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The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) held its 2019 National Championships presented by Toyo Tires at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Over 300 racers from all across the United States traveled to Lexington, Ohio, to compete in 24 road racing classes and six time-trial classes to try to earn the title of National Champion. A special thanks goes out to Toyo Tires for putting together the video of this year’s Championships above!
Over 300 drivers descended upon Mid-Ohio to battle for a National Championship crown. The driver’s meeting was massive.
The event took place during four hard days of racing in September (19th-22nd) 2019. Thursday was testing, Friday was qualifying, Saturday held a qualifying race, and Sunday it was all on the line to become a National Champion. There was some great racing, some body damage, some tech-shed disqualifications, and the usual type of drama you expect from a top-tier race where money is on the line and National titles were awarded to the best of the best.
The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a flowing tricky road course in Lexington, Ohio, which was home to the 2019 NASA National Championships presented by Toyo Tires.
The racing was top-notch with teams from all over the country pushing each other to be faster and faster around Mid-Ohio during qualifying. Racers who never had the opportunity to go head-to-head before, from California to the Northeast, teams had the chance to see which part of the country breeds the fastest racers. All of the social media trash-talking ended on Sunday when the checkered flag dropped on 30 different racing and time trial classes to crown the 2019 National Champions.
Winners were treated to a podium complete with champagne spray and Toyo girls (who always got out of the way when the champagne came out).
ROAD RACING
Listed in order from the largest classes to the smallest, here are your 2019 NASA Road Racing National Champions from Mid-Ohio (All photos courtesy of Downforce Media):
SPEC E30
Winner Daniel Goldberg, Number 73, Spec E30 (BMW) — NASA Florida Region (Thirty-Two Entries in Class)
SPEC MIATA
Winner Jim Drago, Number 2, Spec Miata (Mazda) — NASA Mid-South Region (Twenty-Eight Entries in Class)
HONDA CHALLENGE 2
Winner Nicolas Hammann, Number 93, Honda Challenge 2 (Honda) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Eighteen Entries in Class)
AMERICAN IRON
Winner AJ Hartman, Number 24, American Iron (Ford) — NASA Northeast Region (Sixteen Entries in Class)
SUPER TOURING 3
Winner Ross Thompson, Number 177, Super Touring 3 (Audi) — NASA Arizona Region (Fifteen Entries in Class)
SPEC E46
Winner Michael Kanisczak, Number 28, Spec E46 (BMW) — NASA Northeast Region (Twelve Entries in Class)
SUPER TOURING 6
Winner Nolan Feathers, Number 67, Super Touring 6 (Acura) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Twelve Entries in Class)
SUPER TOURING 4
Winner Andre Eisenbach, Number 36x, Super Touring 4 (BMW) — NASA California Northern Region (Twelve Entries in Class)
944 SPEC
Winner Marcelo Vine, Number 9, 944 Spec (Porsche) — NASA California Southern Region (Eleven Entries in Class)
SUPER TOURING 2
Winner Paul Costas, Number 13, Super Touring 2 (Chevrolet) — NASA Texas Region (Eleven Entries in Class)
GERMAN TOURING SERIES 4
Winner Michael McAleenan, Number 3, German Touring Series 4 (BMW) — NASA California Northern Region (Eleven Entries in Class)
THUNDERROADSTER GTR
Winner James Wheeler, Number 19, ThunderRoadster GTR (ThunderRoadster) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Ten Entries in Class)
SPEC IRON
Winner Robin Burnett, Number 128, Spec Iron (Ford) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Nine Entries in Class)
CAMARO MUSTANG CHALLENGE
Winner Kent Owens, Number 30, Camaro Mustang Challenge (Pontiac) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Eight Entries in Class)
GERMAN TOURING SERIES 2
Winner Zach Hillmann, Number 158, German Touring Series 2 (Porsche) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Eight Entries in Class)
SUPER UNLIMITED
Winner Brian Faessler, Number 018, Super Unlimited (Ford) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Seven Entries in Class)
HONDA CHALLENGE 4
Winner Rob Krider, Number 38, Honda Challenge 4 (Acura) — NASA California Southern Region (Six Entries in Class)
SUPER TOURING 5
Winner Eric Waddell, Number 84x, Super Touring 5 (Honda) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Six Entries in Class)
HONDA CHALLENGE 1
Winner Jose Suero, Number 738, Honda Challenge 1 (Honda) — NASA Northeast Region (Six Entries in Class)
AMERICAN IRON EXTREME
Winner Robert Shaw, Number 22, American Iron Extreme (Ford) — NASA Southeast Region (Four Entries in Class)
NPO1
Winner Sam Mangiamelli, Number 48, NPO1 (Mazda) — NASA Central Region (Three Entries in Class)
SUPER TOURING 1
Winner Terry Mathis, Number 71, Super Touring 1 (Chevrolet) — NASA Southeast Region (Three Entries in Class)
GERMAN TOURING SERIES 1
Winner Michael Dearstyne, Number 26, German Touring Series 1 (Porsche) — NASA Great Lakes Region (Three Entries in Class)
GERMAN TOURING SERIES 3
Winner Tyler Clarke, Number 111, German Touring Series 3 (BMW) — NASA California Northern Region (Three Entries in Class)
TIME TRIAL
Besides the hard-hitting, fender-rubbing road racing action, the Time Trial racers could also earn a National Championship title at Mid-Ohio by posting the fastest lap of their class over three days of track time. Here are your NASA 2019 Time Trial National Champions listed from largest class to the smallest:
TIME TRIAL 5
Winner Samed Rizvi, Number 732, Time Trial 5 (Honda) — NASA Mid-Atlantic Region (Fourteen Entries in Class)
TIME TRIAL 4
Winner Andre Eisenbach, Number 36x, Time Trial 4 (BMW) — NASA California Northern Region (Ten Entries in Class)
TIME TRIAL 3
Winner Dennis Clavette, Number 67, Time Trial 3 (BMW) — NASA Texas Region (Ten Entries in Class)
TIME TRIAL 1
Winner Johnny Miller, Number 64, Time Trial 1 (Chevrolet) — NASA Southeast Region (Five Entries in Class)
TIME TRIAL 6
Winner Sonny Watanasirisuk, Number 18, Time Trial 6 (Mazda) — NASA California Southern Region (Four Entries in Class)
TIME TRIAL UNLIMITED
Winner James Paul, Number 22, Time Trial Unlimited (Elan RSR) — NASA California Northern Region (Four Entries in Class)
MARQUES
Manufacturer Titles
[caption id="attachment_1117505" align="alignleft" width="660"] The BMW mark won the most classes (seven) at the 2019 NASA National Championships presented by Toyo Tires, with Honda/Acura just behind with six wins.[/caption]
By the numbers, the manufacturers who brought home the most championships between the road racing and the time trial racing were as follows:
BMW: Seven
Honda/Acura: Six
Ford: Four
Chevrolet: Three
Porsche: Three
Mazda: Threes
Audi: One
Pontiac: One
Thunder Roadster: One
Elan: One
REGIONS
Regional Titles
[caption id="attachment_1117524" align="alignleft" width="960"] Of the 11 NASA regions represented at the National Championships, the NASA Great Lakes Region won the most National Titles (Nine) with NASA California Northern Region coming in second with five.[/caption]
Homefield advantage appeared to play a role in the ability to win a National Championship in 2019 with the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course being the home track to the NASA Great Lakes Region. NASA Great Lakes Region racers earned 9 of the 30 National Championship honors. Here is the breakdown of regions and winners:
NASA Great Lakes Region: Nine
NASA California Northern Region: Five
NASA California Southern Region: Three
NASA Southeast Region: Three
NASA Northeast Region: Three
NASA Texas Region: Two
NASA Florida Region: One
NASA Mid South Region: One
NASA Arizona Region: One
NASA Central Region: One
NASA Mid-Atlantic Region: One
