Grids Are Filling up for the 2016 NASA Western States Championships at Buttonwillow Raceway Park – Here Are Our Picks to Win

October 8, 2016 Speed News Editor

Grids are filling up for the Western States Championships. Sure, there were still a few stragglers at press time who weren’t registered — be they unsure of their availability that weekend, or certain they enjoy paying higher entry fees — but the grids are established well enough for us to make a few predictions. We’ll lay down our cards, so to speak.
Picking the winners looks simple, but anyone who has ever gridded up and taken a green flag knows that anything can happen. That’s why we run the race, right?
Buttonwillow Raceway looks simple, too, but it’s not. There is some nuance to going quickly around this track. With its blind rises, fast sweepers, camber changes and interrupted braking zones, Buttonwillow takes some acclimation, and taking the win here takes a commensurate amount of skill and experience.
We’ve tried to pick winners based on data alone, but that’s not always a reliable

Top Amateur Racers Ready to Converge on Buttonwillow for the 2016 NASA Western States Championships Presented by Toyo Tires

October 7, 2016 Speed News Editor

The third annual NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo Tires is receiving entries from across the country that will assure strong competition October 14-16 at Buttonwillow Raceway.
NASA Western States Championships event director Ryan Flaherty will be using two different track configurations over the three-day event. The Buttonwillow track layout options, known as CCW (counter clockwise), will be a great test of speed and handling over the Championship weekend.
“On Friday we are using configuration No. 1 CCW,” Flaherty said. “Configuration No. 1 is 3-miles, which includes the Star Mazda Turn and the Bus Stop. These two sections are challenging and require a precise touch along with a good handling race car. On Saturday and Sunday we will use configuration No. 25 that measures 2.92-miles, which removes the technical Bus Stop and provides another passing opportunity and higher speeds. Using the combination of tracks is a perfect blend of technique and

NASA Western States Championships Presented by Toyo Tires 2016 Garnering Strong Competitors

October 1, 2016 Speed News Editor

The third annual NASA Western States Championships presented by Toyo Tires is receiving entries from across the country that will assure strong competition October 14-16, 2016 at Buttonwillow Raceway Park.
Buttonwillow Raceway Park, with its 3.1-mile and 12-turns, will play host to the NASA Championship competitors in two weeks. The track is a favorite among the local racers and will be challenging to those traveling from across the country. NASA is adding a unique flair to the event by using two different track configurations over the three-day event.
Chad Plavan is running his first NASA Championships in the all-new NASA NP01 powered by Mazda.
“Since I live in Clovis, California, Buttonwillow is considered my home track being under two hours from my house,” Plavan said. “I have been racing at Buttonwillow since 1997. In fact, I received my racing license there. The Championships configurations are a little different. I have raced my vintage