Twenty-five years ago today – Sept. 11, 2001 – the United States was subjected to the actions of those who hijacked planes with the intent of attacking America. “Where were you on 9/11?” has since become the question people ask one another. The answer for nearly 1,000 Sports Car Club of America™ Solo® enthusiasts is: Topeka, KS, at Forbes Field for the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships.
The first set of competition runs were just about to begin on that Tuesday morning, and longtime autocrosser Eric Clements was working Timing & Scoring for the North Course at 7:46 a.m. Central Time (8:46 a.m. Eastern). That’s when the first skyjacked airliner flew into the World Trade Center’s North Tower in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Shortly thereafter, Solo participants in Topeka noticed increased activity at the Forbes Field military base.
“Normally there’d be some trucks going back and forth, and guys with guns to make sure we didn’t go places we shouldn’t go. But it was very lowkey and not a lot of commotion.” Clements recalls. “But they were lining up army trucks that day along the Jersey barriers between SCCA’s part of the site and their part of the site.”
Howard Duncan, a member of the Club’s Hall of Fame, was Director of SCCA’s Rally/Solo Department at the time. He was notified very quickly that Forbes Field president Dave Stremming needed to speak with him in person, immediately. In that conversation, which also included a handful of Solo Nats Chief Stewards, Duncan learned more about the developing situation and what had to happen next.
“The airport president said we had to at least shut down for the day until officials could figure out what was going on,” Duncan recalled. “We really needed to start mobilizing everyone to get off the base.
“It was astounding to me … how orderly the departure was and how we didn’t receive any complaints from folks about taking that action,” Duncan continued. “Folks took what happened in the real world to heart and said, ‘What we’re doing is kind of inconsequential in the bigger picture of things.’”
SCCA members had entirely departed the property by noon, leaving some equipment behind knowing they may never have the chance to return. In Solo Town setups outside the airport fenceline, Clements remembers the mood was somber and filled with confusion.
“We had a TV in our trailer and were watching the news, watching everything unfold, so we had pretty quick information once we were off site,” Clements said. “There was astonishment and wonder. It was surreal.”
Behind the scenes, Stremming was communicating with the base commander trying to figure out what might be possible as far as the continuation of SCCA’s event. Ultimately, he reached an agreement that allowed Solo Nats to operate on Thursday and Friday, but things had to move quickly. The SCCA could only use its South Course since the North Course was too close to military operations, and competitors only had three runs to decide champions that year.
Wednesday night at the exposition center in Topeka, Solo Nats participants gathered and learned what was next for the year’s competition. Duncan recalls that SCCA Hall of Famer Roger E. Johnson executed a rousing speech that energized the community to work together and make it happen.
“We smooshed the event together on Thursday and Friday. We ran at a breakneck pace,” Duncan said. “The most cooperation I’ve ever seen at an event happened over those two days.”
Since 2001 there have been only four years when Sept. 11th fell within Solo Nats competition days. Those years have been 2002, 2003, 2009 and 2015. The 2026 Tire Rack SCCA® Solo® National Championships in Lincoln, NE, at Lincoln Airport is the fifth occasion, meaning this is the proper moment to think about the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day, including at least four SCCA members: Joseph DeLuca, Linda Gronlund, Carl Max Hammond, Jr., and Craig J. Miller.
It’s also appropriate to remind people that no matter how their competition week went, be cognizant and enjoy the warm sun shining down. Value the sights, sounds, smells, and friends around you; and certainly appreciate that you’ve had #funwithcars.
Photo by Philip Royle
