Superlite Coupe wins 2011 NASA National Championships in Super Unlimited class
09-13-2011, 11:56 AM
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Superlite Coupe wins 2011 NASA National Championships in Super Unlimited class Superlite Cars wins NASA National Championship in dominating fashion
“I could put the car anywhere”, said Ryan Ellis (Ashburn, VA), driver of the 2011 Superlite Coupe in a post-race interview, after decisively winning the Super Unlimited class in the 2011 National Auto Sports Association (NASA) National Championship race on Saturday 9/10/11.
Which was a good thing, as the track was treacherous for the Super Unlimited class race held at the fabled Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Damp conditions-- and later pouring rain—roiled the track surface during the event, a situation made worse by the slick tires that shod almost all the cars on track.
Ellis made a great start in damp conditions, making the most of his cars traction as he slipped away from the field early, and was never headed. He built a lead that would eventually stretch to over 80 seconds over the second place car – almost a full lap.
While a rainy track was a problem for many competitors, before the championship race Ellis had openly hoped for rain as his 2011 Superlite Coupe was stuck to the track in damp and wet conditions where many competitors had trouble getting their cars to turn- or, in some cases, stay on the track.
But Ellis was fast in dry conditions as well, capturing the pole position and win during Friday’s qualifying race in mostly dry conditions. He had done the same thing the day before, but also in wet conditions, capturing the pole position by 6 seconds over his nearest class competitor. He won that race as well, marking the beginning of a perfect weekend for the National Championships. In all, Ellis drove the Superlite Coupe to the maximum possible three poles and three wins – including the National Championship race—to definitively clinch the top berth in what is generally the fastest class in NASA.
In addition to winning every race he entered this weekend, Ellis also snatched the fastest lap of the day on Thursday, demonstrating the speed of the Superlite Coupe to the over 400 other cars at the event.
The championship was especially gratifying to Fran Hall, Team Principal and owner of Superlite Cars, because the Superlite Coupe is an original-design car that Superlite Cars produces in street-legal versions as well as track-day end race cars. The entire car was designed in Detroit, MI, and constructed locally, using North American parts exclusively, beginning with the Chevrolet LS3 engine built by Thomson Automotive (in Wixom, MI) that powered the Superlite Coupe to a winning season. “It was a remarkable season”, said Hall, “considering that we began with a new car, a relatively small budget, a small team, and very little opportunities for testing. The result shows the native speed of the Superlite Coupe, and, of course, the very hard work of the team that made it all happen.”
About Superlite Cars: Superlite Cars, a part of Race Car replicas, is based in Clinton Township, MI, and manufactures a wide range of replica and original component cars. Its replica range includes Mark I, Mark II and Mark IV versions of the Ford GT40, the Lola T70 Spyder and Coupe, Porsche 917 and 962, along with the Jaguar XJ13. Its original cars include the Superlite Coupe which pays homage to the Group C and GTP race cars of the 80s and 90s, an exoskeleton car called the Superlite Razor, and the Superlite Nemesis, an open wheel, Suzuki Hyabusa-powered track weapon designed for racing schools and track day fans. RCR and Superlite cars are known for their unique approach to chassis construction, which features a hybrid aluminum monocoque for extreme rigidity and fast assembly..
See more at www.race-car-replicas.com, or www.superlitecars.com
About Ryan Ellis: Ryan began racing at age 4, and has progressed from Quarter Midgets, through Legends, many wins in Spec Miata cars, and most recently, two successful seasons in the Volkswagen TDi Cup. He was twice selected for the Red Bull Drivers Search, and is the resident pro at Allsports GP, a professional karting facility. He currently is racing for APR Motorsports in a 2011 VW GTi in the Grand Am Continental Tires series, as well as driving for Team Superlite Cars, in a 2011 Superlite Coupe. He is also a full-time student at George Mason University, in Fairfax, VA. You can follow him at his personal website: http://www.ryanellismotorsports.com/...orts/Home.html
About NASA: The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is a nationwide federation of regions that sanctions racing, high performance driver education, rallying, autocross and other motorsports-related activities.
