Tire Rack SCCA Solo Program Schedules, New Match Tour Announced

January 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Dixon_SS_Thurs1

TOPEKA, Kan. (January 4, 2012) - The 2013 Tire Rack SCCA National Solo Series and Tire Rack ProSolo Series schedules have been announced, with 27 total events spanning seven months, covering 16 states and featuring three unique event formats.

Included on the 2013 calendar is the introduction of the Match Tour format, featuring the Evolution Super Shootout, following a trial run at the conclusion of last season. In addition to nine Match Tours, the series will feature 10 ProSolo Rounds, seven Championship Tour rounds and the 41st Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championship.

The Tire Rack ProSolo Series kicks off in Irvine, Calif. on the weekend of April 6th at the El Toro Air Base.  The series features nine regular season rounds with the traditional Finale event once again opening the Tire Rack Solo National Champoinship week in Lincoln, Neb. Tire Rack ProSolo Stops include return engagements in Mineral Wells, Texas, East Rutherford, N. J., Washington, D.C., Farmington, N. M., Packwood, Wash. and Toledo, Ohio on stand-alone weekends.

In addition, ProSolo events will return to the double event weekends in Lincoln, Neb. For the Spring Nationals and the Fourth of July weekend’s Summer Nationals in Blytheville, Ark.

Officially, the Tire Rack National Tour program is being split into two formats. In addition to the new Match Tour weekends, the traditional Tour format will become the Championship Tour, reflective of its tie to Solo National’s format.

Including the two weekends combined with ProSolo, the seven-event Championship Tour schedule includes College Station, Texas, San Diego, Calif., Dover, Del., Packwood, Wash. and Wilmington, Ohio.

The inaugural Match Tour will be held at South Georgia Motorsports Park on the weekend of March 16th. The Match Tour format features class competition on Saturday and the Evolution Super Shootout on Sunday.  The Shootout format allows the forty-eight fastest drivers to mix with the top four ladies, as well as twelve random drawn drivers in a four-ladder tournament to see who can take home the weekend’s top prize.  Held on a traditional, championship style course, Match Tours are the best of both Solo elements, blending long, fast flowing courses with the excitement of elimination competition.

Match Tour dates are scheduled for Wilmington, Ohio, Peru, Ind., Mineral Wells, Texas, Fountain, Colo., Milwaukee, Wisc., Ayer, Mass., Blytheville, Ark. and St. George, Utah.

The season’s crown jewel, the 41st Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals, is on the schedule for September 3-6, with the ProSolo Finale on the Labor Day weekend.  The season ender is part of the triple crown of holiday weekends, with the Spring Nationals once again on Memorial Day Weekend and the move of Summer Nationals to Fourth of July Weekend.

The complete Tire Rack Solo Schedule:

Tire Rack Championship Tour March 23-24 College Station Championship Tour, College Station, Texas March 30-31 San Diego Championship Tour, San Diego, Calif. April 27-28 Dover Championship Tour, Dover, Del. May 26-27 Spring Nationals, Lincoln, Neb. July 6-7 Summer Nationals, Blytheville, Ark. July 13-14 Packwood Championship Tour, Packwood, Wash. August 3-4 Wilmington Championship Tour, Wilmington, Ohio September 3-6 41st Tire Rack Solo National Championship, Lincoln, Neb.

Tire Rack Match Tour March 16-17 Dixie Match Tour, Adel, Ga. April 6-7 Wilmington Match Tour, Wilmington, Ohio May 11-12 St George Match Tour, St. George, Utah June 1-2 Peru Match Tour, Peru, Ind. June 15-16 Mineral Wells Match Tour, Mineral Wells, Texas June 22-23 Fountain Match Tour, Fountain, Colo. July 13-14 Milwaukee Match Tour, Milwaukee, Wis. July 20-21 Ayer Match Tour, Ayer, Mass. October TBD Blytheville Match Tour, Blytheville, Ark.

Tire Rack ProSolo Championship April 6-7 El Toro ProSolo, Irvine, Calif. April 13-14 Mineral Wells ProSolo, Mineral Wells, Texas April 20-21 New Jersey ProSolo, East Rutherford, N.J. May 24-25 Spring Nationals, Lincoln, Neb. June 8-9 DC ProSolo, Washington, D.C. June 29-30 Farmington ProSolo, Farmington, N.M. July 4-5 Summer Nationals, Blytheville, Ark. July 20-21 Packwood ProSolo, Packwood, Wash. July 27-28 Toledo ProSolo, Toledo, Ohio August 31-Sept. 1 ProSolo Finale, Lincoln, Neb.

More information on the Sports Car Club of America, the Tire Rack SCCA Solo programs, and the 41st Tire Rack Solo National Championship is available at http://www.scca.com.
Like SCCA on Facebook at Facebook.com/SCCAOfficial, or follow SCCA on Twitter @SCCAOfficial.

