TOPEKA, Kan (July 10, 2018) -- In only four days and four hours, the 2018 Tire Rack SCCA® Solo® Nationals reached its entry cap of 1,350 participants, an unprecedented feat for the Sports Car Club of America®. Those who registered after the cap was reached have now been added to a waitlist. If entry cancellations come in, persons will be offered a slot at the Sept. 3-7 event in Lincoln, Nebraska according to their position on the waitlist.

Howard Duncan, SCCA’s Rally/Solo Senior Director, said, “I have been working with SCCA’s Solo Department a long time and never imagined that the Solo National Championship could possibly sell out so quick! This is truly a testament to the ever-increasing interest in Solo’s top-tier event AND the welcoming environment existing in Lincoln each year.”

Last year, in 2017, the Tire Rack Solo Nationals set a participation record with 1,317 entries. That record may very well fall this year. Whether it does or not, there is no denying the meteoric growth Solo Nationals has experienced over the last several years. A lot of that can be attributed to changes in the Solo landscape dating back more than a decade.

In the 1990s, Solo Nationals already had a strong following and a home in Salina, Kansas. As popularity grew, a new site was found at Forbes Field in Topeka, Kansas to handle the influx of competitors. In 2000, the event first reached nearly 1,000 entries. In 2009, the Championship was relocated to its current home at Lincoln Airpark in Nebraska, and entry numbers continued to grow.

Beyond the location, strategic classing decisions have also played a significant role in the event’s popularity. In 2011, there were 283 cars participating in Stock classes. In 2012, the Solo Events Board began taking steps to migrate Stock to the new Street ruleset. Now in 2018, there are 440 drivers registered to participate in Street classes. That shift from Stock to Street accounts for half the event’s growth over the last seven years.

Of course, the addition of new classes has also aided in growth. New for 2018, the Solo Spec Coupe (SSC) class boasts more than 65 entries at Solo Nationals. And the inclusion of Classic American Muscle (CAM) competitors is responsible for more than 90 entries this year. These classes, along with the shift from Stock to Street, represent 82 percent growth in participation from 2011 to today.

What’s in store for the future of Solo Nationals? Only time will tell. But rest assured this top-tier, SCCA event will continue to be one of the world’s largest motorsport competitions for many years to come.

Well 2017 is almost over, and what year it has been. Some great racing, great friendships, and some great memories have been had. With the Banquet just a few days away, this will be the last chance to see many of our friends until March. BUT, there is a lot to do this off season.

As we look ahead to 2018, we can’t forget what our members did in 2017. Mina Ingraham winning her second Red jacket back at Nats. Both Ryan and Lacey Otis were able to win their respective classes back in Lincoln, STP and STPL. Dennis Healy winging the CAM invitational in Lincoln was truly special with all the work he has put in getting his Mustang to be one of the quickest in the country. We had many tour event wins, 2 of which were by Dan Bullis, 2 also by Zach Morgan as well as Lacey Otis. Other tour winners were James Paulson, Jim and Tami Daniels, Andrea Perry, Heather Howe, Katherine Howe, and Ryan Otis.

We also had many drivers venture out and test their skills at running PRO’s across the country. Mina Ingraham was able to win 2 along with Ryan Otis. Both Josh McCall and Stacey Molleker were able to secure wins as well. In the Finals back in Lincoln, it was Ryan Otis taking the big win along with the seasons points Championship.  All these wins were backed up by numerous others who claimed trophies across the country running at events. We can be proud as we have one of the fastest regions around!!

The 2018 schedule is in the works, with the PIR portion already locked down. One of the big things we are working on for 2018 is a charity autocross in August. This would be in tandem with the Race for kids put on by Cascade Sports Car club with all proceeds going to the children’s hospital. We are looking for sponsors to help with the track costs, so if you know of anyone that would like to help us out, please send them out way!

The 2018 Oregon Auto Show will be coming up in January. Like last year, the Oregon Region of SCCA will have a booth, and we need your help to man it! You will get free entrance to the show, AND you will get to pass on your passion for this great sport we love to hate. We will be offering a free run card to anyone who steps up and takes a 4 hour shift at the show. Spots will be limited, so get signed up soon! Just drop us an email, and let us know what day and times you are available.

Off season projects are always fun, and I know many of you have stuff planned. So jump on our Facebook page and let us know what you are working on this off season.  While you are there, make sure to like the page so you can stay up to date with what’s going on in the region.
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2018 promises to be a great year, and it can’t get here fast enough! Look for a Starting Line school to happen again in March, along with our annual Tech session. Event 1 will be here before you know it, so get to work on those cars, and have a wonderful holiday season.
 
