NASA Speed News Magazine, May 2018
“Inside Information: NASA Prototype”
Five NP01 drivers on what it’s like to race the NASA Prototype
By Brett Becker
Brett Becker’s feature on the NP01 — the 1,450-pound, 185-horsepower, sequential-gearbox prototype racecar introduced at PRI 2014 — interviewed five NP01 drivers from across NASA’s regions about what it takes to build, drive, and live with the car. Stephen Myers represented NASA Central and answered questions about how the NP01 compares to his previous Panoz GTS, what downforce feels like on roval tracks like Gateway Motorsports Park and Iowa Speedway, and how the car’s simple bodywork makes it much easier to work on than it looks. Steve is also credited among the article’s photographers.
From Steve’s Q&A:
How does racing an NP01 compare with other racecars you’ve owned?
“It certainly has the least amount of power and is way more efficient with fuel, brakes, tires and other consumables. I was previously racing a Panoz GTS with around 500 horsepower at the wheels, so the NP01 is almost as opposite as you can get, but on some tracks it is just as fast.”
What does it take to get used to driving a car with this much downforce?
“I am used to racing cars with large rear wings, a front splitter, and lots of horsepower, so I didn’t notice that much of a difference until I raced the NP01 at the Gateway Motorsports Park and the Iowa Speedway. The downforce in combination with the banking on roval tracks is unreal. At Gateway, I was able to slalom around the other cars without worry of sticking in any lane around the oval and the combination of the downforce and the 14-degree banking at the Iowa Speedway give you the sensation that car is stuck to the asphalt, but you are going to be thrown out of your belts and out the door.”
Is working on an NP01 any easier than working on a production car?
“The NP01 is very intimidating at first to work on, but once you dive in and have removed the entire body a few times, it is a joy how quickly you can remove all the panels to gain fairly easy access to almost any part. My car is fitted with air jacks, which makes tire changes and working on it in the paddock or in the shop very easy.”
