The Director's Chair - Inching Back to Normalcy

          Widespread vaccination has significantly reduced the risk of COVID, but by no means is it behind us.  The situation now is similar reports about a once-raging wildfire which is 75 percent under control; while that’s relatively good news, it also means that it’s still 25 percent out of control and can still erupt all over again.  That’s about where we are as we head into the heart of the 2021 season.  We’ve seen COVID’s residual effects in our event scheduling and are seeing them at those events with precautions like face masks and social distancing.  In short, we’re doing well in the battle but we can still lose the war.  We can’t adopt an attitude of “my work here is done” because it isn’t.  We’re on track to get there though.  We’re inching our way back toward normalcy.

          It’s more than a matter of just getting events going again.  While competition is at the core of what we do and who we are, these events have a vaguely “hollow” feeling about them.  Something is missing.  The social component is still missing.  We’ve long said “I came for the cars but I stayed for the people.”  The cars and competition we came for are as great as ever, but we miss being able to share it at lunch time and post-event get togethers.  In other words, the ongoing need for social distancing necessarily deprives us of much of the interaction with the people we stayed for.  So we’re still missing a significant element of our events.  It isn’t gone forever though.  That’s the final piece we’re inching back toward.  In the meantime, we press on regardless.  We’ll get there.  And when we do, we’ll appreciate this Club all the more.

From The Editor's Desk

I don't often have a ton to say, but in this edition I'd like to praise a couple of our lady members who've made a personal best that was hard fought -- both Melissa Mauro and Natalie Limm battled hard to lay down a lap faster than their codrivers in life -- with particular praise to my wife Natalie, who laid down stellar times in her H Street Mazda3 that I couldn't catch in a very-more modified XSA Jetta, not for a lack of trying.

I'll be looking forward to seeing you all at our upcoming events this season, don't forget to bring sunscreen (safari hats are also encouraged!)

No longer the head of my household
Jake Limm

Note from the RE(71-R)

As many of you are reading this, you will have hopefully raced with our region in one program or both within the last few hours or days.  It’s been crazy already, and we’re only a few weeks into the season!  It’s been quite a nice change from last year at this time.

I know that after a year like we’ve all had, it seems (for me at least) to feel even better to get outside with friends, drive my car fast and have a little bit of fun.

I’m really looking forward to trying out RallyCross this year, and spectating at our first-ever Rally Sprint event.

Hopefully, as many of you are reading this as well, I can officially say I finally was able to get a faster lap than my co-driver Rob, after 5+ years of driving!  (HAHA) - a girl can dream can’t she? (Editor's note -- no dreaming allowed! Participants should be awake and aware when on course.)

Keep it Classy Susquehanna
Melissa

Member Spotlight: Chris Hyde

By Jared McGahen | Photo Credit: Tom Hamm Photography

Chris Hyde has been involved in motorsports since a kid, but has only been autocrossing for the last 6 years. Driving a 2016 Subaru WRX as both his autocross car and daily driver, he became hooked on it when his dad finally convinced him to try it in his 2006 Honda Civic back at Hershey. With a stock engine, a simple tune, cat-back exhaust, and some RE71s, Chris's WRX is certainly a car to contend with in the highly competitive STH class. When he first got the car he stayed stock in DS for a while until the mighty Civic Type R was introduced and the mod bug bit him. Despite having tough competition, it's the community and camaraderie that keeps him coming back to race. Whether it's fellow racers giving him driving tips, or mod suggestions, it's the "handful of solid friends over the six years that I would stay friends with even if I stopped racing tomorrow" that makes autocross a sport like no other according to Chris. Look for Chris to continue to race in STH this year.

Autocross Events 1 & 2 Recap

It started off a cool damp morning at the North Elmerton lot, but things quickly warmed up.

Although BS only had 3 competitors on this day, that certainly didn't mean things weren't close. With Abe Rosengrant and Jason Felty both sporting brand new rides, and John Holliday's tried and test Audi TTS, competition was close all day. Abe narrowly won the morning session over Jason by a tenth of a second but Jason struck back in the afternoon to regain the lead.

HS provided some excitement as well. Long time FSP driver Dan Oyler joined the fray in a 2020 Honda Civic going against seasoned veteran Jim Einhouse as well as Michael Weaver, David Moore, and Natalie Limm. Dan managed to secure P1 in both session but the real story is Michael Weaver going from 4th to 2nd and coming within half a second of Dan, all while driving a car 22 years older.  

