Since most of us who are attending the 2009 Solo National Championship have not been to Lincoln, NE before we thought it would be useful to provide some information to make your visit to Lincoln more enjoyable. Hopefully the information here will give you a head start on having an enjoyable experience.

While my name is listed as the author I can assure you that the content herein has come from Ed George (FSP 96) and Velma Boreen (CSPL 87) who did the research and provided me with all the information for this piece! This is meant to be an interactive experience so click the links, explore and enjoy!

In broad strokes the following links will give you a sense of the Big Picture:

Lincoln for the football fan (bars restaurants)

Lincoln things to do:

Restaurant Reviews:

Traveler’s articles:

FYIs:

Liquor Sales: Monday-Saturday 6am-1am

Getting Around:

Lincoln’s major arterials are laid out in a simple grid. Numbered streets run North to South, Lettered Streets run East to West. O Street is the N/S dividing line. Many downtown streets are one way.

Speed limits are 25mph unless otherwise posted. Right turn on red is permitted unless posted. Right turn on LEFT are permitted from a one-way to a one-way street. Seat belts are required for all front seat occupants and anyone under the age of 16. U-turns permitted and arterial intersections unless otherwise posted.

Map of area:

Lincoln

Parking:

On-street meters are $.50, length varies from 10min to 10hrs. Meters are not monitored on Sundays or after 6pm.

Nebraska State Patrol offers road conditions by dialing 511.

Food:

Misty’s Restaurant & Lounge 6235 Havelock Ave 402-466-8424
Steaks and Prime Ribs, in bus. 40yrs. Also have Restaurant Brewery on 11th and P.

Lazlo’s Brewrey and Grill – Haymarket 710 P st. 402-434-5636
Casual dining, hickory fired grill, private and outdoor dining.

FireWorks (same owners, sounds similar to the place in Topeka, more upscale than Lazlo’s) 5750 S.86th.

Steak House 3441 Adams 402-466-2472
Established 1949. Featuring 21-day naturally aged Midwestern beef. Seafood, chicken and pork also available.

Local owned “fast” food

daVinci’s – pizza, pasta, salad

Runza – made to order sandwiches and burgers

Valentino’s – Italian Buffet

Other area eateries (click on the name for more info)

Wilderness Ridge-Lodge Restaurant
Romanos MacAroni Grill
Vincenzos Ristorante
Spaghetti Works
Parthenon
Famous Daves Bar-B-Que
Parkers Rib Ranch
Venue Restaurant and Lounge
Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Brewskys Food and Spirits
Skeeter Barnes
Old Chicago
Granite City Food and Brewery
Scrumpy Jacks
Beacon Hills

For more information on Lincoln eateries click here.

Vet Care:

Veterinary Emergency Hospital: 402-489-6800

The “It” Part of Town:

Downtown Haymarket and Iron Horse Park (Similar to Cleveland’s Warehouse District, but from the 19th century. Tons of restaurants, bars, clubs, and shopping). Information here and here.

Cool Museums:

Lester Larsen Tractor Test Museum

Museum of American Speed (where Monday night reception will be, very cool!)

Strategic Air and Space Museum – 30min east on I-80 28210 West Park Highway Ashland, NE 68003

They have a SR-71 and a B-36!

Mueller Planetarium (also Nebraska State Museum)

Hyde Memorial Observatory

Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center (20min SW of Lincoln) 800 acres, miles of walking trails. 11700 SW 100st, Denton, NE

Go Karting:

Champions Fun Center 1555 Yolande Ave, Lincoln, NE 68521
1/4 mi track, 22 karts (not counting the family karts)

Replacement for Maggie Moo’s:

UNL Dairy Store 38th and Holdrege Streets 402-472-2828
On campus dairy, ice cream store on UNL campus for 90 yrs!

Ivanna Cone 701 P St. 402-477-7473 (website not up yet)
Lincoln’s one and only old-fashioned ice cream parlor and soda fountain

Souvenirs:

Nebraska Bookstore 1300 Q St.

Huskers Authentic 625 Stadium Drive

Husker Headquarters 1120 P. St.

Happenings:

Nebraska State Fair – through Sept 7th
Tractor Pulls, Pig Racing and a beer garden… can u say utopia?

Cornhusker Football
Sept 5th (1st Game of Season) vs. Florida Atlantic
Sept 12th vs. Arkansas State

Auto Racing:

Eagle Raceway (12 miles east of Lincoln)

Nebraska Raceway Park (20 Miles east of Lincoln)

Wavelink Raceway Park

Hopefully this will be enough information to get everyone started! Drive carefully on the way to Lincoln and everyone here at rogues-racing.com looks forward to meeting each and everyone one of you.

Scott Hearne          GP 149

Mike Hearne          GP 49

Paul Magee             FM 95

Shawn Marie Kiesel is a relative newcomer on the national Solo scene but in the short time she has been in the sport she has notched two National Championships in two different but related cars. Both have been powered by turbocharged Mazda rotary engines with her latest victory coming behind the wheel of the family 2008 KFR Turbo Sprite on Goodyear tires. Shawn Marie resides in southern California and is a member of the San Diego Region SCCA.
RR: Is this your first attendance at Nationals?
SMK: No, 2008 was my third trip to Nationals. My first year was in 2006 with only doing a couple of events before Nationals.

RR: Is this your first National Championship? 
SMK: No, I have one other in B Prepared Ladies in 2006.

RR: What was your favorite memory of the competition?
SMK: Looking over and seeing my husband and kids screaming and jumping up and down with joy when they found out that I won.

RR: What do you think was your key to success?
SMK: Walking the course many times and listening to Jeff when he is giving me advice.

RR: Who has most influenced you?
SMK: My husband Jeff. He kept telling me I should start autocrossing and at first I didn’t want to. He knows that I am a competitive person and thought I’d be good at it. He finally talked me into it and I’m glad he did. It is such a fun sport.

RR: Who inspires you?
SMK: Jeff and my father-in-law, Mark. Watching the two of them working as a team has really inspired me. They really enjoy this sport and are fun to watch.

RR: Do you have any special pre-race routine, or any superstitions you follow?
SMK: No.

RR: Do you have any driving aids or tools you use to help you?
SMK: A seat insert so that I can reach the pedals.

RR: What do you think you do differently than your competition?
SMK: Not sure.

RR: Have you attended any driving school?
SMK: No

RR: Describe your driving style.
SMK:  I only started in 2006, so I’m still learning!

