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05-11-2018, 08:06 PM

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senor honda

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Watch for the next one!
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05-15-2018, 11:25 AM

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senor honda

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Hello again fellow car enthusiast Just a quick email to let you know SCCA has 2 autocrosses coming up and would appreciate your sharing this info with your members.
Gainsville is this weekend and registration is still open. I personally have never run at this site but am told that it is a ,a small track and a lot of fun.
The next event is a two day autocross at Brooksville. Saturday is a test and tune and Sunday is a points event. I have run there several times and the surface is concrete, which makes me even look like a good driver. The only problem is you must register 10 days in advance of the event because of security reasons. So I apologize for the short notice and will try to get information to you in a more timely matter.
Gainsville May 20

Brooksville May 26 and 27
Complete schedule------> http://www.cfrsolo2.com/
Thank you and hope to see you there,Richard

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05-17-2018, 06:54 AM

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Future SCCA Runoffs class criteria established

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By: SCCA

Planning for the potential expansion of Runoffs-eligible classes in the Summit Racing Equipment SCCA Road Racing program, Sports Car Club of America’s Board of Directors approved a process by which classes would be selected for future National Championship Runoffs events. The new process will provide each class an opportunity to guarantee its invitation based on its respective entry total over the previous two seasons.
Beginning in 2019, any Runoffs-eligible class averaging 4.0 cars per event over the two previous U.S. Majors Tour and Runoffs seasons will automatically be invited to the Runoffs. Additional classes will be added as venue space and event format allow.
Eric Prill, SCCA Vice President and COO, said this new method provides a clear, understandable and transparent process for participants to have control over their class destiny, should the number of classes and run groups need to be limited at future Runoffs.
“Planning the Runoffs is a delicate balance of providing a championship event, a significant motorsports atmosphere and a quality experience all while being respectful of everyone’s time and resources,” Prill noted. “For Sonoma [2018] and VIR [2019], we have shortened the time commitment by two days total with one fewer test and one fewer qualifying day. But the one thing we have not found a way to solve is the limit of time available in any given day. There is only so much time for on-track activities, and therefore only so many run groups in a day. We were able to manage 969 entries at Indianapolis, but that is very close to capacity and wouldn’t have worked at most facilities. Given the CRB’s initiative to add new SCCA classes that make sense in the motorsports market, we need to prepare for additional growth and how we can manage it at this hallmark event.
“Having this process in place is not an indication that we will need to limit the classes in 2019 or even 2020, but it provides the Club a framework for including classes at the Runoffs, should it be needed,” Prill continued. “Having a process that puts the control of a class’ Runoffs future in the hands of the racers themselves is what the Club is about. And knowing that every entry at these events counts for future Runoffs consideration is valuable information as racers make their plans each season.”
SCCA has developed a tracking system to follow the progress of each class over the two-season period. For the 2019 Runoffs at VIR, the 2017-2018 seasons will determine which classes are guaranteed positions at the Runoffs. With 35 Majors events in 2017 and 34 in 2018, plus the two Runoffs events for those years, a total of 71 events will be counted. To achieve an average of at least 4.0 cars per event, a class will need to total 284 entries over that two-year period. The 2019 Runoffs participation tracker can be viewed online at https://www.crbscca.com/public/runof...fsTracking.php, and will be updated following each Majors and Runoffs event. SCCA will announce the full list of classes for the Runoffs no later than January 1 of that year.
Unlike previous participation-based criteria utilized, the new system does not automatically put a class in a probationary status or exclude it from the Runoffs if it does not meet the number. Additionally, it does not define a finite number of classes eligible for the Runoffs, but rather allows organizers to determine what it can accommodate through class groupings. Prior to the new proposal approved by the Board of Directors at its April meeting, the SCCA Road Racing General Competition Rules section 3.7.4.C stated that “The Road Racing Department, in consultation with the Club Racing Board will determine the number of Runoffs-eligible classes invited to the Runoffs consistent with the event format and venue.”
The revised section 3.7.4.C states: “All classes with a combined two-year event average of at least 4.0 participants in Majors and Runoffs competition will automatically be invited to the following year’s Runoffs. Classes not meeting that criteria may be invited as the event format and venue permits. The Road Racing department, in consultation with the Club Racing Board, will determine and announce by January 1 the Runoffs-eligible classes invited to the next Runoffs consistent with the event format and venue. For example: If the two-year period includes 68 Majors weekends and two Runoffs, for a total of 70 events, a class would need at least 280 participants over that period to average 4.0 per event.”

