The Driver: Thomas Statnick

2009 NASA Northeast Drivers Champion!

2009 NASA Northeast Super Unlimited Class Champion!

I started performance driving in the early 1990’s and started attending weekend “arrive and drive” events in Formula Ford open wheel cars. After going through shifter karts and touring cars, I bought a purpose built tube chassis race car in 2006.

Today, I live and work in New York City as a technology manager for a large financial institution. I go to the track as often as I can in my custom built NASA Super Unlimited class car. I go to almost every NASA Northeast / PDA event as a participant or instructor.

This year, I will be racing in the Super Unlimited (SU) class for NASA Northeast.

Some of my other interests include computers, electronics, science, art, and electronic music.

ITFAIS is an acronym, and is the name of the studio and record label that I used to co-own.

Personal Best Race/Qualify Laptimes

Pocono North: 0:52.848 (2009)
Pocono Single Infield Long: 1:25.485 (2009)
Pocono Double Infield Long: 1:32.364 (2010)
New Jersey Motorsports Park Lightning: 1:08.730 (2009)
New Jersey Motorsports Park Thunderbolt: 1:24.444 (2009)
Watkins Glen: 1:57.278 (2009)
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course: 1:29.740 (2009)

The Car

The car was custom built to SCCA GT-1 specifications during the winter of 2006-2007 by Johnny Coy of Mach-1 Performance in New Jersey. It is based on a Port City tube chassis and is powered by a 421ci naturally aspirated dry-sump pushrod V8 producing around 700hp. It weighs about 2800 lbs including fuel and driver. Other features / parts on the car are:

• Straight up Port City tube chassis with 105″ wheel base, 76″ front and 78″ rear tread width.
• 5-Star Dodge Charger fiberglass body with carbon fiber roof.
• Butler & MacMaster built 18 degree 421ci SBC dry-sump V8 aluminum race motor (8000 RPM) with BoLaws custom carb, MSD ignition, Dynatech headers.
• Jericho RR-4 transmission with Quartermaster flywheel, bellhousing, and 3-disc clutch.
• Kodiak FX 10-spoke 16″ wheels.
• Hoosier 12″ front and 14″ rear radials.
• Penske 8100 shocks with Hyperco springs. 3-link rear suspension with watts link.
• Alcon XT-6 front brakes. Alcon “B” rear brakes. Tilton masters with bias control.
• Joie of Seating custom made racing seat.
• Winters Quickchange 10″ rear.
• ATL fuel cell
• Coldfire 3 nozzle fire suppression system.
• Appleton power assist rack and pinion steering.
• Quickcar gauge and switch panels with Auto Meter gauges.
• Front splitter and rear wing with interchangeable wickers.
• Racecam RC-200 in-car camera with Sony GVD-800 DV recorder.
• Computech KoolBox SP helmet cooler / blower
• Motorola 16 channel 2-way radio.

Here are some pictures of the finished product: