People don't seem to understand that I've taken this year off from
autocrossing. I'm only doing the events I want to do. Strangely enough, I've
been autocrossing a lot MORE, but anyway.
After doing the whole ProSolo series last year, I was so burnt out, I knew I
needed a year off. I was only going to do the Atwater ProSolo, and that was
it.
Well, if ALL the ProSolos were like Atwater, I'd be addicted for life. Bret
Norgaard designed the best ProSolo course ever. Imagine this: fast flowing
turns. Third gear sections for some. I'd come off shaking from the fun, not
kicking myself for not knowing how to drive impossibly tight slaloms.
Granted, there are SO many classes now, it's nearly impossible to fill them.
For example, due to a low entry, B Stockers in the National Series were
mildly disappointed because we were bumped to A Stock. That actually turned
out to be pretty fun. In fact, Rod McLane in Katie Elder's Mazda Miata held
his own and took the fourth place trophy.
On the other hand, Paulette Nagler, BMW M3, a Ladies 2 competitor, was first
bumped to AP, and then to B Modified where she had to compete against
another bumpee, Gary Richardson, Formula Ford, and about ten karts!
I was disappointed in the low SFR turnout, but those who were there
(including Jeff and Stacy Reitmeir in a rare autox appearance) had a GREAT
time. I hope ProSolo survives another year so we can come out in FULL FORCE.
Thanks to everyone who came out just to work. That was a real treat. In
fact, a lot of people who worked the event in the Challenges said, "Wow,
that looks life fun - I'm going to try it next year!"
Perhaps the most entertaining part of the weekend, though had to be during
the National Series challange. Never mind that Glen Hernandez won it over
Grady Wood. It was Hernandez' second challenge victory of the year. Okay,
that was pretty exciting, especially since, according to sources, Grady Wood
was at a great disadvantage at the starting lights. Apparently, in his small
town in Arkansas, there is only one traffic signal.
But you just had to see Phil Esra, in his ST Honda Civic Si, defeat not one
but TWO ground thumping Corvettes, one of them driven by none other than THE
Scotty B. White in Ol' Yeller, the 1998 B Street Prepared Ladies National
Championship winning car.
Both drivers approached the starting line, Esra on the left, and White on
the right. The home town crowd hooted and hollered, "Bring it home, Phil!
Beat that Corvette!" Esra gave the crowd a thumbs-up sign. His confidence
was high.
Esra's light turned green, he appeared to screech off the line, and he
unwound the little Honda down the straight away and through the zig zags to
the left. Ten seconds later, White stomped down the throttle and began his
ascent on the little Honda.
It was a race of David and Goliath. Esra entered the turn-around first, with
White right on his tail. Esra appeared to move in slow motion, as White
gunned his beast through the turns. Exiting the turn-around, Esra still had
a small lead, with White in hot pursuit. Through the chicanes, the gap
narrowed, but Esra remained in control. Up to the final two turns they
approached. They looked about even. One more turn to go, and Esra somehow
managed to reach the finish line first, by just a few tenths.
The crowd went wild. Masses stood up on their toes, screaming at full
volume. Esra, in his first ProSolo, was elated, and began waving to the
crowds, with a smile that displayed all his pearly white teeth.
As Esra, in his first ProSolo ever, prematurely basked in his glory, White
powered his way up to the left hand course starting line, in an attempt to
win the race by forcing Esra to miss the start of it.
"Pull up to the line, Phil! Hurry!" the crowd screamed, but Esra
misunderstood this as more accolades. Finally, as he saw the clock ticking
through the seconds, Esra's eyes grew large as he realized he only had a few
seconds left.
He made it in time! The light turned green for Esra, and again, ten seconds
later, White made his second attempt. White appeared to be giving it all he
had, while Esra looked like he was standing still, like it was all a bad
dream. The crowd could barely stand it. "Go, Phil!" they chanted and wailed,
feeling as though their whole existence on this planet depended on Phil Esra
winning this race.
They arrived nearly dead-even at the final turn, and again, Esra did his
magic, and narrowly defeated the Corvette.
Tears of joy abounded as a once pipe dream became reality. A 1986 Street
Touring Honda Civic Si on street tires BEAT Scotty B. White. Would the world
ever be the same?
Sadly, in the next round, Phil was defeated by an Acura Integra Type R.
Still, it was a good day for Esra, who explained his eventual demise thusly:
"Well, I just ran out of Corvettes."
You can read the full Atwater Report in an upcoming issue of North American
Pylon.
This is your friendly Ace Reporter, signing off.
Katie Kelly
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Guilt slows your metabolism.
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