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05-17-2018, 08:26 AM

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Catching up with SCCA President & CEO Michael Cobb

Images by Philip Royle
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By: Philip Royle | May 15, 2018 6:27 AM

Focus is something Cobb is good at. Jumping between the classroom and seat time during Cal Club’s Driver’s School is hard enough, but Cobb managed it while juggling conversations with Region leaders and other racers interested in chatting with our new president, and not once did I see him miss a beat. It’s also important to note that Cobb didn’t register for the school as the president, he registered as a member, facing the same hurdles as everyone else at this Driver’s School.
“As I went through the entire school endeavor, I found some friction in our own processes; I found some redundancies in getting multiple membership cards, and I found redundancies in communications,” he admits. “You can assume you know what’s going on, but that’s not what I want to do as a leader – I want to go through the experience and understand it, both the opportunities that come with it and the areas where we can improve. I’ve already used that experience in service of the Driver’s School with the team here at the National Office.”
These learning experiences aren’t limited to road racing, either. In his time on the job, Cobb has been educating himself on all aspects of SCCA competition, from RoadRally to RallyCross and beyond, including some of SCCA’s relatively small-yet-complex specialty creations.
“Starting Line is a very good program, but we’ve learned some things in how to best optimize that program going forward,” Cobb says. “Targa Southland is a very good program, too, but it’s also a very complex program to execute at the local level. It doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea, it just means that if you want to take it on, you have to have the game plan, the strategy, the people, the resources, the locations, and the ability to pull it off. Not everybody can do that. So, what we’re trying to do at the National Office is have ideas and conversations from an enterprise point of view and then connect those conversations to the Regional conversations.” Think Chris Robbins and his Region Development team again.

My final questions to Cobb were, perhaps, the most obvious ones – but, as with any question posed to Cobb, his answer revealed more than the question implied. “Was the Driver’s School fun? Will you road race again?” I ask.
“I have to admit, I enjoyed it more than I thought,” he replies, beginning a train of thought about street cars that would make great racecars. But as soon as he starts, he stops, admitting that starting a road racing career wasn’t the reason he came to Buttonwillow.
“For me, I learn by doing and by example and by experience,” he says. “I’ve got to get out there and experience those things in as many communities as I can to really expand my knowledge and understanding of the Club.”
For the record, Cobb beat me to the line during Sunday’s race, albeit by a scant four seconds. This may have been his first shot at this track and this race car, but he showed he makes the best of any situation in a very short time.
Preparation is key