And we will see you at the races!!!

Members of the Solo Community,
The 2018 SCCA Solo season will mark the 22nd year of the Club's unique Junior Driver Program (JDP) where younger SCCA members have been able to participate at Solo events with their families and become part of the Community. During these two decades of the JDP, we have seen a significant number of young drivers graduate into full size cars and continue their involvement with the Club. Many of these drivers have gone on to great success, both behind the wheel and as representatives of the Club, such as JT McClintock, Christine (Berry) Grice, and Julian Garfield. The program has certainly been of benefit to the Club in many ways and for folks like me that have been around a while, it has been a delight to see these young drivers evolve in so many ways.
Since 1997 the JDP has been relatively stable and has only evolved with some small rule changes such as alternate motors. 2018 will be a time of significant evolvement for the JDP. The desired outcome with these improvements is to insure all future Solo events that include JDP will be better organized and executed with consistent safety standards in place across all Regions. We believe these adjustments will not only insure that young drivers will have an improved experience, but this will improve and standardize the overall JDP program experience across the SCCA as well.
The Solo Events Board (SEB), the Solo Safety Committee (SSC), the Kart Advisory Committee (KAC), a special JDP Committee, and the National Staff have been working for over a year to develop rules, standards, and training to make the program better than ever and to ensure that it goes on for decades to come.
The key components of the upgrades to the 2018 JDP are focused in four areas; course standards, driver instruction, kart rules/inspection, event operations. While there will be some changes in the 2018 National Solo Rules to support these upgrades, the primary tool in accomplishing the upgrades will be training programs and materials that will aim to educate Region officials on JDP best practices and procedures. The completion of this training will result in the issuance of licenses to Solo event officials that will certify Regions to be sanctioned to operate a JDP at their Solo events. All SCCA Solo events after February 1, 2018 that include a JDP program must have licensed JDP officials for the event to be sanctioned.
How and when will this training and licensing happen?? The training materials and presentation are being finalized now, with the first training sessions happening at the NEDIV Convention on November 11, 2017 (https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/2017-nediv-mini-con-hosted-by-wash-dc-turf-valley-resort-scca-washington-848411). This will be followed by training presentations at the SWDIV Meeting on January 13, the SCCA National Convention on January 18-20, 2018 (https://www.scca.com/pages/nationalconvention), the SEDIV Convention on February 3, 2018, the MIDIV Convention on February 10, 2018, the GLDIV Convention on March 10, 2018, and the CENDIV Convention on March 17, 2018. Information on these gatherings will be posted on the SCCA web site as it becomes available.
In addition to the above meetings, a webinar version of the training is being developed and we will post information on that when it is finalized. As this training program moves forward, the intention is to be training the trainers so Regions can ultimately have qualified instructors near them that will make face to face training within their Region practical.
What licenses will be part of the JDP?? The following licenses will be issued after training and are required for sanctioning Solo events with a JDP after February 1, 2018:
·         Solo Safety Steward, JDP: Current Solo Safety Stewards (SSS) can have their license upgraded to include JDP after receiving the training. The JDP training will be incorporated into ongoing SSS training for new and renewing stewards, so after a few years we will revert to just one SSS license instead of two licenses (SSS and SSS/JDP)
·         JDP Course Design License: If a member is only interested in designing courses and not becoming a SSS, they can take this specific part of the training for this license. If the Region does not have at least one SSS/JDP license holder, they must have a JDP Course Design license holder. If they do have a SSS/JDP license holder, a JDP Course Design license holder is not required, although recommended.
·         Youth Steward License: The current Youth Steward licenses will lapse as of February 1, 2018 and will be replaced with a license that will be issued after receiving the upgraded training on driver instructions and event operations.
·         JDP Tech License: This license will be issued after receiving training on the proper procedures to do a technical inspection of the unique components found on a kart.
In addition to this general letter to the Solo Community on the upgrades to the JDP, there will be other communications with greater detail in the coming weeks directed to specific groups of folks within the sport, such as Solo Safety Stewards, Region Solo Chairman, and the Solo Development Coordinators (SDC) in each Division. As a result, some of you will receive multiple messages on this subject, so please do not tune these out as this is important information regarding the JDP and our ability to sustain and improve this valuable program.
I would encourage everyone in the Solo Community to take this opportunity with these upgrades to the JDP to become more involved with your Region and to attend your Divisional Conventions, as well as the SCCA National Convention. You will find these gatherings to be fun, informative, motivating, and will introduce you to some new friends within the Club.
Thank you so much for your support of the SCCA.


