Across the country, drivers are building Club Spec Mustangs and MX-5s, and seeing their first results in competition. We checked in with several of those drivers after the 2024 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships to see how they did and ask about their plans for the coming year.
"Nationals went well. We started off a little rough with trying to figure out what the car needed," explains Mark Pilson of East Tennessee Region. "I was one position out of the trophies on day one. Then on day two, I was third fastest and ended up in the last trophy spot!"
Pilson got plenty of seat time in his Club Spec Mustang (CSM), a 2009 Mustang GT.
"We ran the car in the CAM, Xtreme, and Club Spec Invitational Shootout event, ran some practice runs, and ran at Nationals with two drivers," he says. "Then we ran the car in the Thursday morning 'try it out' session and had no issues. It was a good time."
Mike King brought his 2013 Mazda MX-5 prepared to Club Spec MX-5 (CSX) rules.
"Solo Nats went OK. We ended up battling handling issues the first day, then discovered I had a [damaged] left rear shock," Mike reveals. "Mazda came through and had a new shock sitting in their truck on-site. They swapped me out, and I was back fighting the second day. The car was tons better, but I had dug myself too much of a hole the first day."
(Mike King ran his Club Spec MX-5 to a third-place finish at the 2024 Solo National Championships.)
Still, the CSX formula seemed to work.
"I ended up missing out on the win by four-tenths of a second," Mike says. "As far as the CAM, Xtreme and Club Spec Invitational Shootout, I ended up second overall and fastest CSX car, so that turned out to be a great event for me. I'm really pleased with the reception of the class at Solo Nationals. I do expect the class to easily double in size next year from everything I've been hearing. I'm looking forward to it."
Another Club Spec Mustang at Solo Nationals belonged to Brian Kuehl, who couldn't make it to the event but sent the Mustang to compete in the hands of a good friend.
"I sent my friend Shawn Pan out with the car, and SCCA staff member Justin Barbry joined him in co-driving the car," Brian explains. "Even having never driven the car before, Justin finished on the podium in third place. Shawn also managed to nab a trophy spot, finishing fifth overall. I am very proud of those two guys for doing so well with very limited seat time in the car."
(Even with limited seat time, Justin Barbry finished well into the Club Spec Mustang trophies at the 2024 Solo Nationals.)
Shawn and Justin then had the opportunity to show off the CSM car to others before heading home.
"They stuck around for the SCCA Club Spec demo drive the next day, where dozens of people got to drive my car and get a feel for what the class is about," Brian says, adding that his own seat time in his CSM car has been fun, too. "I did attend a National Tour in Seneca, NY, with the car. CSM had six drivers in the class and I came out on top."
Looking ahead to 2025
Asked about their plans for the 2025 event season, everyone is getting ready for the Club Spec classes to grow and become more competitive.
"Next season will be more of the same, campaigning the Mustang in local events, a handful of nearby National Time Trials and Solo events, and I hope to be able to make it to both Solo and Time Trials Nationals."
Mike King has similar plans for his CSX Mazda. "For 2025, I will be running multiple National Time Trials events as well as Solo Nationals again in the car,” he says.
Mark Pilson has similar goals, with a focus on Time Trials and Hill Climb events. "I'm not sure if I will run the Mustang at Solo Nationals in 2025, but I do plan to continue to run it at HillClimbs and Time Trials," he says.
With exposure at Solo Nationals and the upcoming Time Trials Nationals, Club Spec is sure to make an impression on competitors looking for an affordable, easy-to-build competition car using either the Mustang GT or MX-5 Miata.
Photos by Jeff Loewe
