Hard to Beat Honda at Finger Lakes ProSolo

ROMULUS, N.Y. (July 24, 2007) €“ It€™s safe to say the first SCCA ProSolo event in upstate New York was a success, especially if you were at the wheel of a Honda. Honda drivers won three of the four challenges at Seneca Army Depot for the TireRack® SCCA ProSolo hosted by the Finger Lakes Region.Soloists were treated to a challenging Jim Garry-designed course at the retired Army airfield. The Finger Lakes ProSolo was the second appearance of the new single-course format on the 2007 schedule, but it was the first time competitors had a fully-functioning start tree and reaction times. With each driver receiving nine runs on the course over two days, the pace of the event was brisk to say the least.After missing the Atlanta ProSolo, Andy Hollis, of Austin, Texas, returned to SCCA ProSolo competition in upstate New York, but not in his usual ride. Hollis beat out 18 other cars for the Street Touring S win in a Soulspeed/PowerCurve Dyno Honda Civic Si and proceeded to advance to the final round of the Hawk Super Challenge where he would top the Street Touring S2 Honda CRX of Ian Baker, from Herndon, Va. Baker€™s revenge came shortly thereafter as the two had a rematch to determine the Honda Hot Shoe in the Honda Tuner Challenge, with Baker emerging the victor. Cara Ness, of Medfield, Mass., gave Honda a third challenge win by taking the Ladies Challenge in her Fun Hondas Racing Honda Civic Si, after claiming the Ladies Class 1 victory by 0.917-second over the Towne MINI/Stranoautoparts.com Mini Cooper S of Heather Everett, from Ochard Park, N.Y.Tim Whalen, of Williamsville, N.Y., interrupted a full Honda sweep by taking the Bonus Challenge win in a SoraNezumi Racing Mazda 3. Whalen went to the Bonus Challenge after just missing out on the H Stock win to Chang Ho Kim, of Maynard, Mass. Kim set his fastest time on his final run, proving the best drivers will find ways to improve with each run.In addition to several last-run victories, the single-course format produced a crop of tight finishes on Sunday.Matthew Colburn, of East Falmouth, Mass., won A Stock in a Subaru Impreza STi, by just 0.031-second over the STi of Christopher Carris, of Hopewell Junction, N.Y. Closer still, rookie Scott Thursby, of Portsmouth, R.I., claimed the D Stock victory in a Mazda 3 by 0.019-second over Bryan Hertweck, of Summerfield, N.C., in a Chrysler Crossfire. But the tightest match of the weekend was between the Towne Mini/Stranoparts.com Mini Cooper S of Michael Potocki and the Helix MiniSports/MINIUSA.com Mini Cooper of Jeff Jacobs. Overcoming two red-light starts, Potocki, of Kenmore, N.Y., would take the win by a slim 0.015-second over Jacobs, from Philadelphia, Pa. With such close finishes across the board, the single-course format appears to have a bright future in the SCCA ProSolo program."We consider the Finger Lakes ProSolo a huge success and a significant step forward in developing this event concept and format,€ SCCA Vice President of Solo and Rally Howard Duncan said. €œThe Finger Lakes Region was a great partner in this effort, and from what we learned here, we can make the next single-course format event in Utah even better and more entertaining."