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Gainesville Raceway Solo Trials -- April 13-14, 2002 

The Central Florida Region of the SCCA hosted the first Solo Trials event in the Southeast Division in several years, and did a wonderful job of it. Steve Tompkins and I went down from the Chattanooga Region to compete & bring home some trophies. Fortunately, Steve went, otherwise the Chattanooga Region wouldn't have received any trophies J. Steve placed 1st in a two driver field, and I placed 2nd in a two driver field.

The event was a blast. The CFR workers got settled in on Saturday and learned how to run a Solo Trials event. On Sunday, they showed everyone what quick studies they were. The competitors were able to get 12 laps in on Sunday, which should be more than enough for anyone. Gainesville Raceway was very nice, with excellent pavement and a flowing course. A chicane and a dog-leg were installed to keep speeds down, but the result was still a very fun course to run. The new timing system worked like a charm, making things very easy for the workers in Timing and Scoring. Times were posted after each groups runs, something that we haven't been used to in the past.

Saturday night turned into an informal banquet of sorts, with about 25-30 people from the event congregating at the Northwest Grille. We were able to take over the screened in porch for the club and have an excellent dinner, with just a little bench racing thrown in for good measure. The management was even glad to have us, something you don't normally get when you descend like a swarm of locusts on an unsuspecting restaurant on a Saturday night.

Talking with other Solo I drivers, this event seemed to be a smashing success. There was no one standout thing that made it so, it was just that everything seemed to go so well. Even with some rain falling (and pretty hard I might add), nothing seemed to dampen the spirits of the competitors. There were several entrants who had previously only done Solo II events who were very interested in becoming Solo I competitors as well. The CFR organizers plan on doing another event, and I plan on being there when they do. Great job people, keep up the good work!

Results

-- David McDaniel
April 25, 2002

Talladega Grand Prix -- October 21-22, 2000

Art Thompson and I took my ITC Honda to the Solo I at Talladega. Thanks to the format of Solo I it is possible for two people to drive the same car. The only catch was that ugly numbers have to be attached for one driver. We finished first and second. The track is fun but the rear tires don't heat up on the short runs. The weather was great for the weekend.

Beech Mountain -- April 23-25, 1999

Beech Mtn Hillclimb was a blast. Steve placed second in F500 to a true F500. He is still a 440! The car performed beautifully. I think Steve's official quote was "Hmmmmmm..... New engine, new tires, make Chief go faster!"

-- Cheryl Tompkins

Talladega Grand Prix -- March 21-22, 1998

The Southeast Division kicked off its 1998 Solo I season with a combination championship points event and drivers school at the Talladega Grand Prix Raceway on March 21 and 22. I was there to attend the school in pursuit of my Solo I competition license and to sort out my newly prepared ITC Honda CRX. Atlanta Region member Brett Allen persuaded me to allow him to co-drive my car in the hopes that he would be able to get his license as well. Other Chattanooga Region members in attendance included Steve Tompkins in his Raptor F440 (accompanied by our fearless leader Cheryl and their son Drew) and Dave Hester in his Super Production Mustang. Even Kinch Exum showed up and endured the weather to lend us moral support.

Thirty degrees, high winds, and an overcast sky greeted us as we arrived at the track on Saturday morning. Our chief instructor for the weekend, Butch Kummer, kicked off the school with a classroom session which included the assignment of the instructors (of course I requested Steve who was acting as an instructor for the weekend, even though he drives an open wheeled car....), a review of the days schedule, and an explanation of the exercises which we would be taking part in. The first was a track drivearound with our instructors. Steve, Brett, myself, and two other fellow students all piled into Brett's van (of which Brett and I were camping out in.....I'm sure you can imagine the shape it was in with two guys living in it for the weekend!) and drove around the course while Steve coached us on the correct line to follow. The remainder of the morning was spent with two more classroom sessions followed by some on-course driving exercises at speed. During lunch I was even able to persuade Steve to accompany me while I drove around the course in my CRX. After a brief explanation of the exercise, it was time to move on to the lead / follow session where an instructor drove the course followed by six or seven students. After a lap, the lead student would pull over and fall in behind everyone so the next person in the group could see the exact line the instructor was taking. After this exercise (and another classroom session), we finally had a chance to make our first full course timed runs! At last, two full laps at speed with the timers running (and our instructors placed in strategic parts of the course so they could watch our every move)! Both Brett and I got through the session unscathed and with very respectable times. When the session was over, though, our left front tire was showing cords (the TGPR is very rough on left front tires, especially with stock camber settings!). After a hurried tire swap (left front to right rear), we were ready for the last session of the day which was to be the start of the competition for the weekend. With only one car and two competitors in ITC, Brett and I were feeling no pressure. Our last two runs were to be our best official runs because when this session was over, the tire situation began to look very bleak. We were forced to put one of our street tires on the right rear for the next day's events.

Sunday morning greeted us with marginally warmer temperatures and sunshine! The day also brought a new competitor to ITC. Alabama Region member and fellow student Larry Nicholes who had transmission trouble with his Sprinto (Austin Healey Sprite + Ford Pinto engine = Sprinto) the day before joined Brett and I for the days competition in my CRX. As we were about to all find out, three race tires and one rock hard street tire results in some pretty interesting handling characteristics. The three of us made it through the morning session without any agricultural expeditions (but with a few close calls), but, that's right, you guessed it, two more corded tires! At this point, rather than bow completely out of the fun, we decided to balance the handling of the car by putting the rest of my street tires back on. I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive about the situation but I quickly forgot about it after my first run (which, incidentally, did include a spin!). The three of us got out of the car after every run with grins that stretched from ear to ear! For us ITC warriors, the remainder of the competition was spent with the car in a full four wheel slide!! After the competition was over, we were informed that we had passed the school and were now licensed to compete in Solo I. To top it all off, I even got to take home the first place trophy in ITC (which was a very good thing for my fellow competitors, it's not wise to beat your co-driver in HIS car, especially if you would ever like to co-drive his car ever again....).

My next Solo I event will probably be the Beech Mountain hill climb on May 2 and 3 where I will be trying out my new camber plates! After that, if the funds hold out, I would like to attend road racing school in Memphis over Memorial day. I figure if it's this much fun on a track by yourself, it'll be even better swapping paint with eight or ten other cars! Thanks to everyone in the region who helped me get my car ready for this event! Especially to the members of the Rivergate Racing Pod who allowed me to use their collective years of racing experience (not to mention their tools) while preparing my car. I can't wait 'till the day when there are three Rivergate Racing CRX's fighting it out for first place in the regional club racing circuit! See you at the track!

-- Jamie Blair

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