SCCA vs NASA: Race Classes Explained for Buyers
Before you buy a club race car in the United States, decide which club you will race with and which class the car is legal in. The two big amateur road-racing organizers, SCCA and NASA, run different rulebooks, different licenses and different class lists. A handful of cars, Spec Miata above all, are welcome at both. Plenty of others are only competitive, or only legal, with one of them.
Class names and rules in this guide reflect published SCCA and NASA information as of October 2026. Both clubs revise their classes every year: always check the current SCCA GCR and NASA CCR, and the specific class rules, before you buy.
SCCA and NASA in one paragraph each
SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) is the older and larger of the two. Its road-racing rules live in the General Competition Rules (GCR). Racing runs at two levels: Regional events, and the U.S. Majors Tour and Hoosier Super Tour, which lead to the National Championship Runoffs. For 2026, the main route to the Runoffs is at least three U.S. Majors Tour weekends and at least three race finishes. The alternative, called 2+2, keeps two of those Majors weekends and replaces the third with two Regional weekends.
NASA (National Auto Sport Association) publishes the Club Codes and Regulations (CCR) and runs a ladder that starts with High Performance Driving Events (HPDE) and continues to Time Trial and wheel-to-wheel racing. Its season ends at the NASA Championships; the 2026 edition at Sebring International Raceway covered 20 road-racing classes. NASA's identity is built around its spec classes and its Super Touring and Time Trial structures.
SCCA Club Racing classes
SCCA groups its classes by category. For the 2026 Runoffs, SCCA announced 18 run groups:
| Category | Classes |
|---|---|
| Spec | Spec Miata (SM), Spec MX-5 (SMX) |
| Sports Racing | Spec Racer Ford Gen3 (SRF3), Prototype / Prototype 2 (P1/P2) |
| Formula | Formula Atlantic (FA), Formula Enterprises 2 (FE2), Formula Continental (FC), Formula F (FF), Formula 600 (F600), Formula Vee (FV) |
| Touring | Touring 1–4 (T1, T2, T3, T4), B-Spec |
| Super Touring | Super Touring Under (STU), Super Touring Lite (STL) |
| Grand Touring | GT-1, GT-2 |
| Production | E Production (EP), F Production (FP), H Production (HP) |
| Sedan | American Sedan (AS) |
A few things matter to a buyer. Spec Racer Ford Gen3 is a closed-wheel, one-design sports racer with a sealed Ford engine, and FE2 is a spec single-seater with a sealed Mazda 2.0-liter engine; both are built around SCCA's own spec programs, so their market is almost entirely SCCA drivers. Touring cars are lightly modified production cars. B-Spec is the entry-level subcompact class. Production and GT are the older, more open categories, where prep level varies a lot from car to car.
SCCA divisions and regions also run their own regional-only classes. In the Central Division's 2026 rules, for example, Spec E46, Spec 944, Spec Corvette and an open-tire Spec Miata class appear as divisional classes. Those can be good racing, but they are local: check that your region offers the class before you buy for it.
NASA classes
NASA's 2026 Championships give a good snapshot of what races nationally:
| Group | Classes |
|---|---|
| Spec | Spec Miata, Spec MX-5 (national class from 2026), Spec E30, Spec E46, Spec3, 944 Spec, Corvette Cup, Spec Iron, Spec Z, Thunder Roadster |
| Super Touring | ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5, ST6 |
| Other racing | American Iron, American Iron Xtreme, Camaro-Mustang Challenge, German Touring Series, GT, Super Unlimited, Honda Challenge, Legends |
| Time Trial | TT1–TT6, plus TTU, TTGT and the TTEV electric class |
Spec classes are where NASA's grids are deepest. Spec E30 (BMW E30 325), 944 Spec (Porsche 944 and 924S), Spec E46 (BMW E46 330) and Spec3 (E36 BMW) are all NASA-born classes with their own rule sets. Spec E46 has a higher build cost than Spec Miata, Spec E30 or 944 Spec, and its rules bar engine development beyond stock power.
Super Touring (ST1–ST6) is a power-to-weight class structure with modification factors: almost any car can be placed in an ST class, from ST1 (fastest) to ST6 (most restricted). ST rules also cover NASA's endurance racing. The 2026 rules introduced new modification factors in ST1–ST4 and new ABS rules for ST5 and ST6.
Time Trial uses its own rulebook with TT1–TT6 and other classes. It is timed laps rather than wheel-to-wheel, and a common step for a driver whose car is not yet caged for racing. NASA added a Time Trial Street "class within a class" for registered street cars on 200+ treadwear tires.
