David Lecko Wins 2024 NASA Texas ST3: Why a Ginetta Beats a BMW

Meet your 2024 NASA Texas ST3 Champion. David Lecko raced his Ginetta G56 GTA against BMWs, Thunder Roadsters, and a Chevy S-10—and here's exactly why the purpose-built Ginetta won.

If you're a high-earning car enthusiast in Texas, chances are you've flirted with the idea of turning your BMW into a real track weapon. But what if you skipped the hassle of endless mods and just got a proper race car instead?

Meet David Lecko, your 2024 NASA Texas ST3 Champion, who proved exactly why a Ginetta G56 GTA is the ultimate upgrade for serious racers.

The Championship Battle

The NASA Texas ST3 field was stacked with competitive entries, featuring everything from modified BMW M3s to Thunder Roadsters and a Chevy S-10. But at the end of the season, David Lecko and his 2023 Ginetta G56 GTA emerged victorious.

Here's the ST3 lineup he battled against:

  • Brian Beckett – 2004 BMW M3
  • George Saldana – 2008 600 Racing Thunder Roadster
  • Paul Adams – 1986 Chevy S-10
  • Gunn Kim – 2013 Nissan 370Z Nismo
  • Maxwell Waithman – 2022 Ginetta G56 GTA
  • David Lecko – 2023 Ginetta G56 GTA 🏆

Why a Ginetta Instead of Modding a BMW?

Many ST3 competitors started with street-based cars—especially BMWs. And while an E46 or E92 M3 can be a blast on track, they come with their fair share of headaches:

Reliability: Factory-built race cars like the Ginetta don't have cooling issues, weak differentials, or finicky electronics.

Lower Running Costs: Say goodbye to chasing obscure BMW parts and paying for track-prep headaches. The Ginetta is designed for racing—not daily driving.

Purpose-Built Advantages: Ever tried loading your M3 into a trailer and wished you could just pop the door off? With a Ginetta, you can. It's small details like this that make race weekends way easier.

Want to Try a Ginetta for Yourself?

If you're serious about upgrading from a BMW to a purpose-built race car, we have the factory demo Ginetta G56 GTA available for test drives at Harris Hill Raceway (near Austin, TX).

Massive thanks to my coach Derek Eastty and mechanic Susan Pfeiffer for making this championship season happen.

Ready to Experience the Ginetta Difference?

Contact us to set up your demo ride at Harris Hill Raceway.

Your BMW was fun. Now it's time for something faster, cheaper to run, and built for the job.