The NASA Texas Region brought its signature brand of tight, competitive Spec Miata racing to Motorsports Ranch Cresson October 10–12, 2025. The event, part of the annual Oktoberfest at MSR Cresson, saw a packed field of racers battling across four sprint races on the challenging 1.7-mile circuit, characterized by its unconventional layout, including the infamous Rattlesnake section.
Veteran and rookie drivers alike praised the high level of respect and camaraderie in the NASA Texas paddock. As driver Manfredi Alliata put it, “We all know each other. We spend a lot of time together on track, off track and we kind of tend to be more respectful. Nobody wants to crash into other cars.”
Watson, Stallone and Friesen Dominate Early
The weekend set a fierce tone from the start, demonstrating just how tight the Spec Miata field is in the Texas region. The top eight finishers in Saturday’s Race 1 were separated by just over a second on fast-lap times, highlighting the razor-thin margins.
Teen Mazda Challenge driver Max Stallone immediately established himself as a contender, taking the win in Saturday’s race one and race two. In race one, Stallone outpaced Beckett Friesen by a narrow 1.971 seconds at the finish after 16 laps. Robert Watson finished fourth in race one, but used the tight battles to hone his craft. “I actually learned a lot in this weekend’s race,” Watson said. “A lot about race craft and setting up for a pass or setting up for defense”.
Race two saw a repeat of the top two, with Stallone winning and Friesen in second, this time by just 1.441 seconds after 13 laps. Watson showed he was a fast learner, climbing to third place in race two. Meanwhile, the “unconventional” nature of the track — a sequence of right, left, right, left turns — made for challenging, but strategic, passing opportunities. Watson noted that Turn 1 (Rattlesnake) is a good passing spot because its wide entry allows for inside and outside moves.
The Climax: Watson Triumphs and a Comeback Drive
The momentum shifted on Sunday, beginning with the 24-lap race three on Sunday. Robert Watson leveraged his learning from Saturday to secure a convincing victory, taking the checkered flag with a 10.499-second lead over Christopher Shaffer. Watson even broke into the 1:24 range, recording the fastest lap of the race at 1:24.908.
Asked about his Sunday success, Watson humorously credited the “Saturday night roast,” a NASA Texas tradition. “Everybody roasted me enough that I figured out what I was doing wrong and had to turn it around for the next day,” he said.
The final sprint, Sunday’s race four, proved to be the most dramatic. Watson joked that he won race three “by default” due to issues sidelining Stallone and Friesen. However, this led to Stallone and Friesen starting from the back of the pack for the final race — creating an unofficial reverse grid of sorts.
Despite starting at the tail end, Max Stallone mounted an incredible comeback drive to win race four. Watson, who finished second, acknowledged the impressive performance. “What was really impressive was that Max, you know, started from the back and finished first,” Watson said, adding that he “didn’t realize that until like yesterday … that was a pretty impressive drive from him.”
Learning from Contact and Looking Ahead
The weekend wasn’t without its incidents, most notably in Saturday race two. Driver Erin Price found herself tangled up in two contacts, one at the Rattlesnake with John Hamner, and another shortly after with Corey Elliott. The resulting flat tire ended her race prematurely. Price, however, maintained a positive outlook, reflecting the paddock’s spirit. “It’s unfortunate but it is part of it, and I learned from it,” she said.
Alliata, too, had a moment in Sundays race three where contact with Christopher Shaffer forced his early retirement. Admitting he initially thought Shaffer was at fault, Alliata checked the replay later. “My learning opportunity is you need to be more aware of what’s going on around you and anticipate that a car could be on your lap,” he admitted.
In the final race, Price had another incident resulting in a flat tire after a black flag restart, but praised her competitors’ clean driving, saying Max and Becket were both “very respectful coming through the field”.
Conclusion: Close Points Battle at the Top
Max Stallone’s three victories and Robert Watson’s win, complemented by multiple podium finishes for Christopher Shaffer and Beckett Friesen, set the stage for a tight championship fight heading into the final race of the season in November.
The current Spec Miata points leader is Christopher Shaffer, the 2023 and 2024 NASA Texas champion. Shaffer’s consistent performance throughout the weekend kept him ahead of the field. Driver Erin Price noted that she is in contention for a podium finish in the season championship, with a strong showing in the final race potentially moving her past Mark Curlee for third place.
The intense, clean racing showcased at MSR Cresson, coupled with the paddock’s strong emphasis on mutual respect, perfectly embodies the spirit of NASA road racing. The drivers are already looking forward to the final event on the calendar, where the 2025 Spec Miata champion will be crowned and Mazda and Toyo Tires contingencies will be paid out to the top finishers.
Yay, we’re famous. Thanks for taking the time to research and write this about our fun sliver of the racing world.