IMP

Do eet. You have to. ProSolos are my choice of poison over National Tours. You get more runs, it's a real points race to qualify for the finale, and it's the closest you'll get in ametuer racing to side by side competition... especially if you make it to the Super Challenge after all the qual runs are done.

Allow me to expand on the points race a little more. ProSolos are national events much like national tours. With a national tour, you show up to one, you can go to Nationals in Sept (without having to pay the waiver).

[Soapbox] (This is my own personal opinion and should not be construed as a personal attack on the one eventers. Any and all subjective feelings on this topic are my own.)

With a ProSolo, you need to compete in two events to make it to the Finale in Sept (the other National event pre-Nationals)... and at that, you need to have enough points to qualify from those events. Being as such, it should require a bit more of a commitment from a competitor, in that the competitor should go to two events and not just one. With entry lists being capped at 200-225, with some selling out within hours, one-eventers take away spots from people that need to qualify for the finale. If you're not intending to go to the finale, don't be selfish and sign up immediately for only one event because it's close to you. This is a points series, and should be treated as such by all.

Seeing as they only have about 7-9 per year, spread throughout the US, pickings are somewhat limited depending on where you reside in the US... where sometimes there's only two events within a 16 hour drive for some.

Now that I've said that, if you want to wait a few days and THEN sign up for the single event, or be put on the waitlist, go for it. Those that need the events would have already signed up by then. Most, if not all, of those on the waitlist make it into events. [/Soapbox]

Can you tell I'm passionate about ProSolos? I just think it's a shame that it's become 'just another event' and is no longer the pinnicle of solo. With a few tweaks, it can be great again. That said, it's still a blast!!

--kC
(2003 STX ProSolo National Champion)

angryfist

^^^
What KC said. I'll travel 20 hours for a Prosolo. I'll think twice before traveling 4 hours for a National Tour.

keifla123

It was an excellent weekend except for my moment of stupidity. Had a lot of fun hanging out with the other S2000 guys. Finally meeting Marc and Mark was great as well. It sucks that both Marc and I threw away runs that would have put us either on top or right near the top despite giving up atleast .2 seconds up to the 911 in the first 60' of the course.

In terms of Prosolo vs. Tours. I haven't done a National Tour since 2007 but I have done 2 Prosolos each year since my first in 07. See a trend. You get double the runs that you get at a Tour and the whole drag start adds a level of intensity that I don't get at a Tour.

Oh and Jay I will be running the 245 square setup at some point in the near future. I wish I could afford to go to Lincoln this year in my own car.

jadrice

You'll love the 245 square setup. My personal opinion is that the 245s would perform better from a launching standpoint. I found launching on the 245s to be stress free. They spin at a much lower rpm, then hook.


Count me for at least a couple of pro-solos next year. I'm going to start practicing my launches starting this weekend

jguerdat

One thing to ponder is that a Pro Solo-type launch also helps at some/many standard autocrosses, too, as long as there's a straightish area to maximize acceleration before the first turn. I've even used it with an immediate turn after the start line to rotate the car into the straight. The difference was dramatic - hitting the rev limiter just at the braking point vs. maybe 500 rpm down. While I'm no National-caliber competitor, I am damn sure not gonna give up what could be as much as .5 second between a good launch and one that bogs.

Also, based on a couple of comments above, the RPM used is based on surface, ambient conditions, driver style, tires, etc. I would never say to use any particular RPM since I've spun wildly at 4k RPM dumps and bogged with 7k dumps on street tires. I've also launched at 6k where others were complaining of wild spin at 4k. "It depends." ™

IMP

Most, if not all regular auto-xes should minimize the drag launch per suggested course design standards. This takes away any advantage to cars that can put that type of launch to good use.

--kC

SumAznGuy

I agree with jguerdat about autoX starts. At this years Packwood NT, Day 2 was a tight right handed L shape start. Being able to launch the car and control the tire spin, I was able to get the car into Vtec just after crossing the start lights.
On my data logger, the runs where I over or underspun the tires showed I was between 0.2 and 0.5 seconds behind my fastest start when I hit the first element, near the top of second gear in an AP1.

sirbunz

Pros are a bunch of fun and I want attend more. For me, I still prefer the Tours. In general, this is why IMO...

Pro Solo Advantages...
-Drag Start (another technical element)
-Side by Side
-Fast Pace Course
-Better Prizes
-More runs (though much shorter courses)
-Super Challenge

Pro Disadvantages...
-Wear and Tear on car and tires.
-Drag start (S2000)
-Can't adjust between runs
-Not at technical or challenging as Solo2/Tours
-Not as prestigious title
-Super challenge dial in
-Timer/Tree Light Issues

Solo2 Advantages...
-Equal start (most cases)
-Less wear and tear
-More technical and challenging
-Better equalizer (HP less of a factor)
-More prestigious title

Solo2 Disadvantages...
-Slightly less overall fun
-Less Runs

TheNick

Marc - you'll find many differing opinions on this - but I can point out the ones people will jump all over you on now

Your Pro-Disadvantages column

Less technical/challenging - from what I understand, Toledo's courses this year were exactly that - not very technical. Every Pro I've been to had incredibly technical courses and are much harder than typical NT courses.

Prestige - there is absolutely no doubt that the ProSolo championships are much much more prestigious. Especially if you win the overall. There is a reason why the prizes are better. I mean come on - it takes a season long commitment to generate points, you can't just show up at the Finale, win the event and get a jacket like you can at Nationals. Well, you can, but you can still lose the season long championship.

sirbunz

I can live with that. I'm basing everything off of my experience of the Toledo Pro and my co-drivers experience at some others. Still, with the drag start and shorter courses, there was much less for me to remember. It was certainly much less challenging than the weakest Tour I have been to.

Prestige, may depend on the person. I don't remember who won the last few Pros in AS. I know they didn't do as well at the solo champs following. It may be my own opinion again though. It is definitely more restrictive and requires more commitment.

In the end, I definitely enjoy the Pros. I hope to make more. It's just different, thats all. The best of both worlds would be to attend both.