TedDBere

Washington DC, SCCA ProSolo autox event June 25th weekend.

Let me start off with a little background. I've been learning to autox for 2 1/2 years now and have just started driving the Z06 this year in SS for some of the national events. I normally drive a coupe locally. So when it comes to autocross I'm a lot like most of you, totally average.

At the Walnut Ridge ProSolo earlier this year I was asked to move to SM2 to help some of my corvette buddies make a class for that event. Since I had no chance of trophying in SS I decided to help them out. (You need five in a class to maximize the contigency money available). They both won money and I finished 4th out of 6 for 11 championship points so everyone was a winner. But to qualify for the national Finale in September you have to compete in at least two ProSolo events in the same class. Thus forcing my hand to drive SM2 in DC to qualify for the finals.

So there I am this past weekend in the SM2 grid at the DC ProSolo with an SS car (thank you Aaron!) against Danny Popp (the legend), Erik Strelnieks (too many championships to count), Mr. Pickle, Bob Kasprzyk and three other regular SM2 cars and drivers wondering if I can get out of this weekend with my pride intact.

For those of you who don't know, an SS car is basically stock. A bunch of mods move a corvette to ASP (where the C6 Z06 plays) and a bunch more mods moves it to SM2. Running a stock car in SM2 is not something one yearns to do. And I imagine the feeling must be like having the smallest manhood at a nudest colony. I felt wholy inadequate amongst these beasts....

Danny was driving Bob's beautiful Z16 SM2 car checking in with something over 9000 hp with open headers (at least that's how it sounded). Bob designs custom parts for corvettes so you know this car has everything possible going for it! At the scales it just tipped 2700 lbs (The minimum weight allowed for a C5 in SM2). Lightened CCWs with 335 Hoosiers sitting about 2 inches off the ground. I'm a porky 3046 stock lbs.

Mr. Pickle's (Michael Feldpusch) SM2 vette was equally impressive and with both he and Erik (last year's SS national champion) driving it I was wondering why I was there in my lowly 405 hp stock Z06 with only 315s on the rear.

In ProSolo you have mirrored courses with a drag race christmas tree to start two competitors at once. You both take off and complete your side and then switch to the other side immediately and race again on the opposite course. You repeat this again for a total of 4 runs in the morning and then you are ranked on total best left course time plus best right course time. In the afternoon you line up by finishing position and repeat 4 more runs. You are re-ranked and do it again on Sunday morning. The format is a blast!

So there's the set up to my day. There are 9 entries in SM2 and I'm just hoping not to finish last.

So we complete the morning runs and the standings come out. Danny first, Bob second, me third (12 thousandths of a second behind Bob!) and Erik behind us!!! I figured somethng must be wrong, but there it was...Since Danny's co-driver was second (in the same car) he was moved to the second driver heat (done to cool down the car and tires) and there I was gridded against the legend, Danny Popp. Too cool. But now I know I'm way over my head.

Afternoon arrives and it's time to go to grid. There I am at the front of grid next to Mr. Vette and my dream car, Bob's tricked out Z16. Enjoying every minute of it. Trying to forget that I'm driving the equivalent of a VW bug in the minds of these top SM2 drivers. Then the word comes...two minutes. Engines fire up. I can't hear my car...did it stall? Is it running? Gages are good...what is that deafing roar? Oh, it's the car next to me.

I roll up the windows to block the noise of the 9000 Hp sitting next to me. I think about blipping my throttle to return the favor and then think better of it. Who'd hear it anyway, I laugh to myself, what am I doing here? Off to the line.

Danny stages so fast I wonder what happened. The 20 second clock is ticking and I've got to stage too or DQ. Start is on a hill, I stage and then roll back out...darn it. Clock is ticking...use the handbrake. Danny is revving to intimidate me...it's working. Ok, staged. 3 seconds on the clock, Danny's revving...what noise. Why am I here? Was that the tone? Who cares look for the third yellow...focus...first yellow...up to 2000 rpms (I can't hear), second yellow...raise the clutch a bit, third yellow...slip the clutch, drop the e-brake, mash the gas...green light...go, go, go!! Shift to second, drift the turn go, go, go....




