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Image by Ken Brewer

The cooler weather should lead to hotter action this year for the College Station Champ Tour, as over 200 competitors make their way to the Riverside Annex, the best autocross site outside of Nebraska.

After the assignment of the BRZ/FRS to DS this year, CS is going to be a MX-5 dominated class both in participation and times. Leading the list of drivers to watch in CS this year in College Station is the reigning CS Nation Champion, Daniel McCelvey. With 2 National Championships in CS (2013 in a 370Z and 2016 in a 2016 MX-5) and home field advantage, McCelvey will be the favorite this weekend but will face competition starting with Tyler Kvetko who challenged McCelvey throughout the 2016 season (including 3^rd place at the National Championships). Both will be chased by Andy Hollis (a 5-time SCCA Solo National Champion) and his tire warmer Tom O’Gorman (a 3-Time SCCA Solo National Champion and 2016 Pirelli World Challenge TCB Champion) in Hollis’ MX-5.

2011 CP National Champion Todd Farris is a key organizer for this event each year, so it is no surprise the CP is one of the largest classes registered for the tour. 6 of the 11 Trophy winners from the 2016 National Championships are in the field, including the National Champion 2^nd Place finisher and 8-time ESP Champion Mark Madarash. His competition will come from Robert Lewis and Tommy Pulliam who make the trip over from Florida and Georgia respectively, driving Lewis’ 1965 Mustang; as well as, Chris Cargill and Wayne Atkins in Atkins’

STS and STR will each have 16 competitors, more than any of the other classes. Ricky Crow will headline the STR field after beating 17 other drivers in Dixie last weekend. However, Kerry Coughlin always gives him a run for his money in College Station. Vivek Goel had the fastest S2000 in BS last year at Nationals, and hopes a move away from the Corvettes and into STR will pay off. The lamprey that is Landon Thompson has moved on to another S2000 host after teaming with Robert Horton last year and could have renewed speed this weekend to challenge the top drivers.

STS will consist mainly of Honda Civics and CRXs, with many having a connection to David Whitener. Whitener and his wife Kim will be piloting a 1992 Miata in their attempt to gain the 1-2 finish that was spoiled by Gerry Terranova last year. Look for Terranova and John Clark to put the pressure on the Whiteners.

Finally, keep an eye on STP, this fledgling class had just 8 participants at Nationals last year, but it will have 10 at College Station.

Be sure to follow along from home, and if you smart enough to be coming to the event, see you at the welcome party on Friday evening.