Same name, different rulebook
This is where most cross-club buying mistakes happen.
Super Touring. SCCA's STU and STL and NASA's ST1–ST6 share a name and nothing else. A car that is competitive in NASA ST4 has to be reclassed, and possibly re-prepared, for SCCA STU or STL.
Spec Miata. Both clubs run it, and the rules have been coordinated in the past, but they are not the same document. NASA's 2026 dry tire is the Hoosier RCES; check the SCCA tire rule for the year you will race. Builders also point to differences in cage requirements between the clubs.
Spec MX-5. From 2026 both clubs use the same Hoosier SMX dry tire ($290) and SMXW wet tire ($305). NASA plans sealed engines from 2027.
Which car for which class
| Car | SCCA | NASA | Buyer's note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda Miata 1990–2005 (NA/NB) built to Spec Miata | Spec Miata (SM) | Spec Miata | The most liquid club car in the US; confirm tire rule and cage for each club |
| Mazda MX-5 NC built to Spec MX-5 | Spec MX-5 (SMX) | Spec MX-5 | Check the eligible model years in the current rules |
| Spec Racer Ford Gen3 | SRF3 | No equivalent spec class | Sealed-engine status and seal paperwork matter |
| Formula Enterprises 2 | FE2 | No equivalent spec class | SCCA-centric resale market |
| BMW E30 325 built to Spec E30 | Regional only, where offered | Spec E30 | Buy for NASA first |
| BMW E46 330 built to Spec E46 | Regional only (e.g. some divisions) | Spec E46 | Higher build cost; confirm local SCCA classing |
| Porsche 944 / 924S built to 944 Spec | Regional only, where offered | 944 Spec | Note 2026 shock and tire updates |
| Corvette C5/C6 | Regional Spec Corvette in some divisions | Corvette Cup, ST classes | Check spec-tire and eligibility rules |
| Camaro / Mustang | American Sedan or Touring, depending on model and prep | Camaro-Mustang Challenge, American Iron | Classing depends heavily on build |
| Global MX-5 Cup car (ND) | Check classing with the club | Check classing with the club | Built for the IMSA-sanctioned Mazda MX-5 Cup |
Browse current Spec Miata cars for sale and MX-5 Cup cars for sale, or the full list of race cars for sale in the United States.
The license path: HPDE to full competition license
Neither club asks you to own a race car before your first track day, and you should not buy one before you know which license path you are on.
SCCA. Join the club, complete the online drivers school modules, upload your driver's license and complete the medical declaration, then buy a Novice Permit. Attend an SCCA Drivers School or Race Experience event, or an accredited school, to earn your school credit. After three successful Regional weekends, the Novice Permit converts to a Full Competition License, which you need for U.S. Majors Tour and Super Tour events. Some accredited schools at higher levels credit part or all of that progression.
NASA. Most drivers start in HPDE 1 with an instructor and move up through HPDE 2, 3 and 4 by sign-off, not by time served. From HPDE 4, you can move to Time Trial or attend a competition licensing school, which ends with on-track evaluation and a written test and issues a provisional license. The provisional license becomes a full competition license after a set number of clean races; the CCR governs the details.
A practical point for buyers: a NASA competition school can usually be done in an HPDE-legal car, so you do not need a caged car to get licensed. Many drivers buy the race car once the license is in hand and the class is chosen.
Where the pro series sit
Above club racing, the professional ladder is run by series organizers rather than clubs:
- IMSA sanctions the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and several support series, including the Mazda MX-5 Cup and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America, which runs the 992.2-generation 911 GT3 Cup in 2026.
- SRO America runs GT World Challenge America (GT3), GT America, which welcomed Cup cars such as Porsche GT3 Cup, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Ferrari Challenge models for 2026, plus GT4 America and TC America.
- Trans Am runs the TA, TA2 and TA Cup silhouette classes alongside the production-based GT, SGT and XGT classes. XGT was created to give former GT3 cars a place to race. Browse Trans Am race cars for sale.
- Ferrari Challenge North America is Ferrari's own one-make series. Browse Ferrari Challenge cars for sale.
Pro cars carry pro paperwork: series technical passports, sealed components and manufacturer service records. Club logbooks do not replace them.
Vintage and historic groups
Vintage racing runs under its own organizers, mainly SVRA, HSR and VRG (Vintage Racer Group). Eligibility is about period specification: SVRA, for example, makes the owner responsible for presenting the car as it raced in its eligibility period, and states that a logbook from SVRA or another organization does not guarantee acceptance at an event. Buy the history file, not just the car. Our motorsport acronyms guide explains documents such as the FIA HTP, and you can browse historic race cars for sale.