RR: What was your first and favorite autocross car?
SMK: A 1997 BMW M3 was the first; this car is my favorite…

RR: If you could change one Solo rule – either for your specific class or in general — what would it be?
SMK: Not sure.

RR: Who would you like to thank for your success?
SMK: Jeff. He built a car that is fast and fun to drive. He has the car working really well. So I trust the car the more I drive it.

Photos courtesy of GotCone.com & Shawn Marie Kiesel

For copies of photos email david @ evorticity.com

It appears there’s a theme of change amongst the editors of rogues-racing.com. We have all collectively changed what classes we are competing in this year. As Scott is covering in his own series, he has taken the CRX that he and Mike co-drive from CSP to GP. I have chosen a slightly different route. For the past few years, I had been competing with a 1999 Fast Forward supercharged Miata in SM2 (now renamed SSM).

In the months leading into Nationals last year, I had a laundry list of tweaks and upgrades I had hoped to perform to try to keep me at least within respectable distance to the RX7s and other class monsters of SM2. Time eroded, and it became clear in the weeks before Topeka that I wasn’t going to be able to attack much of my list. As if karmically guided, my phone rang. Jeff Blumenthal had a dilemma. He hoped to participate in both the Solo Nationals and a road race at Watkins Glen one week later. In two different cars. Jeff only has a one-car trailer. Mine could probably carry the other car. The more we hammered through the details, the clearer it became what we should do. I left the Miata at home and drove F Modified as the first-driver for Jeff in his car.

That left us with two weeks and two local events to teach me the nuances of Jeff’s car. Things I’d never had to deal with before, like the cold-starting procedure, or how to adjust the seating position from driver to driver in a metal-lined cockpit. Or other little details, like how to drive a car that is nothing like any other car I have ever autocrossed.

It was horrible. You have to sacrifice a chicken to get it to start first thing in the morning. You sit directly on a sheet metal floor in a car with no springs or true dampers. The nearly 500cc two-stroke engine sounds as un-sexy as any internal-combustion engine possibly can. It pours more smoke out of the tailpipe than a Texas barbecue. It has a battleship-grade turning radius. Your eyes are at cone-level. Its certificate of origin is listed as Home Depot.

Our first conjoined FMod practice was with NWOR in Toledo. I think it took about 3 runs on the Toledo Express concrete before there was no turning back. I found myself asking questions that were more in line with car ownership than with co-driving for a few events. How much do tires cost for this thing? What’s the typical annual maintenance like on one of these? Know anybody that’s selling one? Jeff knew what he was doing. He was essentially peddling a legal narcotic.

The Miata engine block and rear diff I bought to build up for SM2 were waiting for me when I got home from Topeka, taunting me under a layer of plastic wrap. There are few sounds I love more than hearing that supercharger at full whine on that Miata. But the numbers in my head didn’t lie. Neither did my heart.

Fast forward to February of this year.  There I was, on the phone with Stuart Phipps. He was moving from FMod into another class, and was selling his car. If you’ve never had the pleasure to meet Stuart, I recommend you make time. He’s a great guy.

One week later, I found myself standing in Stuart’s garage in Southwest Ohio, poring over the car. He had taken meticulous care of it. Even though it isn’t the newest car out there, you wouldn’t know looking at the quality of care it had received. So as I listened to Stuart, I was there; at The Point of No Return. He described the way he had set it up, explaining his rationales and the learning process that took him there. Much of it made perfect sense. A lot of it didn’t. Stuart is very much an engineer. I am very much not. There may have been mentions of Johnson rods, Spritzer valves, angles of incidence. It was all a blur. What the hell had I gotten myself into? I asked Stuart, in simple terms, does it work? He answered, Yes. With that, suddenly I became the proud owner of a Kawasaki Green 1989 KBS Mark 4.

Since I largely blame Jeff Blumenthal for my introduction into this insanity, I let him know in no uncertain terms that his role in the process that is my “conversion” hadn’t ended. It just started. Jeff, being the great guy that he is, was happy to help.

The next week, I took the car up to Jeff’s. We disassembled all the body work and gave it a thorough going-over. As we suspected, coming from the capable hands of Stuart, there were no real surprises. The only items that we agreed should be addressed in the near term were replacing the clutch and adjusting the car’s driving position to better suit me. Oh, and being an Industrial Designer by trade, it was going to need some sort of quick and dirty aesthetic mod.

For those less familiar with FMod, they are essentially a cross between an oversized kart and a snowmobile. As I am becoming more immersed, I am learning that the F440 / 500 was originated for the purpose of getting people into road racing for a very low cost of entry and maintenance. It worked. And then of course a Solo class followed once there were enough of them to justify it.

I always told myself I would never own a car that was used for nothing BUT autocross. It just didn’t seem wise at my income level to have such a dedicated-purpose car. Even my Miata sees very regular street use when the weather permits. But FMod is different, really. Hell, I know people in Stock classes that have more in shocks than I have wrapped up in my entire FMod experience, money-wise.

Plus, if you’re the type that likes to wrench a little, but you don’t like all the accessibility issues that come with most fendered cars, these little things are great (I still shudder at the thought of accessing the lower manifold bolts when I was installing the cold side supercharger on the Miata)!

I’ve now got two local events, a test-and-tune, and a 2-day Divisional under my belt with my new FMod, and am about to enter into a gauntlet of even more large events. This past weekend was the Great Lakes Divisional at Peru. It was a pretty good weekend. I had the opportunity to gauge myself and the car against Scott Nardin , a 2-time FMod National Champion. Scott runs in a Formula Vee that is very well-prepared. That aside, Scott is a phenomenal driver and a great guy to learn from. On Saturday, he showed my why he is a 2-time National Champion. Sunday was my day, though, with a course that allowed my car to stretch it’s legs a little more. I was able to edge out Scott on Sunday, but couldn’t overcome the gap he had created over me on Saturday. I got the better end of the deal, though, because after my drubbing on Saturday, Scott shared some great stories with me over dinner.

The next tests for the angry FModare the Finger Lakes National Tour, then the Toledo Divisional, Back to Peru for a National Tour, then a small rest before the Toledo ProSolo.  This will be a true litmus test of the relationship with this new car and class, I’m sure!

In upcoming posts from me, I’ll share some of my experiences with the FMod, including what it’s like driving it, working on it, and the processes and learning curves. So far, I have performed three noteworthy changes to the FMod since buying it; I had two of the chassis bars cut and replaced with a different profile, I stripped and repainted the body work, and replaced the clutch. Oh, and had to perform one emergency surgery to the right-front upright and steering arm. But, more on that in my next post.

