The second day of competition is well underway at the 50th running of the Tire Rack SCCA® Solo® National Championships. This Homecoming event, taking place Sept. 5-8 at Lincoln Airpark in Nebraska’s capital city, will crown the first set of 2023 National Champions by sunset.
Developments are happening fast, so track everything at sololive.scca.com where you’ll find live timing/scoring, as well as audio coverage throughout the day. Also follow @SoloMatters and @sccaofficial on social media for updates and photos.
Guitar Heroes
About 1,300 SCCA members will take part in the 50th running of Solo Nats, an event designed for everyone to have a blast. There’s still a very focused competition, and Solo Nats Championship jackets earned by a handful of folks each year are cherished items, for sure. Then there’s a few trophies distributed during the Lincoln Airpark confab that are simply unmatched.
Each year since 2013, no more than five extremely rare guitars have been painstakingly handcrafted as Solo trophies by a small set of skilled artisans at Kiesel Custom Guitars in Southern California. These high-end instruments, which take about 35 hours each to create, feature unique designs that celebrate specific Solo Nats themes each year.
No surprise, the man responsible for this generosity is Jeff Kiesel, co-owner of Kiesel Custom Guitars. He’s been an SCCA member since 2001, comes from Cal Club Region, and is a longtime Solo supporter with 15 Solo National Championships. He was also the 2021 Driver of Eminence award winner.
The Kiesel Aries 2 guitars up for grabs in 2023 are brand-new models launched back in March. Artwork on each Solo trophy was hand-swirled by Jeff in a 50th-themed black and gold scheme. The instruments also include a custom black inlay design across the roasted maple fretboard that proclaims “50th SCCA” in an ornate fashion. In theory, these Aries 2 special-edition models are worth upwards of $4,000 each – but they’re also kind of priceless.
A couple of these trophies are already spoken for. Jon Caserta, the Johnson Clark Johnson Cup recipient recognizing the ProSolo Super Challenge Points Championship victor, earned one guitar; and Nicole Wong, winner of the Fletcher Cup that recognizes the ProSolo Ladies Challenge Points Championship winner, received one other guitar trophy.
Another two guitars are earmarked for the Solo Nats top PAX performers from Tuesday/Wednesday and Thursday/Friday. That leaves one super-awesome axe up for grabs. In 2023, the person who emerges victorious in the largest Solo National Championships car class will get that guitar. Official entry numbers will be calculated shortly, but D Street and Solo Spec Coupe are in the hunt – and both classes are wrapping up competition today.
Known for high-quality workmanship, industry leading craftsmanship, and the use of exotic woods, Kiesel Custom Guitars has been building fantastic guitars, basses, and pickups since 1946 for pro and hobbyist musicians alike. Made exclusively in the USA, Kiesel offers countless combinations of custom options so you can design your own custom shop instrument at an affordable price-point.
If you don’t earn one of the five limited-edition trophy guitars this year, head over to the Kiesel Custom Guitars website and order up something nice to make yourself feel better. Or just window shop, because they’ve got some really, really beautiful stuff – kind of like the 2020 KFR Turbo Sprite Kiesel drives in E Modified.
Soaking Up Some Culture
There was an offsite Solo function Tuesday night at the Fire Fighters Reception Hall to celebrate the very special 50th running of the Solo National Championships. The evening included a nice dinner, as well as a visit to the Museum of American Speed.
The museum captures America’s automotive heritage. For those interested in getting their own glimpse inside the air-conditioned facility, a special $5 admission for card-carrying SCCA members is being offered during Solo Nats week. And from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, entry into the 150,000 sq-ft facility will be free for all SCCA members.
The Museum of American Speed was formed to present a continuous chronology of automotive racing engines and speed equipment development. Founders “Speedy” Bill and Joyce Smith created the facility as a physical representation of their lifelong passion, as well as a means of preserving significant racing and automotive history.
If you can’t make it to the Museum of American Speed, SCCA’s 50th Solo Nationals Steering Committee has a Solo-specific Pop-Up Museum laid out in the Danly Building located along the western perimeter of the Solo Nats paddock. On display at this mini museum are cars from each Solo Nats decade. There are also championship trophies, jackets, rulebooks, driver info booklets, and various odds-n-ends spanning five decades. The Danly Building is also where SCCA Foundation and SCCA Women on Track will have booths, and the Solo Nats Info Booth is found there, too.
Can’t-Miss Wednesday Evening Activities
The first slate of 2023 Solo National Championships winners will be identified by sunset this evening. Those victors will be lauded during the annual Tire Rack Solo Awards Celebration that begins around 5:45 p.m. in the Tire Rack Event Center (TREC).
Along with loads of free food and beverages, the Tire Rack Solo Awards Celebration is where winners of Solo’s major awards are announced for the year. That includes the Solo Cup, Driver of Eminence, Johnson Spirit of the Sport Award, and Dick Berger Perseverance Award honorees.
The Tire Rack Solo Awards Celebration can’t be missed as it’s one of the largest gatherings during Solo Nationals, and is filled with excitement, laughter, and emotions.
Another emotion-filled moment at Solo Nationals takes place Wednesday evening around 7:30 p.m. just as the sun sets on Lincoln Airpark. That’s when people are invited to gather for the Sunset Remembrance Toast, which occurs near the Impound Scales located between the two competition courses. It’s a chance for the Solo community to join together and remember those who have departed, but who will always be part of SCCA’s spirit.
But Before Wednesday’s Party…
There’s still lots of on-course action slated for the two Solo Nats competition layouts before the party begins Wednesday evening. What’s happening, who’s leading, and how are your friends doing? Keep track of all that at sololive.scca.com where you’ll find live timing/scoring, as well as audio coverage throughout the day. Also follow @SoloMatters and @sccaofficial on social media for updates and photos.
And don’t forget about the Solo Nationals Morning Show – a daily video presentation where hosts interview special guests and keep everyone up to speed on happenings prior to cars leaving the start line. That broadcast can be found on Facebook’s @SoloMatters.
Photo: There’s excitement and action as far as the eye can see Wednesday at Lincoln Airpark during the 50th running of the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships
Photo by Jay Bonvouloir
