SCCA National has again tinkered with some of the Stock Class pairings, but "only" in SS, AS, BS, CS, DS, FS and GS. This alone will make 2003 an interesting season. With some potent new cars hitting the showrooms, it shouldn't take them long to reach our events. I mean, proper break-in is only a few days to a week, right?

Locally, Super Stock is pretty much Corvettes and RX-7's. And with the new Vettes and SRT-10 Vipers added to the SS ranks, it looks like Steve Eymann and Jim Young may lose another notch or two in this premier class. A Stock gains the Camaro SS, Firebird WS6, Mustang SVT, BMW 'M' Coupe and Roadster, as well as the E46 M3 and Boxster S. Bob and Jason Isley will have their work cut out for them for sure. After their performances at our Decmeber event, however, it may be the others who will face the challenge. B Stock gains some interesting new cars with the Nissan 350Z and BMW Z-4 swelling the ranks. Chances are looking good that Aaron Taylor (98 M3) will have someone to run against next year.

Hoping to insure, I guess, that C Stock stays a Miata spec class for a while, the SCCS Solo Events Board (SEB) has declared that the new Miata Club Sport 'option' is legal for this class, even though only 100 will be made. It's a 2003 Miata with all options deleted. Very light I'm told. When asked about the long-standing rule that at least 1000 models must be made to be Stock legal, the SEB responded as they so often do, with absolutely no comment. I personally hope that Toyota counters with a Club Sport MR-2 and levels the playing field, Not likely, however, until it gets adjustable suspension. In the meantime, the Miata clan will continue to bloody each other, month after month, in some of our very closest competition. Brian Peters is currently the top gun, but Don Sattler and Tom Dukerich are very close behind. With Tom Tkacik coming back from his 'moving into a new house adventure,' the mix will shift again. A "visiting stranger" upset the December top time in C Stock, but once is only luck, you know.

D Stock looks like it will stay an Integra Type R playground for another year with the Mazdaspeed Protégé and Neon SRT-4 moving in to provide challenge. It's down about 20-25 horsepower and a little heavier than the Type R, so unless there is hidden magic it won't happen. Series winner Tom Errickson will have to try his Cooper S luck in G Stock next year; aw shucks, right Tom? Jim Barks says he won't miss you, or the four points you beat him by.

E Stock has few local entrants, and also had no real class changes nationally. The 91-95 MR-2 is currently top dog here, followed distantly buy the '88 Porsche 924 S and occasional 1.6 Miatas. Rumor has it that the SEB is thinking of moving the 94-97 1.8 Miatas here to stir the pot, but nothing firm on that yet. Maybe this is where we need some new blood?  F Stock has lost any newer Camaros and Firebirds, as they are out of production, but Mustang has added the '03 Mach I to the mix. And, of course, the new Pontiac GTO V-8 will surely fall here when it arrives. In the meantime, Don Hyland and Ken Terrell will continue "passing the torch" until new blood arrives.

G Stock will be a very interesting place next year, since the Mini S, VW GTI 337, and Audi V-8 Quattro were added here. Larry Dues' 95 Integra GSR probably has little to fear, since it's one of the best cars for this class. The David Vasquez Audi A4 is very close however, and the recently sold red '95 Neon ACR will remain here in local competition, with a pretty good driver inside. Might turn into another close playground, like C Stock has been, which would be fun. Finally, H Stock would appear to remain a VW Beetle playground locally, since cars like the National HS class champs' BMW 318's and Mini Coopers have not appeared locally. Yet. Mark Shaw continues to improve in his New Beetle, and will be formidable competition for anyone, in anything.

Moving into the Street Prepared classes, Mark Huffman (Lotus), Ted Lewis (Lotus), Erik Davis (911 RSA) and Jason Boles (BMW coupe) are at the top in A Street Prepared, Open and PRO. C Street Prepared has been Porsche Spec 944's and a lonely Miata, and Paul Bloomberg has the upper hand for the moment. D Street Prepared also needs some new blood as Ben Clement quietly improves his skills. E Street Prepared has some good local competition as Richard Rippy, Abraham Jones and Brian Weikert duked it out most events. A place for Mustangs and Camaros on steroids to play. In F Street Prepared, Kevin McPeek's and Joe Murray's Golfs trade blows; Kevin's '95 got the last blow this time. Our local Prepared and Modified classes are sparsely attended, but Ken Edney (CM) and Joe Curry (DM) have fun nonetheless.

