The last time the Tire Rack SCCA® ProSolo® Series visited the Toledo Express Airport was 2022. Even though it’s only been a few years, the June 20-22, 2025, weekend still felt like coming home. For many of SCCA’s Solo® field staff, that was literally true – Timing Manager Carmen Rowlands is the RE for the host Northwest Ohio Region, and Administrative Manager Charina Jones is on NWOR’s board. Jones’ husband, Alex, was the course designer and event co-chair with David Colletti.
An impressive 236 drivers took part in the weekend, and anyone new got their first sampling of Big-C’s BBQ at breakfast and lunch. Big-C’s has been a Region staple for more than 20 years. Even the welcome party elevated at Toledo – the Region hosted walking tacos and JXB Performance brought cookies from Wisconsin for their ice cream party, adding ice cream sandwiches to the menu.
There were specialty events within the competition. General Motors brought nine drivers to the event as part of the GM Performance Drivers Team, made up of engineers and other employees who must actually be quick enough to join the traveling team to take part.
Meanwhile, the SCCA Women on Track Driver Development scholarship and additional assistance went to Holly Schwedler who was coached at the event by Pat Washburn. How’d that go? Not bad, as you’ll see in a few paragraphs.
Maria Pollatta took home the SCCA Women on Track Pay It Forward certificate, earned through her speed in Ladies index, which means she can gift a National Solo entry to a woman in her Region who’s never tried the big leagues before.
Class Action
The weekend focused on back-and-forth battles in class competition, and F Street and Ladies 1 became fan favorites for those on the ground.
Sam Strano and Evan Williams squared off in FS, but the two were never far apart throughout the weekend. Each in Mustangs, with Strano in a Mach 1 and Williams in a Darkhorse, the final numbers were just 0.017sec apart – in Strano’s favor.
The index was with the Ladies classes, and while Andie Albin and her F Mod machine was quickest in raw time, Holly Schwedler’s performance was strong. Her E Prepared Honda Civic was 0.568sec quicker on the final sheets after the calculations were complete.
With more than 200 drivers on site, there was a lot more class action that went on. For that, check out the event results.
Challenges
Following Sunday morning’s competition runs, the site settled in to see how things would shake out during the Challenge rounds, presented by Vitour.
The Bonus Challenge is often the most fun of the Challenge trifecta, featuring drivers who may not have expected to still be on site on Sunday afternoon. Bill Rankin took home the trophy at Toledo, working his way by Stuart King in the final to earn the head-to-head win. Rankin was eighth in class runs in the previously mentioned F Street class before rallying back for the victory.
In the Ladies Challenge, Holly Schwedler continued to take care of business. Schwedler eliminated L1 rivals Thenmohzi Elaya and Albin in back-to-back rounds, then knocked out L3 runner-up Maria Pallotta in the final for the Ladies Challenge win.
The Super Challenge stacked up like a heavyweight prize fight. At the end, multi-time National Champions Billy Davis and Andrew Pallotta squared off, with Davis and his A Street Porsche 718 Cayman taking down Pallotta and his C Street Mazda MX-5. Davis and his crew took the victory and (presumably) headed straight to Tony Packo’s (the original location) to celebrate.
Up Next
It’s Bristol, Baby! The next Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo Series event is part of the Independence Day doubleheader, with the ProSolo taking place July 3-4 and the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour on July 5-6.
Just head toward the Last Great Colosseum to be a part of the event!
Photos by Julian Garfield and Langlee King Clark
