Good day
Nobody else could make it, so I went to my second SOLO event by myself — no trailer, one tank of gas, and a last lap that found the end of the tires.
What happened
I could not get anyone to go with me, so I decided to drive to my second SCCA SOLO event by myself. It was a Sunday and I was in the second run group, which meant I was done with my runs and my volunteering by about 12:30. That worked out well.
I also decided to follow the lead of some of the other drivers and trust their cars. No trailer this time: drive to the event, run the laps, drive home. All of it on one tank of gas.
I did much better than the last time and gained real confidence. Enough that on my last lap I found the limit of the tires and lost the car, almost taking out the finish-line timing equipment. I regained control right before running it over.
The staff gave me genuinely useful feedback about pushing the car, braking into the corner, cornering, and accelerating out of the turn. I was proud of myself for showing up alone after everyone else decided they could not make it. Good day.
What I learned
- —Waiting on other people is its own excuse. The day did not need a full crew to be worth driving for.
- —Trust is learned by watching drivers who are ahead of you — following their lead is cheaper than figuring it out alone.
- —Confidence and consequences arrive together. Finding the limit of the tires on the last lap is what happens when you stop driving timidly.
- —Almost hitting the timing tower was a warning, not a punishment. The fix is technique, not fear.
- —The staff are a free school. Feedback on braking, cornering, and power application is the value of the entry fee.
The car
I ran the 1994 SVT Cobra again, this time with no trailer and no support vehicle — the round trip on a single tank of gas. On the last lap the tires finally told me where their limit was.
The people
I went alone, which was the point. The SOLO staff filled the gap: welcoming, quick to help, and generous with specific feedback about how to drive the course faster.
Next improvement
Brake later and harder into the corner, carry the right amount of speed through it, and get on the power sooner — while remembering that the last lap is where the limit usually shows up.