS. So its official, full East Coast series except Texas in Feb. and Road Atlanta in Apr.

Boxer, Road Atlanta is 260 miles to the Atlantic, so this year it is an East Coast Series, except for Texas

The last few times NARRA has made the trip out west the attendance from west coast people was TERRIBLE!!!!!. You guys always talk a big story about wanting NARRA to come out west then when they do you don't show up. Why not make the trip to TWS in February and lobby for west coast event inperson then MAYBE they will beleive you. If you want a west coast event get 50 - 60 people to send NARRA $800.00 each and tell them you have booked a track with that money now bring the event and I bet NARRA will show up. PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND NARRA WILL COME. There is still no event scheduled for March as of today so try it and see what happens.

SCLSSRT10, I've been to the 1st 3 NARRA events out West but gave up last year when they went went to the middle of nowhere AZ, so did the core group who regulary track out here. My frustration is that there is not a "viper" school out west. Skip's program was DE and the VRL was a part, not the core. From what I've seen attending, NARRA has reversed the focus from Skip's Viper Days. Last weekend Dan Cragin from DC (now SPT) hosted an event at Willow springs. 50-60 vipers particiapted on track, one or two guys were invited from Northern CA, and Michael VonQ came from Vegas. If it was opened up to the area we'd have seen 5-10 out of Phoenix and I'm sure another 5-10 from Northern CA, plus who knows, another 5 plus from Vegas? If you look at the track experience of this group of 50 plus, more than half had never been on a track or perhaps once or twice. Those first or few timers are the folks I wish NARRA or someone would cater to so that we can encourage more viper owners to come to the track, get instruction and have fun in their cars in a safer environment than the street.

For me, I can sign up and go to various tracks every other weekend if I had the time. I do like the NARRA events as we see great cars and drivers, plus the Archers and other supporters. If I sounded like I was ******** about NARRA it's only because I see a void in attracting new or newer track participants. Have a great '13 season and be safe! Mike

 

[steve911]

There was a Road America event on the schedule but that disappeared after the new owners of NARRA took over and moved evrything east. I understand about the west but the midwest always seemed to bring out a crowd.

 

[MTGTS]

Umm since when is there an ALMS race at Sebring in Nov?? Nothing on the ALMS website on a race at Sebring except for in March as usual. Must be a typo

 

[FrankBarba]

RedTanRT10: I feel your pain. Would your guys on the west coast consider renting a track, Safety should be included,
i'm sure you would be able to find Viper Driving Instructors with Race Experience. Would you all be willing to cover lodging, meals,
and air flights of Viper Drivers. Check with the local Shelby Club, NASA (plenty of race experience), SCCA does drivers schools,
There are Pantera Clubs that do alot of Track Time. Also plenty of other clubs & schools that will give you what you want, unless it is
a Viper Only Event that you are seeking.

 

[AZTVR]

s. Check with the local Shelby Club, NASA (plenty of race experience), SCCA does drivers schools,
There are Pantera Clubs that do alot of Track Time. Also plenty of other clubs & schools that will give you what you want, unless it is
a Viper Only Event that you are seeking.

I agree with this as being the most effective path forward for local VCA clubs. We were fortunate that Skip Thomas saw a need and made a business case for doing something like this nationally. Without him, I would never have gone to the track the first time. ( or the 2nd through n-th times.) When he retired, the guys who formed NARRA went forward; but, in my view, it really is a racing series that has an oh-by-the-way feature of trying to serve people like they were back when they started. Not really what they want to focus on.

There are other larger performance car clubs who run their own events and organize instructors. Probably the PCA (Porsche Club) is the largest that has a big enough base to make it work and has an equivalent HPDE program to what Viper Days did. Their target audience also is for folks interested in running an expensive, high performance car on the track; but, who would never do it outside a club event atmosphere. Folks who bought the car for it's road performance and who want to experience it without concern of getting a major ticket. NASA also has a program but seems more oriented to folks who want to Time Trial or race.

I have run with Las Vegas PCA and they run their events almost exactly like Viper Days was run. They even do skid pad exercises in one session for new drivers. Their events are probably only 40% Porsche.

I think that the main issue is that something like a club sponsored event takes a lot of effort on the part of a small group of people that are probably not paid for it. It is not easy to find people with the spare time (or motivation) to do that. People with jobs and family can't donate that amount of personal time.

 

[MtnBiker]

There is a PDE associated with the NARRA events. I want to participate in the DE at TWS Feb 15-17. There is a discount code field (presumably for a price discount). Does the VCA offer these codes/discounts?

 

[Boxer12]

Hey guys, no need to criticize the fact NARRA is not nationwide, since that is a big slate to fill and fact is many of the premier tracks and core group of drivers are on the East coast. A bit of history, Skip couldn't keep Viper Days afloat, so a group of dedicated racers took the bull by the horns and made something out of what was left (at that time, just Viper Racing League and no Viper Cup program).

Many of the local VCA clubs run track events, if you are in MidWest go to the Illinois site:
http://www.illinoisvipers.com/press/calendar.html

I know the National VCA doesn't do anything except VOI's, which seems like a benefit the VCA could offer if it desires. The PCA negotiates its insurance on a national basis, which allows the local clubs to run this program.

 

[Paul Hawker]

At the VOI in Salt Lake City there was a exhibition of track prepared Vipers. Even Ralph came out to run with the track guys. The VOI attendees packed the reviewing stands, and got perhaps their first introduction to the ACR-X racers.

Just my thought that if SRT is getting into the racing experience, maybe it would be a good idea to offer some exposure to the West Coast marketplace.

There is a pent up demand on the West Coast for owners to get their own Vipers on the track. When Dan Cragin offered up a track day at Willow Springs last week, over 60 Vipers showed up to get out on the track. There were a few other SRT (Jeep and Challengers) that also came out. For many, this was their first opportunity to experience their Vipers on the track with other Vipers. Another 20 or so showed up, just to watch.

One problem running with Porsches is that their cars tend to be much better prepared for handling and far down on horsepower. They do not work all that well together on the longer road racing circuits that Vipers love so well.

I would imagine that discussions are being done at SRT to figure out a way to get their customers together for track days. The SRT experience is great, but it does not allow their customers to take their own cars on the track

 

[bluestreak]

Pent up demand? I think the people who are all pent up, should start going to the track already. NARRA is not going to have an event cross country in hopes that the people who are passing up all of the other venues that are running at these tracks on a weekly basis are now going to start driving their cars on the track because NARRA came around. Yeah, maybe a couple could be coerced, but they will be shocked to see that NARRA is nothing like Viper Days was with their being mostly Vipers. There just aren't enough Viper people tracking their cars for that to be successful, which is why the format changed.

There just isn't any way to build and keep parties on both coasts interested with limited numbers of events. That was the part of Viper Days formula that didn't really work as well. Getting your staff across country isn't cheap either. I think overall, this years schedule is a little weaker than last years, but still a great one. Venues like this will always cater to the racers. More savy NARRA business owners will temper the traveling to develop a strong core of attendees, which is exactly what they are doing.