Car enthusiasts with disabilities nationwide now have a sport to get excited about.

By Tom Scott

SCCA Pro Solo Driver Jerry Lamb, a United Spinal member,
whips through a turn in his modified BMW during one of
SCCA’s regional events.

It’s called Solo, and just about anybody can participate.

Solo competitions are the Sports Car Club of America’s (SCCA) brand for the general sport of autocross, which emphasizes the driver’s ability and the car’s handling characteristics. Drivers are timed as they maneuver through a paved course, at normal highway speeds or below, designated with traffic cones in a low-hazard location, such as an empty parking lot. Solo car competitions are not wheel-to-wheel racing, but time trial events, against the clock. Solo competitors are behind the wheels of a variety of vehicles, from the kind driven daily to and from work to heavily modified vehicles used exclusively for racing.

According to Howard Duncan, VP of Program Development and Operations at SCCA, Solo has been around since 1968. The sport of autocrossing (also known as gymkhana or slalom), however, has been part of the SCCA since the early 1950s, though it was strictly a recreational activity at the local or regional level. After the name Solo was born and members began to take the competition more seriously, state and interstate divisional events began to form. These led to the first National Championship in 1973 in Missouri with almost 300 entrants.

The 34th Annual Tire Rack SCCA National Championship will have over 1,100 entrants when it moves into its new home this fall at the Heartland Park Topeka race facility in Kansas, using a new asphalt pad that measures nearly 1,000’ by 1,000.’ While this Tire Rack event is the crown jewel of Solo, the real strength of the program is at the local or regional level with nearly 1,100 SCCA Solo events conducted each year across the country.

Most importantly for members of United Spinal, alternate vehicle controls are permitted in these events.

The Three C’s

In addition, there are numerous Solo car divisions, including:

• Solo I–– If you’re looking for a high-speed driving test and don’t want to rub your pristine fenders against others, check out Solo I. Pure and simple, it’s you against the clock, one driver at a time.

• Solo II–– No competition license or roll bars are required, just a helmet.

• ProSolo–– The Tire Rack ProSolo Championship combines the excitement of drag racing with the challenge of SCCA Solo. Much like the local drag strip, competitors stage side-by-side, waiting for the green light before they battle head-to-head on mirror- image courses. This is the ultimate Solo Championship.

• National Tour––The Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour takes the highest level of Solo competition on the road to venues throughout the country. With competition taking place over two days, the National Tour gives drivers a chance to test their skills against the top competition and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow competitors.

“We refer to Solo as being represented by the three C’s: competition, camaraderie, community,” Duncan says. “The competition element can take on several aspects. Since the drivers are running against the clock, they can both compete against themselves to see how they improve from run to run, and they can also compete against others by time comparison.

“In addition to the driving element of competition,” he continues, “there is also the competition to build or develop a better car; again either compared against your previous set up or as compared to others. The camaraderie aspect is based on the friendships formed in this friendly and helpful environment. This expands to the ‘community’ part of this triad, in that the events are mostly put on by the folks driving. This develops a real sense of ownership and pride in the event and the experience for all involved. A phrase often spoken by long-term SCCA members is that they came for the cars, but stayed for the people. That is never more true than in Solo.”

Hand-Control Solo

Jerry Lamb, a 45 year-old paraplegic and United Spinal Association member from Seattle, Washington, is one of a handful of drivers with disabilities who compete nationally. Lamb was introduced to Solo car competition in Santa Barbara, California, in the late 1980s and began competing seriously (Pro Solo) after moving to Seattle.

“Most people can compete heads-up without a disadvantage from being disabled,” Lamb says. “There are some useful features for someone with limited balance, such as a four-point harness or turner belt (a belt that is wrapped around the chest to hold you in place). It is a relatively easy and cheap way to race cars.”

Another attractive aspect of the sport is that Solo events can be found anywhere and everywhere. According to Lamb, most areas have an SCCA region within a reasonable distance.