How'd I do? Who cares...what a great experience I'll never forget.

Why are you sitting there? This is fun, get out and run!

tigerdrvr

^ great account of the Pro.

I agree, the Pro's are a total blast. I did my first one at Atwater a month or so ago. In many ways, its more fun than a Tour or other Solo II event. I also totally understand the "intimidation" factor. When I ran at Atwater, I was up against a number of National champs, including Gary Thomason...at least I was in a fairly equal car and not down any power. You did a great job, Scott.

John Shiels

never sell yourself short Wins are always possible for many reasons.

63Corvette

I think you have just confirmed that having 9000HP is not necessary, That the DRIVER is what makes the time. I think RANGER would agree.
The first money a Corvette owner should spend should be on seat time. Congratulations on your time, and thanks for sharing your story with us.

Jason

Great write-up!

gonzalezfj

OK, Scott, now that you have run in such exalted company, forget about driving or riding in my lowly Z06.

Frank Gonzalez

TedDBere

Frank, you know that if Steve ever can't make it...I'd be honored to warm your tires.

gkmccready

I care! Great write-up and we need to hear the end... and I'm reading this at work, unable to escape to play in the car... but I did take the car out yesterday to the Santa Clara Corvettes autocross in Marina, CA...

rudyarias

I spoke with Danny this morning who told me that he was in DC. I told him that we played at the Nissan Pavilion Saturday If I would have known I would have come down to watch for a couple of hours.

greendot

Thanks for the story. Especially the noise intimidation factor. Brings back memories of when I was doing Pro Solo in the late 80's with my 71 LS6 (yup, the 454 version) and in the handicap challenge ran against Chuck Noonan in his Honda. He came over later and said he could hear me all the way around the course and had a hard time concentrating on his run.

toolman44092

Great story, Scott! Congrats!

BTW, I'm still the only 50th Anniversary Coupe running any of the speed events in my area. Thanks for the advice.

Solofast

I have the same memories as Chuck ....whenever I had to go up against you in the Challenge I would roll up the windows... I was shifting the SS L98 by ear and couldn't hear a D@^n thing when I had to run against the greendot ... I musta hit the "wall of jello" in first and second every run, it was horrlble ....

TedDBere

OK, here's the rest of the story.

Erik and Michael realized there must be something wrong with their car (how in the world could a stock Z06, with an also-ran driving, be in front of them?) so they take it back to the pits a put her up in the air. Sure enough loose bolts in the rear suspension. They tighten her up and sure enough, pass me in the second round.

Rain comes in Sunday morning so no chance to improve our times and we have to stand on our Saturday times. I was so focused on trying to improve my times against Danny that I overdrove the car Saturday afternoon and didn't improve any of my morning times due to clipping two cones at the finish on my best left side run.

Here are the final standings and times:

#1 Danny: 61.129
#2 Erik: 62.672
#3 Michael: 63.900
#4 Bob: 63.911
#5 Me: 64.232
#6 SM2#6 65.479
#7 SM2#7 66.958
#8 SM2#8 69.205

So 5th with 9 championship points. Only about 0.3 seconds out of third. Not too bad. Now I'll have to find a real SM2 car for the Finale in September...or else it's back to the nudist colony for me....

Lawdogg

Very fun read. Sounds like great competiton and a good time was had. Congrats!

StArrow68

Thanks for the fun read and enjoy the challenge! Back on track soon
at TH and then Sears Point, being off track is sure painful ...
Randy

varkwso

TedDBere

BTW, I forgot to mention that Danny, Erik, Bob, Michael and all the other SM2 competitors were super nice to me too. You couldn't find a more friendly group of competitors. Thanks for a memorable, and enjoyable weekend! And if you need any parts or advice for your vette these are the guys to call!

89BP

That brings back some memories. I remember having to run my dad's SSC Saleen in SS against your Corvette. It was 1991 and in San Diego, in our small south east lot. I remember being DFL and that huge wing on the back of your Corvette Do you still have that beast?


At that same time the Lynch's were running their 70 LT1 roadster, man did that thing sound killer. I use to run to the wall just to hear it go by.

Sorry, way off topic Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Jeff Cawthorne

69autoXr

Everybody always remembers the wing!!