Street Touring Ultra, the class I was most excited about apart from CAM, did not disappoint. Norm Flowers started off the day coning away first place runs leaving the door open for Derek Colton and Travis and Ron Gross to sneak into first. But after checking out his red mirrors, Norm got the hammer down and managed to edge out Derek's 350Z on their final morning run by a sliver; two tenths of a second. Less than a second separated first to 4th in this highly competitive class.

Three Chris's, three Subarus, and one front wheel drive Fiesta in STH. Quinn Slonaker certainly had his work cut out for him today. The morning started off slow for the Chris's with no one beating Quinns fastest run. The afternoon, once things dried up, is when the racing got intense. After Quinn coned his first run, Chris Hyde and Chris Raymond laid down solid times taking P1 and P2 over Quinn. Quinns second and third runs were clean but still not enough. With neither Chris getting faster on their final run, it was do or die for the little Fiesta and Quinn pulled out his hero run, shaving half a second off his previous best to pull out the win in STH.

CAM-C lived up the expectations for a class with minimal rules and maximum horsepower. Don Hirt brought possibly the heaviest car of the day in his 2006 Dodge Charger, but weight didn't stop him from driving away with the win in both sessions. Former champions Rich Thomas and Tony Sklareski battled it out for 2nd and 3rd swapping positions in each session. Meanwhile Matt Skelly and his girlfriend/codriver Tia Cover managed to keep their 700 horsepower and completely reworked 2020 Mustang mostly under control. All within a few seconds of each other in both sessions should make for a very exciting season.

If you thought CAM-C was exciting, CAM-T was equally if not more exciting. Chris Brown pulled out all the stops to get his Mustang ready for the start of the season. Mike and Kenny Goodman were there ready to give him a run for his money in their 1981 and 1995 Camaros respectively. Jason Winstel, Larry Wolfe, and John Norton were there as well ready to race. Chris came out fast in the morning but mistakes prevented him from taking P1 away from Mike Goodman.  Mike pulled out all the stops and took P1 by nearly 1.5 seconds over Chris. And then it was 1.6 seconds separating 2nd to 7th place in the morning. Proving about much a 1.5 gap can be in autocross. Mike continued his superb driving into the afternoon again taking P1 with Chris closing the gap to less than a second. Kenny, Larry, and Bernie Duplan's muffler deleted Monte Carlo all managed to be within a tenth of each. Incredibly tight racing.

XSA brought our long time racers Evan Keegan, Kenny Adam, Andrew Lobb, and Jake Limm. New comer Steve Boddington also decided to join the fun in his 2003 Mitsubishi Evo. Evan Keegan come out strong in both session after recently changing his oil. Kenny Adam on new tires was a few seconds behind, still learning how to drive on the new RT660s after having been on Rivals for a year. Steve locked up third place and Andrew Lobb was battling mechanical issues in the morning which cost him the afternoon session.  

Street Prepared, one of two classes locally where PAX index matters. Marcus Houser and Forrest Graeff have been driving their classic Dodges for many years now. Hoosier tire newbies David Myers and Jared McGahen decided to learn how to drive in a day with mixed results. And Matt Schelkopf brought his 2018 Porsche to play as well. Although David Myers took the fastest raw time of the group, the CSP pax was too much to overcome allowing Marcus, Forrest, and Matt to take 1, 2, 3.  It will be interesting to see if David and Jared can master the grip Hoosiers provide.

May Regional Meeting

May 27, 2021 - at 7:00pm

WE’RE BACK AT APPALACHIAN BREWING COMPANY! ...UPSTAIRS!

Our next meeting will be held on the second floor at Appalachian Brewing Company, 50 N. Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101. All members are encouraged to attend. Come an hour early for dinner (and a drink) with other members.

As of our April meeting, ABC has their upstairs bar area open for us to eat and hold our meeting.  Make sure that you tell the host that you are attending the SCCA meeting, and they will direct you upstairs.

Susquehanna Region - COVID-19 Guidelines

Please make sure to read the below document regarding the policies and guidelines we have in place for any upcoming events we have during the COVID-19 pandemic.  We have used input from other Regions, as well as SCCA National’s guidelines they have made available to us.  If you have any questions on this, please make sure you reach out to me by email - mmauro@scca-susq.com.

Susquehanna Region Gift Certificates for MSR are Available!

Do you have someone who’s hard to shop for? Are your family and friends always bugging you for birthday ideas? ...We have the solution!  We now have gift certificates for Motorsportreg.com available!  You can send someone a gift for a special occasion or receive credits for some free racing events from your loved ones.

News from SCCA

2021 Rules