Buyer's eligibility checklist
Run through this list before you send a deposit:
- Logbook. Get the original logbook from every club the car has raced with. With SCCA, the logbook belongs to the vehicle and its cage: a cage moved to a different car, or a new cage, means a new logbook. A car with no logbook may need a new cage before it passes tech.
- Class spec. Ask which class and which year's rules the car was built to. Then read the current class rules yourself. Classes merge and rules change: GT-3U into STU, tire changes in Spec Miata and Spec MX-5, new ST modification factors.
- Annual tech. NASA requires an annual inspection sticker on the windshield, and both clubs note the annual inspection in the logbook. A car with current annual tech is far less likely to fail on its first weekend with you.
- Cage. Confirm that the cage was built to the rules of the club you will race with. Cage rules differ between SCCA and NASA, and any repair should be recorded. Pay for a cage inspection if the logbook history is thin.
- Safety equipment dates. Seat, harness, window net, fire system and, if fitted, the fuel cell all have dates. Your own helmet must also meet the club's current standard: NASA requires Snell SA2020 or newer, or FIA 8859-2015 or 8860-2018 or newer, for racing from January 1, 2027.
- Sealed components. For SRF3, FE2 and future NASA Spec MX-5 engines, seals and the paperwork behind them are part of what you are buying.
- Tires and spares. A spec class with a new spec tire can make a stack of old tires worthless. Price the spares accordingly.
For the physical inspection, use our used race car inspection checklist.
Sources
- SCCA — Car Classifications and Groups
- SCCA — 2026 Runoffs Classes and Qualification Criteria Announced
- SCCA — Getting an SCCA Competition License
- SCCA — Spec MX-5 to Race on Hoosier Tires Starting in 2026
- NASA Speed News — What's New in NASA for 2026?
- NASA Speed News — NASA and Mazda announce Spec MX-5 as NASA national class
- NASA Speed News — Complete coverage of the 2026 NASA Championships
- SVRA — General Rules & Regulations
- Porsche Motorsport — Carrera Cup North America
- Trans Am Series
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between SCCA and NASA?
Both are national clubs that run amateur road racing across the United States, each with its own rulebook, license, logbook and class structure. The SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) publishes the General Competition Rules (GCR) and crowns national champions at the Runoffs. NASA (National Auto Sport Association) publishes the Club Codes and Regulations (CCR), runs a structured HPDE program that feeds into Time Trial and racing, and holds its own NASA Championships. Many cars can race with both, but a car built for one club is not automatically legal in the other.
Can a Spec Miata race in both SCCA and NASA?
Yes, Spec Miata is the best-known crossover car in American club racing, and both clubs run it as a spec class. The two rulebooks are close but not identical: the spec tire differs (NASA moved Spec Miata to the Hoosier RCES for 2026), and details such as cage design, decals and some component allowances can differ. Build or buy to the stricter rule on each point, carry the logbook for each club, and check both current rulebooks before you race.
What is the difference between Spec Miata and Spec MX-5?
Spec Miata is built on the first two Miata generations (1990–2005, NA and NB). Spec MX-5 is a newer Mazda-developed spec class built on the NC-generation MX-5 with a 2.0-liter engine and six-speed gearbox. In SCCA, Spec MX-5 (SMX) has been a National Championship Runoffs class since 2024 and moved to Hoosier tires for 2026; NASA made Spec MX-5 a national class starting in 2026. Neither should be confused with the Mazda MX-5 Cup, the IMSA-sanctioned pro series that uses the current ND-based Global MX-5 Cup car.
How do I get a racing license in the US?
With SCCA, you join, complete the online drivers school modules, buy a Novice Permit, attend an SCCA Drivers School (or an accredited school) and then run three successful Regional weekends to convert the permit into a Full Competition License. With NASA, most drivers progress through HPDE levels 1 to 4, attend a competition licensing school to earn a provisional license, and upgrade to a full competition license after a run of clean races set by the CCR. Check each club's current requirements before you book, as they change.
What paperwork should come with a used club race car?
At minimum, the car's logbook from each club it has raced with, a current annual technical inspection, and evidence that the safety equipment is within date: seat, harness, window net and fire system. Ask for the class spec the car was built to, its most recent tech sheets, and any record of cage repairs. A car with no logbook, or a cage that was never logbooked, should be priced as if the cage may need replacement.