Lamb generally runs mid-pack at the National Championships. “The closest I have been to a trophy was four places out of the trophies,” he says. “They trophied to tenth and I ended in fourteenth. I won the Fontana ProSolo, in March, which was my first national level win.” Although Lamb is modest about his achievements as a Solo driver, he is certainly opening the door for future Solo drivers with disabilities on the pro circuit.

There are possibly less than a dozen drivers with disabilities competing in Solo events nationwide and that it is primarily due to lack of awareness of the sport. “SCCA would be very welcoming to this new group of enthusiasts,” Duncan says.

How to Get Started

If you are interested in competing in Solo events, Duncan suggests that getting involved in Regional events would offer a good “casual” introduction to the sport. “I would suggest first checking our Web site (www.scca.org) to find an event nearby, calling the listed event coordinator, and then coming out to an event to watch what goes on and to make contact with those in cars similar to your own. Our local regions often hold driver schools. That is the best way to first get behind the wheel as you will get instruction, plus lots of runs to get yourself up to speed at a comfortable pace.”

Duncan suggests that drivers with disabilities who are interested in the sport contact Doug Gill, Solo Tech Manager at 785-379-8324, or e-mail him at dgill@scca.com, for advice on the fabrication of hand controls. “The need for precision of operational controls is much greater in a Solo than on the street,” he adds.

Gill, who is an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certified Master Automobile Technician, has been technical manager for three years. He was also an engine builder and a crew chief for three-time Solo National Champion Grady Wood. “If someone thinks participating with their car in a competition event would be fun, I highly recommend coming to an SCCA Solo event in the area and see what it’s about. SCCA members can be very helpful,” Gill says. “Solo can be difficult to do well––but if anyone is up to the challenge, it can be a lot of fun whether or not you win. If someone has a valid driver’s license, meet any conditions of the license (corrective lenses, conditions, etc), can safely (and legally) drive on public roads, they should be able to participate.”

If you’d like more information on Solo car competition and how to participate in this fun and exciting sport, please visit www.scca.org to find an SCCA region near you. You can also contact Jerry lamb at JerryLambS4@yahoo.com.

Tom Scott is staff editor.

United Spinal Association Partners with SCCA

United Spinal is proud to announce its partnership with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the creation of its United Spinal Motor Sports program to generate interest from the spinal cord injury and disorder (SCI/D) community in the all-inclusive sport of Solo car competition.

“This partnership brings together two organizations that have extremely rich histories and loyal membership, with the goal of promoting the sport of Solo car competition to an often untapped segment of the population––car enthusiasts with SCI/D. Solo car competition is unique because it gives people with

SCI/D the ability to compete against the able-bodied on an equal playing field,” said Bill Hannigan, United Spinal’s Senior Membership Coordinator. “Since the SCCA hosts Solo car competitions regionally, we are very pleased to have their support in offering this sport to our members throughout the country who will proudly compete under the United Spinal Motor Sports flag. SCCA’s resources and expertise are also invaluable in ensuring that United Spinal members get the very best information on participating in Solo car competition.”

With the support of the SCCA, United Spinal members who are interested in hitting the track, will have access to many key contacts within the SCCA Family, including Jerry Lamb, a 45 year-old paraplegic United Spinal member and professional Solo driver, who will be able to provide driving and safety tips; Solo Tech Manager Doug Gil, an ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technician, who can assist with car maintenance and hand control advice; and Michael Dickerson, SCCA Region Development Manager, who can connect United Spinal members nationwide to Solo events in their area.

“I’m very excited about the exposure that the SCCA and United Spinal Association can jointly offer to drivers with [SCI/D]. The SCCA Solo community welcomes the opportunity to expand our sports and demonstrate how Solo competitions can be beneficial to United Spinal members,” Dickerson said.

For more information, please call 800-404-2898, ext. 237.