NASA Texas Camaro-Mustang Challenge brought its signature high-energy racing and camaraderie to Hallett Motor Racing Circuit on June 6–7, 2026. Hosted by the NASA MidAmerica Region, the Sooner Summer Shootout served as the unofficial “championship” weekend for the Texas contingent, a long-standing tradition that dates back nearly two decades for some of the class veterans. Eleven drivers faced an onslaught of adverse conditions over four grueling races.
Mud, rain and slick surfaces tested tire strategies and driver patience all weekend long. Beyond the intense on-track action, the event highlighted the unique culture of Texas CMC—a brotherhood where competitors routinely spend their off-hours wrenching on each other’s cars, sharing spare parts, and keeping traditions alive in the paddock.
Saturday Racing
Race one kicked off Saturday under a heavy downpour, forcing drivers into high-stakes tire decisions. Sam Crumpacker, driving the No. 54 Orange and White Mustang, faced a nightmare scenario on grid when a pre-existing wheel stud issue prevented him from swapping to rain tires.
“I pulled the front off, swap to a wet, go to pull the rear slick off, and it’s that one that had the bad studs, and two of my lug nuts wouldn’t come off,” Crumpacker said. “I knew it was a problem and, you know, I was like, ‘Okay, if I keep trying, it’s going to snap a stud or something and then I won’t make the race at all.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, I guess I’m on slicks now.'”
Despite a killer standing start that initially placed him ahead of the field, Crumpacker quickly fell back as his slicks lost grip in the pouring rain, compounding a severe windshield fogging issue that ultimately forced him to retire to a 10th-place finish. Michael Mosty capitalized on the wet track to take the win in his No. 11 Red and Silver Mustang Coupe.
Christopher Fleming, who missed qualifying due to a cracked valve stem that forced a frantic pre-race run into a nearby small-town tire shop, made a masterful drive from the back of the grid on rain tires to claim second place.
Brian Leinart finished in third place one lap down from the front runners due to the conditions.
Todd Spickard, driving the Green No. 63x Mustang, qualified and started third but dropped to fifth after a mysterious flapping sound forced a mid-race pit stop to check for a blown tire or loose brake duct. The problem mysteriously vanished after he returned to the track.
Race Two
Texas CMC uses an inverted grid structure for races two and three based on the previous race’s finishes, putting the fastest drivers at the back and giving midpack racers a shot at defending the lead from the front.
For race two, Crumpacker started on the front row next to Joshua Sooknanan, who had also suffered from fogging issues in the opener. Crumpacker struggled on over-inflated slicks on a cold, damp track, finishing second behind a charging Mosty, who carved through the inverted field to win again.
Jonathan Valdez filled Crumpacker’s mirrors the entire race to secure a standout third-place finish.
Fleming spent race two locked in a fierce, exhausting battle with Colorado-region visitor Randy English. English, driving a Red Chevy Camaro, proved notoriously difficult to overtake.
“He is impossible to pass,” Fleming remarked about English. “That guy drives a car that is at least a car and a half wide and it shows.”
Sunday Racing
Sunday morning brought a continuation of the inverted field experiment for race three, a 15-minute Super Sprint. Fleming started at the front and led early, holding off a fierce challenge from Sooknanan until a failed fuel pump relay caused his car’s RPMs to drop through Turn 6. Fleming pulled off into the grass, bringing out a full-course yellow. The caution period gave drivers a unique thrill as Hallett’s iconic third-generation IROC-Z pace car led the CMC muscle car pack.
With Fleming sidelined, Sooknanan drove away with the victory, followed by Mosty in second. Crumpacker endured a chaotic start to finish fourth on the track, dodging an out-of-region American Iron competitor who tore off his splitter and threw up a wall of mud. Jerry Jordan initially took the checker in third but was demoted to the rear of the field for passing under the yellow flag, promoting Crumpacker to the final podium step.
Race Four
The weekend concluded with Sunday afternoon’s 40-minute “money race,” where the starting lineup was determined by accumulated weekend points. Mosty led early from the pole, slowly pulling away by a tenth of a second per lap. Crumpacker slotted into second by Turn 2 and spent the majority of the race managing his pace and monitoring his mirrors as Sooknanan pursued him.
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In the closing laps, the gap to Mosty suddenly began to shrink as the leader battled a failing steering column mount. Smelling blood, Crumpacker went into full push mode. On the 24th and final lap, Crumpacker laid down a blistering 1:25.719—setting a new CMC track record at Hallett—but ran out of time, finishing a mere 0.851 seconds behind Mosty.
Further back, a dramatic tactical battle unfolded between English, Jay Jordan (who took over the Team Jordan No. 55 Mustang from his father Jerry), and Fleming. Fleming intentionally stayed behind Jordan, hoping the faster driver would punch a hole through English’s wide defensive lines.
“We were like nose-to-tail chasing each other around the whole track,” Fleming said. “Every single corner. Jay’s making moves. Randy’s making moves. I’m trying to pick the right place to be to keep my momentum up and follow Jay through.”
The high-speed game of chess ended prematurely for Fleming on lap six. As he loaded up the car’s right front through the blind, uphill Turn 7, a grinding noise pierced his helmet and earplugs. Recognizing a failing front hub, Fleming made the smart choice to pit before losing a wheel, ending up with three and a half degrees of unintended camber. Jay Jordan eventually bypassed English to secure third place.
Key Driver Perspectives
The defining moments of the weekend occurred in the paddock, where the true ethos of the CMC class was on full display. When Crumpacker’s wheel stud issue threatened to sideline him for the rest of Saturday, Race Director Marshall Mosty spent an hour and a half helping drill out the spun studs and press in replacements.
The paddock camaraderie extended to Steve Gernon, who suffered a catastrophic right front hub failure during Friday practice. Rather than packing up and heading home, Gernon stayed the entire weekend to crew chief for his peers and even loaned his rain tires to a competitor who lacked a wet setup. He also loaned Crumpacker a custom, 3D-printed helmet blower connected to his cool shirt lines to test during race four.
The social atmosphere was anchored by the traditional NASA Texas CMC Saturday night barbecue potluck. Dave Francis, whose third-generation Camaro was sidelined with mechanical trouble, towed his massive smoker to the track anyway to prepare brisket and his trademark “Midnight Ribs” for the entire group.
Conclusion
Michael Mosty delivered a masterful weekend performance, sweeping three of the four races, including the prestigious race four feature win. Sam Crumpacker secured three podium finishes across the event, highlighted by his record-setting final lap in the finale. Joshua Sooknanan claimed the remaining victory in Sunday’s sprint, while Christopher Fleming and Jay Jordan earned well-deserved podium honors over the weekend.
The intense battles and mutual paddock support at Hallett solidify Texas CMC’s reputation as one of the most tight-knit and resilient groups in the NASA nation. The drivers will carry these rebuilt cars and renewed rivalries into the next round of the regional schedule as the 2026 season heats up.
