It’s been darn near 730 days since SCCA has exclaimed, “The Tire Rack Solo Nationals has begun!” Overexuberance for one sentence? Certainly not if you know how dear this event is to so many SCCA members.

“It’s the 48th running of the Tire Rack Solo Nationals Championship!” proclaimed SCCA President & CEO Mike Cobb with unbridled zeal. “I have trouble expressing how much I love this glorious gathering of our SCCA tribe, and the importance of this confab to our Solo community. I’m an avid and longtime autocrosser, and being back with this group of friends this week actually chokes me up a little bit. I’ll be taking part in CAM-S action and doing the best I can, but what I really want is to just have a great time seeing so many SCCA friends again, in person, over the next few days.”

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!

The approximately 100-acre Tire Rack Solo Nats paddock is filling up. Cars, pickups, haulers and SCCA members from all around the U.S. – and some from Canada – are pouring into Nebraska’s Lincoln AirPark. Not to mention the TC-135 brought into grid by an Airforce team for a static display that included tours — and, yes, SCCA members were allowed to sit in the pilot's seat and work the controls. Like a beehive, the energy is immense everywhere and the excitement is growing as folks set up camp for a week of #funwithcars that surmounts any other “car meet” anywhere on the planet!

The Solo Nats Tech tent is abuzz as competitors confirm car readiness, and the gaggle of joyful people and beautiful cars there is simply uplifting. Soon, the Monday evening Welcome Party will commence at the giant, outdoor Tire Rack Event Center tent (aka: TREC) with what will be a catered meal for all in attendance. Some announcements will be made, a lot of laughter heard, and general frivolity experienced before folks disappear into the dark paddock and prepare for the first day of competition, which begins bright and early Tuesday morning.

Coursework & Courses

The weather forecast for the next four days in Lincoln looks pretty great. Temperatures will be in the upper 80s during the day, and dropping down to the low 60s at night. And we’re in for clear, blue skies all week with darn near no chance of rain. But those in the know understand Mother Nature can bring anything at any time. Wind, rain, heat or whatever; each of the more than 1,100 entrants will face two challenging and fun Solo Nats course layouts. Championships and trophies will go to those who best attack the details – sweepers, slaloms, Chicago boxes and more – on the pair of courses designed by David Marcus and Kerry Coughlin.

Need we say more? You can see for yourself in this year's Solo Nats course maps.

What’s to Come

Unsurprisingly, the next four days of Tire Rack Solo Nationals competition will certainly be busy. When it’s all said and done, more than 60 champions will be crowned and a slew of trophies handed out. Will SportsCar Magazine’s pontification on who will win be correct? The best and only way to follow the action live, in real time, is at sololive.scca.com for current timing/scoring and audio coverage from Lincoln AirPark. And keep an eye on @sccaofficial on Facebook and Instagram for fun updates and photos.

Solo Nats Live

The fun continues from Lincoln with the 2021 Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals starting tomorrow, Tuesday, September 7. Follow along at scca.com, and on Facebook and Instagram with @sccaofficial.

Photo by Jon Krolewicz / Staff