  Howard Duncan, SCCA Senior Director, Rally/Solo
hduncan@scca.com

LINCOLN, Neb. (Sept. 8, 2017) – Below are provisional results for each of 40 classes that concluded competition Friday during the 45th Tire Rack® SCCA® Solo Nationals at Lincoln Airpark in Nebraska.  Each entry contains the class, winning driver, hometown, car, winning margin and number of championships. (Note: * Indicates not a National Championship event)
- A Modified: Marshall Grice; Redondo Beach, CA; ACME Special; 2.396 (Second National Championship, second in class)
- *A Modified Ladies: Kencey Christopher; Rowlett, TX; ACME Special
- A Street: Jason Frank; Mt Pleasant, WI; Chevrolet Corvette Z06; 0.440 (Fourth National Championship, first in class)
- A Street Ladies: Kandy Johnson; Glen Allen, VA; Chevrolet Corvette; 0.956 (Second National Championship, first in class)
- A Street Prepared: Tom Berry; Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Mitsubishi Evo IX RS; 1.426 (Ninth National Championship, third in class)
- B Modified: Tom Ellam; Livermore, CA; Omnifab Cheetah; 1.894 (Ninth National Championship, second in class)
- *B Modified Ladies: Carol Burger; Noblesville, IN; LeGrand Mk18
- B Street Prepared: Tom O’Gorman; Mason, OH; Honda S2000; 0.660 (Third National Championship, first in class)
- B Street Prepared Ladies: Kristen Rosenthal; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Honda S2000; 3.971 (First National Championship)
- *CAM-C: Shaun Bailey; Royal Oak, MI; Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE; 0.517
- *CAM-S: Stephen Lee; Elizabethtown, KY; Chevrolet Z06; 0.196
- *CAM-T: Chris Carmenini; New York, NY; Ford Mustang; 1.535
- C Prepared: Brian Peters; Litchfield Park, AZ; Ford Mustang; 0.098 (Eighth National Championship, first in class)
- C Street: Daniel McCelvey; Houston, TX; Mazda MX-5; 1.297 (Third National Championship, third in class)
- C Street Ladies: Anne Robinson; Highland, IN; Mazda MX-5 Miata; 0.370 (Fifth National Championship, first in class)
- D Modified: Mark Huffman; Litchfield Park, AZ; Lotus Elan; 0.726 (Seventh National Championship, fifth in class)
- D Street: Mark Scroggs; San Ramon, CA; Chevrolet Camaro 2.0; 1.494 (Third National Championship, first in class)
- D Street Ladies: Julie Heaton; Omaha, NE; Subaru WRX; 0.704 (Third National Championship, second in class)
- E Modified: Jeff Kiesel; Poway, CA; KFR Turbo Sprite; 3.579(Twelfth National Championship, eleventh in class)
- E Modified Ladies: Shawn Kiesel; Poway, CA; KFR Turbo Sprite; 4.676 (Tenth National Championship, ninth in class)
