Cal Club Autocross Forums

Last year we wrongly predicted that the 2015 El Toro Pro Solo would be the swan song for the event. Thankfully, those predictions were wrong! However, one glance at the "Great Neighborhood" springing out of the ground at was to be the "Great Park", combined with the continued destruction of the massive runways, it's clear the handwriting is on the wall. Unfortunately, this may be the last Pro Solo ever held at our beloved El Toro! Let's make this one the best ever!

If you've competed in a PRO SOLO in the past.........no need to read on.........there's nothing for you here. I know you've already marked your calendar and are planning on registering in the next few days if you haven't already.

But if you're NEW to autox, or have been autox'ing but have NEVER entered a PRO SOLO..........CONSIDER THIS!


THE PRO SOLO FORMAT IS BY FAR THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE AUTOXING!


WHAT IS PRO SOLO?
The Pro Solo format combines the best of drag racing and autox. Competitors will line up side by side and stage, just like at the drag strip. Your heart will begin to pound as you watch the count down on the timer. Once timer hits zero, you'll rev your engine and prepare for launch. Yellow, yellow, yellow, better drop the clutch, green, and you're smoking the tires trying to get the best 60' launch you can, Once at the 60', you'll split off onto mirrored autox courses and race to the finish. See for yourself.....check this out. WOW!


EXPERIENCE DOESN'T MATTER!
Whether your new to autox or not, this is an absolute blast. I used to think regular autoxing was addicting, but Pro Solo competition has made me a true addict. Since this format only comes around LOCALLY once a year, I regret missing it the first time. With the exception of that first one, I haven't missed one since.


MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
The dates are April 8 -10. 2016. Friday the 8th consists of explaining the format to new folks, making practice starts, and a welcome party provided free of charge where you'll meet fellow competitors and chat about your launch times. That is followed by two days of thrilling competition on Saturday and Sunday. All this for only $120 with juniors specially priced at only $60. WOW again! Did I mention FREE FOOD?


YOU HAVE TO HURRY!
Early entry deadline is April 4, 2016, 12pm CDT. After that the price will go from $120 to $143. More importantly, this event is capacity controlled and will sell out. So please get your entry in right away. This is too much fun to miss. For more information and a link to register, click here. Want to know the rules governing Pro Solo including car classing and indexing, click here.


IF YOU ONLY DO ONE AUTOX EVENT A YEAR......MAKE THIS THE ONE!

JUST ADDED...TEST N TUNE FRIDAY
Good new for those hoping for a test n tune at the Pro Solo. On Friday, we will have just that. Beginning at 11am and running until 3pm, you can enjoy some practice runs prior to your practice starts and welcome dinner. For the paltry sum of one Jackson, otherwise known as a twenty-banger, a twomp, or a double sawbuck, you'll enjoy four runs on our specially prepared practice course. Forty bucks will get you eight runs, etc., etc. Time is the only limit to the fun you'll have. Be sure to get there early and let the fun begin!

Pre-registration is not required for the practice. However, only those registered for the Pro Solo are allowed to participate.

SEE YOU THERE!

Even though I have been autocrossing off and on for fun since 2003, this will be my first year doing Pro Solo and Tour events. I'm looking forward to getting my ass handed to me.

Stephen Strand wrote:Even though I have been autocrossing off and on for fun since 2003, this will be my first year doing Pro Solo and Tour events. I'm looking forward to getting my ass handed to me.

Well, welcome to the club Stephen. I've been getting my ass handed to me for years.

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Bill Schenker wrote:

Sumer wrote:Hi,

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I am very happy joine this forum.
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Awesome! Another new, and enthusiastic member!

I'm exceptional much very estatic!!!

Not only new and enthusiastic, but clearly one of a kind in recognizing the quality of the post. I'd like to marry her exceptionally much!

I thought ProSolo meant that there was big prize money to win. So what am I going to tell the wife now.

Jeffear wrote:I thought ProSolo meant that there was big prize money to win. So what am I going to tell the wife now.

Tell her the truth. With a rare exception, motor sports of any kind is a money pit.

George Schilling wrote:Tell her the truth. With a rare exception, motor sports of any kind is a money pit.

Tell her the truth, there's only big money if you win so you have to keep "investing".

Fixed that for ya, George.

Thank you Will. That will do it.

How do the heats/runs work for ProSolo?

Kyle O'Rourke wrote:How do the heats/runs work for ProSolo?

The grid for a particular run group is two parallel lines and you are assigned a spot, in numerical order the first time you run, thereafter it's based on your standing in your class. Cars are sent up to the left and right courses in small groups. You alternate side to side within that group until you have had two runs on each course. This is continuous, you don't get out of the car. At best someone can check your tire pressure between runs. This done once Saturday morning, once Saturday afternoon and once again Sunday morning. Your time is the total of the best run on each course from all those runs.

Rick Brown wrote:At best someone can check your tire pressure between runs.

Buddy up. You'll want someone for tire pressure and to tell you about 60ft times so you can adjust your launch.

Jay W

One of the things about National events is that you really have to commit to the whole weekend. No morning or afternoon only schedules. They are long and exhausting. But I live for them. Great competition. Great cars and drivers. Great comraderie. Well organized. The buzz of being part of a big National level event.

