2013 News

2013 Wednesday May 22: Big USRRC Seniors Tour Feature Historic Races Presented By Victory Lane Magazine Are Set To Celebrate The 50th Anniversary Of This Great Pro Road Racing Series: Sunday July 7, With SOVREN At Pacific Raceways, And Sunday September 22 With HSR At Road Atlanta

The USRRC Seniors Tour Features are for pre-1966 Sports Racing and GT/Production Sports Cars. This salutes the first years 1963-1965, of the United States Road Racing Championship when both types ran together. Each USRRC-Seniors Tour Race has over and under 2 liter class award for both types, as well as special awards for all entrants.

Early entrants will be listed on the USRRC Seniors Tour T-Shirt and poster. Some will have photos on the poster.

USRRC Seniors Tour entrants call Victory Lane Motorsport Marketing Pam Shatraw 650-321-1411 (CA).

2013 Wednesday May 8: Auto Enthusiasts, On-Track Participants, Vintage Racers, Concours Participants And Car Collectors Are Invited To The Monthly San Francisco Bay Area Auto Enthusiasts And Racers Lunch On May 15, For A Roundtable Discussion, “The Vintage Car Scene: Past, Present And Future.”

Members and representatives form Bay Area vintage racing clubs, marque clubs, restoration and race prep shops, concours and media will be present and discussing this interesting subject. All attendees are welcome to join in this roundtable discussion. It all happens at AutoVino, 205 Constitution Drive, Menlo Park, California. AutoVino is a auto lifestyle facility located near the intersection of Interstate 101 and Marsh Road.

These monthly lunches and gatherings happen the third Wednesday of each month. Bench racing starts at 11:30, lunch 12:00 noon. The program and discussion is from 12:30 to about 1:15. Tickets are $20 by advance RSVP. Call Pam Shatraw 650-321-1411 (CA).

2013 Tuesday February 5: Urgent Notice To Racers And Motorsport Sanctioning Bodies From SFI: Non Flame Resistant Racing Suits Being Sold

Mike Hurst, Technical Manager SFI Foundation, Inc., has issued an important safety notice. It has been brought to the attention of the SFI Foundation that certain driver protective suits being manufactured and distributed into the marketplace present a unique and serious threat to the safety of the drivers.

These suits incorporate an outer layer of material that is neither flame nor heat resistant, and will melt at relatively low temperatures. These suits are commonly identified by the nature of their graphics, which are achieved by a process called dye sublimation. Rather than using more traditional graphic methods such as patches attached to, or embroidery sewn into the suit, this process provides for complex and vivid graphics, which are actually imbedded directly into the outer material layer.

Dye sublimation is currently being used on synthetic materials (e.g. Nylon, Cordura, and Polyester) that have little or no fire or heat resistant properties. Dye sublimated synthetic driver suits have been distributed for use in motorsport disciplines in which the sanctioning bodies have no minimum standards for driver protective clothing.

Currently there are no participants in the SFI Specification 3.2A programs using approved materials incorporating the dye sublimation process. Nylon Cordura, or Polyester driver suit layers or panels, with or without dye sublimation, are not certified or identified by the manufacturer as meeting SFI Spec 3.2A, or any other accepted industry wide standard.

Should technical inspectors or scrutineers observe a driver suit which incorporates the dye sublimation graphic process and / or Nylon, Cordura or Polyester panels or layers, the driver should be made aware of the potential danger of wearing such a suit in competition, and should be directed to contact the manufacturer immediately.

Please note that Racewear Manufacturing/Awesome Racewear has previously manufactured and sold dye-sublimated race suits that fully met SFI Spec 3.2A, and the certification of those suits remain valid. Info: SFI, 15708 Pomerado Road, Suit N208, Poway, CA 92064. Call 858-451-8868 or fax 858-451-9268 or visit http://www.sfifoundation.com/

2012 Friday September 7: The 50th Anniversary Of The United States Road Racing Championship Of 1963-1968, SCCA’s First Pro Series, Will Be Celebrated In 2013. USRRC Seniors Tour Feature Races For Sports Racing And GT/ Production Cars Will Be Held On Legendary Road Circuits Across America.