- F Prepared: David Montgomery; Montgomery, OH; Porsche 914/6; 2.080 (Third National Championship, third in class)
- F Prepared Ladies: Amy Dilks; Pleasant Valley, NY; Honda S2000; 0.782 (First National Championship)
- F Street Prepared: Dan Costello; Omaha, NE; Honda CRX; 0.246 (First National Championship)
- F Street Prepared Ladies: Andrea Albin; Topeka, KS; Volkswagen Rabbit; 5.105 (First National Championship)
- G Street: Doug Rowse; Phoenix, AZ; Ford Focus ST; 0.205 (Fifth National Championship, first in class)
- G Street Ladies: Barbara Seeger; Pepperell, MA; Ford Focus ST; 0.307 (First National Championship)
- Street Modified: David White; Rutland, MA; Nissan 240SX; 0.673 (Four National Championship, four in class)
- Street Modified Ladies: Christy Carlson; Navarre, FL; Subaru Impreza; 1.638 (Second National Championship, first in class)
- Street Modified FWD: Robert Thorne; Littleton, CO; Honda Civic; 2.255 (Fourth National Championship, first in class)
- Street Modified FWD Ladies: Kristell Janusz; Hunlock Creek, PA; Honda Civic; 0.683 (First National Championship)
- Super Street: Scott Fraser; San Jose, CA; Porsche GT3; 0.146 (Fourth National Championship, second in class)
- Super Street Ladies: Laraine Wilkinson; Atlanta, GA; Chevrolet Z06; 0.047 (First National Championship)
- Super Street Prepared: Joe Tharpe; State Center, IA; Chevrolet Corvette; 0.916 (Fifth National Championship, fifth in class)
- Street Touring FWD: Daniel Gross; Frederick, MD; Mazda 3; 0.939 (First National Championship)
- Street Touring Ultra: Bryan Heitkotter; Fresno, CA; Nissan 350Z; 1.358 (Eighth National Championship, second in class)
- Street Touring Ultra Ladies: Mina Ingraham; Lake Oswego, OR; Subaru WRX STi; 0.203 (Second National Championship, second in class)
- Street Touring Xtreme: Jonathan Lugod; Gardena, CA; Subaru BRZ; 0.186 (Second National Championship, first in class)
- Street Touring Xtreme Ladies: Nicole Wong; Moorpark, CA; Scion FR-S; 0.410 (Seventh National Championship, first in class)
- X Prepared: Fred Zust; Tempe, AZ; Lotus Elise; 0.078 (Eighth National Championship, eighth in class)
- X Prepared Ladies: Tracy Lewis; Tallahassee, FL; Ford Mustang; 0.070 (Third National Championship, first in class)
For a complete rundown of competition, visit the Tire Rack Solo Nationals webpage. 
Photo: Super Street racer Scott Fraser won his fourth National Championship Friday at the Tire Rack Solo Nationals
Credit: Christy Carlson