Attending a Driver’s School hosted by one of SCCA’s Regions is stressful enough so don’t add to it unnecessarily. While you may have driven on track before, you’ve probably never raced wheel to wheel, and there’s also a good chance you’ve never piloted a real, bona fide race car, either. Now you’re going to do both while jumping back and forth between the classroom and on-track sessions. Stress will be high, your time will be limited, and keeping concentration is critical. In this situation, pre-event prep is vital.
“[It] is going to be a very busy two days for all of you,” Ceci Smith, office manager for Cal Club Region, wrote in her introductory e-mail to all students of the Driver’s School that Cobb took part in. The Region also supplied a number of tips for the students via a letter from Race Chair Mark Smith, including everything from getting to the event location early to bringing a friend (“You will have little time to work on the car,” the letter said). So, as a student, how do you set yourself up for a successful Driver’s School?
The first step is bringing proper driver safety equipment. In Cobb’s case, while a frequent autocrosser, he had no equipment that would pass driver safety gear inspection at a Club race. As such, Cobb showed up to the track with all new equipment in the form of an SA2015-rated Pyrotect helmet, an SFI/FIA-approved Simpson Hybrid head-and-neck restraint, and Momo fire-resistant clothing in the form of an XL One suit paired with Xtreme Pro gloves and GT Pro shoes (all holding FIA 8856-2000 certification, with the suit also having SFI 3.2a/5 approval).
Driver safety equipment isn’t cheap, but chosen wisely and meticulously maintained, the gear will last for years. In fact, barring an incident, the helmet will be the first to be replaced, and that won’t be for another eight years. Meanwhile, the Momo suit might never need replacing.
The next key component is what was hinted at in Cal Club’s letter: you need a crew and a reliable race car. For Cobb, he was flying to the event and utilizing SportsCar magazine’s editor as crew, so a race car rental would have been perfect. But to keep things interesting, SportsCar contacted Honda Performance Development for use of the racecar Honda debuted at the 2017 PRI Show in Indianapolis.
The HPD Civic we borrowed for Cobb’s use is actually the same race car multi-time SCCA Solo National Champion Tom O’Gorman will be racing this year in the Pirelli World Challenge pro racing series: a new Honda Civic Si. Dubbed a “Spec Civic,” this 1.5L turbo Civic, wearing big brakes and race suspension, has been classed by SCCA’s Club Racing Board in both Touring 2 and Touring 3, with the car also fitting in Super Touring Under. Best of all, the car started with the push of a button every time – fast, reliable, and fun. Perfect for a school.
The next step was tires. The demands of a school weekend are harsh, so we ordered Maxxis Victra RC-1 tires. With a 100 UTQG rating, these Maxxis tires might not be the setup for the fastest ultimate lap, but they do offer both durability and consistency, which are key. Not knowing the car, we started with a square pressure setup, leveling off the pressures around 40psi. The tires never missed a beat and held up well through the school’s 3.5 hours of pounding track time of a tight, twisty course, in addition to the near hour of track time during Sunday’s qualifying session and race.
The moral of the story: only bring equipment to an SCCA Driver’s School that you know will withstand the harsh demands (“I’m exhausted, and I’m not even racing,” SportsCar’s editor was heard saying during the school), because if anything fails during the Driver’s School, well, that would be stressful.

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05-17-2018, 08:29 AM

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[h=1]Catching up with SCCA President & CEO Michael Cobb[/h]

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By: Philip Royle | May 15, 2018 6:27 AM

“There is an analogy from this experience that I think is corollary to the business of the SCCA,” President and CEO of SCCA Mike Cobb explains to me following his Club Racing Driver’s School and wheel-to-wheel racing debut. “I was very strong at the start of the race, and even though I was watching for you in my mirrors, I probably did relax in the middle of the race – that’s when you pounced. But that’s when I got my focus back and I finished strong.”
Keeping focus, he explains, is also vital in his job as the head of the SCCA, especially as new programs are brought online. “Don’t relax, don’t let up, don’t back off,” he states. True words about racing, life, and business, indeed – but maybe this conversation would make more sense to you if I offered some context.
It was early on a crisp February Friday morning when I met up with Cobb at Buttonwillow Raceway Park. We were set for a packed and tiring three days as Cobb was about to launch himself into a completely new world. A lifelong motorsports fan and longtime autocrosser, this weekend was to be Cobb’s first time in a wheel-to-wheel road racing situation.

