NASA Texas Region’s Camaro-Mustang Challenge delivered a weekend of intense battles, dramatic comebacks and off-track festivites at the newly repaved Hallett Motor Racing Circuit on June 7–8, 2025. A strong 12-car field tackled unpredictable weather and challenging track conditions, reaffirming why the annual Hallett event is a season highlight.
Torrential overnight rains gave way to hot, humid race days, testing driver skill and car setups on the circuit’s new asphalt. The weekend is a favorite for the close-knit CMC group, known as much for its paddock festivities as for its on-track action. “Hallett is everyone’s favorite track,” driver Todd Spickard said. “Everybody tries to make Hallett in June. It’s the summer party.”
Qualifying Heats Up
The weekend’s tension began in Saturday’s qualifying session, which was interrupted by a lengthy yellow flag after a car went off track. With only a few flying laps possible at the end of the session, drivers had to seize the moment.
“I got up to qual pretty early,” Sam Crumpacker said. “I just went past the car in front and thought I’ll just try to get one good lap before we have somebody stuck in the mud.”
The times were incredibly tight at the top. Team Jordan piloted their car to pole position with a blistering 1:27.3, just four-tenths of a second ahead of 2021 CMC National Champion Josh Sooknanan’s 1:27.7. Crumpacker rounded out the top three with a 1:28.0, setting the stage for a tight battle.
Two Days, Four Races
The weekend’s unique four-race format, featuring inverted grids for the middle two races, ensured action throughout the field.
Race one began with a chaotic standing start that turned into a rolling start after a new flagger threw the green flag early. Sooknanan jumped to an early lead, but Jordan quickly reclaimed the top spot. “He got behind me and then I just felt like I was on his bumper the whole weekend,” Sooknanan said of the close fight. The race was defined by a long caution period after David Francis’s car caught fire. “Come out of 5, see a rearview mirror full of orange, feel heat, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m on fire,’” Francis recalled. He escaped unharmed, and his fellow competitors skillfully navigated the incident. In the end, Jordan held on for the win, followed by Sooknanan and Crumpacker.
Races two and three saw the grids inverted, giving mid-pack drivers a chance to race at the front while forcing the fastest qualifiers to fight through traffic. The format is a favorite among the drivers. “I personally enjoy the inverts more than the traditional start races,” Crumpacker said. “I love it.”
Michael Mosty put on a clinic in Race two, methodically working his way from 8th on the grid take the win. “You really kind of have to second guess making a pass during the inverted starts, especially on the first or second lap,” Mosty said. “Race two was just good, clean racing and just trying to be in the right place at the right time.” The finishing order for Race 2 saw Mosty in P1, Joshua Sooknanan in P2 and Bryan Leinart who managed to hold onto P3 after starting with the inverted grid in P2. Well done.
Race four, the weekend’s championship finale, saw the grid set by cumulative points. Mosty started on pole, with Sooknanan, Crumpacker and Jordan close behind. The heat of the day had made the track slick, with treacherous marbles just off the racing line. “Offline in race four the track was already slick, and then if you went offline you were probably going all the way to the grass,” Sooknanan noted.
While Mosty managed the race from the front, a fierce battle for the remaining podium spots raged behind him. Crumpacker fought to hold off constant attacks from Sooknanan and Jordan.
“Every other lap it was a black car and then it was a red car and then it was a black car and then it was a red car,” Crumpacker said of his defense for second place. “They were swapping back and forth. I would get a little bit of breathing room. Then they would usually swap spots and sort it out and chase me back down.”
At the checkered flag, Mosty cemented his dominance, claiming the win and the coveted “Hallett Shootout Champion” plaque. Crumpacker’s defensive driving earned him second place, while Team Jordan rounded out the podium in third.
A Weekend Dedicated to Craig McCormick
This year’s Hallett event carried an especially emotional weight for the NASA Texas family. Just one week prior, longtime racer and beloved friend Craig McCormick passed away May 30th, 2025. Craig wasn’t just another competitor. He was the beating heart of the CMC and American Muscle Car Masters, a NASA Class in Texas and Colorado that Craig co-founded. His infectious laughter, selfless support, and unwavering love for racing brought people together in a way few can. His absence was deeply felt across the weekend, from the grid to the late-night paddock hangs he cherished.
Many racers quietly dedicated their drives to him, and more than a few looked skyward after crossing the finish line. The weekend was more than just another race. It was a celebration of a man who made this community feel like home. Our thoughts remain with Craig’s family, who gave so much to this racing family.
The weekend was a testament to the spirit of the Camaro-Mustang Challenge class, a group that battles fiercely on track but comes together for “Midnight Ribs” and paddock parties once the engines cool. With the season now past its halfway point, the close racing at Hallett has tightened the championship standings, promising more drama in the races to come.
