Author: Rocky Entriken

(from scca.com)

The SCCA Women on Track Road Racing Drivers’ School Scholarship presents two recipients with $1,000 scholarships each to attend an SCCA competition Drivers’ School. This year’s recipients are Reagan Thomas and Olivia Hammac.

At just 16-years old, St Louis Region member Olivia Hammac has seemingly done it all. “I got my first kart for Christmas when I was 7½-years old,” she said. “I started autocrossing with the SCCA Hawaii Region. My parents sent me to every driving school offered by Hawaii Region. I was even voted by the membership as [Hawaii Region] Driver of the Year in 2016. We then moved to Florida in 2017 and I became a member of the [Central Florida Region]. My dad started me in wheel-to-wheel racing in Florida as well.”

Hammac is also a two-time SCCA Solo Nationals winner, taking the last Junior B kart class in 2019  — the only female ever to win a Junior Kart class  before the Junior Driver program was shut down, and the Super Street Ladies championship last year in a Lotus Evora.

https://www.scca.com/articles/2018151-scca-women-on-track-announces-7-scholarship-recipients

Oklahoma Region’s Jim Duea pairs with Milwaukee Region’s Jim Crittenden to win USRRC in Pensylvania and New Jersey.
https://www.scca.com/articles/2017888-its-a-usrrc-hat-trick-for-duea-crittenden

MiDiv’s National Tour series champions are Olivia Hammac (St. Louis) in SSL, Emily Skoglund (St. Louis) in ESL, Brent Schneekloth (Nebraska) in STU, and Mason McGavock (Ozark Mountain) in XB,
https://www.scca.com/articles/2017994-43-drivers-earn-2023-solo-national-tour-points-championships
The perfect score from a driver’s best three events is 300 points, which both Hammac and Skoglund achieved. Hammac won at the Lincoln, NE, Spring Nationals, at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago and at the final event in Moultrie, GA. Skoglund won at Grissom Aeroplex in Peru, IN, at Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway, and at Route 66 Raceway.
Schneekloth scored 299.12 points with wins at Lincoln and Chicago. McGavock scored 231.75 points with a win at Family Arena, St. Charles. MO.

May 11-12 – @ Hedge Hollow Raceway (with MidAm Races) CANCELLED
June 1-2 – @ Ozarks International Raceway (with Majors races)
July 6-7 – @ High Plains Raceway (with Majors races)
Aug. 10-11 – @ Motorsports Park Hastings (with Enduro races)
Sep. 21 – @ I-29 Speedway (One-day event)
Nov. 9 – @ Hallett Motor Racing Circuit [2X points] –Tentative–

Midwest Division SCCA has decided to end its reserved car number program as of the 2024 road racing season .
Because of duplication by SCCA’s Majors reserved numbers, interest in the MiDiv program has declined to less than 30% of what it was 10 years ago, to where it barely covers the cost of the program.
In addition, all MiDiv races are now Majors races, for which the Majors car numbers take precedence.
Drivers seeking to reserve a preferred car number may do so by registering for the 2024 SCCA Majors Tour in the Mid-States Conference (or any conference of their choice) at https://www.scca.com/pages/majors-2 and click on “2024 Majors Registration.”
Schedules (see Calendar) and points standings (under Programs) will continue to be found here on the MiDiv website.

Final VROOM points are posted under the Volunteers tab.
What is VROOM — Very Respected Officials Of MiDiv? It is a rewards program for race workers supported by the drivers. Check under the Volunteers tab to find your points score and ways in which you can use your points, from apparel and swag to paying your entry fee to the MiDiv Convention.

Midwest Division SCCA annual convention is set for Feb. 23-25 in Topeka, KS.
Will be at the Hotel Topeka in City Center, 1717 SW Topeka Blvd. Phone (800) 579-7937
Rooms for $99/night, includes breakfast. Mention you’re there for the convention. 

Friday evening welcome party
Saturday business sessions including town hall and MiDiv Executive Committee meeting (open to all)
Saturday evening banquet and MiDiv Awards
Sunday morning wrapup sessions including Stewards/DAs meeting.

Anatoly Arutunoff, a former H Production national champion racing  Morgan, and the builder of what is now MiDiv’s oldest track, Hallett Motor Racing Circuit west of Tulsa, OK, has been named to the SCCA Hall of Fame.
https://www.scca.com/articles/2017935-scca-hall-of-fame-class-of-2024-announced
Toly’s formal induction will take place at the 2024 SCCA National Convention. The virtual convention will be able to be seen by anyone at no cost. More information to be released at a later date.

Three MiDiv drivers came out of the SCCA RallyCross Nationals as repeat national champions Oct. 7-8 at Heartland Motorsports Park.
Tim Thompson, Wichita Region won Stock AWD in a Ford Focus RS, and Jim Rowland, Ozark Mountain Region, won Prepared FWD in a Nissan Sentra SE-R. Both also won the same classes last year.
Mark Hill, Kansas Region, won Prepared AWD in his Mitsubishi Evo IX for the fourth time.
SCCA’s report is HERE.

Nine Midwest Division drivers won their class at the 2023 Tire Rack SCCA National Solo Championships Sept. 5-8 in Lincoln, NE.

Olivia Hammac, St. Louis – Super Street Ladies, Lotus Evora (2nd championship)
Sue Eckles, Nebraska – A Street Ladies, Corvette Z06 (8)
Theresa Walton, Salina – E Street Ladies, Mazda Miata (1)
Ron Williams, Kansas – G Street, Honda Civic Si (10)
Mason Herrick, Nebraska – Solo Spec Coupe, Scion FR-S (7)
Brent Schneekloth, Nebraska – Street Touring Ultra, Mitsubishi Evo IX RS (1)
Ali Wilson, Nebraska – Street Touring Roadster Ladies, Mazda Miata (1)
Elizabeth Whitworth, Nebraska – Classic American Muscle Contemporary Ladies, Mustang (1)
Chris Edens, Arkansas – Xtreme Street B, Mazda Miata (1)
Briget Sawatsky, Nebraska — D Modified Ladies, Lotus Elan (1)

Record Book:
Ron Williams joined a list of five drivers standing 10th on the list of most championships (Men) with his 10th victory.
Total Championships by Division, MiDiv stands fifth with 276.
Most Championships by MiDiv drivers: this year’s 10 champions ties for our best year (with 2004, 1988, 1986).
This is the 14th time the Nationals have been held at Lincoln Airpark, the most at any single site.
It is also the 14th time in Lincoln, NE, tying Topeka, KS, for second-most in any one city (one behind Salina, KS)

The Golden Circle:
This year marked the 50th Running of the Solo Nationals, and celebrated seven drivers who have competed in all 50, five of whom are MiDiv drivers. The seven 100%ers, inaugurated as the charter members of the Golden Circle, are, from left:
Rocky Entriken, Salina; George and Dee Schweikle, Central Kentucky; Susan Anderson, Southern Illinois; Rick Ruth, St. Louis; Dick Berger, Kansas City, and Charlie Clark, Kansas City.

Added to the Silver Circle (competed in 25 Nationals) were Jim French, Wichita; Frank Wietharn, Kansas, and Dave Whitworth Jr., Nebraska.

Enduro