McCalll

For those who have never tried a SCCA and/or a Pro-Solo event out here's a great chance:

Mineral Wells Marque Club Challenge

The SCCA has created a new program at the Mineral Wells ProSolo aimed at marque club members who have never participated in ProSolo events before. Entrants will be given a free SCCA Trial Membership and a special class will be created so that marque club members can compete amongst themselves for bragging rights and cash prizes!

• For the Mineral Wells event the new Marque Club Challenge class is open only to competitors new to ProSolo (defined as drivers who have not run a ProSolo event in the last 5 years).

• The class is open to any make or model of car that can pass a basic safety inspection.

• They will be placed together in an index class based on how their car would be classed in SCCA Solo classes. If we get enough entries we can divide the classes by Marque so the BMW’s can run against each other, the S2000’s can run against each other, etc.

• Each entrant will be given a free SCCA Trial Membership (valid for 15 days). Within 30 days of the event entrants may apply this Trial Membership toward a $15 discount on a full SCCA membership.

• Entrants will pay the standard $85 ProSolo entry fee.

• After class competition is completed, the top drivers scored by index will be automatically entered into the Marque Club Challenge, a single-elimination runoff to determine an overall winner. If there are 4 or fewer entrants, it will be a 2-car runoff. If there are 5 or more entrants it will be a 4-car runoff.

• The overall winner will receive a free 1-year SCCA membership, a free ProSolo entry at a future event, and a $75 cash prize from Vorshlag Motorsports. The Runner-Up will receive a free ProSolo entry to a future event and $25 cash prize from Vorshlag Motorsports.


How to enter:

• Pre-entry is required. Entrants must download the ProSolo entry form and fax it to the attention of Nancy Downing at the fax number shown on the form. (Online entries will not be accepted for this class.)

• Payment can be made by credit card on the fax form or by bringing a check to the event.

• Late fees have been waived for this event. We will accept entries into the Marque Club Challenge as late as 7:00 Friday evening at the event site. However, we are asking all competitors to please fax their entries in to Nancy no later than Wednesday, May 17 if at all possible.

• Prior to the event drivers should try to familiarize themselves with the SCCA Solo and ProSolo rules which area available for download from the SCCA website at tinyurl.com/en4nq. Novice instruction in starting procedures and event format will be available on Friday afternoon and evening at the event.

• Drivers should bring their own Snell SA 95 or newer helmet as loaners will not be available at the site.

• Drivers should try to prepare their own easily legible car numbers and class letters according to section 3.7 of the SCCA Solo Rules, e.g. numbers minimum 8" tall, class letters minimum 4" tall. (The class designation will be "MC") Required decals will be available at the event site free of charge.

More details and information about the Mineral Wells ProSolo can be found on the SCCA website at tinyurl.com/kvm3e


Other questions can be addressed to Bob Tunnell at BobSCCA@BimmerHaus.com before Wednesday, May 17.

ULLLOSE

iTrader: (1)

Sad turn out in TX.... I would guess that Wendover will have a low turn out as well. I think this was the first year that Atwater was not full.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

cheap class winner prizes, extra high cost to travel, increased entry cost, 6 years of continuing timing system issues, etc. are likely to blame ...

not to mention I'm screwed on my Kumho contingency money for Atwater since I didn't realize we had to preregister before the event ... but that was nobody's fault but my own

McCalll

OR could it be that everytime someone tries to promote a Pro-Solo event, you get negitive comments from the peanut gallery which could possibly turn off new potential entrants??

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

edited:

a) apparently Jason codrove in STU for a while and I just didn't recognize his name so my bad and apology to Mcalll

b) it wasn't my intent to be negative, like so many other longtime Pro Solo competitors (have run a full event schedule since 1996) I'm extremely frustrated that we don't seem to be making any progress

ULLLOSE

iTrader: (1)

For once I have to agree with TRX8.. After 10 years of Prosolo I can honestly say the last few years have been the worst with out a doubt. Cost goes up and quality goes down. Tours seem to go off without a hitch but I can not remember a Pro in the last two years where they same could be said. I hate to see any portion of our events fail, as that lack of income will have to be made up some other place. The only suggestion I have for a fix is a complete new timing system for Prosolo. However that cost money and when the Pro events don't hit 200 people we lose money on each one, hard to justify putting more money in when we lose it every event. The only fix for low participation is not give that region an event again. I can not believe as big as TX is the Houston tour was a flop on attendance and the Pro looks to be fallowing suit. I guess everything in TX is big except attendance.
I would not discourage anyone from trying a Pro, they have an added element of excitement that no other solo event has.
After you sit on the starting line waiting for an hour let us know how you feel.

BigOLundh

iTrader: (1)

I think its simply because Mineral Wells is a horrible track. Its far, and the surface is pure cr*p.
If it was held somewhere else, i know i would go.

just my .02 <-- the noob

-hS

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

LOL, you live in DFW and think it's far, people will be driving 1000+ miles to run there

Well I did my part. DKNV is coming out to run my STU car in L2 entry level is above 125 now, could be better but at least decent

and I edited my comments above and owe mcalll an apology, apparently he has been codriving at national SCCA events for a while and I didn't recognize his name

teamrx8 mcalll

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

woohoo, broke the 130 mark, slowly creeping up ...

John V

iTrader: (1)

How do explain the massive newbie turnout for the DC Pro?

I've been running tours for the past three years now and this is my first ProSolo. The program obviously has problems but I think brown-bag hit the nail on the head, too many timing problems and the increased travel expense has probably turned off a lot of "on the fence" folks.

dknv

Mineral Wells will be my 4th competition prosolo, and I am loving learning how to compete with all the extra nuances in the format. That said - what's just as bad as sitting on the starting line waiting for an hour, is sitting out on a hot course wondering when the event is going to get up and running again.

Lucky me! (In more ways than one. )

clyde

Or cold rain...

McCalll

Awesome. My wife will love the company in L2.


Thanks man. Sorry for the peanut gallery comment but I was just hoping for more positive comments.

I agree some of the timing issues in the past have been bothersome but Walnut Ridge ran pretty smoothly (except on Friday's tree practice) and let's cross our fingers for this weekend. And let's hope the course is not STi friendly!

McCalll

Ok, the timing issues I must now admit just plain sucked. I made the unfortunate mistake of volunteering to course work during the bonus/ladies/super challenge and the 15+ minute downtimes between individual runs was just unacceptable for this level of event. I actually got relieved half-way through it and just bailed before the end as they were hours behind.

I can see why attendance is down now.

altiain

iTrader: (3)

I agree. Mineral Wells was my first ProSolo, and while I enjoyed the event overall, the 2+ hours of timing system downtime on Saturday sucked nuts. Really put the Pro in ProSolo.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

This was probably the worst Pro Solo event yet timing-wise. It's really a shame because had the timing worked properly it would have been an excellent event. We were lucky to only have 145 drivers. If they have this level of issues at the DC Pro with the raised 250 entry level there the event won't be completed by Sunday night.

ULLLOSE

iTrader: (1)

How about some timing issues at the Finale with 250 people and starting at 10:30...

carusoracer

A complete timing system is being shipped to Peru as a back-up and will be tested in between the Tour and Pro. Needless to say, we are well aware of the frustration felt by competitors with the timing problems that have been plagueing us and we are doing everything we can to put an end to them. It is certainly no picnic for us either. FWIW, there have been several different problems and that is why it has been difficult to trouble shoot. I would like to publicly commend and thank the entire National Field Staff for their perseverance during those challenging events.

Cindy Jansen

Hope this works better than what I have heard about so far....I do like the Proactive approach to recognizing the problem and moving forward ;-)