Filed Under: Solo Tagged With: , , , ,

Mount Ranier Forms Backdrop For SCCA Tire Rack Packwood Solo

July 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Michael Carpenter took a very close STX win in Packwood

Packwood, Wash. (July 5, 2012) – The Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour schedule took competitors to Packwood, Washington’s Hampton Mills for the Packwood National Tour and the Western States Championship to begin the month of July and the home stretch for the season.

If nothing else, the Packwood Tour is annually one of the most visually stunning events, as even in July the looming peak of Mount Ranier is snow capped. The breathtaking beauty isn’t the only reason for the event, however – a course designed by SCCA Hall of Famer Karen Babb and the social functions planned by the Northwest Region all contribute to a top-notch event.

Once on site, the 269 participants did their part to make the event exciting. At the finish, eight classes were decided by less than two-tenths of a second, with four of those less than one-tenth apart.

The closest class of the weekend, Street Touring Compact, was separated by less than a blink of an eye. Jim Harnish’s Honda Civic Si and Shane Jensen’s Les Schwab Tires Honda Civic Si nearly matched each other’s composite times, with Harnish sneaking out a 0.007-second win!

That margin of victory made the Street Touring R class battle for the lead seem downright pedestrian. With Michael Lillejord and Kevin Dietz co-driving the Jims Detail Shops/Evolution Schools Honda S2000, the final finishing order was down to driver skill. Lillejord just outpaced Dietz, grabbing a 0.017-second victory.

Michael Carpenter drove the Murphy’s Law Subaru WRX to a 0.075-second win in Street Touring Xtreme, running a final time just faster than Jason Morrow in a Subaru WRX to claim the class win. Jim Daniels followed suit with a narrow victory behind the wheel of his D Prepared Mazda Miata, topping Ron Bauer’s Bauerspeed Racing Mazda MX-5 by just 0.089-second in Packwood.

Even the Ladies Classes were a part of the close finishes. Tasha Mikko’s MAPerformance/CIRO Design Mitsubishi Evo pulled out a 0.179-second combined time victory over Michelle Miller’s TC Motorsports/English Racing Mitsubishi Evo in the Street Touring Ultra Ladies class with times that would have put the pair in contention for a trophy in the open class. Carol Wong and Avril Morrison co-drove to a close battle of their own in the Petrel Data Systems/VCMC Swift DB-1 in C Modified Ladies, with Wong taking a 0.145-second win in the class.

X Prepared’s Britain Smith (Where2Race.com Porsche 914) and C Prepared’s Frank Stagnaro (Maier Racing Ford Mustang) also each snagged victories by less than two-tenths of a second.

Jonathan Clements made his trip all the way up the coast worthwhile, as he participated as the UC-San Diego rep in the Gumout Collegiate Shootout and won the class. The program pits Formula SAE students in the Gumout/Black Magic/BFGoodrich Tires “Use Your Motorhead” Volkswagen Golf in an introduction to the SCCA Solo program. Oregon Tech’s Ryan Rossell finished second at Packwood.

The Tire Rack Solo National Tour travels from Mount Ranier to the Rocky Mountains, July 14-15, for the Colorado National Tour at Pikes Peak International Raceway. More information on the SCCA Solo program is available at SCCA.com/solo.

Filed Under: Solo

Jeff Kiesel “Well that’s 4 straight, not sure if I got another one in me”

February 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Jeff accepting the SCCA SDR Driver of the Year Award

Jeff Kiesel winner of the 2011 SCCA SDR driver of the year award holds his trophy with child like delight. “Well that’s 4 straight, not sure if I got another one in me.”

Propelled by Goodyear Eagle Sports Car Specials; D2640 & D2453 his Turbo Sprite continues to turn heads. Goodyear and Carroll Shelby Enterprises continues to enjoy a loyal and welcoming relationship. Here is a list of Jeff’s many accomplishments.

Solo 2 National Championships:
- 2006 BP Mazda RX-7
- 2007 EM ’58 3ROTOR Sprite
- 2008 EM 2008 KFR Turbo Sprite
- 2009 EM 2008 KFR Turbo Sprite
- 2010 EM 2010 KFR Turbo Sprite
- 2011 EM 2010 KFR Turbo SpritePro Solo National Championships:
- 2007 M1 (EM) ’58 3ROTOR Sprite
       - 2008 M1 (EM) 2008 KFR Turbo Sprite
- 2009 M1 (EM) 2008 KFR Turbo Sprite
- 2010 R1 (EM) 2010 KFR Turbo Sprite
- 2011 R1 (EM) 2010 KFR Turbo Sprite Other Notable Accomplishments:
- 2008 SDR Driver of the Year
- 2008 Sports Car Magazine Calendar (September)
- 2009 SDR Driver of the Year
- 2010 Sports Car Magazine Calendar (December)
- 2010 Sports Car Magazine March Cover
- Top PAX ranking at 2010 Solo Nationals
(out of 1160 drivers)
- Top PAX ranking at 2010 Pro Finale
- 2010 SDR Driver of the Year
- 2011 May Issue Sports Car Magazine Article
- 2011 SCCA Star Performer Award
- 2011 Pro Finale Super Challenge


Filed Under: Solo Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,297 other followers