The USRRC Seniors Tour feature races have been held on vintage and historic racing weekends since 1990. These races salute the 1963-1968 series, when grids included both Modifieds (now called Sports Racers) and Production GT Sports Cars. The Modified drivers raced in two classes ¬– over and under two-liter – for a Drivers Championship, while the Production GT Cars raced for a Manufactures Championship. All the great teams and drivers raced in those early years, between 1963-1965, before the series became a Sports Racer only series from 1966-1968.

It was a huge shock in late 1962 when SCCA announced a pro USRRC Series beginning in 1963. The races attracted large grids, sponsors and manufacturers. Carroll Shelby’s organization swept both championships in 1963. Team driver Bob Holbert won the Drivers Championship with points accumulated in a King Cobra and a Porsche Spider. The Cobra was the Manufacturers champion.

The USRRC Seniors Tour invites all cars who ran or could have run the 1963-1965 period of the series to register and receive regular newsletters and entrant info for the big 50th anniversary USRRC Seniors Tour Feature Races in 2013.

Call Pam Shatraw, Events Manager 650-321-1411 (CA) or email ads@victorylane.com

2012 Thursday September 6: The United States Road Racing Championship Of 1963-1968 Is Saluted By A USRRC Sports Racing Grid At The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, August 17-19. It Has 40 Quick Significant, Legendary Entries And Is A Preliminary To The 50th Anniversary USRRC Celebrations Across North America In 2013 By The USRRC Seniors Tour.

The world of road racing was shook up when the formally staunchly amateur Sports Car Club of America announced the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) pro road racing series in late 1962 for a Drivers Championship in Sports Racing Cars and a Manufactures Championship in Grand Touring Cars beginning in 1963. There had been, over the last few years, limited pro road races at Riverside, Laguna Seca, Mosport, Bridgehampton and Sebring. These races were sanctioned by CASC, USAC or FIA, but now the largest road racing club, SCCA, in North America put its resources behind building a world-class road racing series for Sports Cars.

Lining up for this series were top teams and drivers for the prototype and modified Car Drivers Championship and the racing oriented auto manufactures for the Manufacture’s Championship. The modified, later called Sports Racing, cars in the early years included those from Shelby, Chaparral, Lotus, Elva, McLaren, Genie, McKee, Lola, Ferrari, Maserati and more in both over and under 2 liter classes. The Production Cars included those from Jaguar, Corvette, Ferrari, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Maserati and other FIA GT car makers. The GT category was dropped after the 1965 season.

This Sports Racing USRRC grid at The August Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion has a great selection of the types of racing cars that competed in the USRRC from 1963-1968. In the Saturday afternoon race there will be Lotus 23s, Elva 7s, Lola T70, McLaren M1’s & M1B’s, Genie Mk 10s, also a Porsche 910, Brabham BT8, Shelby King Cobra, McLaren 6B, Merlyn Mk6, Bobsy Porsche SR-3 and Lotus 19.

It should be an exciting race with the under 2 liter cars from Lotus, Elva, Merlyn playing giant killer to the big V8 powered cars from McLaren, Lola and Genie.

2012 Wednesday August 8: Central Texas BBQ On The Main Street In Castroville, California Is A Traditional Racers And Enthusiasts Lunch Or Dinner Spot During The Monterey Auto Festival , August 11-19.

To be exact it is located at 10500 Merritt Street, just off Highway 152 cutoff between 101 at Prunedale and Highway 1 on the coast.

It has long been the casual atmosphere place for racers, workers and fans to stop for the traditional Texas dry rub style of ribs, beef brisket, pork shoulder and even turkey BBQ served for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

For years it has been the traditional to pin business cards on the wall, and there have been some famous ones over the three decades plus that this must stop for racers has been serving up BBQ. Don Elkins is the owner/carver. Ask him about his favorite race dinner.

2012 Monday August 6: The United States Road Racing Championship Of 1963-1968 Is Saluted By A USRRC Sports Racing Grid At The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, August 17-19. It Has 40 Quick Significant, Legendary Entries And Is A Preliminary To The 50th Anniversary USRRC Celebrations Across North America In 2013 By The USRRC Seniors Tour.

The world of road racing was shook up when the formally staunchly amateur Sports Car Club of America announced the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) pro road racing series in late 1962 for a Drivers Championship in Sports Racing Cars and a Manufactures Championship in Grand Touring Cars beginning in 1963. There had been, over the last few years, limited pro road races at Riverside, Laguna Seca, Mosport, Bridgehampton and Sebring. These races were sanctioned by CASC, USAC or FIA, but now the largest road racing club, SCCA, in North America put its resources behind building a world-class road racing series for Sports Cars.