LINCOLN, Neb. (Sept. 6, 2017) – Below are provisional results for each of 35 classes that concluded competition Wednesday during the 45th Tire Rack® SCCA® Solo Nationals at Lincoln Airpark in Nebraska.  Each entry contains the class, winning driver, hometown, car, winning margin and number of championships. (Note: * Indicates not a National Championship event)
- B Street: Ryan Clark; Calgary, AB; Porsche Cayman S; 0.141 (First National Championship)
- B Street Ladies: Tara Johns; Milton, TN, Chevrolet Corvette; 2.071 (Fourth National Championship, first in class)
- C Modified: David Fauth; Rogue River, OR; Van Diemen Honda FF; 1.233 (Sixth National Championship, first in class)
- C Modified Ladies: Sue Eckles; Malcolm, NE; Reynard Formula Ford; 2.104 (Fifth National Championship, first in class)
- C Street Prepared: Billy Davis; Auburn Hills, MI; Mazda Miata; 0.925 (Fourth National Championship, fourth in class)
- C Street Prepared Ladies: Katie Lacey; Apple Valley, MN; Mazda Miata; 1.351 (Third National Championship, first in class)
- D Prepared: Christopher Dorsey; Littleton, CO; Toyota Corolla GTS; 1.488 (Eighth National Championship, third in class)
- D Street Prepared: John Vitamvas; Glenwood, MD; BMW 330Ci; 0.316 (First National Championship)
- E Prepared: Brian Kuehl; Dover, NH; Honda Civic; 0.849 (Second National Championship, first in class)
- *E Prepared Ladies: Denise Kugler; Springtown, PA; Honda CRX
- E Street: Michael Ron; Waukegan, IL; Mazda Miata; 1.536 (First National Championship)
- E Street Ladies: Jennifer Bedell; Hillsborough, NC; Toyota MR2 Spyder; 0.163 (Second National Championship, second in class)
- E Street Prepared: John Laughlin; Akron, OH; Ford Mustang; 0.784 (First National Championship)
- E Street Prepared Ladies: Jessica Gauthier; Kirkland, WA; Ford Mustang; 0.372 (First National Championship)
- F Modified: Jason Hobbs; Saint Michael, MN; Novakar J9; 0.365 (Third National Championship, third in class)
- F Modified Ladies: Michelle Quinn; Land O Lakes, FL; KBS MK7; 8.030 (Seventh National Championship, seventh in class)
- F Street: Jeff Cashmore; BMW M3; New Berlin, WI; 0.194 (Eleventh National Championship, first in class)
- *F Street Ladies: Amanda Minen; Tappahannock, VA; Chevrolet Camaro
- *Formula SAE: John Price; Mansfield, TX; UTA F16; 0.201
- H Street: Mike King; Saint Johns, FL; Ford Fiesta ST; 0.062 (Second National Championship, first in class)
- H Street Ladies: Laney Blume; Wichita, KS; Mini Base JCW; 0.338 (First National Championship)
- *Formula Junior A: Mason Herrick; McPherson, KS; CRG Kart Santana; 0.836
- *Formula Junior B: Carter Heaton; Omaha, NE; Tony Kart; 2.907
- Kart Modified: Daniel Wendel; Advance, NC; Praga Dragon; 0.717 (Second National Championship, second in class)
- Kart Modified Ladies: Kate Regganie; Joliet, IL; Honda; 0.740 (Second National Championship, second in class)
- Super Street Modified: Randall Wilcox; Clarksville, TN; Mazda Miata; 1.096 (First National Championship)
- *Super Street Modified Ladies: Jenny Dunlap; Lakewood, CO; Toyota Spyder
- Super Street R: Sam Strano; Brookville, PA; Chevrolet Corvette Z06; 0.399 (Eighth National Championship, first in class)
- Super Street R Ladies: Stephanie Reeve; Sturbridge, MA; Corvette Z06; 2.064 (Second National Championship, first in class)
- *Street Touring Pony: Ryan Otis; Scappoose, OR; Chevrolet Camaro; 2.096
- *Street Touring Pony Ladies: Lacey Otis; Scappoose, OR; Chevrolet Camaro; 1.844
- Street Touring Roadster: Ian Stewart; Orlando, FL; Mazda MX-5; 0.323 (Second National Championship, first in class)
- Street Touring Roadster Ladies: Laura Campbell; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Mazda Miata; 0.530 (Second National Championship, second in class)
- Street Touring Sport: Ron Williams; Topeka, KS; Honda CRX Si; 0.025 (Sixth National Championship, first in class)
- Street Touring Sport Ladies: Kim Whitener; Fort Worth, TX; Mazda Miata; 1.578 (Fourth National Championship, fourth in class)
For a complete rundown of competition, visit the Tire Rack Solo Nationals webpage.  Also, follow all the action with live timing and scoring at SCCA.com.
The Sports Car Club of America®, Inc., founded in 1944, is a 67,500-member motorsports organization that incorporates all facets of autocross, rally and road racing at both club and professional levels. With headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, the SCCA annually sanctions over 2,000 events through its 116 Regions and subsidiary divisions. Much of the SCCA’s activities are made possible with support from the following Official Partners: Chevrolet, the Official Truck of the SCCA; Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of SCCA; Mobil 1, the Official Oil of SCCA; Sunoco, the Official Fuel of SCCA; and Tire Rack, the Official Tire Retailer of SCCA. To learn more, please visit www.scca.com.
Photo: John Vitamvas heading for a D Street Prepared victory at the Tire Rack Solo Nationals
Credit: Anthony Porta

