Listen closely and you’ll hear the Pac-Man-esque waka-waka-waka as autocrossers make their move toward Lincoln, NE, for the Sept. 4-6, 2026, Tire Rack SCCA® ProSolo® Championship Finale and the videogame-themed Sept. 7-11, 2026, Tire Rack SCCA Solo® National Championships.
Combine those two events, and it’ll be on like Donkey Kong in Nebraska’s capital for an experience that you’ll never forget thanks to the 1,300+ drivers on the registration list. It’s a can’t-miss party with friends that has roiled for five decades and confirms the expertise of epic cone-carvers on their way to National Championship accolades.
But none of that is starting for days, and we want to have fun now!
To kick things off early, we’re tipping our hand and naming the recipients of two massive awards that will be presented on Monday evening, Sept. 6, at the Mazda Motorsports Town Center tent located in the lower paddock. Join us on site to celebrate!
Johnson Spirit of the Sport Award
Recognizing Solo community members who bring the spirit of fun to their fellow participants, the Johnson Spirit of the Sport Award is presented annually by the Royal Order of the Sheep to a member of the flock who upholds the spirited virtues of fun, camaraderie, and tomfoolery.
Recipients of this award are selected annually by the three previous winners, those being Team "F Bomb Troop," David Nolan, and Jay Bullington. The honor is named after the inaugural recipient: Exalted Grand Shepherd, Roger E. Johnson. For 2026, there is not one winner of the Johnson Spirit of the Sport Award, but two. The co-winners are Jeff Jacobs and Tony Savini.
Both Philadelphia Region members of the SCCA, Jacobs since 1993 and Savini since 2005, the pair (who will be co-driving in Solo Spec Coupe at this year’s Solo Nats) are no strangers to the Solo community.
During his 19 visits to the Solo Nationals, Savini has collected an impressive 15 trophies, two of which involved him taking the win. While Jacobs’s shelf doesn’t hold as many Solo Nats trophies as Savini’s (Jacobs “only” has 10), the Silver Circle member (hitting the 25 Solo Nats appearance mark in 2021) is also a past recipient of the Solo Cup (2011). Jacobs is involved beyond the Solo community, being the chair of the SCCA Foundation, the charitable arm of the SCCA.
For those who don’t know Tony Savini, if you’ve been to the Solo Nationals recently, you’ve undoubtedly witnessed his bright yellow bumper car pit vehicle. And if you’ve ever wondered who can expertly quote the Solo Rules while also announcing the ProSolo Finale in such an expert way, the answer is Jeff Jacobs. Combining over-the-top with subtlety makes these two the perfect match for this year’s Johnson Spirit of the Sport Award.
“Tony and I are honored to be selected to be part of this notorious – I mean esteemed – group of SCCA members,” Jacobs said after hearing they’d been selected for the award. “In Lincoln, we spend six minutes actually competing. The rest of the week is spent with our friends from across the country. I think this award reflects what everyone really values about our Club – the friendships and connection.”
Dick Berger Perseverance Award
While everyone at Solo Nats is a winner in our eyes, not everyone drives home with a physical trophy. The Dick Berger Perseverance Award recognizes someone each year who is undaunted by limited success over many National Championship events but keeps coming back to enjoy the camaraderie and community. Past Dick Berger Perseverance Award recipients include Mark Valera, Robert Chrismas, and Roger H. Johnson.
Frank Wietharn is the 2026 Dick Berger Perseverance Award winner.
Joining the Club in 1994, the Kansas Region member holds certifications as a Solo Safety Steward and Solo Course Designer and was inducted into the Silver Circle in 2023. His first time to the Solo Nationals came in 1997 driving a Corvette, and in the years since (where he’s competed in three different generations of Corvette), he’s earned a trophy three times, with his highest finishing position coming in 2009 when he finished third in Super Stock to multi-time National Champions Tom Kotzian and Gary Thomason.
“It’s nice to know that my hard work and determination are being noticed,” laughed Wietharn. “Over the years, I managed to win a few trophies. This will be my 27th year of refusing to let a pile of plastic cones defeat me at Solo Nationals.”
Wietharn’s perseverance is what SCCA is all about. Trophies are fun, but it’s the challenge of the sport mixed with the friends you make along the way that keeps you coming back for more.
Before That: Saturday Night at the Museum
The Museum of American Speed in Lincoln has put together a historic evening in conjunction with SCCA Foundation and SCCA’s Solo Department for ProSolo and Shootout competitors, along with others in town for Solo Nats.
From 5-9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, the museum will be open to SCCA members for finger foods and beverages while taking in amazing displays that include homage to SCCA and its history. Videos showcasing the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) series will be shown throughout the venue, and a Can-Am car will be on display. Tom Stefani, owner of the Can-Am car, will also make a presentation and be on hand for a chat.
You know who else should be there? You! Come join us!
Catch the Action from Afar
Can’t make it to Lincoln for the Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo Championship Finale and Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships (and the awards listed above)? The action can be experienced in a “sim” fashion from afar by following Tire Rack SCCA Solo or SCCAOfficial on Facebook.
Fun can also be discovered on the SCCAOfficial Instagram page, and ridiculous stuff at the SCCAOfficial TikTok page. Even more coverage will be posted to YouTube’s SCCAOfficial page.
Also check out SCCA.com for daily articles (multiple articles per day during the Solo Nationals!), and sign up for the weekly SportsCar® News newsletter if you’d like those articles to also end up in your email inbox.
Photos of Tony Savini (left), Jeff Jacobs (top right), Frank Wietharn (bottom right) by Will Huxtable and Jon Krolewitz
