SIX MILE — Local racer Robert Paszkiewicz won the HPD Honda Challenge 2 class at the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) Eastern States Championships presented by Toyo Tires, held in Sebring, Fla.

The auto race featured more than 200 top amateur drivers from 18 states at Sebring International Raceway competing in various classes. The 12th annual NASA Championships is the culmination of a season that started in January for many of the drivers, said a NASA spokesperson.

“I went off in the rain, I spun off,” Paszkiewicz said. “It sucks it happened, but I’m glad it happened because I had to work for it, so it makes me feel like I earned this trophy instead of just sailing home with a win.”

Racing included two days of qualifying on the 3.74-mile-long track to set the grid for the Championships, which took place Sunday, Oct. 22.

According to the organization, NASA was formed in 1991 with the premise of delivering high-quality motor sports events to enthusiasts at major racing venues throughout the United States.

NASA has created programs that allow owners of race cars and high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a controlled professionally managed environment.

“NASA offers many different programs that will allow you to enjoy motor sports on a number of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events (HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs,” a spokesperson said. “It is one of the largest grassroots racing organizations in the United States, with numerous drivers moving on to the professional ranks.”

Winning a Championship in one the 25 classes at the Eastern States Championships presented by Toyo Tires is a major accomplishment, said Jeremy Croiset, NASA’s director of business development.

“All our drivers put in a lot of hard work this year just to get to the Championships and they drove their hearts out over the weekend,” Croiset said. “Championships are earned, not given, and our guys definitely earned their place in the record books.”

Robert Paszkiewicz captures the checkered flag in HPD Honda Challenge 2 class.
https://www.theeasleyprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_nasa.jpgRobert Paszkiewicz captures the checkered flag in HPD Honda Challenge 2 class. Courtesy photo

NASA was formed in 1991.
https://www.theeasleyprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_nasa1.jpgNASA was formed in 1991. Courtesy photo

Staff report