TOPEKA, Kan. (September 13, 2017) – The 2017 Tire Rack ProSolo® season came to a close in Lincoln, Nebraska at the 2017 Tire Rack ProSolo Finale. While 300 drivers were competing for event honors, they were also shaking out the season-long point standings.


By virtue of winning the Ladies Challenges at Fort Myers and Mineral Wells, Jordan Towns’ ProSolo Finale Challenge win secured her the Ladies Challenge Points Championship, and the Fletcher Cup. Despite being eliminated from the Finale Super Challenge in the second round, Mark Scroggs’ two Challenge wins at Crows Landing and Packwood earned him the Super Challenge Points Championship.


To read the full coverage of the Tire Rack ProSolo Finale, click here.


The following drivers earned 2017 Tire Rack ProSolo Championships:
- Super Street: Monty Pack; Porsche GT3; San Francisco, CA
- A Street: Matt Jones; Chevrolet Corvette; San Diego, CA
- B Street: Jeremy Foley; BMW M1; Carrollton, TX
- C Street: Rick Cone; Mazda Miata; Lawrenceville, GA
- D Street: Mark Scroggs; Chevrolet Camaro; San Ramon, CA
- E Street: Michael Ron; Mazda Miata; Waukegan, IL
- F Street: Jeff Cashmore; BMW M3; New Berlin, WI
- G Street: Doug Rowse; Ford Focus ST; Phoenix, AZ
- H Street: Philip Mitchell; Ford Fiesta ST; White Lake, MI
- Super Street R: Matthew Braun; Chevrolet Corvette; Plymouth, MI
- Street Touring Roadster: Brian Karwan; Mazda Miata; Frederick, MD
- Street Touring Ultra: Bill Zerr; Subaru WRX; Tacoma, WA
- Street Touring Xtreme: Craig Wilcox; Mini Cooper S; Grain Valley, MO
- Street Touring Sport: David Whitener; Mazda Miata; Fort Worth, TX
- Street Touring FWD: David Hedderick; Acura RSX Type S; Pearland, TX
- Street Touring Pony Car: Jonathan Warlof; Ford Mustang; Willmar, MN
- Super Street Prepared: Mitch Fagundes; Audi R8; Clovis, CA
- A Street Prepared: Tom Berry; Mitsubishi Evo; Rancho Cucamonga, CA
- B Street Prepared: Anthony Porta; Mazda Miata; Yorba Linda, CA
- C Street Prepared: Billy Davis; Mazda Miata; Auburn Hills, MI
- D Street Prepared: Sam Strano; BMW 330CI; Brookville, PA
- E Street Prepared: Bryan Mancuso; Infiniti G35; Terryville, CT
- Super Street Modified: Jake Namer; Mazda RX7; Brooklyn, NY
- Street Modified: Daniel Stainback; Subaru WRX STI; Northport, NY
- Street Modified FWD: Chris Haydu; Honda Civic; Dallas, PA
- Kart Modified: Larry MacLeod; Honda Tony Kart; Ypsilanti, MI
- Formula Junior A: Mason Herrick; CRG Kart; McPherson, KS
- Formula Junior B: Carter Heaton; Tony Kart; Omaha, NE
- Classic American Muscle: Ryan Otis; Chevrolet Camaro; Scappoose, OR
- Ladies Index 1: Shelly Monfort; BMW 330 CI/Chevrolet Corvette; Saratoga, CA
- Ladies Index 2: Jordan Towns; Subaru WRX; Auburn, AL
- Ladies Index 3: Kim Whitener; Mazda Miata; Fort Worth, TX
- Race Tire Index 1: Jeff Kiesel; KFR Sprite; Poway, CA
- Race Tire Index 2: Fred Zust; Lotus Elise; Tempe, AZ

Photo: Jordan Towns navigates the course en route to the L2 ProSolo Finale win and Points Championship.
Credit: Rupert Berrington

Hey there race fans!! We have reached the end of August are in home stretch for the season. With only 2 regional events left, many points battles look to come down to the last event. While other have already been wrapped up. As it is in PPAX. James Paulson has been having a dominating season in his Mustang, and has clinched the class championship after winning both August events! The battle still rages for 2 and 3rd with Ryan Otis holding down 2nd at the moment, but both Jerry Jenkins and Myself will be looking to take that away in the final weekend.  Carson Orud was able to also lock down the S2 championship with 2 strong wins while his closest competition, Blake Anghilante dealt a broken car at  event 6 taking him out of the championship race. He will try and hold onto second in September.

Phil Snodgrass has a commanding lead in the NS3 class. Both Ben Cort and James Keller fresh of his first class win will be looking to steal it away. Many other classes see the points leaders heading in the final weekend with a firm yet tentative lead, Shawn Porter in NS4, Rio Rios in NS5, and Lorrin Mueller in S1.

Rafael Perez holds on to a slim 7 point lead over Garrett Cogburn in NS6. The Honda boys will be battling it out right down to the wire for sure.  In Ladies PPAX, Lacey Otis takes the narrowest of margins into the final weekend with a 2 point lead over Mina Ingraham. These ladies will be fighting it out right down to the last run on Sunday and should be a blast to watch! 

Our last two events will be the weekend of September 23-24 in Packwood, and you wont want to miss them!

On the National scene, we have a handful of region members heading east to the SCCA Solo Championships in Lincoln, NE.  The Week will start off with the PRO Finale on Sept 2-3. Dan Bullis looks to make it back to back wins at the Finale in BS, while Ryan Otis will be looking to claim the win in a tough Cam class. Mina Ingraham and Lacey Otis will be representing the ladies as they hope to battle it out for the top 2 spots in a stacked L3 class.  The PRO Finales is capped out at 300 racers along with a handful of juniors. The actions will be fast and furious for sure!!

