Photo Credit: FRSport.com
We are just a few short days away from the start of 2 of the most fun back to back events you can have. This Friday we will see the start of the 2015 Packwood Championship Tour featuring two fantastic courses designed by Roger Johnson himself. Although he will be unable to attend due to work, another amazing course designer in Karen Babbs will be assisting in setting up course. Look for fun and challenging courses both days.
If there was ever an event looking to prove that they like street tires in Stock, this is it. 66 of the 219 entries are (when this was written) will be dawning their grippiest road going tires and taking on the blacktop haven that is the Packwood National Tour.All boasting 10 or more entries, B, C and E-Street all are looking to have a strong showing. B-street is proving to be one of the most diverse classes in Solo. You will find a mix of RWD and AWD platforms like the Mistubishi Evo, Subaru STI, as well as the Porsche Boxster, Honda S2000 and Chevy Corvette. A stand out in the B-Street crowd of men is Annie Gill driving boyfriend Scott's 2004 Honda S2000. Don't get expect anything less than a fight from her at this event. RX-8 drivers Yuen, Babkin, Renner, and Hon are all looking to prove that the well designed suspension of the Mazda can break up the FRS/BRZ Parade in C-Street. With the same hopes in the lone dual-driven 350Z is Sean Doucette and Wayne Dyck bringing the HP and torque to the class. This is going to be a fun battle to watch all weekend.
Ryan Johnson hopes to repeat last years win at this event in his Super Street Prepared Lotus Elise. As we have come to expect, there will be plenty of other supercars to drool over in this class with Leeds Gulick bringing out the Porsche GT3, and Mitch Fagundes piloting the beautiful black Audi R8. Not to be out done, ASP will be boasting the largest Street Prepared class with 9 entries. Geoff Clark will be out to prove that the older Evos have what it takes against the newer Evo10 of Ryan Barg, while Mark Snell and Darren Hegge bring will bring the 2wd competition.
On to Street Modified where there will be big race rubber getting shredded by big horse power, we have Dallas Cutler coming off a win at Crows Landing against the freshly reassembled GTR of Eric Hyman. After having some mechanical issues at Crows Landing, it sounds like the GTR will be back in full force for this event with fresh drive train bits and pumping out that 800hp you have come to know and love. Last years runner up at Solo National Jason Merritt will also be pushing for that top spot in the 1989 Nissan 240SX.
If you could really say that there is a class that can be more entertaining than Street Mod, it would have to be the Atkins version of the class in the form of X-Prepared. Coming out of retirement is the torque monster STi of Justin Moore. This Subaru may not be the most beautiful, but it has great straight line speed and corner digging AWD to it's advantages. If the weather turns bad, look for the Subie near the top. It will need every bit of that to keep up with past XP National Champion Andy McKee and wife Teresa driving the wide body blue FD RX-7 that seems to always be at the top of the podium. Thomas Thompson will be there as well in an RX-7 out to prove that red is still the fastest color. There aren't many better displays of engineering than these high hp aero monsters.
Whatever your flavor, tune in for the action to see who will come out on top. As always, tune in to all the action on Ustream and SoloLive for up to the second updates on all the action.