The weekend was Cal Club Region’s Driver’s School, where, if all went well, Cobb would graduate on Saturday evening, obtain his Full Competition License, and then prep for his first Club race on Sunday. I was at the track to support his endeavor, but as any good crew with a sense of humor would do, I brought a spare race car for myself – you know, to witness his driving skills firsthand come Sunday, hopefully to dog him for an on-track position, too.
This isn’t the first time since June 2017 – the month Cobb took the position of president and CEO of SCCA – that he has tasted what the Club has to offer. Just weeks prior to this Driver’s School, Cobb was standing on Turn 6 at Daytona International Speedway alongside a crew of SCCA workers, flagging the Rolex 24. That experience made him commit to working on his F&C license. His goal, he says, is to experience everything the SCCA has to offer, but if you think he’s just here to have fun, you’ve never met Cobb.
Beneath his humble demeanor and well-timed self-deprecating humor, Cobb is an astute businessman – he may be having fun with cars, but he’s also taking notes and knows how to turn those notes into actionable scenarios.
“The bottom line is, your view of life changes viewing an apex versus driving an apex – at least, it does for me,” Cobb tells me of his recent flagging experience. “If you consume motorsports watching TV and you see a corner station pull out a flag, I don’t think you really understand what that means until you throw a flag yourself and communicate with a driver at speed. That’s a pretty big shift in reality.”
Ultimately, he says, flags are a big responsibility for both sides. “When I’m working a corner, I’m trying to communicate to the driver via telling them the status of the track; when I’m driving, I’m looking to a corner worker to provide me that same communication.”
Interestingly, “communication” was the prevalent concept during two of Cobb’s 2017 SCCA National Convention presentations. “How we closed the Convention was around consideration, communication, and collaboration,” he says. “Those are the three concepts we closed with and, in my experience both working a corner and driving my first road racing car, I learned a little more about consideration, communication, and collaboration by working both sides of the coin.”
Even more on point, Cobb admits, he didn’t come up with these comments for the Convention alone. “Those comments actually came from a Regional executive who said to me, ‘Michael, if you want to make an impact, and the SCCA wants to do a better job, I would ask you to do these three things. I would ask you to consider us, I would ask you to communicate more effectively with us, and I would ask you to do those things more consistently.’ I said, ‘That’s great, Mr. Region Leader, but I would like to add one thing: Can we collaborate doing those things?’”
Collaboration, Cobb explains, is a one-plus-one-equals-three proposition – the sum is greater than its parts. “That’s how we can harness the power of the knowledge and experience,” he says. “And this is where the Region Development team and Chris Robbins came about.”
Robbins was hired January of this year as the Club’s Region Development Director. Constantly sporting a big grin and a can-do attitude, Robbins is a familiar face to SCCA Convention attendees as he has presented many times over the years; and now, Robbins, along with his newly created department and team at the SCCA National Office, has an interesting charge – one I didn’t completely understand, so I asked Cobb to elaborate.
“Let’s be very clear: Chris Robbins is not a Region cop sent from the National Office to police Regional activities,” Cobb says. “Chris is a very collaborative and effective team and relationship builder, and an outstanding trainer. His primary mission is to represent the portfolio of the Club and to better present those to the Regions so that the Regions are aware of them. He’s not there to mandate performance or adoption of the programs.”
Part of Robbins’ job will be to act as a conduit of success stories. “Through this journey, he will find best practices, and his job will be to share those best practices, not only across the Regions, but also back to the National Office so that we can build those best practices in Nationally, because they’re already proven and in market. I’m pretty excited about that.”
Robbins and his Region Development team will then work with Jeff Luckritz and SCCA’s Leadership Academy to take that knowledge back to the Regions. What is the ultimate goal? To Cobb, it’s not so much a goal as it is forwarding SCCA’s mission. “At the Convention, I didn’t present a theme, I presented a mission: We exist to fuel a safe, fun, and exciting motorsports experience for auto enthusiasts,” he says.
A mission, Cobb explains to me, is what an organization shows up to do every day. “The mission I presented is a declaration of SCCA’s core focus. It’s inexplicably woven in to improve and deliver our core purpose. That’s what we’re focused on.”

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06-05-2018, 02:33 AM

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If you read this, you are invited. lol
Event coverage is here
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06-17-2018, 10:59 PM

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Merrill and Bupp share Trans Am TA2 honors at Indy

