Expo 2023 - Community Collective

[audipwr1]

I like that idea if NSX guys would let us join in

[Zyg]

I like that idea if NSX guys would let us join in.

Richard (Lap of the World on YouTube) does pretty comprehensive NSXpo videos so you can see what non-track stuff they do at NSXpo.

Haha ... his wife/partner gave me a funny look from inside her red NSX (like, WTF?) as I walked by to leave in my Black CTR, after she saw me thanking and shaking hands with a few of last year's Atlanta NSXPO organizers, and after she saw Peter Introduce me to the new club president (while saying something to the effect that I'd been welcomed by the NSX guys at the Mid-West region's dinner at the HobNob in Racine, WI).

Next year (actually, now, this year) the event is supposed to be in Texas, somewhere around either Dallas or Houston, depending on which of the two tracks they've contacted becomes available for this October.

I plan on trailering my freshly updated blue '17 CTR.
Should be good for ~450 Mustang whp pretty easy @ 90% duty cycle.

Chin put me in the advanced group last year, and frankly I was only CTR on track at Atlanta Motorsports Park.
Seems Dr. Chin also owns a CTR LE and I had a nice conversation with him and his young son about my car and the NSX wheels on it.

Overall a VERY enjoyable event Thurs through Sunday!

[audipwr1]

so what are next steps here?

I think joining NSX is a highly viable option - I personally would want at least 20? ITRs to want to attend, but this may be the closest to a concept that works for all?

I have at least one race weekend in OCT so personally would also need to know when this is, but in concept I like it

[Zyg]

I personally would want at least 20? ITRs to want to attend, but this may be the closest to a concept that works for all?

First and foremost, I'd prefer to defer (hehe) to Jay about speaking for this community, but realistically speaking, plans for this year's NSXPO are already in motion and do/does not include provision for something like that for this year.

P.S. Jay, if you would, tell Jake I said "hello". ; )
I may have said something about not liking to drive in "traffic" when he aske me about missing the group run on the tail of the Dradon.

[coolhandluke]

Tagging along with NSXpo seemed to work fine in 2017 at Road America and 2018 at Thunderhill. At the same time does Type-R Club lose some identity? NSXpo is a bit costlier but they have a combination of social and track events. Members also pay yearly membership dues. Richard (Lap of the World on YouTube) does pretty comprehensive NSXpo videos so you can see what non-track stuff they do at NSXpo.

NSXpo alternates every year with one year being more towards the west and the next year more towards the east with regards to NSXpo locations/tracks to make it more equitable for every one. A lot of members will drive every year even if it's a cross country drive.

I like that idea if NSX guys would let us join in

For transparency, for anyone unaware, I feel it's relevant to share that Type R Expo and NSXPO have collaborating & supporting each other's events for over a decade.

Type R Expo has directly contributed to NSXPO:
*2013 - A Type R Expo community member was on the NSXPO party planning committee for NSXPO at Virginia Int'l Raceway. Myself and other Expo community members paid up for the event to support as drivers.
2014 - The Type R Expo community members contributed by augmenting the needed instructor base in support of NSXPO's track event at Mid-Ohio
*2017 - Type R Expo & NSXPO collaborated for a joint event at Road America. Type R Expo ran the track portion of NSXPO.
*2018 - Type R Expo & NSXPO collaborated for a joint event at Thunderhill. Type R Expo co-planned the event with NSXPO committee, checked in NSXPO drivers, ran the track track portion of NSXPO, and hosted NSXPO drivers for a joint Type R Expo banquet.

NSXPO and NSXCA has also directly supported Type R Expo. Peter Cunningham, NSXCA President ~2017-2023, has been a huge supporter of Type R Expo and a contributing member to this community through supporting Expo, hosting the community at the RealTime Racing shop & Heritage hall, bringing ITR/TSX/TL/TLX race cars to Expo, speaking at Type R Expo community events & Expo, assisting with Type R Expo banquet logistics, chiming into this forum, and much more behind the scenes. Several NSXPO instructors have volunteered their time and safety to instruct at Type R Expo over the last decade and even more have paid to support Type R Expo.

