MINERAL WELLS, Texas (March 30, 2010) Despite high winds and cool temperatures, 210 Tire Rack® SCCA Solo National Tour competitors visited the Mineral Wells Airport for the Texas National Tour event, March 27 -28. Everything is bigger in Texas, and the Mineral Wells course featured the longest Tour courses in years. Runs each day typically fell in the 80-90 second range, and with Fridays overnight lows in the 30s and winds measured between 20 and 30 mph, traction was at a premium on cold tires. A number of seasoned veterans made the trek from outside the region to shake the rust off and prepare for the season, making for strong, competitive fields. Timed runs got underway on Saturday morning, after a Friday-evening dinner of hamburgers and grilled chicken provided by the Texas Region, with the C Prepared class taking the early morning, cold sessions each day. Todd Farris, of Bryan, Texas, drove his 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 to a win, lending credence to the theory that his recent marriage has changed his typical cone-intensive, sideways driving style for the better. The always-diverse Super Stock didnt disappoint. Jeremy Foley, of Dallas, grabbed a 2.501-second win in his 2008 Vorshlag/AST/Team Wheelspin Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06, followed by Michael Homes, of Houston, in a 2006 Big Top Racing/Apex Vinyl Lotus Elise and Randy Petschouer in a 2004 Optimal Office Technology Porsche GT3. Petschouer drove from Bellmore, NY to land on the diverse podium. Texas has traditionally been a hotbed for both F-Prepared and F-Modified, and the Texas Tour event didnt disappoint. Austin-natives Tom Holt and Rick Martinez did battle in their F-Prepared Datsun 280Zs. Martinez led after the first day in his 1972 Road Trip Racing Team Datsun, but was unable to hang on and clipped a cone on a potential winning run on his final attempt on Sunday. Holt won by 0.234-second in his 1974 Road Trip Racing Team Datsun. In F-Modified, course designer Greg Piper, of Southlake, Texas, withstood a final day charge from Arlingtons Gary Kramar in a 1989 Red Devil F500. Piper won by just 0.453-second in a 1983 KBS Mark 4. The Street Touring® category requires street tires to race, and are typically among the most attended classes. In Texas, they were also among the most competitive. Andrew Hahn, of Prosper, Texas, came out smoking in Street Touring Sport behind the wheel of his 1990 Texas Time Trials/CobbTuning/AST Honda CRX, leading the first day. Kerry Coughlin, of Baton Rouge, La., was able to overtake Hahn on day two after the traditional Saturday-night Texas barbecue sponsored by Cobb Tuning, behind the wheel of his 1988 Honda CRX. Coughlin purchased his ride over the winter, a former Mike King championship winner. In Street Touring Sport Ladies, Kim Whitener, of Ft. Worth, built a dominating 3.726-second lead over former national champion Michelle Seelig to establish herself on the national scene. The Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour returns to Action, April 10-11, at Qualcomm Stadium for the San Diego National Tour. For full results from the Texas National Tour and more information on all upcoming Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour events, visit www.scca.com/solo. Full results are also available directly at http://www.scca.com/documents/resultfiles/results7.pdf.