Merrill and Bupp share Trans Am TA2 honors at Indy

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By: Trans Am June 16, 2018 6:33 PM Jordan Bupp and Thomas Merrill secured TA2 wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as representatives from the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli and the Trans Am West Coast Championship, with both competitions coming together for the TA2 class exclusive Berryman Muscle Car Challenge.In the hectic final moments of the 42-lap, 102.06-mile competition, Thomas Merrill, in the No. 81 Big Diehl Racing Ford Mustang, emerged first overall and with the TA2 West Coast Victory, while Jordan Bupp, in the No. 81 Bupp Motorsports Ford Mustang, secured honors atop TA2’s primary championship for his first career win.“I can’t believe it,” said Merrill. “Coming to Indianapolis is a special thing, the only thing better is coming with your friends. For me that’s Big Diehl Racing; Richard Diehl, Tim, Chris, Brian; our crew, they built me a hell of a car. The Mike Cope chassis combined with a Lee Schwartz engine, it’s a great package. It certainly wasn’t easy, and those last few laps weren’t easy— but we did it.”“It feels amazing to bring home this result,” said Bupp. “It’s incredible to do so at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; I had a great run today and was able to save the car for the end. All these TA2 races, all that maters is being there at the end. I was fortunate enough to take advantage and I couldn’t be happier. Thank you to my crew, my family, Trans Am and Pirelli; it’s just awesome.”Merrill was joined on the TA2 West Coast podium by teammate Richard Diehl, in the No. 18 Big Diehl Racing Ford Mustang, and David Smith, in the No. 5 Shockwave Suspension Seating Chevrolet Camaro, finishing second and third, respectively. For both Diehl and Smith the podium finishes represent career firsts.Finishing second to Bupp in the primary TA2 championship was Scott Lagasse Jr., in the No. 95 SLR/ Fields Racing Chevrolet Camaro, securing the first podium finish of his Trans Am career in his 10th start. Tony Buffomante, in the No. 34 Mike Cope Ford Mustang, ended the day third for his fourth podium of the season.The race began with points leader Rafa Matos on pole in the No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Chevrolet Camaro, with Scott Lagasse, in the No. 95 SLR/ Fields Racing Chevrolet Camaro, alongside. Lagasse passed Matos on the start before the entry into Turn 1, with Merrill overtaking Matos as well, moving into third.Matos would regain his position atop the charts on Lap 5, overtaking Lagasse and eventually building a lead that nearly spanned 20 full seconds by the 30th lap when the field underwent the race’s only full-course caution, reeling the No. 88 back in to the rest of the field.On the 35th lap restart, officials ruled that Matos accelerated before the green flag was shown and was issued a drive through penalty, with Scott Lagasse inheriting the lead.The final laps saw Lagasse, Merrill and Buffomante, running nose-to-tail, with Buffomante overtaking Merrill and settling into pursuit of Lagasse on the final lap. Contact on that lap between the No. 34 of Buffomante and the No. 95 of Lagasse saw the No. 95 spin, and while Buffomante passed the checkered flag in first position officials assessed him a 10-second penalty for avoidable contact.Bupp, who had driven up from 14th starting position, and Merrill were the beneficiaries of the ruling, securing their respective first place finishes. Rafa Matos, having since made up ground following his own penalty overtook Lagasse as well before he finally righted the No. 95 and crossed the finish line.Following technical inspection the No. 88 of Matos was excluded from results for non-compliance, Trans Am Rule Book Article 14.1.1 and Addendum A.2.1 – Restrictor, while the Coleman Motorsports team was fined $10,000, of which $7,500 was suspended.The penalty to Buffomante would move the No. 34 behind Lagasse, creating the provisional top three finishing order of Bupp, Lagasse and Buffomante.Tom Sheehan, in the No. 97 LTK Insulation Technologies Chevrolet Camaro, and Keith Prociuk, in the No. 9 HP Tuners Chevrolet Camaro, completed the top five. Finishing in the top ten, in order, were Ethan Wilson, Curt Vogt, Matt Parent, Anthony Honeywell and Doug Peterson.