Hope to see some of you out there. If you see the 95/195 FMod, stop by and say hello!

To see images of the entire process, visit http://mageep.smugmug.com/Autocross%20and%20race%20stuff/744824

As an individual who is adept at thinking outside the box Jeff Kiesel has one again shown with a little imagination and a lot of hard work in a class that doesn’t have a lot of restrictions he can rise above the rest. He put the smack down again on E Modified in 2008 to claim his second jacket in an exceedingly well turned out 1958 Austin Healy Bugeye Spite using turbocharged Mazda rotary power on Goodyear tires. Jeff is a member of the San Diego Region SCCA.

RR: Is this your first attendance at Nationals?
JK: No, I have attended Nationals since 2004.

RR: Is this your first National Championship?
JK: No. I have won two previous Solo Championships in 2006 driving my Mazda RX-7 in B Prepared and in 2007 I won E Modified driving the same Sprite I won with in 2008. I also have won two consecutive Pro Solo Championships in the Sprite.

RR: What was your favorite memory of the competition?
JK: In 2006 my wife won her first jacket, two run groups before me.

RR: What do you think was your key to success?
JK: Picking the right car, good set up, great family support and great talent in Solo to push me hard.

RR: Who has most influenced you?
JK: My Dad, he autocrossed when I was a kid and dominated in our San Diego region through 1985.  He got me interested in the sport and races with me now.

RR: Who inspires you?
JK: My Dad and my Wife and Kids; Gary Thomason and Andy McKee.

RR: Do you have any special pre-race routine, or any superstitions you follow?
JK: No.

RR: Do you have any driving aids or tools you use to help you?
JK: No.

RR: What do you think you do differently than your competition?
JK: Not sure.

RR: Have you attended any driving school?
JK: No.

RR: Describe your driving style.
JK: Aggressive but smooth.

RR: What was your first –and favorite autocross car?
JK: 1993 Mazda RX-7.

RR: If you could change one Solo rule – either for your specific class or in general — what would it be?
JK: I would go back to the 2005 rules for EM, 1500 pounds without driver and no weight penalty for larger motors.  At the old rule with me in the car I would weigh 1655 min.  At nationals this year and last I had to weigh in at 1855 with me in the car.

RR: Who would you like to thank for your success?
JK: My Dad for getting me interested in this great sport and passing down some of his abilities to me, also for his advise help and co driving the past two years.  My wife for putting up with the busy race schedule, many hours in the garage and racing the car with me.  Goodyear Racing Tire, Bogart Racing Wheels, Ankeny Racing Enterprises, Maier Racing, Danzio Performance, Racing Beat, 7parts.com and Carvin.com

Photos courtesy of GotCone.com

For copies of photos email david @ evorticity.com

In a class that has inarguably been the providence of the Toyota MR2 for that past few years Meredith Brown has once again proved that she has the measure of her competitors by adding another jacket to her closet. As a member of the Sports Car Club del Valley Rio Grande (a chapter of the Rio Grande Region SCCA) the 2008 E Stock Ladies Champion drove a 1993 Toyota MR2 on Hoosier tires to her third National Championship.

RR: Is this your first attendance at Nationals?
MB: Although I began racing in the early 1990s, I did not go to Nationals until 2002. I have competed every year since.

RR: Is this your first National Championship?
MB: I was picked to win in 2002 but did not live up to the billing until the next year. I won again in 2004 and then went through a dry spell until 2008. All my championships are in ESL.

RR: What was your favorite memory of the competition?
MB: The first year I was at Nationals it was to watch Paul, and I decided spectating was for the birds. Driving was where it was at and I have been having a great time behind the wheel ever since.

RR: What do you think was your key to success? Who has most influenced you? Who inspires you?
MB: My husband introduced me to the sport and has patiently and generously shared his knowledge with me over the years. It took quite a while for me to absorb and translate that knowledge into success on course, and I still rely on him to set me straight after I walk the entire course thinking I don’t really need to use the brakes. I also had the good fortune to become friends with many experienced racers such as the Fletchers, Baileys, Tunnels, Tom Berry and many others who exhibit great sportsmanship along with tremendous driving skill.

RR: Do you have any special pre-race routine, or any superstitions you follow?
MB: I don’t do anything special right before driving but I do like to be strapped in and ready to go with plenty of time to spare so I do not feel rushed and I can go through the course a few times in my head.

RR: Do you have any driving aids or tools you use to help you?
MB: We do not run any data collection systems or cameras on the car but I do find it very helpful to get feedback from Paul when he can watch my runs.

RR: What do you think you do differently than your competition?
MB: It often seems to come down to who can get clean runs, and at Nationals the weather conditions are frequently a significant factor.

RR: Have you attended any driving school?
MB: I have not attended any formal schools.

RR: Describe your driving style.
MB: I would have to describe my style as aggressively methodical. I have never really developed the skill of on the fly driving. I need to have a plan before I attack the course, but once I am out there I try to drive the tires off the car.

RR: What was your first –and favorite autocross car?
MB: The first car I race in was a Chrysler Conquest. My favorite car is the ES MR2 – hard to argue with success!

RR: If you could change one Solo rule – either for your specific class or in general — what would it be?
MB: If we could add more runs to the Solo format I certainly would not complain.

RR: Who would you like to thank for your success?
MB: My wonderful husband and the great SCCA family of racing enthusiasts who always make racing so much fun.

Photos courtesy of GotCone.com and Merideth Brown

For copies of photos email david @ evorticity.com

In a car that puts down power from an end of the car that he is not the most familiar and one that is also not commonly perceived to be competitive, the 2008 F Street Prepared National Champion Kevin Wenzel showed that he still has the moxie to compete at the highest level. Moving away from his Volkswagen roots Kevin claimed the 2008 title driving a 1968 BMW 2002 on Hoosier tires. He is a member of the Colorado Region SCCA.

RR: Is this your first attendance at Nationals?
KW: Nope – I’ve been to 10 Nationals events (’97-’08, missing ’03-’04).

RR: Is this your first National Championship?
KW: No, 2008 was my fourth win – the first three were 2000, 2005 and 2006, which were all in 1981 VW Sciroccos, run in FSP.

RR: What was your favorite memory of the competition?
KW: My second run on the first day – I had doubted my ability to drive at that level since 2007 (the only year I didn’t at least trophy at Nationals).