The two clubs biggest difference was who and how each year's club event was run. NSXPO committees are new each year, which added challenges to the Type R Expo committee due to lack of knowledge transfer. Each NSXPO committee is selected after a proposal is submitted and voted on by the NSXPO community. A challenge here is sometimes the proposal lacked due diligence, ie was the track currently available on that proposed date? (not always) Or another challenge being the new committee did not have a mentor to walk through the logistics of renting a track, dealing with sponsors, etc. It is a big challenge to learn on the fly for anyone. This is different from Type R Expo, who often has/had committee volunteers who had been doing it for 10yrs+.

The Type R Expo committee long had a goals to work together towards a larger joint event in gain the eyes of Honda to further support the community. I personally struggled to keep "momentum" alive when the faces changed after spending ~6mo on conference calls with a set of folks rotated off after the event, despite the support from NSXCA's top leadership.

It is a small world though. NSXPO and Type R Expo are far more alike than we are different. Both communities bring dedicated, die-hard Honda fans, who will drive across country or fly in from Europe, to attend a community event. That is awesome.

[coolhandluke]

Happy New Year!

Aside from tracking my own ITR up until late 2020, I havent really followed much "Type R" related things since then. And it didnt seem like anyone tracked the FK8 at the time and the crowd was more into stance and wraps. Plus overheating issues. What about the new FL5 crowd (if there is one)? Not sure if people have gotten priced out or what. Is there still a newer generation "Type R" following out there?

If nothing else Id take the wagon out for some laps but mostly just drink and hang out.

Late reply, but a point I wanted to clarify:

The FK8 folks out west roll deep at track days and they have for years, dating to the release of the FK8. Yes, the car had (has?) overheating issues. No, that didn't stop the CTR crowd from renting out and doing their own local versions of a dedicated community track day at Buttonwillow, Thunderhill, and more. I've seen pictures of 100-200+ FK8's at these events.

I agree, there definitely is a following, but this community (myself included) hasn't done a great job of including these newer CTR owners. I'm not pointing any fingers- more of less pointing at the fact the Type R community could/would be much stronger together than split into fractions for each sub-model. There are a number of former ITR owners who now own an FK8 or FL5, but are disconnected from this community.

[Zyg]

I have at least one race weekend in OCT so personally would also need to know when this is, .....

As an alternative, Adam at GridLife has announced their 2024 schedule and it includes a date mid October @ PittRace.
Which is kind of my home track, with Nelson's an equal distance the other way.

[Dc2-ProductionS]

The FK8 folks out west roll deep at track days and they have for years, dating to the release of the FK8. Yes, the car had (has?) overheating issues. No, that didn't stop the CTR crowd from renting out and doing their own local versions of a dedicated community track day at Buttonwillow, Thunderhill, and more. I've seen pictures of 100-200+ FK8's at these events.

I agree, there definitely is a following, but this community (myself included) hasn't done a great job of including these newer CTR owners. I'm not pointing any fingers- more of less pointing at the fact the Type R community could/would be much stronger together than split into fractions for each sub-model. There are a number of former ITR owners who now own an FK8 or FL5, but are disconnected from this community.

This...

This thread was made with this exact mentality. There is now a CROWD of "R" owners and deeply passionate Honda enthusiasts. We would be a much stronger COMMUNITY if we COLLECTIVELY came together... (See what I did there..? Notice the name of the thread!!!... )

Expo could be a big deal again! Lets make that happen!

Dc2

[Zyg]

I have at least one race weekend in OCT so personally would also need to know when this is, but in concept I like it.

For the record, from an NSXCA e-mail this morning:

" We are excited to announce the dates have been finalized! NSXPO 2024 will be held in Dallas-Fort Worth October 23-27, 2024. "

[Zyg]

I have at least one race weekend in OCT so personally would also need to know when this is, but in concept I like it.

For the record, from an NSXCA e-mail this morning:
" We are excited to announce the dates have been finalized! NSXPO 2024 will be held in Dallas-Fort Worth October 23-27, 2024. "

Oh, and I ordered a proper rear wing for the Blue '17 track car, to complete the latest/last set of updates.
APR GTC-300 67" for the FK8.