Ron Bauer won the D Prepared class in an MX-5 at the SCCA Solo National Championships.

Eight Mazda Solo National Champs

Mazda drivers claim titles in SCCA’s championship event for autocrossers.

The 2014 SCCA Solo National Championships have wrapped up four days of competition at Lincoln Airpark in Lincoln, Neb. A record 1185 competitors tackled two different courses, with about half taking to the two courses on Tuesday-Wednesday and the bulk of the eight Mazda Solo National Champions competing on Thursday-Friday.

In the first half of the event, David O’Maley scored the FSP championship for his first career title after trying in a number of classes. The Greensboro, N.C., native co-drove the No. 95 Starting Line/EvoSchool.com Mazda 323 with Justin Barbry, and walked away with a 0.084-second win after nailing his best run on his third and final opportunity.

Rachel Kerswill, of Reno, Nev., took home top honors in C Street Ladies. Kerswill (No. 88 MAZDASPEED Mazda RX-8) earned the title while facing some stiff competition, namely multi-time National Champion Meredith Brown. Heading into Wednesday’s competition, Brown was the class leader by 0.207-second. Kerswill wasted little time in setting a fast time, as her opening run proved to be the quickest of the class on the East Course.

In the second half of the event, Bartek Borowski, of Elmwood Park, Ill., sent the E Street R class out with his fifth consecutive National Championship in the class before the full conversion to street tires for next year.

Ron Bauer, of Seatac, Wash., won an absolutely thrilling D Prepared battle that could have gone either of three directions on the final runs of the East Course. Steve Hoelscher set the mark with the fastest class time of the day on his final run, but could only watch as Bauer crossed the line to move 0.271-second in front. Just a few seconds later, the No. 196 K&K Racing/Tight-N-Tidy Racing/Jim’s Detail/ChaseRace Mazda Miata of Keith Brown crossed, but didn’t improve his time and remained just 0.009-second behind Hoelscher to complete the podium.

Barbara LeRoy-Boehme, of San Diego, Calif., claimed her second-consecutive National Championship, this time in B Street Ladies while driving her No. 23 C2 Motorsports Mazda MX-5. LeRoy-Boehme was the decisive winner on the day as she outpaced her nearest competition, Dina O’Donnell.

Billy Davis, of New Haven, Conn., improved his C Street Prepared class leading time on the final run on Thursday to stretch his lead going into the final day, and then held serve on Friday in the No. 196 MiataRoadster.com/EvoSchool.com Mazda Miata to take his first career National Championship.

Andrew Canak, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was a Championship contender for the STS title after day one while driving his No. 195 Toyo Tires Mazda Miata. He started the final day of competition in second, trailing by 0.003-second, and finished with a 0.379-second margin of victory.

SCCA Solo National Championships

Lincoln, Neb.

Sept. 2-5, 2014

Mazda Winners

Class Driver Hometown Car
B Street Ladies Barbara LeRoy-Boehme San Diego Calif. Mazda MX-5
E Street R Bartek Borowski Elmwood Park Ill. Mazda Miata
C Street Ladies Rachel Kerswill Reno Nev. Mazda RX-8
C Street Prepared Billy Davis New Haven Conn. Mazda Miata
C Street Prepared Ladies Gretchen Austin Minneapolis Minn. Mazda Miata
F Street Prepared David O’Maley Greensboro N.C. Mazda 323
D Prepared Ron Bauer Seatac Wash. Mazda MX-5
Street Touring Sport Andrew Canak Milwaukee Wis. Mazda Miata