RR: What do you think was your key to success?
KW: Sweating the small stuff, although not always the same small stuff that other people were sweating… Also, having a very clear idea of how I wanted a given car to behave.

RR: Who has most influenced you?
KW: For driving, I’d have to say a combination of Bob Tunnel and Dave Fauth – Tunnel for being *so* fast, *so* consistently, and for being generally unflappable to whole time.  Fauth is a very different kind of driver than I am – I’m amazed to watch how precise he is, and how well he executes the plan he creates during course walks, so I’d like to develop more of that skill.  For car preparation, my biggest influence has been my friend and former employer, Dave Stone of Performance Machine Works.  He has a breadth of knowledge and attention to detail that I will always envy.

RR: Who inspires you?
KW: Largely, the folks that I run with in X class at local Colorado Region/CDR events.  The level of competition has been very high for so long in these regions that local events sometimes feel like National Tours, and facing a challenge like that all year long can go a long way towards making up for not attending lots of Tours/Pros (which I’ve not always been able to do).

RR: Do you have any special pre-race routine, or any superstitions you follow?
KW: At the start, I tend to do some specific things with my hands, which amounts to rubbing the steering wheel and checking the gear and parking brake position over and over again.  I’ll also spend some time looking at the first few significant cones, and intentionally change my focus from the first gate to the next, and back again.  Before running I tend to do the same visualization that every else seems to, although I don’t walk around in circles with my eyes closed (I’m clumsy enough without *trying* to trip over things).

I also like to drink orange Moutain Dew before running, although I’ve been less consistent about that in the last year or so.  No idea if the sugar and caffeine helps or is ultimately a hindrance, but it’s tasty!

RR: Do you have any driving aids or tools you use to help you?
KW: Video, definitely.  Data as often as possible, although I’ve never been able to afford (or been able to prioritize in a budget, compared to Other Things to Do) the acquisition system that I’d really like to be using.

RR: What do you think you do differently than your competition?
KW: I think that when I’m really in the right place mentally, I’m quick on the first run – I think it helps to put the competition in as big a hole as possible right off the bat.  I tend to be aggressive in slaloms and transitions (and try to set cars up to allow this, more than anything else), and I think a lot of folks don’t quite place the same importance on that particular aspect of autocrossing – this seems odd to me, because I think it’s often the difference-maker.

RR: Have you attended any driving school?
KW: I attended at least a couple of local autocross schools in 1997 (in Colorado, that tends to be a nearly Evo-like experience, IMHO, since we had names like Ames, Bailey, Klingler, Raymond, Ott, Tunnel, Fauth
etc., etc. as instructors…! ).  Other than that, just a Colorado-based road racing school to get my club racing license.

RR: Describe your driving style.
KW: Other than aggressiveness in transitions, I’m not really sure.  I tend to have very fast hands, and I’m not as precise as I’d like to be.  I try to apply the “strong opinions, weakly held” maxim to course walks, since I don’t seem to be very good at predicting exactly what I’m going to need to do in a given corner, and thus I approach driving as a friction-circle-tactile situation – do whatever I can to keep the car at the edges of it *and* stay ahead of the course *and* maintain a tight enough line, but I tend to rely on adaptability to get that done.  If I’m looking ahead and am on top of things, it works out pretty well most of the time.  If not, I suddenly end up in thrash-land and I’m playing catch-up.  At least that’s how it feels. The video often looks so boring that I have to doubt my own perceptions of what happens in the car.

RR: What was your first –and favorite autocross car?
KW: First car was a 1981 VW Scirocco (one of three) in DSP (at the time). Favorite (and most-hated) would have to be the 1984 VW Rabbit I built for EP (and ran between 2001-2002): http://www.timelord-racing.com/alba/ . That car changed my understanding about what was really important about developing autocross cars.

RR: If you could change one Solo rule – either for your specific class or in general — what would it be?
KW: Having spent at least a little time on an advisory committee, I have a hard time focusing on one rule.  The difficulty is that it’s very hard to both correct clear inconsistencies and errors and also adapt the rules and classing to match the constantly-changing automotive marketplace (and level of technical skill/commitment within individual classes, which is also not very static), so it seems like more of a continuum to me.  I personally dislike the tendency towards inconsistent naming conventions between parent classes, but maybe that’s a meaningless aesthetic preference…

RR: Who would you like to thank for your success?
KW: Three people – one, my long-time co-driver Iain Mannix, Dave Stone at Performance Machine Works, and my ex-wife (and still a dear friend) Carol Coen, who, along with her whole family, got me addicted to this racing thing in the first place.

Photos courtesy of www.gotcone.com

For copies of photos email david @ evorticity.com

watch?v=mCb-d1kSgjcStill run as a Supplementary class Formula SAE has nevertheless shown an increase in participation. Heavily promoted by Professor Bob Woods of the University of Texas, Arlington the class is poised to become a fixture of the SCCA. With a second consecutive Championship Hailing from Texas Region SCCA driving the UTA FSAE car on Hoosier tires Eric Leichtle has shown that he is an able student of mentor and advisor Bob Woods.

RR: Is this your first attendance at Nationals?
EL: No, this was my second time to attend Nationals.

RR: Is this your first National Championship?
EL: No, I won my first National Championship last year, also in FSAE.

RR: What was your favorite memory of the competition?
EL: On the first day, the 2008 car I was driving broke while my co-driver Alejandro was in it.  Fortunately the SCCA let us make the rest of our runs by doubling up in the 2007 car.  For my last run I had to wait the mandated 5 minutes from the last drive in that car.  So, I was sitting at the line for almost 5 minutes, all the course workers are ready to be done, and I’m just sitting there waiting and trying to calm down.  When the five minutes was up, I went out and clinched 1st in my class.

RR: What do you think was your key to success?
EL: Practice, and learning how to relax.  The single best thing I can do for myself before driving is to relax.  Runs that feel slow are almost always the fastest.

RR: Who has most influenced you?
EL: My Dad, and my co-driver and best friend Alejandro.

RR: Who inspires you?
EL: Anybody who works hard to make their dreams a reality.

RR: Do you have any special pre-race routine, or any superstitions you follow?
EL: Check tire pressures, make sure the car has gas, study the track map, then joke around and relax.

RR: Do you have any driving aids or tools you use to help you?
EL: Live For Speed- a computer racing simulator.  I’ve broken more bad habits racing on the computer than in real life.  On the computer you can make a conscious effort to see if you’re lifting the throttle, or braking too late, or whatever.  It’s a perfect opportunity to train yourself to drive better.