TA, TA3 and TA4 class qualifying

Immediately following the TA2 race, Trans Am’s TA, TA3 and TA4 classes took to the track for qualifying sessions in preparation for tomorrow’s Berryman Trans American, a 42-lap, 102.06-mile race to be held at 3:15 PM ET.Paul Fix, in the No. 4 StopFlex/ Classic Tube Ford Mustang, topped the charts for the TA class with a 1m26.889s lap to secure his 14th career pole in his first Trans Am appearance since the season’s opening round at Sebring International Raceway where Fix also captured pole but later saw mechanical issues bring his day to an early close.Now, Fix returns with that same pace in-hand, ready to add to a Trans Am resume that includes 11 wins, 21 podium finishes and 14 poles across 66 starts.“Indy is a real special place,” said Fix. “The Brickyard is one of those you want to tick off the bucket list, and we’re well on our way. Tony Ave has provided a fantastic car for me; and if we can carry this momentum, hopefully we can see a win tomorrow. It’s going to be another hot day, and we’re going to have to play it as it comes. We want to lead and command the race and that means adapting and adjusting strategy as we go.”Starting alongside Fix will be Trans Am veteran David Pintaric, in the No. 57 Kryderacing Cadillac CTS-V, who turned a 1m26.950s lap of his own. Pintaric has a history of success at IMS, securing the SCCA GT-1 National Championship and a second place in Trans Am competition here in 2017.Making his first Trans Am start since 2005, Boris Said, in the No. 21 SRI Performance/Weaver Dodge Challenger, will start in third position after a 1m26.992s lap, just edging that of Lawrence Loshak, in the No. 4 Pennzoil/ ETE/ GoShare Chevrolet Camaro, with a 1m27.036s qualifying effort.Tomy Drissi, in the No. 8 GoShare Chevrolet Camaro, completed the TA class qualifying top five with a 1m26.889s.Notably absent in the session was points leader and defending TA class champion Ernie Francis Jr., away in NASCAR K&N East Competition at New Jersey Motorsports Park, who will start tomorrow’s race from the back of the 16-car TA class field.Mark Boden, in the No. 46 Fall-Line Motorsports Porsche 991 GT3, secured his second consecutive IMS pole with a 1m30.904s, breaking his own qualifying track record of 1m31.505s set last year.Tim Kezman, in the No. 44 Fall-Line Motorsports Porsche 991 GT3 Cup, who turned a 1:31.480, secured the Fall-Line team sweep of the starting front row.Indianapolis area resident Aaron Pierce, in the No. 04 LSI/Sam Pierce Chevrolet Corvette, qualified third in class with a 1m32.430s, while Cindi Lux, in the No. 45 Lux Performance Dodge Viper, and Tom Herb, in the No. 16 Fall-Line Motorsports Porsche 991 GT3 Cup, completed the TA3 top five with times of 1m32.430s and 1m32.547s, respectively.In the TA4 class, debutant Warren Dexter, in the No. 61 Joe’s Hand Cleaner Ginetta G55, dominated the qualifying session with a 1m33.533s, over two seconds faster than Dane Jorgenson-Smith who was second quick in class with a 1m36.179s from behind the wheel of the No. 28 Bob Smith Motors Ford Mustang.Teammates Bill Baten, in the No. 38 Priority Communications Chevrolet Camaro, and Todd Napieralski, in the No. 39 Chevrolet Performance Chevrolet Camaro, qualified third and fourth with times of 1m36.234s and 1m37.008s; while Joe Bogetich complete the class with a 1m38.275s.Trans Am partners on the weekend with the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, holding its Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational. Both Trans Am races this weekend will be showcased in a CBS Sports Network broadcast on July 1 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

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06-17-2018, 11:02 PM

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Surprises at Hoosier Super Tour's Road America weekend

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By: SCCA June 16, 2018 5:54 PM
The 63rd consecutive running of the WeatherTech Chicago Region June Sprints at Road America, part of the 2018 Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour, began Saturday with eight different race groups taking to the historic track. Action on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit produced a lot of excitement for spectators, and 28 class winners were lauded by the end of racing on day one.

Saturday’s 25-minute races produced a few surprise endings. Take, for instance, the Touring 2 (T2) class that was part of the day’s first race group. Aaron Kaplan stepped out to an early lead in his BMW M3, was ahead of the field by several seconds, and looked as if he had a T2 victory in the bag. He was first to take the white flag to begin the final lap, but it was Jack Kachadurian in the No. 85 Fall-Line/The Kachadurian Group Porsche 996 Carrera who was first to reach the finish line for victory.

