Sorry for no live updates, we were blacked out as the cabin we stayed at had no phone lines for dialing up. Quite alright, as we were right on Lake Huron, and equipped with everything one might need for relaxing. Grills, Hot-tub, Kayaks, Bonfires... but we didn't get to do much of that. There was racing to be done!

Practice starts were fun as the National Staff had us try out the Pro-tree. This is where all three yellows come on right before the green. It's terribly hard to anticipate, and you have to stage totally differently. I was staging for the regular tree, and only cutting .760 reaction times. Saturday dawned with great weather, and I started my usual shoot-yourself in the foot at a ProSolo by Red-lighting my first run. I followed it up with a good left-course time, so I was set on the left. In the afternoon sessions, I needed to clean up my right course to retain the lead (I was barely leading carrying a cone). I have some sort of weird throat infection, so I was in major pain. Having a hard-time concentrating, I tapped another cone on my first right course run for the afternoon. I then proceeded to hit a cone on *both* left course runs, which were both about .3 quicker than the morning. Ad I lined up for my last Saturday shot at the right course (with rain-clouds looming) I RED LIGHTED!! Wait 'till you see RandyP's footage of this one - let's just say I wasn't happy.

Brad then took up the 2nd driver duties and layed down an awesome left-course run to take the lead. Another friend of ours, driving RacerX's car moved up to 2nd, relegating me to 3rd with on clean run on the right course. DOH! There was even the threat of rain on Sunday as well. Luckily, Sunday dawned clear and I was able to put-in two good runs on the right... one was clean and slow, but enough to get me the win. Then I went for it and got a little more time there. It was enough for the win and the 2nd quailifaction spot in the challenge. Unfortunately, I red-lighted my way out of the challenge in the first round by .037. (car hooked up... and I got greedy.)

Here are the results: http://www.scca.org/amateur/solo2/prosolo/...da/results.html

All in all it was an awesome event... we didn't get to run on the best part of the site, but it was still great fun on a Sam Strano designed course. Tight, but still fun. I'm looking forward to Wendover and finally getting to run against some of the Left-Coasters!

And we'll have the mud-flappy things installed by then... dealer is ordering them.

Here's a shot from Michigan...


More here: http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?...&a=13234087&f=0

 

Congrats Jason:

Looks like you and your team did well. Am I correct in saying your time would have placed you second in SS? Have you watched the GP yet?

 

Way to go Team Threesome!

 

Personally, this is my favorite

Note that the finish was to the right, not the direction the car is pointed in...

 

Hey JMark... It was a really small event, so the results aren't all that indicative of the classing structure, but it's interesting to note that there was a guy in a ZR1 Vette (we run against him locally) that could have beaten me if not for a red-light, and that's a car that we are slated to run against next year.

Also, an old Camaro 1LE killed FS, and actually beat my raw time! This course definitely rewarded torque, which is why the Z06 beat the RX7tt so badly. Chris Dvorak (2nd in SS) is a top RX7 driver nationally, so this should tell you how course dependant some of these cars are. If a good driver in a C4 L98 Vette had been there he probably could have run right with the Z06, and smoked me.

And JMark... I haven't seen the GP yet, so don't spoil it!

And Brad... nice spin. That wasn't exactly the way to do that, but it sure looked cool. Next time try to do that without hitting any cones!

 

bwahh ha ha ha (evil laugh turned on...)

I can't wait till you right coast people come to our stomping ground...

welcome to our world....

 

Way to go Threesome! Looks like a good showing by all.

It looks like the Jules is getting the hang of Pro Solo. She was certainly making the winner sweat!

 

Oh we're on our way... 'Showdown in Bendover.' Hey, where is a good place to stay out there that's not a Casino? Or are they all Casinos? I hear it's a pretty wide open event site, which will be nice after such a tight one.

So uhhh... go easy on us, OK?

 

Congrats on the event Jason! Since my wife is from that area, I was thinking of making it....but blew it off. I will see you in Wendover.

There are places that are not Casinos in Wendover. Wendover is split in the middle by the Utah/Nevada state lines. The event is held on the Utah side, so it is an hour later than the Nevada side (almost messed me up not realizing this!).

The hotels on the Nevada side are Casinos...and the ones on the Utah side are not. The best choice is probably The Stateline, which is run by the next door Silversmith, but is on the Utah side. I am staying at the Silversmith. Last year I stayed at the Peppermill Casino and it was okay.

Wendover is typically *very* wide open. Last year it was full throttle, no lift from the turn around to the finish. In my underpowered little CS MR2, I was doing around 70mph thru the finish lights. The surface is great grippy concrete, with some broken up chunks on top that get cleaned off.

The wind can be a factor (kinda like Lubbock!).

 

Congrats Team Threesome!!!