If you thought the 2026 Tire Rack SCCA® Solo® National Championships began on Monday, Sept. 7, you were sorely mistaken. OK, technically, that’s true – the first day of the Solo Nats begins then, but that ignores the hard competition brought by the stars of the Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo® Championship Finale that jumpstarts the action on Friday, Sept. 4, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 6.
This year’s ProSolo Finale is all but guaranteed to be a thriller, as the field chases not only class and Challenge wins, but the coveted Johnson-Clark Johnson Cup (JCJ Cup) and the Fletcher Cup for year-long honors.
And looking at the numbers, those battles are up in the air.
Ones to Watch
The ProSolo Finale is following a familiar pattern – classes run on Saturday and again on Sunday morning, with that followed by the Super Challenge and Ladies Challenge – though this is anything but a “regular” ProSolo. The pressure ramps as there are hundreds of friends and fellow competitors watching, and everyone knows the score.
The JCJ and Fletcher Cups go to the top point finishers of the season in Challenge competition, with the top two regular season events, plus the Finale, counting toward a driver’s total. It’s cutthroat to earn those points, and with up to 12 points for qualifying and 45 for a Challenge win, there are 57 total points on the line.
JCJ Cup
When it comes to the JCJ Cup, Manfred Reysser leads the way heading into the ProSolo Finale with 108 points. Reysser won back-to-back events in Vegas early in the year, so if you’re a gambler, that’s something to consider. The D Street Touring entrant will carry the target to start the weekend.
Much to Reysser’s dismay, his lead is far from insurmountable. In fact, 12 drivers are within 57 points of Reysser, with two that are practically tied – Billy Davis, just four behind, and Daniel McCelvey, only six behind Reysser. With some mathematical exceptions that come with ProSolo qualifying, a win for either would basically clinch the title.
Can either of them win in Lincoln? We’re glad you asked! You get two guesses as to who won the spring event on the same site. Yup, Billy Davis! Oh, and Davis was last year’s JCJ Cup winner, so don’t count him out.
McCelvey is no slouch, either. He may not have a JCJ Cup (yet), but he’s both a National Champion and an SCCA Time Attack Challenge winner (not the same discipline, but all we’re saying is he can drive). He’s got a ProSolo win this year, at Beeville, to open the season, and is very much in contention.
It’s wide open – you’ll want to follow along all weekend via the live timing feed by clicking here.
Fletcher Cup
Speaking of “anyone can win,” how about the 24 competitors in contention for the Fletcher Cup?
Kate Fisher leads the way with 109 points, winning at Lincoln (and Vegas!) earlier this year. Oh, and Fisher has handled the pressure before, with a Fletcher Cup already in the trophy case at home.
Yet it’s far from a lock. Stephanie Wells (five points behind), Meredith Brown (12 points back), and Shelby Redding (minus 13) all can make up the points with top efforts and little-to-no help.
So that’s it? Ha! Don’t count out the next tier, either. Tamra Krystinik, Kim Whitener, Holly Frost, and Nicole Wong are all between 20 and 29 points back, and any could win on any weekend. Especially Whitener – the eight time Fletcher Cup champ is continuing her march to double digits.
Good luck to everyone!
Watch SCCA.com, ProSolo’s live timing feed (cars hit the course on Saturday at 8:30a.m. CT.), and the Tire Rack SCCA National Solo Facebook page for updates throughout the weekend.
Event Homepage
Saturday Night Shindig
Watching from afar is fun, but if you’re on site, there’s the action to take in live, as well as other activities to partake in.
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, as well as 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.
We’ll see you there!
Photo by Perry Bennett