See more at www.nasaracing.com
“I could put the car anywhere”, said Ryan Ellis (Ashburn, VA), driver of the 2011 Superlite Coupe in a post-race interview, after decisively winning the Super Unlimited class in the 2011 National Auto Sports Association (NASA) National Championship race on Saturday 9/10/11.
Which was a good thing, as the track was treacherous for the Super Unlimited class race held at the fabled Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Damp conditions-- and later pouring rain—roiled the track surface during the event, a situation made worse by the slick tires that shod almost all the cars on track.
Ellis made a great start in damp conditions, making the most of his cars traction as he slipped away from the field early, and was never headed. He built a lead that would eventually stretch to over 80 seconds over the second place car – almost a full lap.
While a rainy track was a problem for many competitors, before the championship race Ellis had openly hoped for rain as his 2011 Superlite Coupe was stuck to the track in damp and wet conditions where many competitors had trouble getting their cars to turn- or, in some cases, stay on the track.
But Ellis was fast in dry conditions as well, capturing the pole position and win during Friday’s qualifying race in mostly dry conditions. He had done the same thing the day before, but also in wet conditions, capturing the pole position by 6 seconds over his nearest class competitor. He won that race as well, marking the beginning of a perfect weekend for the National Championships. In all, Ellis drove the Superlite Coupe to the maximum possible three poles and three wins – including the National Championship race—to definitively clinch the top berth in what is generally the fastest class in NASA.
In addition to winning every race he entered this weekend, Ellis also snatched the fastest lap of the day on Thursday, demonstrating the speed of the Superlite Coupe to the over 400 other cars at the event.
The championship was especially gratifying to Fran Hall, Team Principal and owner of Superlite Cars, because the Superlite Coupe is an original-design car that Superlite Cars produces in street-legal versions as well as track-day end race cars. The entire car was designed in Detroit, MI, and constructed locally, using North American parts exclusively, beginning with the Chevrolet LS3 engine built by Thomson Automotive (in Wixom, MI) that powered the Superlite Coupe to a winning season. “It was a remarkable season”, said Hall, “considering that we began with a new car, a relatively small budget, a small team, and very little opportunities for testing. The result shows the native speed of the Superlite Coupe, and, of course, the very hard work of the team that made it all happen.”
About Superlite Cars: Superlite Cars, a part of Race Car replicas, is based in Clinton Township, MI, and manufactures a wide range of replica and original component cars. Its replica range includes Mark I, Mark II and Mark IV versions of the Ford GT40, the Lola T70 Spyder and Coupe, Porsche 917 and 962, along with the Jaguar XJ13. Its original cars include the Superlite Coupe which pays homage to the Group C and GTP race cars of the 80s and 90s, an exoskeleton car called the Superlite Razor, and the Superlite Nemesis, an open wheel, Suzuki Hyabusa-powered track weapon designed for racing schools and track day fans. RCR and Superlite cars are known for their unique approach to chassis construction, which features a hybrid aluminum monocoque for extreme rigidity and fast assembly..
See more at www.race-car-replicas.com, or www.superlitecars.com
About Ryan Ellis: Ryan began racing at age 4, and has progressed from Quarter Midgets, through Legends, many wins in Spec Miata cars, and most recently, two successful seasons in the Volkswagen TDi Cup. He was twice selected for the Red Bull Drivers Search, and is the resident pro at Allsports GP, a professional karting facility. He currently is racing for APR Motorsports in a 2011 VW GTi in the Grand Am Continental Tires series, as well as driving for Team Superlite Cars, in a 2011 Superlite Coupe. He is also a full-time student at George Mason University, in Fairfax, VA. You can follow him at his personal website: http://www.ryanellismotorsports.com/...orts/Home.html
About NASA: The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is a nationwide federation of regions that sanctions racing, high performance driver education, rallying, autocross and other motorsports-related activities.
See more at www.nasaracing.com
09-17-2011, 08:11 AM
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Video of NASA 2011 can be seen at: www.speedcasttv.com
Look for the Saturday finals and go to about 2:24 I believe.
Look for the Saturday finals and go to about 2:24 I believe.