“Didn’t have a great qualifying session, just didn’t have the car together,” Kachadurian admitted after the win. “Qualified seventh, bided our time, picked guys off one at a time, and then I was trying to run down Aaron Kaplan at the end of the race.

“I’m not sure exactly what happened to Aaron,” Kachadurian continued, “but he slowed up at The Kink and I was able to get by. You just got to keep pushing, keep the car dialed, don’t try to over-drive it, and you never know what can happen.”

A similar occurrence took place later in the day during the Prototype 1 (P1) race. There, Jason Miller moved to the lead at the start and was showing good pace in his WynnFurst racecar. Meanwhile, Jim Devenport opened the race back in third, moved to second about midway through the event, and then began to close the gap to Miller. The last lap began with Miller holding the top spot, but ended with Devenport’s No. 23 Cranbrook Group Norma M20FC taking the checkered flag first for the win.

“I could see I was catching Jason a little bit, and I know his car is a little on the ‘fragile’ side,” Devenport said just before heading to the victory podium. “Going down into Canada Corner, sure enough he blew up. I feel bad for him, he ran a good race and was clearly the fastest car. But we ended up with a win and it’s a gratifying victory.”

On any given Hoosier Super Tour weekend, the Formula Vee (FV) race can end with a surprise. The drivers are so talented and cars so evenly matched that the class frequently produces some very exciting races. Saturday at Road America was no exception as Andrew Whitston took the lead at the start, but was hounded the entire race by six-time Runoffs Champion Michael Varacins. With only a couple laps remaining, Varacins moved his Speed Sport AM-5 to the front past Whitston and had the lead when the white flag soared. But it was Whitston, in the No. 12 Rocket Motors/Subway/Hoosier Protoform P2, who got to the finish line .007-seconds ahead of Varacins.

“Me and Mike were nose-to-tail the whole time,” Whitston said about the race. “We were just stuck to each other, so I planned out a strategy. Last lap, I was in second coming to the end and I knew that was the place to be. I got him right at the line. That’s how Road America races. You definitely want to be coming out of turn 14 in second place if you’re in a Formula Vee.”

Saturday ended with BBQ pork and chicken at the All Participant party, and a ride in the two-seater IndyCar was given away. Also, June Sprints Grand Marshal Peter Cunningham, a member of the SCCA Hall of Fame, shared a story about the first time he raced at the June Sprints, which had a rocky ending. This year’s competitors will try to avoid a similar fate when racing resumes from Road America Sunday at 9 a.m. Central Time for a second day of WeatherTech Chicago Region June Sprints competition. Follow all the action live at www.scca.com/live.

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06-18-2018, 05:34 PM

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2020 SCCA Runoffs return to Road America

