Credit for all photos: autoxpix.com/
Following the deluge that was Hurricane Toledo Pro, we once again return to Toledo Express Airport, but this time in a slightly lower-key fashion. Toledo will be the fourth round of the Match Tour series this year, which is a series that fully intends to give you as many runs as you can handle. This event is evidence to the growing popularity of the Match Tour, as this is the first one in the history of the program to waitlist - and waitlist fairly deeply.
This particular Match Tour, however, is largely populated with folks local to the Toledo area - some are newer to the sport, some are not - but it's showing that the Match Tour is fulfilling its purpose. It's getting those who would otherwise be put off by a Pro or a Champ Tour out to have fun, get a lot of seat time on a good surface with friendly competition, and do it all in a more laid-back atmosphere.
With that said, let's take a look at the class line-ups this weekend:
CS - This is often the most popular and most interesting Street class, and for the Toledo Match, that observation still applies. Look for Randy Pearson to be strong in a TRD-equipped Scion FRS, but he will be challenged by Johnny Rose (in either an FRS, or this particular writer's former RX8...) and Dax Bushmeyer, also in a Twin.
SSR - Most of the East Coast regulars appear to be taking the weekend off, as Strano, Reeve, Burns, and Braun all are missing from the entry list. However, this hasn't stopped Josh Luster and Mark Labbancz from dropping in to try to take a few free tires home. Relative local Aaron Ritch is often fast in a 996 GT3, and he should be battling it out for the top spots with Luster and Labbancz.
Credit for all photos: autoxpix.com/
STS - Speaking of locals, STS is full of them this weekend. Most, if not all participants in STS are well-versed in the surface and know what to expect. Toledo is Jeff Mabrey's home turf and he is never slow here, but Southern interloper John Brown is never slow anywhere, so expect a fun battle between these two.
ESP - Much of the field from the Toledo Pro returns this weekend, fresh off of an extremely close win for Ryan Finch over Jeremiah McClintock - a mere 0.019. McClintock is going to be looking to get that margin back and then some this weekend, and Finch won't be expected to sit there and take it. The folks running this class were all rooting for each other at the Pro and they will continue to push each other to be fast.
FSP - While Colorado has often been considered the "home" for FSP, you could really make an argument that it has migrated to the Great Lakes area in the past few years. Everyone in this class is extremely competitive and rarely gives anyone else an inch. Steve Mieritz, Scott Giles, and Nick Myers are all serious competitors and it will likely be a close match between all three to try to grab the top spot (and some sweet free Hoosiers).
FP - Another class that has become a local favorite, it's likely you will see last year's National Champion in the class, Dave Montgomery, continue to dominate in that beautiful Porsche 914. Alex Jones and Chris Raglin will give chase in the topless turbo Solstice, but with rain on the schedule, Jay Storm in an AWD Subaru be the one to surge to the top.
Credit for all photos: autoxpix.com/
CM - Much like FSP, the Great Lakes region is home to a majority of the veterans in CM. Brandon Lavender, Chris Pruett, and John Engstrom will all be in attendance, with all of them having a legitimate shot at taking the CM victory, in a quasi-mini-Nationals format.
KM - Michigan folk seem to love karts, but only a few of them seem to be coming out for this event. Of those, both Macleods will be competing, and it will be the younger of the two that you'll want to keep your eye on. Dad Larry was beaten fairly handily by son Jackson at the Pro, and it will be exciting to watch the duo work at each other to improve.
As always, tune in to sololive and UStream starting on Saturday morning at 9am!
