The end of the 1m vs m3 thread we started talking about the Pro-Solo and National Tour final so I am breaking it out into its own thread.
A Stock Nationals Car Breakdown
Let’s start with a look at the cars (I need some help with tire sizes)
LBS 60 FOOT SLALOM SWEEPER TIRE
1M ~3300 2.0 3 3 265/295
C5 ~3200 2.0 2 2 ?
Cayman ~3000 2.0 1 1 ?
STRENGTHS
1M: 40mph to 60mph acceleration, the car will turn/rotate, sight lines are great, 75mph 2nd gear
C5: known setup, cheap parts (compared to the other cars), drivers in sorted cars for a couple of years
Cayman: light weight, more tire, king of the slalom
The Cayman was being pushed as the best A Stock car (and it maybe). We will not know about it this year in the Pro-Solo as the field is Matt vs the Vetts. Matt has been off the pace in his two events. Matt was .7 a day back in the 1st pro with only r comps. In the 2nd Pro, Matt had the car built out and was only .3 for the event behind the winner from the 1st Pro (Paul Kozlak). So, Matt has a chance to trophy in the 1M at the Pro. There are only 7 entries but no one sucks. The other drivers in the field are in sorted cars that they have been driving for a while. Matt is probably gotten 50 to 70 in the 1M now and is probably starting to feel at home.
Pro courses are slalom and sweeper at the end for the most part at most of the stops. At Lincoln this will not be the case. The lot is SO BIG that the course can have some different elements that slalom down, tight sweeper, slalom back, which will give the 1M a lot more chance. Anywhere there is above 60 mph driving the 1M will have a chance and anywhere there is above 69mph the 1M will not have to change gear. At the finales I bet there is at least one place that Matt will be able to make it to the top of 2nd that other cars are having to go to 3rd. While at a typical Pro the 1M has to overcome its two weaknesses . At the finale it may have some elements that work for it.
Matt, let’s have some thoughts on how the car stacks up in the Pro with the Vetts.
The Tour has 16 drivers (last I looked) and what was a small class the last few years is as large as most of the classes. It will have 5 trophies and there are at least 10 guys that could claim them. Matt and I are the only 1M’s in the field of C5 base model vetts and Caymans. The class looked pretty open when I bought my car but has become kind of top heavy.
Depending on the course I think the cars have a chance to trophy. Nationals will be a little more open courses that have speed and that lets the 1M have a chance.
Last year’s A Stock winner
My random thoughts on the my chances at the Tour
I did not get out and run enough events in the car this year to sort the car. I am honestly just hoping for mid-pack but that also takes all the pressure off to just go and have fun. When my co-driver backed out and I did not get to run 2 or 3 of the weeks leading up to the tour, I started not to go. Then I decided to just go and have fun. I have no expectations at this point. I really felt like I could get out and run enough to have a chance to trophy in what looked like an open class (as open at nats gets). I also felt like my co-driver would have a chance to win the class.