While frustrated drivers swerved and halted in Coliseum Boulevard’s notorious traffic Sunday afternoon, Jason Massey decided to embrace those nerve-wracking moments in a nearby parking lot.
At highway-level speeds, the solo director of Fort Wayne’s Sports Car Club of America whipped through an obstacle course outside Memorial Coliseum, weaving through an orange-cone slalom, carving into narrow curves and finally screeching to an abrupt standstill.
For the nearly 90 drivers registered at Sunday’s Subaru Acura Solo Event No. 6, these maneuvers didn’t warrant the exasperated grunts commonplace on the city’s busiest artery. Instead, the adrenaline junkies – some traveling from as far as Detroit – found gleeful satisfaction.
“It really helps you become a better driver,” said Tom Miller, the Fort Wayne SCCA’s director at large. “You really become more aware of your surroundings.”
The term “solo” refers to what is commonly called autocross, a form of driving competition that stresses safe participation above cutthroat racing. Each driver completes the obstacle course by himself, aiming for the fastest time with the fewest errors, such as toppling one of the cones.
Massey echoed Miller’s realization, describing the all-day attraction as not just a timed contest but an educational opportunity.
“The beauty of it is that we always PR the event as a driving-skill event,” Massey said before ducking into a padded helmet for his last run of the day. “Learning that precision – if you were to ever get your car out of balance, you’re prepared for it.”
Both Massey and Miller agreed their autocross experience has proved vital in a few close calls, whether it be regaining control after dodging a deer or executing a split-second lane change.
The point of Sunday’s obstacle course, Massey said, is to “run the car at optimum conditions” through various segments that test different abilities.
Miller added the day’s lessons can hopefully be applied to real-life, “emergency street situations.”
“I’ve had a lot of people tell me, ‘Man, if I hadn’t done autocross, I wouldn’t have been so lucky,’ ” Massey recalled.
Despite the emphasis on practical payoff, he said Sunday’s event still included a competitive aspect.
More than two dozen trophies were awarded in car classes based on whether an automobile is fully modified, partially modified or a stock model.
Chuck McMillion, a 30-year-old forklift technician from Akron, Ohio, finished in 56.939 seconds, one of the day’s most impressive feats, according to his fellow drivers.
“We’re always pushing each other,” McMillion said. “We were just saying if everybody hated each other, there’d be no fun in it.”
Massey agreed the sports car club community plays a significant role in the event’s success.
“Being the director of the show, it’s kind of a hard to drive,” he said. “But a lot of guys are like, ‘Hey, drive my car. You can drive my car.’ ”
Anxiously rocking in a fold-up chair beside his helmet, Jake Rhodes demonstrated a similar zeal Sunday afternoon as he waited his turn from the spectator section. The 28-year-old driver from Syracuse admitted he was registered for the thrill just as much for the skill.
“I just want to go out there and romp a little,” Rhodes said as his start time inched closer.
Sunday marked the Fort Wayne club’s sixth solo event of the year, usually billed as the group’s flagship contest because of its prominent location, Massey said.
The next solo competition is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 24 and 25 at the Fort Wayne International Airport, according to the Fort Wayne SCCA website.
