We’re just a few short weeks away from our return to Ohio on the 7th leg of our Tire Rack ProSolo Series. This time we move on to the Toledo Express Airport in Swanton Ohio. Here are the reasons you should be there:
The Toledo Express Airport is once again on the Tire Rack ProSolo Series in the hot of summer. This post WWII airport has been a favorite of locals and those from regions around for years due to its well aged and extremely grippy pavement. The concrete pad is so smooth you could set down a marble and it wouldn’t roll. A with any concrete, people with R-compound tires tend to love it here. I’ve been told that they have been allowed an expanded area on what was previously used, so we may be able to look forward to some longer courses this year. If you’re looking to grip test without the drive all the way to Lincoln, this is the place to be.
Much like Wilmington, the local festivities are much more low key. In the quiet town of Swanton you will be able to focus on the important things of the weekend, which are your car and your driving. The local Days Inn is just on the other side of the airport giving you a quick ride back to the hotel to review video and data (or just download Sam Strano’s data!).
Sadly, by the time you read this, the event will already be full. However you can still come out to spectate and get amped up about why you need to be here in the future. It’s well worth the trip every time.
As always, the competition at these Ohio events is some of the best you can ask for. With a laundry list of East coast and Central National Champions coming out, this is the seat time you need to know where you stack up. Names like Daddio, Strano, Burger, Monfort, Cashmore, Frank and Cupcake Kline. Names like these bring out the best of competition to their class. Now is the time to measure yourself before getting to the big event in September.
We look forward to seeing you all there ready to pound the pavement. Bring your A-game, because you know your competition sure will be.
This year marks the 100th running of Indianapolis’ 500 Mile Race. When SCCA was formed in 1944, racing was not a part of club activities. The first SCCA race was held in the Spring of 1947. Still, members appreciated racing, and meets and rallies were an important part of early SCCA culture. An annual pilgrimage to Indianapolis became an SCCA tradition. Membership was still heavily concentrated on the eastern coast of the U.S. so members traveled in caravans to enjoy a full week of activities at the Brickyard.
During World War II, a ban on racing prevented running of the 500 from 1942 through 1945. When racing returned in 1946, SCCA’s tradition of a Rally at the Indianapolis 500 began. The following photos were taken by members during the event and were published in SportsCar Magazine.
To this day, many SCCA members make attending the Indianapolis 500 an annual tradition just as in the lead image.
Rudolph Caracciola
The 1 1/2-litre Maserati which was driven by Duke Nalon
Cockpit of the “Don Lee Special”, a P-3 Monoposto Alfa
Mel Hansen’s Offenhauser
Ted Horn’s 3-litre Mazerati, Type 8CTF
The Grancor V-8 Special with Mercury engine
The 3-litre Alfa-Romeo which was driven into 6th place by Louis Durant
Rex Mays’ Bowes Seal Fast Special
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 10 percent of all drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the accidents. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the incidents and, since 2007, have been observed manipulating electronic devices at higher rates than older drivers.
Jarret Voorhies, a 17-year-old Sports Car Club of America racer, knows those stats aren’t good and he’s trying to do something to curb the trend. The Orlando, Florida teen for the past few years has been working with the Texas Department of Transportation, Frisco Police Department, Mansfield Police Department and Fort Worth Police Department to present the AT&T “It Can Wait” campaign which educates teens about the dangers of distracted driving.
“I spend a lot of time scheduling events to get the word out about the dangers of distracted driving,” Voorhies said. “If I could make a difference in just one person’s life by getting them to put down the phone while driving, then it’s worth it.”
Voorhies, who races a Formula Mazda and won back-to-back SCCA U.S. Majors Tour races at Road Atlanta this year, has also started working on the State Farm #Drive2N2 campaign aimed at reminding those his age to drive with two eyes on the road and two hands on the wheel at all times.
“I can speak to fellow teens on a peer-to-peer level, and give a teen’s perspective to parents,” Voorhies said. “I use my racing experience for credibility. Not only does the race car make me credible to the people around me, but it also receives a ton of attention when displayed at various events.”
At a recent presentation, a television news crew caught up with Voorhies to learn a little more about his goals and what drives him. Check out the interview segment at the KDAF-TV website.
The SCCA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Sports Car Club of America, also actively engages with teens through Tire Rack Street Survival. These events go beyond antiquated high school driver education programs and give teens across the U.S. the skills and hands-on experience needed to become safer, smarter drivers. Students become more observant of traffic situations and learn to look far enough ahead to anticipate unwise actions of others. As the students master the application of physics to drive their cars, they make fewer risky driving actions.
The school provides trained and qualified in-car driving instructors, as well as valuable classroom experience for each student. More than 100 events were held each of the last two years, and you can check out upcoming dates at the Tire Rack Street Survival website.
Photo: 17-yr-old Jarret Voorhies in his Formula Mazda race car.
