WILMINGTON, Ohio. (Aug. 6, 2013) – The final opportunity for soloists to get in top form prior to The Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships concluded with last weekend’s Tire Rack SCCA Solo Championship Tour Northern States Championship in Wilmington, Ohio.
The event site, as well as the competition, gave the 259 entrants a feeling of what to expect at the National Championships in September. The location of the meet was a slightly smaller version of the championship setup in Lincoln, Neb. Members of the Cincinnati Region put over three years of work into the effort to secure the airport site once used by DHL.
The effort was well worth it, as the location proved to be one of the best solo sites in the country, according to SCCA Vice President of Rally/Solo and Special Programs Howard Duncan. The concrete racing surface was in good shape, providing a smooth and high-grip course.
Sam Strano used the premier location to his advantage, creating courses that were fast and technical, but still enjoyable to many. In fact, a large number of drivers were overheard saying that the layouts were the most fun of any course they had run in years.
The importance of this event to the local community was underscored when Wilmington Mayor Randy Riley and Debbie Stamper, the head of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, arrived to take in the on-course activities. Both dignitaries were afforded the opportunity to get an up-close experience, sitting in the passenger seat for a ‘tour’ of the course.
Feedback from the VIPs was positive, in reference to their ride and the overall operation and importance of the meet. Local restaurant Generations Pizza and Pub showed their support for the event, as well. The business not only provided concessions for competitors and spectators, but led the charge of local businesses that welcomed SCCA to the area.
Aside from the extra attention that was being given to the event, the on-course competition also gave the event a championship-like feel. The winners of four classes were decided by less than 0.2 second.
In Street Modified, David White (G-Fab Racing Nissan 240SX) took the win over teammate and co-driver Todd Kean by 0.081-second. White set the best time on Course One, but had to rely on his initial time on Course Two, hitting a total of six cones during his second and third runs of the course. That left the door open for Kean after setting the fastest time on Course Two, but White had built up enough of a lead on Course One to hold on for the win.
Brian Hoover (E Modified, Lizard Skinz Autobody Sunbeam Tiger) took a narrow 0.083-second class victory over Jay Storm (Sauls Motorsports Subaru Impreza). Through three runs on each course, Hoover clocked best times just fractions of a second quicker than those of Storm.
Jojo Corrales-Kean (Street Touring Ultra Ladies, Mitsubishi) scored a 0.118-second win over Jo Dziengel (Turn in Concepts/FattBoyz Subaru STI), a wide margin in comparison to the aforementioned battles. Corrales-Kean showed her prowess on Course One setting the fast time and creating enough of a gap to secure the win, negating Dziengel’s quick lap on Course Two.
In C Prepared, Ethan Bradbury (Ford Thunderbird) took the win over David Feighner (Ford Mustang). Bradbury initially took the upper hand, setting the fast time on Course One in the all-Ford battle. Feighner cut the fastest time on Course Two, but Bradbury had done enough to secure the 0.170-second win.
The Tire Rack SCCA Solo Championship Tour – running the traditional National Tour format – has wrapped up the regular season campaign. The next stop for all soloists is The Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships, beginning Sept. 3 in Lincoln, Neb. More information on The Tire Rack SCCA Solo Program is available at www.scca.com/Solo.
More information, including results, from The Tire Rack Solo Northern States Championship is available here.
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Wilmington Championship Tour
