Final Champions Crowned at Tire Rack Solo Nationals

LINCOLN, Sept. 13, 2009: The 37th Annual Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships came to a close Friday, with Championships awarded in the final 38 classes of competition.

Unlike the first two days of action, which saw the lead in 13 of the 29 classes change from day one to day two, 34 of the 38 drivers leading after Thursday’s runs held serve to take top honors for their class in 2009.

The Berry family added one more Champion this week, as 18-year old Lisa won in her first ever Solo Nationals appearance driving the Berry Family Racing Mitsubishi Evo 9, besting her mother, Theresa, by 0.644-second in B Street Prepared Ladies. Family patriarch Tom Berry took the open class version of BSP, coming from second overnight to take his sixth-career title. Daughter Christine is also a former Champion, and finished second in Street Modified Ladies on Wednesday.

Two other drivers earned National Championships in their first ever Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships appearance. Thomas Kenna, of Irvine, Calif., held his overnight lead to take the Street Touring Ultra class title in the Ciro Design/Dunlop Mitsubishi Evo. Additionally, Donna Littlejohn, of Columbia, S.C., took the A Street Prepared Ladies title in her rookie run, driving the Vettechicks.com Chevrolet Corvette.

After finishing second in four-consecutive tries, Karen Craner, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, finally captured her coveted first Championship in Formula 125 Ladies, driving a GPracing CR125.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Patty Tunnell, of Superior, Colo., captured her 13th National Championship, coming from behind in her BarekAub.com/H&R/Hoosier BMW M3 to beat defending E Modified Ladies Champion Shawn Marie Kiesel.

Other drivers coming from behind to win National Championships included Alex Muresan, of Santa Clara, Calif., in his D Stock class www.ltbmotorsports.com Acura Integra R and Diana Carris, of Kailua, Hawaii in her Street TouringŪ Ultra Ladies class “thanks cy” Mitsubishi Evo 9.

“Overall, the event was a tremendous success,” SCCA President and CEO Jeff Dahnert said. “With 1149 competitors, we missed the overall record by just eight and I heard nothing but positive feedback about the site, the organizers and the city of Lincoln.”

Full results from the 2009 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships are available at www.scca.com.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Winners in the final 38 classes competing Thursday and Friday in the 37th Tire RackŪ SCCA Solo National Championships at Lincoln Airpark with class, driver, hometown, car and number of total championships won. Classes with an asterisk and in bold indicate a lead change from day one to day two.

A Stock: Scott McHugh, Santa Clarita, Calif., Chevrolet Corvette; Third National Championship

A Stock L: Denise Cashmore, New Berlin, Wis., Chevrolet Corvette; Third National Championship

B Stock: Bryan Heitkotter, Fresno, Calif., Mazda RX-8; Second National Championship

B Stock L: Debbie Kerswill, Reno, Nev., Mazda RX-8; First National Championship.

D Stock*: Alex Muresan, Santa Clara, Calif., Acura Integra R; First National Championship

D Stock L: Pamela Eames, Meridian, Idaho, Audi TT Quattro; First National Championship

G Stock: Anthony Savini, Cochranville, Pa., MINI Cooper S; First National Championship

G Stock L: Mindi Cross, Phoenix, Ariz., MINI Cooper S; First National Championship

Street Touring Sport: Matthew Glagola, Atlanta, Ga., Honda CRX Si; First National Championship

Street Touring Sport L: Michelle Seelig, Edmond, Okla., Honda CRX Si; Fifth National Championship

Street Touring Ultra: Thomas Kenna, Irvine, Calif., Mitsubishi Evo; Rookie Champion

Street Touring Ultra L*: Diana Carris, Kailua, Hawaii, Mitsubishi Evo IX; First National Championship

Street Touring Xtreme: Bryce Merideth, Ocoee, Fla., BMW 328is; First National Championship

Street Touring Xtreme L: Jennifer Isley, Coto De Caza, Calif., Mazda RX-8; Fourth National Championship

A Street Prepared: Jason Collett, Smyrna, Tenn., Chevrolet Corvette; Second National Championship

A Street Prepared L: Donna Littlejohn, Columbia, S.C., Chevrolet Corvette; Rookie Champion

B Street Prepared*: Tom Berry, Alta Loma, Calif., Mitsubishi Evo; Third-straight Championship, sixth overall.

B Street Prepared L: Lisa Berry, Alta Loma, Calif., Mitsubishi Evo 9; Rookie Champion

E Street Prepared: Mark Madarash, Red Oak, Texas, Pontiac Trans Am; Third-straight ESP Championship (five overall)

E Street Prepared L: Karen Kraus, Harmans, Md., Subaru Impreza WRX; Second Championship

F Street Prepared: David Fauth, Arvada, Colo., BMW 2002; Fifth National Championship

F Street Prepared L: Lisa Krueger, Midland, Mich., Volkswagen Rabbit; Eighth National Championship

X Prepared: Fred Zust, Tempe, Ariz., Lotus Elise; Second-consecutive Championship

X Prepared L: Diane Deanovic, Tempe, Ariz., Lotus Elise; no other cars entered.

E Prepared: Christopher Raglin, Findlay, Ohio, Honda Civic; Second-consecutive Championship

E Prepared L: Amy Lee, Kailua, Hawaii, Mazda RX3; First National Championship

G Prepared: Steve Bollinger, Granger, Ind., Austin-Healey Sprite; Fifth National Championship

G Prepared L: Denise Kugler, Springtown, Pa., Honda CRX; Fifth National Championship

B Modified: Clemens Burger, Noblesville, Ind., LeGrand Mk18; First National Championship

B Modified L: Jane Willis, Irving, Texas, Dragon; only car entered.

C Modified: Peter Calhoun, Westmont, Ill., Swift DB-1; First National Championship

C Modified L: Beverly Carlile, Warner, Okla., Citation; no other entries.

D Modified: Jeff Cashmore, New Berlin, Wis., Sprinto 7; Sixth National Championship

D Modified L: Diane Wood Austin, Tallahassee, Fla., Austin Mini; First National Championship

E Modified: Jeff Kiesel, Poway, Calif., KFR Turbo Sprite; Fourth National Championship

E Modified L*: Patty Tunnell, Superior, Colo., BMW M3; 13th National Championship

Formula 125: Paul Russell, San Diego, Calif., Tony Krypton/Honda; Second National Championship

Formula 125 L: Karen Craner, Idaho Falls, Idaho, GPRacing CR125; First National Championship