SCCA Solo National Tour Returns to Blytheville for Tri-State Championship
BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. (Oct. 28, 2009) -- On Oct. 24 -- 25, the Tire
Rack SCCA Solo National Tour held an event after the Tire Rack Solo
National Championships for the first time since 1993. The Tri-State
Championship has previously been an ongoing collaborative effort by the
MidSouth Region, Arkansas Region and Mississippi Region. When a move to
Blytheville didn't create the growth organizers anticipated, it was
decided to give the event a boost by adding it to the Solo National Tour
schedule, and the Tire Rack Tri-State Championship Tour at Blytheville
was born.
The Arkansas Aeroplex in Blytheville, Ark., had already won the Solo
community over long ago with its smooth, spacious concrete and local
hospitality. Competitors experienced more of the same for the Tri-States
Championship Tour. The two Doug Gill-designed courses were smooth and
brisk, with most runs in the low to mid-60s and rather quick top speeds.
The locals once again welcomed the event with open arms, hosting a
welcome cookout on Friday night and a breakfast Saturday morning. Solo
competitors returned the favor by attending a local haunted house to
raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Additionally, all
proceeds from the Saturday afternoon Test and Tune were donated to the
haunted house and MDA.
Following class competition, the Tri-States Championship culminated in a
Champion of Champions competition, which pitted the 2009 Eastern States
Champions and National Champions up against the newly crowned Tri-State
Champions in a two-run shootout, scored on an index. E Modified Tri-State
Champion Jeff Cashmore, of New Berlin, Wis., claimed the Champion of
Champions honor in his 2002 Sprinto 7 YC-3 over Jon Wagner, of North
Richland Hills, Texas, and his Super Stock AfterthoughtsAuto.com
Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Cashmore walked away with cash, a free entry to
the 2010 Eastern States Championship and a $100 gift certificate from
Solo Performance Specialties, a big supporter of the Champion of
Champions concept.
The Ladies Champion of Champions was Sierra Danielle Pedroza, of Round
Rock, Texas, who piloted an Automotive Specialist/FTW Racing Mazda MX-5
(C Stock) to victory over Tara Johns, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., in a
Tweakit Racing/ABC Plumbing Mazda RX-7 (X Prepared). Pedroza too won
cash, an ESC entry, an SPS gift certificate and an SCCA membership.
A Bonus Championship, for those not eligible for the other CoC showdowns,
was staged with randomly selected entrants. C Prepared competitor Robert
Lewis, of Tallahassee, Fla., took the win in his Sledgehammer Racing Ford
Mustang over Jim Thompson, of Cleveland, Tenn., and his High Pressure
Performance/Koni Mazda RX-8 (B Stock). Lewis claimed the cash, ESC entry
and SPS gift certificate.
SCCA VP of Solo/Rally and Special Programs Howard Duncan reported that
the Champion of Champions concept would be evaluated for use on a regular
basis in 2010 National Tour events.
Also making its debut at the Tri-States Championship was the new Street
Touring R class. The category had six entrants in Blytheville, a Honda
S2000, Nissan 350Z and Mazda MX-5, and was the center of attention, as
onlookers tried to spot which ride would be the "hot ticket" in
the class. Andy Hohl, of St. Ann, Mo., came away with the win in his Mr.
Mom Racing/Evolution Honda S2000, besting the LR Green Garage/Perfection
Plus Nissan 350Z of Nelson Ireson, from Little Rock, Ark., by 3.195
seconds.
Other notable class winners included Jeff Schaadt, of Gladewater, Texas,
who earned the D Stock win in his Hoosier/WMMFT/Thanks Shawn Subaru WRX
by 0.271-second over the Chevrolet Cobalt of Des Toups, who made the trip
to Arkansas from Bellevue, Wash.
Closer still was the battle in F Stock, where Jim Zeisler, of Cincinnati,
Ohio, ultimately topped Kyle Langley, from St. Louis, Mo. Ziesler's
runs in the Stranoparts.com/Dave Kutney Tire Ford Mustang Shelby beat
Langley's Ford Shelby GT by 0.097-second.
Street Touring Ultra went to John Kvetko, of Cabot, Ark., in a Mitsubishi
Evolution X, who beat out the Subaru WRX STi of John Powell, of Maryland
Heights, Mo., by a scant 0.417-second. The largest class of the weekend, C Street Prepared, went to Matt Mccabe,
of Omaha, Neb., who topped his co-driver, Mark Jorgensen, also of Omaha,
Neb., in their shared Mazda Miata by 2.480 seconds.
Though the total event entry of 135 was modest by National Tour
standards, it represented a 90 percent increase over what the event was
previously drawing. Considering the competitors reaction to the event,
Duncan expects to see further growth in 2010.
"The response to the Tri-State Championships was so positive,
we've gone ahead an placed it on the calendar for 2010," Duncan
said. "Considering the site we have to work with, the enthusiasm of
the local regions and the support of sponsors like Tire Rack and SPS,
we're expecting to see this even grow another 50 percent next year
and hit 200 entrants."
Full results from the 2009 Tire Rack Tri-State Championship National Tour
at Blytheville are available at www.scca.com/solo. The event did serve as
a qualifier for the 2010 Tire Rack National Championships as it was held
within 12 months of Nationals.
-credit: scca
