Round three of the 2023 Tire Rack SCCA® Solo National Tour landed at Crows Landing, CA, over the April 21-23 weekend where 203 drivers from across the country took multiple autocross runs to collect not just bragging rights and trophies, but also points toward a nationwide series. It was picture perfect at the San Francisco Region-hosted event, with temperatures in the 80s and blue skies framing the grippy World War II-era concrete surface.
The two Ben Martinez-designed courses were open, fast, and flowing, but the similarities stopped there as each offered something different for the drivers, allowing the competition to soar.
Competition Recap
Tampa’s John Thomas came across the country to pull out a D Prepared win, piloting the infamous 1982 Toyota Starlet to a 5.882-second win over his co-driver Deanne Caraballo. By one unofficial count, Thomas carried seven seconds of continual front tire lift around the showcase sweeper on Sunday, proving how smooth and quick the combination of driver and machine really is.
Crows Landing was an international event through and through, as François Langelier paid a visit from the Great White North to win G Street in a 2015 Ford Focus ST. Langelier was one of five Canadians who crossed international borders for #funwithcars this weekend.
CAM®-C featured one of those battles that will surely grow as legend, at least in the Schotz family. The father-son team of Dave and Cameron co-drove their Chevrolet Camaro to a 1-2 finish and class sweep at Crows Landing, but the old man isn’t ready to concede the throne just yet. Father Dave and Father Time beat youth and the rest of the field to take the win.
That was the rule rather than the exception, as a similar situation played out in E Modified. While Zak Kiesel may eventually wear the crown, this week was not that time. Though Zak was quickest in Sunday’s opening run, his father and multi-time National Champion Jeff kept dropping the hammer, winning the class with Zak in second.
In Ladies Street Tire Bump, Kristen Acharya topped a strong 11-driver field in a G Street Ladies Volkswagen GTI, while Kendra Mabie’s Super Street Prepared Ladies Porsche Cayman GT4 led the way in a competitive Race Tire Bump class.
If ever there was an endorsement for the Evolution Performance Driving School in advance of a Solo National Tour, it came in the form of Jaejun Yoo’s domination in A Street. Yoo publicly credited his work and instructors in advance of Crows Landing, and then rattled off a 2.309-second win in his Porsche Cayman.
Give ‘Em The Points
Like every event on the Tire Rack Solo National Tour, Crows Landing awarded points towards the season-long 2023 Solo National Tour point chase. Competitors score points for a specific class during each Solo National Tour event from March to November, with the opportunity to also earn points at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships in September. An individual’s three best-scoring performances in the same class during the year count toward the season total.
Points at Solo National Tour events are awarded on a performance-based scale using a specific formula. That points formula is: 100 - (900 x ((Entrant’s Time - Class Winning Time) / (Class Winning Time)).
Participation in the same class at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships is required in order to qualify for the season-long points title. To resolve a points tie, finishing position at the Solo National Championships will be used to decide the winner.
Click here to learn more about the scoring system and check out the current class leaders.
Mid-Country Madness
Though the Tire Rack ProSolo program takes center stage at Crows Landing during the upcoming weekend, the Tire Rack Solo National Tour makes its way to the middle of the country for the month of May.
The 2023 Tire Rack SCCA South Texas Solo National Tour moves to Naval Air Station Chase Field, May 5-7, for the next event on the calendar. That gives way to one of the largest Solo Nationals prep events all season long on Memorial Day weekend: Spring Nationals at Lincoln (Neb.) Airpark.
The Tire Rack Lincoln Solo National Tour, May 28-30, part of a doubleheader on Memorial Day weekend, is the early season contest that attracts drivers hoping to get some runs in on the same tarmac that hosts the run for National Championship jackets later in the season.
Online registration has already begun for future events on the calendar. Be sure to check the Solo National Tour webpage for more information.
Photo by Danny Gross