Street Modified, however, is another story. One of SCCA's newer classes, there are four varied approaches to what cars would be successful here. Steve Steele's '65 Mustang out-muscled the field this Series, but in his mirrors are the Billson Mustang, and a pair of Honda Accords with serious horsepower. All finished the Series within about 100 points of Steve, so he'd better not falter or he will fall. Something tells me, now that Tage has his Integra's ignition figured out, that Steve's days are numbered. Street Modified 2 is the playground of Corvettes and … Miatas! While the Corvette of Paul Hamersly triumphed over Brant Bauman's turbo 1.6 Miata in this series, Brant has added some more rim and tire and will go "Vette hunting" in 2003. Interestingly enough, Harry Berzes' 94 1.8 Miata, with darned little done to it, was not all that far behind these two. Perhaps just good driving? I think so!

Street Touring S has been quite the popular class for a year or so, but has suffered of late from drivers transitioning to other classes. Ron Huber found himself at the top of a very small mountain this time, but still had excellent scores. Street Touring X next year gains 8" rims and 245 series tires within their rules, so many are figuring this will be another ponycar playground soon. This past Series, it was Goerner's Integra Type R, but with these changes he may have others to contend with.

Pax Ladies, also known as "The Ladies Social Group," continued their friendly ways, and Deb Eymann again bested Glenda Meyers. But almost to spite Scott's selling Glenda's Neon, she finished only four Pax points behind Deb this event. Jody was only four points behind Glenda for the entire Series, and last Series it was one point! Maybe that was why she was tempting Glenda with a ride in her Miata? Pro Cla$$ runs for money and not trophies, and here is where many (but not all) of the more serious local drivers tend to congregate. Chuck Voboril's Zink was the class of the field this Series, but Ted Lewis (Elan), Jason Isley (Vette), and Jeff Bandes (Vette) were closer than ever before. They can't wait for AMP to open. Sportsman is the "other" place for some of the top local Open Class talent to congregate, seeking perhaps a higher level of competition (or changes of cars during a Series), choice of run groups, or simply wanting to run against other classes. W hatever the reason, it's a tough group. Tage "The Beggar" Evanson borrowed enough different cars to qualify for a used car salesman's license, and he pulled off a 25 point victory over Scott "Gee, What Car Is Next?" Meyers, who was a tenth of a Pax point ahead of Dave Young. Yep, a tenth of a point across four events. The scorer might call Dave a third placer, but I call him an "equal second place" winner.

Street Tire 1 found Jim Rohn's '97 BMW M3 once again at the top for the Series, BUT he actually finished fourth this event! Not a familiar place for Jim. Was it old age, or thinking about his next car for next year? Who knows? Shen-Wen's S2000 had a great drive, like a Miata on steroids, as did Kim Kemper and his Vette. Is the "Rohn Reign" in ST1 over? Don't miss our next installment, in February. Street Tire 2 for the umpteenth time had a better total score than ST1, so I won't mention it again. It's now expected. The Dwight Smith Focus does phenomenally on street tires, and has to, so that the Chad Mizner del Sol doesn't pass it. Only eleven points separated the two at Series' end. Pat Fisher is quickly learning his Nissan Spec-V attributes and will be seriously in the hunt next Series. Street Tire Ladies ended with three series qualifiers, and Debbi Cox' Trans Am carried her to the top over Kat Kemper's Vette.

The Novice 1 group will be sending some quality graduates to the Open or Street Tire classes. Robert Billson's Mustang took the top prize, ahead of the Ahren Strumpf Mustang Cobra and the Mario Diforte Trans Am. Novice 2 trophies go to Ryan Cook (WRX) and Ryan Birkmeyer (WRX), with Eric Olson in third (Spec-V Nissan). Best in Novice 3 are Jason Pierce (WRX) and Jeremy Galo (Prelude SH). Only seven points separated these two! Congratulations to our Novice Ladies who were: 1^st Jessica Jackson, 2^nd Tammy Roland, and 3^rd Leah Delozier, who gets another series in Novice Ladies (if she so chooses) to hone her talents.