RR: What do you think you do differently than your competition?
EL: I’m not very good at walking the track, so I always take a relatively easy first run to familiarize myself with the track.  I find that if I try and go 100% my first time out, I usually mess up, and then spend my second run trying to learn the track.

RR: Have you attended any driving school?
EL: The Dr. Bob Woods driving class at UTA.

RR: Describe your driving style.
EL: Slow in, fast out.  It’s far quicker to be in control during corner entry and set up a proper line, than to get the last little bit of braking performance out of the car.

RR: What was your first –and favorite autocross car?
EL: I have only ever autocrossed the UTA Formula SAE cars, so I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for all of them.  My first winged car I ever drove was the 2004 car, but I’d have to say that my favorite is the 2008 car, AKA the Italian Stallion.  It’s powered by an Aprilia SXV-550 with 2 cylinders named Hellfire and Vengeance.

RR: If you could change one Solo rule – either for your specific class or in general — what would it be?
EL: FSAE winners would get a National Champion jacket as well!

RR: Who would you like to thank for your success?
EL: Everyone at UTA who makes Formula SAE possible, especially the team members who help design and build the car.  My family for always being there to cheer me on and help turn a wrench when something breaks. My best friend Alejandro, who constantly pushes me to be better and faster. And of course, my girlfriend Tracy for putting up with me paying more attention to race cars than to her!

2008 saw a not-insignificant invasion of the United States from the Great White North. Specifically, from the Canadian Province of Manitoba. While there have been a few Canadian citizens (primarily from the eastern provinces) that have attended the Solo National Championship in the past, the members of the Winnipeg Sports Car Club stepped up and conducted a well-prepared incursion…

RR: Just how many members came to Nationals from your club? How big is the Winnipeg club overall?
WSCC:  We had 15 members go to Nationals in 2008.  The club has around 200-210 members.  Most are occasional autocrossers.  We’ve had small numbers of people attend over the last 6 or so years, but this year we staged an invasion!

RR: Who are they and can we get a brief bio on everyone?
In no particular order:

Corey Dyck: I’m a 32 year-old Mechanical Engineer that started autocrossing in 2000.  I have raced a Focus, a Miata, a Camaro (Thanks Art!), and currently a Honda S2000.  I was WSCC Autocross Program Director in 2002 and 2003.  I developed the WSCC autocross school.

Jeff Janzen is a 26 year-old marketing professional and life-long car enthusiasts. He discovered solo racing through a friend (his then-future co-driver for 2008 Nationals) in 2005 and has been competing regularly with the WSCC ever since. Having been built as a fun daily driver, his ’95 Integra – with its big turbo and relatively soft suspension – wasn’t ideal for racing, so a couple years and many broken axles later, Jeff picked up a 2002 S2000 to join in the heated competition of stock class for 2008.

A competitive person by nature, Jeff has put in a serious effort to improve quickly at the sport, attending the WSCC’s local autocross school in 2006 and 2007, instructing for it in 2008, and attending a weekend of EVO School in 2007. Jeff says his motivation comes from the WSCC’s many extremely talented drivers. “Without the fierce but encouraging competition of my peers,� he tells us, “I wouldn’t be nearly as competitive in the sport as I am now. We really have fun pushing each other.�

David Chittick, 25, raced a 1987 Mustang LX 5.0 and 2000 Civic Si, currently co-driving a 2006 Subaru WRX with owner Peter Muangxong.

Joe Premecz: I am a 25 year old Commercial A/V Tech. Over the years as I grew up, my father’s appreciation for cars rubbed off and I began tinkering with his cars at age 12. I have had countless cars over the years. I currently compete with my 1994 Toyota Corolla in SM locally.

Phillip Reddy – Owner, Fast Toys Performance Parts, has been participating in auto-x for 14 years and has driven a variety of vehicles including a Firebird, Camaro, Cavalier, Corvette and WRX STI.

Briget Sawatsky (aka Miss_Behavin).  33 years old, Bsc (M. Biochemistry) Graduate who spends her days at a kart track with her husband and spare time involved in the Porsche Club of America, WSCC and learning new things (SCUBA this year!).

Mark Sawatsky: I’m 39 years old, married with no kids (and no plans to have any because you can’t fit a baby seat in a Boxster). I was introduced to autocross in 1994 when I took a customer on an aggressive test drive of a new car. I was selling cars and a customer came in to test drive a Neon ACR. I felt he had not explored its potential so I took over and showed him what was possible on some on-ramps. He told me I had to try autocross and I had never heard of it before but did the last few events that year and won HS the following year. I started with a Cavalier Z24 and have also had success with a Porsche 911, and a Works MINI. I currently run a Boxster in AS with my wife, Briget. In 2004 I opened an indoor kart track in Winnipeg, Speedworld Indoor Kart Track, and now I get to race every day. We have become a hotspot for local racers and I’m proud of our reputation for having very fast, well maintained and consistent karts on a challenging track with 30+ mph sweepers and hairpin turns. Many of the clubs race at the track and there are currently two kart leagues, one for the road racers and one for the autocrossers (It’s open for debate which group is quicker).

The rest: Art Schroeder, Marion Schroeder, Kerry Falk, Chris Deacon, Claudio Zubin, JT Letkeman, Jeremy Choy and Peter Muangxong.

RR: What classes did they participate in?
WSCC: Corey Dyck – A Stock in a 2001 Honda S2000, Jeff Janzen – A-stock, David Chittick – E Street Prepared in a 2006 Subaru WRX, Joe Premecz A Stock co-driving Jeff Janzen’s S2000, Phillip Reddy – A Street Prepared, Briget Sawatsky – C Stock Ladies, Mark Sawatsky C Stock, Art Schroeder – C Stock, Marion Schroeder – C Stock Ladies, Kerry Falk – A Stock, Chris Deacon – B Stock, Claudio Zubin – B Stock, JT Letkeman – D Stock, Jeremy Choy – D Stock and Peter Muangxong – E Street Prepared.

RR: Who among them were ‘first timers’?
WSCC: Thirteen of the fifteen that came in 2008 hadn’t been to SCCA Nationals before.  Only JT and Art have been before.

RR: For the ‘first timers’ only; can you give us your impressions in just a paragraph or two?

Corey Dyck: Upon first arrival at HPT I thought, ‘Ok, where will the second course go?’  The relatively small lot size was a surprise.  I’ve also read a lot about how ‘bad’ the HPT surface was.  I thought it was great in comparison to what we normally run on.