The main event will start on Tuesday as the 2017 Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals kick off.  Over 1300 racers from across the globe have signed up to take part in the largest amateur auto racing event in the world! Last year saw 1304 racers take to the two large courses to find out who was the fastest in the country! This year looks to top that number with over 1320 already signed up. The competition will be broken down over 4 days, with racers running either Tues-Wed or Thur-Fri. Oregon region will be sending a number of fast racers down to try and claim the coveted red jacket.  Here are the brave ones making the trek back east.  May you all be safe in your journey, and kick some butt!!!

On Tues/Wed
Dan Bullis(BS), Carson Orud(ES), James Paulson(FS), Jim Daniels(STR), Tami Daniels(STRL), Ryan Otis(STP), Lacey Otis(STPL), Phil Snodgrass(DP), Andy Howe(CM), Heather Howe(CML)
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On Thur/Fri
Des Toups(DS), Zeph Uusitalo(STX), Alex Paraskevas(STX), Mina Ingraham(STUL)Dennis Healy(CAMC)

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Well, we are now in the heat of the summer and both the Packwood National Tour and PRO have come and gone. They were both fantastic weekends with many from the Oregon region taking home trophies. Karen Babb designed 2 fantastic courses for the Tours while our own Dan Bullis was the event chair. Many racers were in tight battles after Saturdays runs, but Sunday posed a tight finish which threw many for a loop. In the end, many were able to fight through and bring home some hardware.  Ryan Otis was able to take home top PAX driver for the event, a huge accomplishment with the stacked competition at the event.
The PRO the following weekend proved to be much more of a tight course setup by NWR Tim Weiderman. As in overall PAX, it was ES taking the first 5 spots, it was not an easy course for the bigger cars.  While the PRO (149) never draws as many racers as the Tour (267), still the competition was fierce, and many battles came down to the last run.
 
Tour                                                                                                              PRO
1st BS- Dan Bullis                                                                                        2nd BS Lorin Mueller
2nd FS- James Paulson                                                                            4th BS- Dan Bullis
2nd HS- Tom Kotzian                                                                                 4th STX- Alex Paraskevas
7th STR- Jerry Jenkins                                                                               1st CAM- Ryan Otis
3rd STX- Alex Paraskevas                                                                                         2nd CAM- Dennis Healey
2nd STS- Oliver Taylor                                                                               3rd CAM- Jami Olerich
1st STP- Ryan Otis                                                                                       1st L3- Mina Ingraham
1st STPL- Lacey Otis                                                                                   2nd L3- Lacey Otis
2nd ASP- Perry Keller                                                                                1st R2- Josh McCall
1st ASPL- Andrea Keller                                                                          2nd R2- Zach Morgan
2nd SSM- Jared Still                                                                                   4th R2- Jim Daniels
3rd SSM- Tim Bodingheimer                                                                
1st DP- Jim Daniels
1st DPL- Tami Daniels
1st FP- Zach Morgan
2nd FP- Josh McCall
3rd FP- Ben Cort
2nd CM- Andy Howe
1st CML- Heather Howe
1st FJA- Katherine Howe
 
With the National Events in Packwood over now, we can now turn our attention to the Oregon region points battles. With only 2 weekends remaining to pick up points, many classes are still up for grabs. Both remaining weekends will be taking place in Packwood, Washington. The site boasts a large fast lot, with panoramic views all around. The town itself is fun with many things to do for families. Camping on site is allowed, but plan ahead as the site has no power or running water on it. There are nearby campgrounds with all the amenities. Some local lodging as well with Hotel Packwood taking you back in time. On Saturday Aug. 19, we will be having a pot luck on site, so sign up to bring something and relax and just enjoy some down time with your fellow racers. Another perk for both weekend will be the Test’n Tune time at the end of both Saturday events. You MUST have run in the Saturday event to be able to participate in the TnT though, so make sure you show up! Get there Friday evening to get setup and relax.
With that, we hope to see you all in Packwood, and don’t forget SOLO National Championship is coming up fast as well. As of this article, over 850 racers have already signed up, and it promises to be the place to be in September! Dates Sept 2-9 in Lincoln, NE.
See you all at the races!

June is here and we are half way through our seasons points races. PIR is a thing of the past, as the remaining 2 event weekends will take place in beautiful Packwood Washington on Aug 12-13, and Sept 23-24. If you have not been to Packwood to run, you will be blown away by both the size of the lot, and the beauty of the surroundings! Camping is available on site, but no power or water is available.
 
