Wendover ProSolo, August 19-20

[Pat R.]

Who wants to go? Debbie, Dean & I went last year and it was a lot of fun.

Details HERE (http://www.scca.com/Event/Event.asp?IdS=04CA89-4140200&Id=4988).

[dknv]

Pat, are you going to go? Hope so!

I'm planning on it. ProSolos are a blast! Unlike a 2-day national tour event, you get 12 chances (6 on each mirror course) to post your best times. 4 runs Sat. a.m., 4 runs Sat. p.m., 4 runs on Sun. a.m. Then if you did well (or if you get the lucky draw in the bonus challenge), you'll run in a Challenge on Sun. p.m too.

Plus the Utah region SCCA who host the event are super-nice, great-to-meet people too.

[A1337STI]

That looks like fun :)

[dknv]

So much fun! Drag-strip style launch on a shot clock, next to your competitor, then veer off onto your own autocross course which is nearly a mirror image of your competitor's side.

Here's a pic of my first run this past weekend in Peru, IN:

http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?p=1392789&postcount=6

I was going to drive Mark's STU-prepped RX-8, but on Friday practice starts 2nd gear broke. (Pat & Dean might remember this happened to Mark in Wendover last year.) Ugh. The great thing about SCCA folks is that they are always willing to help out a competitor in need. Clyde is an RX-8 owner from Washington DC, he let us drive his car in BS/L1.

It'd be great to see some more Reno Region members give ProSolo a try.

[sperry]

:lol: Way to get the wheel(s!?!) in the air!

http://www.teamwtf.org/gallery/albums/album304/dknv_peru_01.jpg

[dknv]

:lol: Way to get the wheel(s!?!) in the air!I Know! it's the slow way around the course.

[Kevin M]

:eek: Holy crap! That rules! And it's not the slow way around if you get them high enough to clear a cone or two. :twisted:

[Dean]

I Know! it's the slow way around the course.It all depends. Did you get in that situation by slowly loading the suspension, and the extreme stickyness of the R compounds permitted the lift, or did you turn the wheel quickly , and upset the suspension, so it rolled to that attitude quickly?

Either way, it looks cool. :cool: :cool:

[A1337STI]

Drag Strip Starts sound like a ton of fun :D August huh? I'll definatly consider trying out pro solo.

[dknv]

Bump:

Last weekend at Denver, SCCA Solo GM Cindy Jansen asked us what we could do to get Reno competitors to come out for remaining National events on the west coast, which include:

Packwood ProSolo August 5/6, Packwood Washington
Packwood National Tour August 12/13, Packwood Washington
Wendover ProSolo August 19/20, Wendover UT

I told her Reno in general wasn't a traveling bunch, and higher gas prices this year was another factor that keeps people away - but that I'd ask around. With that in mind, I wanted to check again & see if there's any interest from this group on any of these events. Mark and I will be taking my car up to the Packwood ProSolo, and his car to Wendover ProSolo. We're skipping the Tour, although those events are an excellent competitive opportunity as well.

For drivers new to ProSolo, SCCA sponsors a 'Quick Start' program, led by Ann and Andy Hollis, and Bob Tunnell. Ann and Andy are Evolution Driving school instructors and all of them are SCCA national champions. You'd learn alot from any of them. These start on Friday before the Pros, so you would want to arrive by midafternoon Friday to take advantage of it.
http://sccaforums.com/forums/1/204008/ShowThread.aspx

Packwood is about 11 hours driving time with gas stops. It is a gorgeous location, near Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier, the most beautiful autox spot I have ever been to. It's remote as well, there are very few amenities in the town of Packwood so you can't plan to 'pick it up at Walmart' - you have to come prepared.

Wendover is a 5-6 hour drive from Reno, with 1-2 gas stops. 3 Peppermill properties and a few smaller casino/hotels are on the NV side of the state line, and a few motels on Utah side of the state line.

Who else is game?

[sperry]

Debbie, I'd love to see some more Reno people saddle up and show off our region's growing skill at National level evens. Unfortunately, the cost of running Solo and Trials locally is already beyond stretching my budget... I just can't afford the time and money for it. Maybe if I ever get my car sorted out and reliable enough that I only have to spend money on consumables instead of new parts all the time, I'd be able to pull it off... but that seems unlikely this season.

Good luck to you and Mark!

[Pat R.]

I mailed my entry the other day.

[A1337STI]

Wow that looks great. My car is headed back into the shop, this time for around 2 weeks so I'll probably be in a rental for all of those but the last one, and I'll probably have to break in a new motor / rebuilt motor and I don't think i should break in the motor by entering. Really need to wait until my car's issues are resolved. lemonaid time!

[Pat R.]

You chickens missed out on a great weekend! The weather was perfect and the grippy concrete surface makes Stead's asphalt feel like a skating rink in comparison.

Results-wise, Mark won STU by 3.5 seconds (!) while Debbie & I red lighted / coned away our fastest runs and both of us finished 7th in our respective classes. Jim Gandy co-drove my car and finished 6th in AS, which is pretty good considering he was in an unfamilar car.

[dknv]

You chickens missed out on a great weekend! The weather was perfect and the grippy concrete surface makes Stead's asphalt feel like a skating rink in comparison.

Results-wise, Mark won STU by 3.5 seconds (!) while Debbie & I red lighted / coned away our fastest runs and both of us finished 7th in our respective classes. Jim Gandy co-drove my car and finished 6th in AS, which is pretty good considering he was in an unfamilar car.The courses were fun to drive and a challenge, but I think the openness presented Pat and Jim an extra challenge in AS where the horsepower of the STi's and Corvettes benefitted. Fun weekend anyway!

[MikeK]

horsepower == ruining autocross!

[sperry]

horsepower == ruining autocross!
Cars driving faster than other cars == ruining autocross!

[dknv]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, we were sharing space with these guys working in a hangar onsite:

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/07/26/diesel-land-speed-record-car-makes-its-first-run/

They had rented the salt flats for a week, and were getting ready for a run. The head designer told us they tested out at 367mph, but were concerned about making the live run since the tires were *only rated for 300mph* (even though Goodyear had tested them to 350).:eek:

[MikeK]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, we were sharing space with these guys working in a hangar onsite:

That thing looks waaay too narrow to be stable!

Another great article on that site: link (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/07/26/exclusive-q-and-a-with-elon-musk-on-the-tesla-roadster-and-the-fut/)

[A1337STI]

Congrats to Mark !!

I really should have checked it out, sounds like it was awesome!

[Pat R.]

Cars driving faster than other cars == ruining autocross!

Cones == ruining autocross!