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Road Racing vs. Solo I
For years I’ve expounded on the
benefits of Solo I even to those that have "graduated" to door-to-door racing.
After my first road race in thirteen years, I’m here to tell you that I have not
changed my mind - Solo I is an excellent way to enhance a road racing schedule.
First of all, Solo I is an
opportunity to find out just how fast you really can go, particularly if you’re one
of the faster cars in your run group. Because passing is not allowed, the cars are spaced
out on the track to minimize the chances of a "catch" situation. As a result,
you get multiple runs of three laps at speed with basically NO TRAFFIC! The
only other way to get that is to rent the track by yourself, but that will cost a helluva
lot more that the $75-$125 for a Solo I entry. Granted you only get 3-4 laps per session,
but if you can’t evaluate the effects of a set-up change in that period of time,
you’re not going to figure it out in twenty laps either.
Second, Solo I is tailor-made for
multiple drivers in the same car. Not only do you get an inexpensive test day, but you can
also reward the hard-working crew member, sponsor and/or significant other by letting them
make some laps in the car as well. Solo I is a great opportunity to build teamwork and
comraderie, plus it gives you a chance to show those folks that driving at the limit
isn’t nearly as easy as you make it look.
Finally, Solo I allows you to
experiment with different lines without giving away "speed secrets" to
competitors. Since you’re on the track alone, you can try different approaches to the
various corners and see how they affect the overall lap time and/or exit speed onto the
next straight. And if you’re just getting into road racing, Solo I is perfect for
gradually getting up to speed without the added pressure of someone trying to get inside
you going into Turn One. Some of the top SEDIV road racers (National Champion Adam Malley,
Sam Henderson, Joe Freda, Rickie Hartsell, Art Armellini, Jim Creighton, Rick Cochran and
more) have run Solo I at various times in their careers. I’m not saying they learned
how to drive running Solo I, but it certainly didn’t hurt.
For more information please visit: http://www.scca.org/amateur/solo1/index.html
Come play with us - you might even
learn something…
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