The event itself was as well run as could be expected, given the constraints of HPT, and the competition in our class was top-notch.  I’ll be back as often as possible!

Jeff Janzen: The sheer number of participants was staggering, and it was great to meet so many other racing enthusiasts. The spread of talent was not a whole lot different from what we see locally; there are still plenty of people who show up just for fun and don’t care how they place. The difference is that there are just that many more drivers battling it out for the trophies in every class, and that’s what makes it more exciting! In AS, for example, you’re watching fifteen other drivers’ times instead of just a handful like the local level. From an organizational standpoint, the event was great! Things ran smoothly, instructions were clear, and staff was helpful. I’m looking forward to coming back next year.

David Chittick: I was a little overwhelmed with the sheer size of the event. Seeing such a massive, sprawling lot filled with cars of every make and model ready to race is an impressive sight. There was tight competition but almost everyone I spoke to was very friendly and willing to lend a hand/offer advice/share anecdotes.

Joe Premecz: Topeka having been my first time at any national level event, I was very nervous during the drive. As my excitement grew, so did my nervousness. On Tuesday when we were getting into grid, I was surprised by how open and genuine every competitor seemed to be, almost as if we were at home amongst our friends competing. When I was sent out of grid, the pressure of being the first of our club to be sent up got to me; my hands shaking all the way to the start line. I had no clue how I was going to stack up in an unfamiliar car against the top drivers in North America.  After that first run, as I was receiving my timeslip, I heard the announcer singing “Oh Canada�. That was when I knew everything was going to be fine.

The level of competition was not unlike what we have at home, but the buzz in the atmosphere around us was much greater simply due to the number of competitors in our class and people surrounding us. The event was run like clockwork; very professionally and systematically. I was pleased to see how smoothly the event was conducted and was glad to see that we weren’t alone having issues with course marshalling back home.

Phillip Reddy: The event ran very smoothly. It was amazing to see so many people participating in and enjoying the sport. I wish there was more time to walk the course other than first thing in the morning as it made for very long days and there were far too many people walking the course at the same time.

Briget Sawatsky: What a HUGE racing event!  The volunteerism was the first thing I noticed – it was great!  At first it was very intimidating to see so many people who obviously had more experience than I did.  However, the outpouring of support and friendliness from strangers was amazing!

Mark Sawatsky: What impressed me most at Nationals was the sights and sounds. Back home we see nothing more exotic than a stock Ford GT but at Nationals I was able to get up close to a highly modded Porsche GT2, hear an FP 240Z or feel the ground shake as a CP Camaro attempts to change the rotation of the Earth. The courses were also a lot more open than I am used to and that was awesome because I had so many line options and wasn’t mowing down cones when I got it slightly wrong.

RR: What is each person’s experience level?
Corey Dyck: Autocrossing 8 years, attended 4 Canadian National events and 3 SCCA National Tours before Nats in 2008.

Jeff Janzen: Been competing since mid-2005 (roughly 55-60 events thus far), attended three schools, instructed one, and competed in the following SCCA events:

• 2008 Milwaukee NT (Trophied 3rd place AS)
• 2008 KC NT (Trophied 3rd place AS)
• 2008 SCCA Nationals (Trophied Runner-up AS)

David Chittick: I’ve been autocrossing since 2005 and have taken three driving schools (WSCC and Evo stage 1 & 2).

Joe Premecz: I started autocrossing periodically in 2002. In 2005 I became a regular competitor. I normally compete in under-prepared cars so I have been uncompetitive in pax, but competitive in raw times in those cars. Currently I am racing in my 1994 Toyota Corolla in Street Mod.

Phillip Reddy: 14 years of autocross

Briget Sawatsky: This was my third year…and third kind of car!

Mark Sawatsky: I have been autocrossing semi steadily since 1994. There were conflicts with my job and some periods with no car, but I’ve gone to as many events as possible.

RR: How long has the Winnipeg Sports Car Club been around?
WSCC: The Winnipeg Sports Car Club was formed in 1952, has been running ever since!

RR: How do Canadian Auto Slalom rules differ from those used by the SCCA?
WSCC: They’re similar, but Candian Autoslalom Championship allows the users to pick and choose from a list of mods, each having a point value.  Each class has a list of available mods and a maximum allowable points value.  Classes are designed such that the respective SCCA-classed car will fit in the same class in CAC rules. It actually works pretty well because you can pick and choose what is most helpful for your particular car.

RR: Do the rules differences impact your preparation level for either one or both?
WSCC: Somewhat.  WSCC uses SCCA rules for our official championship series for rules stability, and to encourage a shift to one rule-set for North America.  Some people were sacrificing performance in the local series to have an SCCA-compliant car in previous years.

RR: Is there any fundamental difference in how courses are designed in your ‘home’ area compared to what you typically see in the U.S.?
Corey Dyck: Our lots limit us more than anything else. They’re much narrower and an irregular shape.  Our elements tend to be tighter and average speeds lower.  Given a larger lot we’d love to open things up more.  Interestingly, Canadian rules don’t have maximum cornering speeds like SCCA rules do, so we can and do speed things up when we have room.

Jeff Janzen: I haven’t spotted anything fundamentally different, but our courses seem to have more speed variation — first gear corners are more common — and less line selection. Allowing a greater variety of line selection is something we’ve been working on since more members have begun attending SCCA events.

David Chittick: There is a much higher average speed on the US courses.

Joe Premecz: As I have heard about other events and witnessed at nationals, the US courses seem to be much more open to line selection and more spread out which leads to higher speeds. We implement the same elements in our own courses here but everything is tighter. Over the past two years as people bring feedback about the US courses, we have been trying to incorporate key design differences into our own courses to better prepare our competitors and ourselves for other events abroad.

Phillip Reddy: Courses at the Nationals were more wide open with higher average speeds. Courses did not double back on themselves because there was more space available.

Briget Sawatsky: YES!  Our space limits the length of the course and the obstructions limit its design.  I was not totally prepared for the speeds and “open-ness� of the National courses…but I LOVED it!

Mark Sawatsky: Our courses are tighter, with gates being smaller and closer together. We also keep our top speed lower than what we saw at Nationals and many of us shifted to 3rd gear for the first time ever on an auto-x course. We are limited by the lot we use and, in my opinion we tend to play it safer than our American counterparts. I saw aspects of the courses in Topeka that we would never do back home because they would be considered too dangerous.

