Final Results
As the week of the Toledo ProSolo sponsored by Tire Rack approached, there was a continued ongoing fear of rain that has in the past plagued Ohio events. First showed Saturday as downpours, and later Friday. The true results of the weekend were a beautiful sunny weekend that had dry pavement from the start until the finish. The rain passed early Friday morning and the course was dry by the time competitors started filling in the paddock, around 10AM. Come practice starts it was a beautiful 70+ degree day. Saturday was a blistering hot 95 degree day that resulted in some fantastic grip for any vehicle on R-comps and street tires alike. Sunday although cooler, was warm and provided that fantastic Toledo grip. Overall, it was a beautiful weekend of racing.
Super Street seemed to have been Spec 997 GT3 recently. Toledo would see the class with two of the newest additions, the Porsche Cayman GT4 and the 991 GT3. However it would be old faithful that would come out on top this weekend. Although car owner Brian Conners had won the two previous Pros, it would be co-driver Patrick Salerno who would pull out to an early lead over the class. Saturday morning Salerno would find an early pair of 36’s to take a 3.5 second lead over Charles Kim in the new 991 GT3. In the afternoon, car owner Conners would find his way into the 36's, but Salerno would shave 3 more 10th to drop into the high 35's. Sunday morning both drivers would find time resulting in Salerno taking the win by almost 1 second, as well as top index for the whole event.
A Street brought out multi-time National Champion Jeff Cashmore and the original Alien himself, Mark Daddio in Corvettes of different generations. Daddio would start out the morning session with a 36.7 on the left and 37.3 on the right, while Cashmore would put up a 37.9 left and 37.7 right. Both would shave time in the afternoon runs. Come Sunday morn, Daddio was able to make his way into the mid and low 36's. Cashmore would find a fast right within 2/10 of Daddio, but Red light troubles would stop him from getting a chance at the matching left. The result would be Mark Daddio winning by a little over 1 seconds.
STS saw an early morning lead by Greg Maloy over Jason Frank, Ben Wagstaff and Mark McKnight. Maloy and McKnight would be the only two drivers in the afternoon to dip into the 37's. It would be Maloy ending the day on top with the lowest right side run at a 38.125. As normally comes with Sunday runs, the top drivers always find time. Maloy was able to find an impressive 1.8 seconds combine between the two sides. However, Wagstaff would find the most and take an almost 7/10 win over Maloy proving the Miata can still do it in STS.
STR was one of the epic battles of the weekend with Geoff Walker and Brian Karwan trading 10ths all weekend for the lead in their ND Miatas. After morning runs it would be Walker over Karwan by 5/10. In the second session both drivers would drop time, and the gap would narrow to just under 4/10 with Walker maintaining the lead. Sunday, Walker would find just enough time to hold off Karwan for a 2/10 win over the class in his Karcepts ND Miata.
R2 would be one of the tight battles of the weekend. Saturday ended with a 3/10 gap between leader Andrew Blasiman, Alex Jones and Mike Brausen. Sunday, both Jones and co-driver Chris Raglin would find time in their F-Prepared Pontiac Solstice to take a 1-2 finish just .1 apart. Blasiman would find time, but would fall .002 short of Raglin.
DSP was the John Vitamvas show from the start. On his second pair of runs in the morning, he ran a 35.213 left and 35.361 right. Eric Campbell found time Saturday afternoon getting down the a 35.7 on the left and 36.2 on the right, but would end the day over 1 second back from Vitamvas. Sunday morning John V’s BMW would have issues during Ladies competition with oil pressure that would cause him to pack it up and leave the door open from Campbell. Campbell was able to drop 3/10 on the left and 7/10 on the right, but would end the day still 5/10 back from Vitamvas' Saturday morning runs.
A number of competitors benefited from red lights or DNF’s to move on. The final two became old Mazda vs new Mazda with Ben Wagstaff in an STS prepped NA Miata vs Brian Karwan in an STR prepped ND. Karwan would work his way past Shawn Lambert of CAM, Larry "Lefty" MacLeod and Adam Norton to face Ron Bistrais in the second to last run. Bistrais would be the only non Mazda in the final 4 running an ESP Ford Mustang. Karwan would beat Bistrais cleanly to move on to the final round. Wagstaff found his way to the final round through Matthew Braun, David Marcus and Sam Karp to face the winner of STR, Geoff Walker in the 2nd to last round. Wagstaff was down after first runs. Moving to the left he was able to find enough time to beat Walker cleanly, on top of Walker having a cone. The final round of Wagstaff vs Karwan would see Karwan take the win, after Wagstaff coned.
Please congratulate Super Challenge winner Brian Karwan of STR, Ladie Challenge winner Laura Campbell of L3, and Bonus Challenge winner Holly Schwedler.
