LINCOLN, Neb. (September 5, 2013) - Winning a championship at the Tire Rack SCCA庐 Solo庐 National Championships is difficult. Winning more than one puts you into an already elite category, and winning more than 10 of them puts you in rarified air.
Patty Tunnell, of Superior, Colo., has done all of that. But she鈥檚 also done something that no one else can claim 鈥� she鈥檚 earned a National Championship in the Stock, Street Prepared, Modified, Street Modified, and Prepared categories. Coincidentally, she鈥檚 running in the one missing category, Street Touring庐, this week.
Tunnell has a chance to become the only driver to win a National Championship in all six categories this week when she buckles in behind the wheel of the FT-86 SpeedFactory/BarekAub.com Scion FR-S in the Street Touring Xtreme Ladies class.
Her weapon of choice this year is a car owned and driven by Jeremy Boyson and Tunnell鈥檚 co-driver, Brooke Bierman. They met Tunnell and her husband, Bob, earlier this year at a Solo event and decided to come to Lincoln for the first time.
It鈥檚 a giant change for Tunnell, who has gotten used to the E Modified BMW that blew a motor on the final run for Bob a year ago. In many ways, Tunnell will have to unlearn some driving habits to hustle the Street Touring car through her runs.
鈥淚 just met them at the divisional, and they let me drive the car because we blew the motor in our car and haven鈥檛 fixed it,鈥� Tunnell said. 鈥淚 took five or six runs in it and I realized I鈥檇 forgotten my roots in speed maintenance. I think I鈥檇 begun to rely on pushing the right pedal and it will get you out of anything; you鈥檙e either on the gas or on the brake and that鈥檚 way it goes.鈥�
Tunnell鈥檚 record is more of an accident than anything. The Tunnells are fixtures at the Solo Nationals, and most of Patty鈥檚 13 titles have come in the BMW. The car began in the Stock Category, and Patty moved with the car as modifications progressed through the ranks.
So, record or not, the goals remain the same as always 鈥� and it鈥檚 not for a National Championship.
鈥淭he goal is always to have fun,鈥� Tunnell said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e here and that鈥檚 what is important. If you show up every year hoping to win a Championship, you鈥檙e going to burn out.
鈥淎fter that, to trophy would be just great. I haven鈥檛 raced much of anything in the last five years, and when I do it鈥檚 always a different car. I do about three races a year, one of them being the Nationals, and I don鈥檛 care who you are, you just need seat time. But we鈥檒l have a lot of fun doing it.鈥� 聽
Tire Rack Solo National Championships