RR: Given the geographical area, your autocross season is probably more abbreviated than it is in most areas of the U.S. How do you occupy your time in the off-season?
Corey Dyck: WSCC has an ice racing and autocross series that runs in January and February.  Many of our members participate in a wide variety of snow sports including skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, etc.  Some go indoor karting, some play driving games.  Most just complain about the cold and talk about racing on our forums.

Jeff Janzen: Indoor sports: kart racing, golf, tennis. Pointing out when the temperature reaches the same numeral in both Celsius and Fahrenheit, practicing car control on icy roads (the only time when you can consistently drive at or beyond the limits of adhesion without breaking any laws), talking about how cold it is — that never gets old –  bench racing and smack-talking on the local autocross forums (forums.wpg-autox.org).

David Chittick: Ice autocross and the WSCC go-karting league at Speedworld!

Joe Premecz: Typically hibernating much like the other animals. I practice accident avoidance during winter months and save money for the next season’s projects/tires.

Phillip Reddy: It’s extremely cold in Winnipeg during the winter so lots of time is spent watching movies, going to the gym and relaxing with friends and family. I also like to travel to warm places!

Briget Sawatsky: The best thing is to keep your reflexes sharp!  I keep my skills sharp racing at Speedworld Indoor Kart Track and keep my mind sharp with memory-based games.

Mark Sawatsky: I am lucky that I get to race karts all winter long and we have started doing Rallycross on ice so I look forward to doing that in the off season.

RR: Given that Lincoln, NE is a bit closer to your group, does everyone anticipate making the trip in 2009?
Corey Dyck: I certainly will!  Although, I would go almost anywhere within a two-day drive.  The vast concrete expanses of Lincoln sound amazing!  None of us have driven on concrete though…

Jeff Janzen: Absolutely!

David Chittick: I’m hoping we can bring an even bigger group down in 2009.

Joe Premecz: I will be attending the Canadian nationals in 2009 as it is going to be close to home this year, and as I prepared my car for CASC FSP classing I would love to try competing with it.

Phillip Reddy: Hopefully yes!

Briget Sawatsky: See you there!

Mark Sawatsky: I think we will have as many or maybe more people go to Lincoln. I know Briget and I will be there, and I think we will be dragging my brother and nephew along as well.

RR: We ask this question of almost everyone, so we may as well ask all of you. If you could change just one rule in the SCCA rulebook what would it be and why?
Corey Dyck: Allow front OR rear swaybars in Stock class.  Then people could balance which will give them more performance on the track and fun on the street.

Jeff Janzen: This one might ruffle a few feathers, but I think a limit should be imposed on the number of years one is allowed to compete in the ladies classes. Ladies’ classes are a great way to get more women into the sport, but it seems like there are a number of experienced and very talented competitors taking advantage of them for the contingencies, while their skill level makes them more suited to add to the competition (and likely trophy) in their respective open class.

Phillip Reddy: I’d like to see more than the 3 runs. The more seat-time the better. It makes for a very long day when you only get 3 minutes of racing for all the time you put in.

Mark Sawatsky: I would allow camber plates or crash bolts in stock class because the alignment ability varies so much from one car to the next and even between two otherwise identical cars. Over and over I see people frustrated because their particular car can’t get as much camber as another car just like theirs, and those with camber-challenged cars chew up the outside edge of their tires prematurely.

To all of the ‘Crazy Canadians’ we want to extend our thanks for taking the time to share your viewpoints and look forward to seeing you all (and more!) in Linclon this September.

Photos courtesy of www.gotcone.com

For copies of photos email david @ evorticity.com

We have spent a lot of time profiling the National Champions from both the 2008 Solo National Championship and 2008 Pro Solo Championship. While we think everyone finds these glimpses into the life and mind of the Champions useful and sometimes entertaining there are many more people who make up the sport of Solo. As in everything in life there is always someone who finds themselves on the bottom of the food chain. Yes, those among us who are DFL. Just to show everyone that rogues-racing.com has a sense of humor we are beginning this (hopefully) series with our own Mike Hearne. Mike earned this ‘honor’ by co-driving Dan Costello’s Honda CRX on Hoosier tires to last place in CSP at the 2008 Solo National Championship. He resides in Massillon, OH and is a member of the NEOHIO Region SCCA.

RR: Is this your first attendance at Nationals?
MH: Yes, 2008 was a year of firsts. It was my first Tour, Divisional, and Nationals.

RR: Is this your first DFL?
MH: Yes, by a wide margin (18.251 seconds). Based on PAX 1037 out of 1058.

RR: What was your favorite memory of the competition?
MH: Meeting lots of great people. Being a part of the largest participant motorsports event in the world. Somehow Solo brings people together and it’s a rewarding, fun experience.

RR: What do you think was your key to your lack of success?
MH: The intention was to drive our Hearne EP CRX Tuesday/Wednesday by myself. My co-driver Scott (my father) was now co-driving Chris Raglin’s EP Civic. I managed 2 runs during the Sunday warm up and the car felt great. I was being touted as a tire warmer for hire, but a few competitors declined. Later on Sunday, my father had a conversation with Dan Costello and offered my services to Dan. I accepted his offer to drive his CRX in CSP. After my first run on Thursday it was clear that I was in over my head. The car was setup very differently than what I was used to. The lack of seat time coupled with the car’s willingness to snap hard from the rear had me doing donuts even Jimmy Johnson would have been envious of.

RR: Who has most influenced you?
MH: My father Scott without question. He’s been to every Solo Nationals since 1993. He truly runs to have fun and socialize. Seeing him have a chance to win the 2007 EP National Champion and ultimately finishing 4th (his best Nationals performance) was a great feeling.

RR: Who inspires you?
MH: This could be entirely separate conversation all together. Jason Saini, because he’s been so accessible, gracious, and he’s shown that you can succeed beyond the Solo ranks. Mike “Junior� Johnson, because he can drive anything, tells it like it is, and is a great guy. Chris Raglin has shown me it’s not all about money to win and watching him win his 1st jacket was special. Also, his knowledge about CRX / Civics is immense. Jason Tipple is another guy I look up to. Jay Storm is a mad scientist always trying to figure out ways to make his Subaru fast. Also, Raleigh and Velma Boreen, because they have the best interests of Solo as their top priority.

RR: Do you have any special pre-race routine, or any superstitions you follow?
MH: I try and get in the car and buckled in with plenty of time to spare. I hate being rushed, because it adds chaos before you even embark on the chaos on course.

Being an experienced golfer, I try to use the same visualization technique I use in golf to visualize how I want a particular golf shot to look and how I want it to end up.

