STOP! If you are reading this and you have no experience on track, sign up for an HPDE event ASAP!

  • Any reasonably safe street car will work for HPDE

  • You must have appropriate track experience in HPDE (track days) or unlicensed endurance racing to attempt to get your NASA racing license if you do not already have a race license

  • The #1 most time consuming part of preparing to race Spec3 is getting the requisite on track experience

  • You can build your Spec3 at the same time as you are progressing through the HPDE track day program in that same car!

  • https://drivenasa.com/hpde

Already have track experience or understand it is required to race Spec3?

Great! Continue reading!

What is Spec3?

  • Spec3 is the most popular racing series for the E36 (92-99) 3 series BMW and one of the most popular classes for any BMW chassis

  • Spec3 is a low cost, amateur racing series open to all who qualify for a NASA competition license

  • The Spec3 build is based on the 93-95 BMW 325i coupe and sedan and has very limited modifications allowed to keep costs low and ensure all cars are equal

  • Spec3 welcomes drivers of all speeds, but is also a destination for talented racers who wish to race hard and competitively, routinely having some of the closest lap times and finishes in NASA

  • Spec3 is organized and marketed by racers in the class who volunteer their time to grow and maintain the series

  • Spec3 is not a place for people who want to pay to win or don’t care about damaging their car or others because they can just pay someone to fix it

Why race spec3?

  • Spec3 is one of the most affordable racing classes, even more affordable than other classes that call themselves a “budget” class

  • Spec3 is one of the fastest growing racing classes in the US with 80+ builds started in the last 3 years across 10 NASA regions

  • The BMW E36 is one of the best racing platforms ever built and is extremely well supported

  • Spec3 has tremendous staying power and will remain a popular class for years to come

  • With over a half a million cars sold in North America (a lot of which were manual transmission and limited slip differential equipped) donors and parts will remain plentiful and cheap

  • Spec3 leadership has no affiliations with anyone that stands to make any money from Spec3. It’s purely grown by people that love racing the class

  • Top talent. A win at the Spec3 national championship proves you are an extremely talented driver

  • As a dyno-verified class with one of the tightest rulebooks in racing, you cannot buy your lap times in Spec3

  • Spec3 racers are normal people with normal budgets and have to fix their own cars. The racing is very tight, but don’t expect to have to do much body work between events

What do I need to race Spec3?

Where can I race Spec3?

  • At any NASA weekend with racing

  • Spec3 has activity in almost every NASA region.

  • Some regions have been racing for years

  • Some regions will have their first races this year

  • Other regions will have their first Spec3 racing in the future.

How do I obtain a NASA Competition License?

  • Full video explanation here

  • Existing racing licenses from respected organizations like SCCA will usually grant you a NASA license

  • Take part in a NASA competition school after enough time in HPDE (usually 12 weekends or more in HPDE)

  • Starting from zero experience, it usually takes 2-3 years for a consistent driver attending 6-7 HPDE events a year to get to competition school

  • If you have little track experience (regardless of how fast you think you are) get on track ASAP at an HPDE event. This can be done in ANY reasonable vehicle, even a 100% stock street car

  • Most people build their Spec3 as they progress through HPDE. You can build your car piece by piece between events. You do not need a race car to start working towards comp school in HPDE

How do I obtain a Spec3 race car?