Sparco Annual Garage Sale

This is on the opposite coast from us, but I figure the news might reach some of our readers:

Sparco's Annual Garage Sale is happening on September 26, 2009. From Sparco USA:

Yes, its that time again - we're clearing out the rafters. The warehouse is bulging with great deals on discontinued and scratch & dent items.

Over 200 seats available...
Suits, Helmets, Harnesses, Shift Knobs, Pedals and much, much more!

Plenty of cars on display. Door prizes including K1 kart racing tickets!

Located at Sparco USA headquarters:

1852 Kaiser Ave.
Irvine, CA 92614

From 9 AM - 3 PM
Saturday, September 26, 2009

Tell them you heard about it at OG Racing!

Snell SA2010 Rating?

It's that time again! The latest Snell rating is right around the corner, which means that everyone is lining up to purchase a helmet to use for the next 10 years. We've started getting many inquiries from customers regarding when these helmets will actually be for sale. Kyle Kietzmann of Bell Motorsports lays out the details, along with some advice for your future helmet purchase:

For the Snell SA or Special Applications standard, the first Snell SA 2010 certified helmets will not be available for sale from any manufacturer until October 1, 2010. This is the official release date for the latest Snell standard. Between now and October 1, 2010, Bell Racing will continue to sell Snell SA2005 certified helmets.

Retail customers may start to question the necessity of buying a Snell SA2005 helmet and decide to postpone purchasing a new helmet until the Snell SA2010 standard is released. It is important to remind customers of the necessity of having adequate head protection and the need to replace helmets that have been damaged or have exceeded their useful life expectancy regardless of the next Snell transition date.

When the next Snell SA standard is released, sanctioning bodies will require Snell SA2005 or above. In reality, a customer that buys a Snell SA2005 helmet between now and October 1, 2010 will be able to use that helmet for at least another 5 years. Bell recommends replacing helmets that have been exposed to normal wear and not subjected to an accident after a 5 year period.

Many may think that Bell is purposely attempting to persuade customers into NOT waiting for the 2010 release date in order to prevent a complete and total collapse of helmet sales for 2010. I, too, agree with Bell regarding the true lifespan of a helmet - and no, not because we stand to lose sales as well!

Example - The other day, I installed Hans Anchors in a helmet with an early SA2000 rating. I'm not kidding when I say this thing has legs! Thankfully, we have latex gloves on hand for such occasions. But in all seriousness people, when the helmet is that old and grimy, the performance benefits are very questionable. Dirt, oils (from your head) and grime slowly break down the foams/plastics that your helmet is built from. Unfortunately, there is no east test for determining the safety of your helmet.

So if you need a new helmet - just get a new helmet. There is no point in sacrificing your safety under the chance that a 10 year old helmet MIGHT do it's job when needed!

NASA National Championships - On the Road Update!

We just heard back from Tiffany McCollum and Stacey Braithwaite, our employees representing OG Racing at the NASA Nationals at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. Here's a quick run-down of their experience so far:

Tooele, Utah 09/09/09 We've arrived in Tooele and made our way to Miller Motorsports Park. The weather is mid 80’s and no humidity.

This place is AWESOME!!! This is definitely one of the nicest tracks in the US. NASA test and tune is today and we have watched everyone get things together, get ready to tech and make some runs on the 3.38 mile track. We have already met and talked to many of the racers who decided to come a day early to get their cars in the best condition for 3 days of racing.

Shannon and Jay Matus from NASA Texas have been excellent hosts for OG Racing. They are located in GP garage 24, along with OG Racing's base of operation. We have a chance not only to meet and talk with the racers but to be a part of the actual racing experience. Tiffany and I have learned so much about car prep, tech and timing. This is only a part of the group of NASA racers that will be here tomorrow. We are excited to meet everyone that is here!

Shannon and Jay Matus had a rear axle break on their GT3, and a garage here actually had an axle and let them use the lift to get back on the track in record time. Thanks Tatum Racing!

We also have been keeping tabs on our own Mid-atlantic NASA star Chris Cobetto!!! He is doing great but had a brief incident with a brake caliper - the piston seal busted, leaking fluid everywhere. And can you believe that in this middle of nowhere track, a parts store in the nearest town actually had a replacement? It is great to see NASA as a family - even though the competition is heavy, they still look out for one another.

Tomorrow is Qualifying and we are looking forward to an influx of drivers overnight.

09/10/09 Qualifying went well, with more NASA drivers arrived overnight. We are meeting some great racers, mostly from the west coast and Texas. There have been no major incidents save a mangled miata and a blown motor in a Mustang. Both drivers were ok. Everyone here has been great to us and we are having a great time!!!

Tonight is the dinner and the OG suit giveaway!!! We have lots of entries and are still collecting, them as we go around to meet the drivers.

Tomorrow is more qualifying, with Saturday and Sunday being the actual races.

NASA National Championships

OG Racing is pleased to announce that two of its sales staff will be attending the NASA Championships at Miller Motorsports Park on September 9 -13, 2009 in Tooele, Utah. OG Racing is the Official Safety Equipment Supplier for NASA and a proud supporter of NASA racing.

In conjunction with the NASA Championships, OG Racing will also be offering all competitors the opportunity to win a custom Sparco race suit along with a number of other prizes. The offer is available to all NASA Championship competitors taking part in the event who register for the raffle. Registration forms are included in the driver’s packet. Completed Registration Forms may be turned in at the Driver’s Information Booth anytime before Friday, September 11 at 4pm. Winners will be selected at random and the awards presented during the Drivers Welcome Dinner on Friday evening. Please see the event schedule for an exact time.

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is also pleased to announce that OG Racing and Racepak have partnered to offer over $25,000 in CASH to the top finishers at the 4th annual NASA Championships event at Miller Motorsports Park on September 10 - 13, 2009. The OG Racing/Racepak contingency program applies to all eligible classes at the NASA Championships.

About the NASA Championship Event: The toughest competition in NASA's season this year will take place September 10-13, 2009 at Miller Motorsports Park. The 4th NASA Championships will allow competitors from all over the country to battle for the most coveted National Champion title in their respective classes at one of the most demanding and prestigious road courses in the country. For drivers, this will be a unique opportunity to measure their skills against the best of the best. Spectators will have a chance to see the finest racing action NASA has to offer as well as the opportunity to participate in special events throughout the week designed to give them a taste of the action.

This week-long event will also include peripheral activities such as manufacturers Auto X, Tech Seminars, Go Kart racing, Kids Activities, Exhibition Auto X/Rally X, Drifting, Remote Control Car Racing and Slot Car Racing, Food, Concerts, Drive-in Movies and much more.

For more information on the NASA National Championship event, please visit: http://nasachampionships.com/

Sparco Harness Deal - $100 each

EDIT (10:14, 09/2/09): Both Belts have sold. Thanks for helping make some space in my office!

Someone pulled a fast one on us.

Here's the story:

I have TWO Sparco 6 Point Harnesses in Red. They look like this:



They both have 2007 build dates (FIA Expires 2012). The problem with them is that each has exactly ONE Pull-Up Lap end, and ONE Pull-Down Lap End. I know some customers in the past were installing such systems to make belt adjustment easier (it's difficult to pull down/out with a door in the way!) I'm guessing someone bought 4 sets, and swapped out the pieces they needed, then returned the other set. Tricky, tricky...we didn't realize the oddity until we were showing them to a customer.

So, here's the offer. I'm selling these for $99 each (Original Retail $299). Purchase a RED harness set at the following link:

SPARCO-6-POINT-COMPLETE-HARNESS-SET-WAREHOUSE-CLOSEOUT

Then use one of the following coupon codes: 104576-2 OR 104667-3

Each code is set up for one set of harnesses - so if you want both sets, buy each as an individual line item, and use both codes.

The coupons are single use, so if they don't work, that means someone else has already taken advantage of the deal. I'll also delete/modify these posts if that happens.

Please, please get these out of my office!!