In theory that sounds great, but what I’ve learned is that things happen way faster on course than your brain can visualize.

RR: Do you have any driving aids or tools you use to help you?
MH: No, but I’m all for any help I can get. On the local level I want people to ride along and give me their pointers. I’ve seen how data loggers can be useful coupled with video. Hopefully, this year I will experiment with both.

RR: What do you think you do differently than your competition?
MH: Spin, hit cones, go off course, hit more cones, miss shifts, drive offline, go too fast and go too slow, overcompensate due to my enormous ego, and just generally drive poorly.

RR: Have you attended any driving school?
MH: I attended an Akron Sports Car Club autocross school when I was 16. Also, I participated in the Mid-Ohio Teen Driving School. I still use the skills learned at that school on the roads today. I can not stress enough how important a school like that is for new teenage drivers.

RR: Describe your driving style.
MH: Raw, overly aggressive, slow, and DFL hunting.

RR: What was your first –and favorite autocross car?
MH: A 1983 Civic S and I ran it one time. Next time out was in my 1999 Civic Si running in STS. Currently, and by far my favorite is the CRX that is in faux EP trim with the plan of converting to running GP.

It’s my favorite, because it’s fast and still hasn’t reached its potential. Oh and of course it’s a Honda!

RR: If you could change one Solo rule – either for your specific class or in general — what would it be?
MH: I really like Mr. Dahnert’s mantra of “Make it easy, Make it fun�. Whatever tweaking or writing of new rules that encourages new participants to enter the sport. Does that mean only single adjustable shocks in Stock? Allowing a choice of rear or front sway bars?

RR: Who would you like to thank for your success?
MH: Rogues-Racing.com of course. We’ve managed to create a close knit group of people. I’m hoping over the course of the year more people join the Rogues in our endeavors.

RR: What will you do differently for next year?
MH: The plan is to not suck as much. I call it my Mid Pack Attack. How will I do it?

1. Run more than 4 events all year. I’m thinking 15 events and close to 100 runs.
2. Go to school. An Evo Phase 1. I see all these winners swear by it, so it must work just like “Sex Panther�
3. I’m currently in the process of shedding weight. I need all the help I can get.

RR: Will you be attending next year based on how you did in 2008?
MH: Absolutely! I have a lot to look forward to. Like losing by 9 seconds instead of 18. Seeing friends and making new ones.

RR: What was the reason for finishing last, and who do you blame the most?
MH: To me Dan’s car was setup to buck like a mechanical bull set on level 10. I couldn’t handle the beast.

On day 1 on my final run on the West Course, I was on a good lap until I missed a shift into 3rd right before the finish, which resulted in coasting across the line.

On day 2 on my final run on the East Course, I was entering the slalom from hell in fine form. I got into the first couple of gates, but I was late on the 3rd, and then wham. I was spinning off course. That sealed my fate as DFL.

The blame rests solely on my narrow shoulders. I drove like a total newbie out of his element. For sure I was disappointed, but I understand that even the best of the best were not awesome when they first started out.

Also, I got to meet Dan Costello. He’s a great guy I hope to see in Lincoln.

RR: Did you still enjoy yourself, even with the result?
MH: The Nationals experience is a great one. I wouldn’t change anything about the week other than driving better. I can’t wait for the new challenges that Lincoln will bring!

If you found this piece entertaining and informative and you have enough self worth to subject yourself to a good natured public confession and would like to participate, please contact mike@rogues-racing.com . We will be happy to send you a questionaire!

Photos courtesy of www.gotcone.com

For copies of photos email david @ evorticity.com

Friend of Randy Herrick and daughter of Bill, Chris Cutrer has stepped out of the shadows to claim her Second G Prepared Ladies National Championship. A resident of host city Topeka, Kansas Chris drove the family 1979 Fiat X 1/9 on Hoosier tires to victory at the 2008 Solo National Championship. She is a member of the Kansas Region SCCA.

RR: Is this your first attendance at Nationals?
CC: No. I believe this was my 12th Nationals

RR: Is this your first National Championship?
CC: No, I achieved my first National Championship in the same car, same class last year in 2007.

RR: What was your favorite memory of the competition?
CC: Seeing that my times were competitive in the open class with each day of competition.

RR: What do you think was your key to success?
CC: Focus and the fun of competition.

RR: Who has most influenced you?
CC: Obviously, my father, who owns the car, and who got me interested in racing as a young child and encouraged me in the sport since I was 15 years old.

RR: Who inspires you?
CC: Again, my father, and other competitors who truly enjoy the sport and have great attitudes and are not concerned with only winning, but enjoying the time they spend in the sport.

RR: Do you have any special pre-race routine, or any superstitions you follow?
CC: No special routines, just try to take some time to chill out and focus on the task at hand after I get settled in the car prior to pulling out of grid.

RR: Do you have any driving aids or tools you use to help you?
CC: I usually work with the course maps when I am reviewing my strategy for each run. I look at the map and then visualize the turn/section in my head from the driver’s seat perspective, and try to talk myself through what I need to do to improve or tackle that area/obstacle

RR: What do you think you do differently than your competition?
CC: At this point, I have just had more experience than the current competitors in my class. However, I haven’t always been in that situation. I was once the baby/rookie in my class and had MANY less years of competitive experience than all the other ladies.

RR: Have you attended any driving school?
CC: Unfortunately no. School, work or mothering obligations have always interfered. I’d like to attend an Evolution school in the next few years.

RR: Describe your driving style.
CC: My first run is often tentative, and then I’m pretty much “balls to the wall� after that. You only get three chances to prove what you’ve got!

RR: What was your first –and favorite autocross car?
CC: Well, I’m a little spoiled I guess. This car is the same car I’ve competed in for the last 16 years. It’s obviously my favorite, as I haven’t got anything for comparison. At some point, I’m sure I’ll try something else. I’ve competed in other cars here and there, but nothing consecutively, so I really don’t know how I’d do when I haven’t got some “seat time� behind the wheel on a routine basis.

RR: If you could change one Solo rule – either for your specific class or in general — what would it be?
CC: I’d let our car lose some weight! We are much heavier than our competitors in our class. But overall, I’d change the rule that they have about minimum number of competitors in a class. I don’t think it’s fair to push a class of older cars into non-existence just because there is a select group that believes there isn’t enough interest to keep the class.

RR: Who would you like to thank for your success?
CC: My dad and his friends who have helped with preparing the car and giving me pointers along the way.