Lining up for this series were top teams and drivers for the prototype and modified Car Drivers Championship and the racing oriented auto manufactures for the Manufacture’s Championship. The modified, later called Sports Racing, cars in the early years included those from Shelby, Chaparral, Lotus, Elva, McLaren, Genie, McKee, Lola, Ferrari, Maserati and more in both over and under 2 liter classes. The Production Cars included those from Jaguar, Corvette, Ferrari, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Maserati and other FIA GT car makers. The GT category was dropped after the 1965 season.

This Sports Racing USRRC grid at The August Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion has a great selection of the types of racing cars that competed in the USRRC from 1963-1968.

In the Saturday afternoon race there will be Lotus 23s, Elva 7s, Lola T70, McLaren M1’s & M1B’s, Genie Mk 10s, also a ¬¬¬Porsche 910, Brabham BT8, Shelby King Cobra, McLaren 6B, Merlyn Mk6, Bobsy Porsche SR-3 and Lotus 19.

It should be an exciting race with the under 2 liter cars from Lotus, Elva, Merlyn playing giant killer to the big V8 powered cars from McLaren, Lola and Genie.

2012 Thursday June 21: The Great SCCA Pro United States Road Racing Championship From 1963-1965 had A Class For Over 2 Liter Sports Racing Cars, Under 2 Liter Sports Racing Cars And A Manufactures Championship For GT/Production Sports Cars From 1963-1965. From 1966-1968 It Was A Group 7 Sports Racing Car USRRC Championship. The Victory Lane Magazine USRRC Seniors Tour feature At The June 29-July 1 SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics, Pacific Raceway Salutes The 1963-1965 USRRC.
The local Burnett Sports Racer V8 powered Genies, Chaparral 1, McLaren 1A & 1B, Lola T70 Mk1, McKee, Lotus 19, King cobras all contested the USRRC for overall wins in its first few years at the legendary Pacific Raceway just south of Seattle.
Victory Lane Motorsports Marketing organizes the USRRC Seniors Tour in cooperation with SOVREN, who organizes one of the top vintage racing weekends in North America each year on U.S. Independence Day weekend. The event is expected to attract nearly 300 vintage and historic racers.
The USRRC Seniors Tour invites pre-1965 Sports Racing and GT/Production Sports Cars to enter the Feature for under and over 2 liter awards in both types of cars. About 30-35 typically start the 30-minute Sunday Feature after practicing in their respective usual SOVREN Groups. They also run their Sunday 20-minute group races.
For USRRC info or entry call Pam Shatraw 650-321-1411 (CA).

2012 Thursday March 1: United States Road Racing Seniors Tour Seeks Original USRRC Cars Of 1963-1965 For 50th Anniversary Celebrations In 2012 And 2013.
The 1962 announcement that the formerly all amateur SCCA was launching a 1963 professional road racing series for GT/Production and Sports Racing Cars was earth shaking to racers around the world.
The 1963 series was a big success with Shelby Cobra taking the manufactures championship racing both Porsches and King Cobra. Almost every production Sports Car marquee was represented and numerous major sports racing car teams competed.
In 2012, there are three USRRC Seniors Tour Celebration Features planned, the first is June 28-July 1, 2012 with SOVREN’s Pacific Northwest Historics at Pacific Raceway, Washington. The second is in final negotiation. The third is with the September VSCDA Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival at Road America, Wisconsin. In 2013 there are five USRRC Seniors Tour Features planned at major events featuring pre-1966 Sports Racing and GT/Production Cars.
Original cars that entered the 1963-1965 USRRC will receive special awards over the next two years and will be given special honors. When entering USRRC Seniors Tour Features.
For USRRC info contact Pam Shatraw at 650-321-1411 (CA).

Past news:

The USRRC Seniors Tour is a vintage racing series. The USRRC Seniors Tour 30 minute Sunday features are held at vintage racing weekends across North America every year. Eligible cars include pre-1966 Sports Racing and GT/Production Sports Cars. Both groups are divided into under and over two liter classes. A registry of original USRRC cars and vintage racing eligible cars is maintained. The features are part of the "America's Racing Heritage™" program organized by Victory Lane Motorsport Marketing.