June 10th and 11th events came and went, and it saw some new names top the standings, points battles tighten, and weather coming into play in a big way. Saturday saw a fun course design by Jon Balgley and Scott Turner. Heavy rain in the morning, and drying conditions in the afternoon kept everyone guessing on what fast times would be. Sunday saw a bumpy, yet fast and fun layout by the Orud family, as Carson and Lowell took a turn chairing their first event. Courses both days were fast and a ton of fun to drive.
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 In CAM, Patrick Highsmith has jumped into the point lead with back to back wins.  He looks to keep that momentum going over Sean Fogli heading to the speedy Packwood sight.

NS1 saw new names take wins on both days. Saturday, it was Aaron Safstrom claiming his first win of the season as he and the PRE team continue to dial in the WRX. Sunday, it was the same car, but with Zack Morgan behind the wheel taking a commanding win as they seemed to have found the magic setup moving forward.  NS1L has Andrea Keller running off the rest of the competition as she claimed two more wins.

NS3 followed NS1 with two new faces on top of the podium. Derek Loree was able to take a commanding win over the rest of the guys. But on Saturday Sunday, Ben Cort showed the Z is rounding into form this year, and ready to take on Phil and that Miata. Phil Snodgrass continues to lead in the points, but both Ben Cort, and Scott McCusker are closing in!

NS4 saw the points lead tighten up as Shawn Porter holds a slim 4 point lead over Orlando Rodriguez. Shawn was able to nail down second place finishes on both days as an out of towner showed up to ruin the party. John Jobin from the Sand and Sage racing family out of Tri Cities paid our region a visit taking the top spot both days before losing his transmission Sunday during his third run.

In NS5, Rio Rios was able to win back to back this weekend putting him 7 points up to Bernadette Kuehn.  Rio has really been coming along in his STX Subbie this year, and will be looking to make some waves at the upcoming National Tour and PRO.

NS6 continues to be a dog fight as Rafael Perez and Garrett Cogburn sit tied atop the points after rounds 4 and 5. Garrett with 2 wins in the last 3 events has the momentum, but heading to Packwood anything can and will happen! Expect it all to come down to that Sunday event in September to see who is finally crowned.

PPAX has James Paulson taking a commanding lead over Ryan Otis and Dan Bullis. James was able to sweep the weekend events opening up his lead. Sunday saw him sneak out the win on his final run by just .080 over Dan who is looking forward to some more room for the big C5 Vette to stretch its legs. Ryan Otis found some amazing speed on Sunday, but it was 2 runs too late.

Mina Ingraham was able to pilot her lightning quick Subbie to wins on both days as Lacey Otis was racing out of town. Mina showed the STI can get the job done in both wet and dry conditions, and now has a 4 point lead heading north.

Moving to the street classes, S1 saw its point battle tighten up as well as Jon Balgley swept the weekend events, closing in on the strangle hold Lorin Mueller had.  Jon showed some great speed taking the win both days by over a second.  The sleeper in the group may be Skyler Card who will have some fresh rubber on the Corvette in Packwood, and will be one to watch.  S1L still has the fast Jennifer Mueller showing the way with no end in sight.

The dog fight we predicted in S2 is turning into just that. Blake Anghilante rebounded from a disappointing 4th place finish at event #3 with back to back wins. Carson looks to get back on track in Packwood as his once large points lead is not just 4 with 4 events remaining. Dominic Stone has the experience in Packwood, and will be looking to make it a 3 dog fight. 

The Trophy Challenge class saw its points leader widen up the gap a bit as Jake Hartough swept both weekend events. Sean Funk struggled on Saturday, but was able to rebound and finish in 3rd Sunday to keep some pressure on Hartough heading into Packwood. Bob Thomas sits in 3rd with Bret Stevens and Kris Allison closing in.

The series takes the month of July off as the SCCA National Tour and the PRO comes to Packwood. July 7-9 will showcase some of the best drivers from up and down the west coast as the SCCA National Tour rolls thought. Hotels are already full as a wedding in town has rooms scarce, but on track, the action will be hot as some fast names are already signed up.  July 14-16 will put the drivers to the test as the National PRO points series comes a calling. If you have never ran a PRO before, think about coming out and diving it a try. Side by side competition with dueling courses is a sight to behold. Competition is always close and the challenges on Sunday are worth hanging around! Even if you can’t compete, come out and check out what the National level events are all about.

As usual, keep an eye out on our website and Facebook pages for updates, and fun facts. The looking ahead blog will continue to take questions, and try and steer you in the right direction for going faster! Have a safe and fun 4th of July, and hope to see you all in Packwood!!