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By: SCCA June 15, 2018 10:52 AM Continuing the recent tradition of moving the Sports Car Club of America annual national championship to a different region of the country each year, the SCCA announced today that the Runoffs will return in 2020 to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, and Road America’s beautiful 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit.The 57th SCCA National Championship Runoffs is scheduled to take place Oct. 5-11, 2020, at the storied track located midway between Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Runoffs last visited the Midwest in 2017 during a record-breaking event that included nearly 1,000 entries and took place on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Previously, the Runoffs called Road America “home” from 2009 to 2013, noted SCCA Vice President/COO Eric Prill. Since the last Road America Runoffs, the facility has continued to develop in multiple ways.“Some of the most memorable races in SCCA history have occurred at Road America, a track that requires a blend of car performance, skill and courage,” Prill said. “We look forward to returning in the fall of 2020 to beautiful Elkhart Lake. From the new Paddock Shop to new restroom and shower locations, and a new trail allowing access to fantastic spectating from The Kink to Canada Corner, Road America continues to enhance the participant, worker and fan experience.”Mike Kertscher, Road America’s senior vice president, also noted the venue’s long history with the Sports Car Club of America. The track has continually hosted the WeatherTech Chicago Region June Sprints since 1956, an event that once helped determine SCCA Road Racing Champions prior to creation of the Runoffs. That makes the June Sprints one of the longest, consecutively held road races in the United States.“The SCCA Runoffs symbolizes the true essence of sports car racing,” Kertscher said. “Road America has hosted the SCCA Runoffs for many years and we are very pleased to see it return to America’s National Park of Speed at a time of year when the fall colors seem to dance around the beautiful race cars and the mild weather creates the perfect conditions for exceptional racing. The SCCA is one of the cornerstones of Road America’s history, plus it is a great platform for amateur road racers and we are proud to be a part of the crowning of National Champions.”The Runoffs, which caps the Summit Racing Equipment SCCA Road Racing program each year, has evolved into what is now commonly agreed to be the pinnacle of American motorsports. Since 1964, the SCCA has crowned National Champions through the winner-take-all, single race Runoffs format. Currently, the Runoffs crowns national champions across 28 separate classes. Racing is preceded by a handful of test days, followed by multi-day qualifying to identify Tire Rack Pole Award winners.While the SCCA looks forward to the 57th Runoffs at Road America in 2020, racers are currently qualifying for the 2018 Runoffs being held for the first time ever October 16-21 at Sonoma Raceway in California. In 2019, the Runoffs are scheduled to make a first-ever visit to VIRginia International Raceway October 8-13, 2019, at the venue located along the border of Virginia and North Carolina.About the Sports Car Club of America:
The Sports Car Club of America, Inc., founded in 1944, is a 67,500-member motorsports organization that incorporates all facets of autocross, rally and road racing at both Club and professional levels. With headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, the SCCA annually sanctions over 2,000 events through its 116 Regions and subsidiary divisions. Much of the SCCA’s activities are made possible with support from the following Official Partners: Chevrolet, the Official Truck of the SCCA; Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of SCCA; Mobil 1, the Official Oil of SCCA; Sunoco, the Official Fuel of SCCA; and Tire Rack, the Official Tire Retailer of SCCA. To learn more, please visit www.scca.com.About Road America:
Established in 1955, Road America is located midway between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for 60 years. The 640-acre, park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, fantastic concessions and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers a variety of group event programs, the CTECH Manufacturing Motorplex for karting and supermoto, and the Road America Motorcycle and Advanced Driving Schools. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on www.facebook.com/RoadAmerica and on Twitter: @roadamerica or call 800-365-7223.

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07-17-2018, 03:43 AM

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SportsCar continues to reach deep into an audience of doers within the SCCA

SportsCar continues to reach deep into an audience of doers within the SCCA

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By: RACER Staff 19 hours ago Every few years the Sports Car Club of America conducts an in-depth and wide-ranging survey of its members. As the official publication of the SCCA, SportsCar magazine’s audience demographic profile is derived from the results. While most categories held steady in the most recent survey conducted at the end of 2017, several areas key to advertiser objectives show gains over the prior survey from 2014. Indeed, 62 percent of of SCCA members own at least one competition car; nine percent own at least three.

Keeping up with a vibrant national economic picture, SCCA members with a household income over $125,000 increased by three points to 45 percent. That could explain the increase in spending for after-market race car parts and accessories.Compared to 2014, SCCA members in 2017 bought more brake calipers and rotors (62 percent vs 57 percent); ignition systems (67 percent vs 21 percent); mufflers/headers (67 percent vs 36 percent); shocks, springs and other suspension components (71percent vs 52 percent); and wheels (70 percent vs 45 percent). Overall, 33 percent reported spending over $3000 per year on aftermarket parts and accessories for their race cars in 2017. With 62 percent of members owning at least one competition car, and 31% owning two or more, SCCA members are driving a large economy of parts purchasing.In a particular bright spot for SportsCar magazine, 56 percent of respondents say that they have learned about a brand or product they were not previously familiar with through an ad in SportsCar. Moreover, 38 percent say that they have added a new brand to their consideration list due to an ad in SportsCar, and 65% report visiting an advertiser’s website. These questions were not asked in the 2014 survey.With six issues still to fulfill in 2018, and in particular with SCCA members gearing up for the Solo Nationals and National Championship Runoffs, the time is right to connect your product or service with this enthusiastic band of consumers.

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