Pros are divided into 4 shifts with 8 heats. The shifts define work times. So, you work across two heats. Obviously the heats are very short. You run in one heat. On Sat, they run through all eight heats and you work a shift in the morning and then we do it all again in the afternoon. It's a fast pace! So, obviously, you need to be there all day and paying attention for either your run heat or your work shift. Sun morning we repeat it one more time. So three heats to run and three shifts to work total. Then Sunday are the challenges. For those not in the 32 car open challenge or the 8 or 16 car ladies challenge, there is an 8 car bonus challenge they draw out of a hat for. Just some fun for the "losers" usually with a free entry on the line for the winner. Local region participants need to help man the course for these challenges. Hopefully we get enough locals to make this light work with plenty of trading off.

I'm getting back into autocross. Replaced a Spec Miata race car with a Boss 302.

I may only be able to do one day. That being the case, should I sign up for Sat or Sun?

MikeColangelo wrote:I'm getting back into autocross. Replaced a Spec Miata race car with a Boss 302.

I may only be able to do one day. That being the case, should I sign up for Sat or Sun?

It's a full weekend affair...if you don't do your sunday runs, you'll get DNS for all of them and not have a good shot at doing well in your class.

However, I would gladly drive your Boss

Not showing up Sun would also create a worker issue for that morning. National events have far more special jobs and everything has to be planned out carefully. A missing worker creates a real logistical problem.

Steve Ekstrand wrote:Not showing up Sun would also create a worker issue for that morning. National events have far more special jobs and everything has to be planned out carefully. A missing worker creates a real logistical problem.

If its really, really, really a special case, you can coordinate this with the National office. But driving half a prosolo is only getting a quarter of the experiance at the full price (and it would make you a pain to the event management).

What Steve said about a full weekend commit is completely true, but its an upbeat pace and goes really fast. You don't realize your wiped until your drive home Sunday.

Jay W

Thanks for the replys, guys.

I'll sign up for both days then.

Rick Brown wrote:

Kyle O'Rourke wrote:How do the heats/runs work for ProSolo?

The grid for a particular run group is two parallel lines and you are assigned a spot, in numerical order the first time you run, thereafter it's based on your standing in your class. Cars are sent up to the left and right courses in small groups. You alternate side to side within that group until you have had two runs on each course. This is continuous, you don't get out of the car. At best someone can check your tire pressure between runs. This done once Saturday morning, once Saturday afternoon and once again Sunday morning. Your time is the total of the best run on each course from all those runs.

Thanks. Now I just need to find a car suitable for ProSolo!

Kyle O'Rourke wrote:...Now I just need to find a car suitable for ProSolo!

My 1st Pro Solo was in the car I started Ax'ing in, a Geo Prism. I not only managed to take home home a class trophy (2nd or 3rd), I won the "Best Novice" (or what ever the name of that trophy is) at my first Pro Solo. If you Ax it, you can ProSolo it. Hell, you might even win something!

Craig Naylor wrote:I won the "Best Novice" at my first Pro Solo.

How does the novice part work? I didn't see any novice group in the registration. Also, if you have been autocrossing for years but this is your first time ever doing a Pro Solo can you be considered a novice?

Stephen Strand wrote:

Craig Naylor wrote:I won the "Best Novice" at my first Pro Solo.

How does the novice part work? I didn't see any novice group in the registration. Also, if you have been autocrossing for years but this is your first time ever doing a Pro Solo can you be considered a novice?

We're all big fish in the pro solo (no novice class).

Jay W

Jayson Woodruff wrote:We're all big fish in the pro solo (no novice class). Jay W

Sorry If I caused confusion with the term "Novice". It word has a broader definition than our local AX usage.

While there is no "Novice class" there is an award of a free entry to another ProSolo that same year, for the ProSolo 1st timer (aka Pro Solo Novice) who does the best (not sure of the exact qualification parameters) at each event.

My point however was don't sell your car short, you can run what ya own at a ProSolo, just as you can at a regional.

Craig Naylor wrote:

Kyle O'Rourke wrote:...Now I just need to find a car suitable for ProSolo!

My 1st Pro Solo was in the car I started Ax'ing in, a Geo Prism. I not only managed to take home home a class trophy (2nd or 3rd), I won the "Best Novice" (or what ever the name of that trophy is) at my first Pro Solo. If you Ax it, you can ProSolo it. Hell, you might even win something!

I guess for me, the car I autox doesn't fit in too well to national classes. I run CST locally but I think my car would fall under EP nationally because of some of the modification done to the vehicle. I don't think anyone has signed up for EP yet for ProSolo either (nor would my car do too well in that class). Right now I am trying to see if I can borrow a car to run in a stock class.

Kyle O'Rourke wrote: I run CST locally but I think my car would fall under EP nationally because of some of the modification done to the vehicle. I don't think anyone has signed up for EP yet for ProSolo either (nor would my car do too well in that class).

Well there's good news / bad news with the EP classing...
You don't need 5 cars in EP to have a class, as all Prepared class cars run in an indexed class (R2) at ProSolo's. We have enough local Prepared class cars, making class should not be an issue. Being competitive... well only one person wins any given class, and if Kesel is there, not to stroke his ego... it's an uphill battle for anyone else in prepared.

Not the class winner? Everyone else falls in somewhere behind them. So in that sense, you will have plenty of company no matter what class you drive, EP or some Street class.