Storylines/Things to Watch:

Now or Never in the Northeast — This weekend’s SCCA U.S. Majors Tour at New Jersey Motorsports Park is the last event on the Northeast Conference racing schedule.  The Conference’s calendar started back in April with events at VIRginia International Raceway and Summit Point Raceway, followed by a snowy weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex before a visit to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.  Later in June, the Northeast Conference held court at Watkins Glen International; which now brings us to the final weekend in the 12-round season. Catch the action live this Saturday and Sunday at http://www.scca.com/live.

B-Spec Battle — In the Northeast Conference, the battle for B-Spec supremacy is coming down to two MINI Cooper drivers.  Taylor Handwerk currently has the lead with 129 points.  But Felix Borodaty is breathing down Handwerk’s neck with 122 points.  And both racers are entered in this weekend’s SCCA U.S. Majors Tour at New Jersey Motorsports Park.  Keep track of the action at http://www.scca.com/live.

Spec Racer Ford Fights — Another tight tussle has emerged in the Northeast Conference Spec Racer Ford Class.  Steven Spano holds the top spot with 104 points going into the weekend.  Frank Vultaggio is in second with 93 points, and Thomas Kirchman is third with 91 points.  Vultaggio’s name doesn’t appear on the entry for New Jersey, but Spano and Kirchman are scheduled to appear.  And in the Conference Spec Racer Ford3 struggle, Scott Rettich is atop the field with 145 points followed by Greg Obadia with 141 points, and both have registered for the devilish dogfight in New Jersey. See how things turn out at http://www.scca.com/live.

Be Cool, Man.  Be Cool — The weather forecast is shaping up to be downright hot in New Jersey this weekend with temperatures looking to be in the upper 90s.  How that will impact racing, only time will tell.  But well over 300 SCCA members will be on hand to greet the summer days and wrap up the Northeast Conference’s calendar.  There will be about 175 racers, at least twice as many crew members and family on hand to lend support, and nearly 100 volunteers to make the event happen.  No matter where the SCCA races in the United States, the dedicated member volunteers can be found organizing, registering, scoring, officiating and flagging during race weekends.  No event is possible without the help of these dedicated volunteers.

Northeast Conf. SCCA U.S. Majors Tour
July 22-24: New Jersey Motorsports Park; Millville, New Jersey

Event/Circuit:

U.S. Majors Tour Northeast Conf.

Rounds Eleven and Twelve of 12

New Jersey Motorsports Park; Thunderbolt Circuit, standard 2.25-mile layout (no chicanes)

Practice:

Seven Majors Groups

Friday: 20-minute morning sessions

Qualifying:

Seven Majors Groups

Friday: 25-min. afternoon sessions

Saturday: 20-min. morning sessions

Races:

Seven Majors Groups

Saturday: 25-min. afternoon races

Sunday: 23-lap or 40-min. morning and afternoon races

Live Timing and Notes: Live Timing & Scoring, lap notes and more via the SCCA® Pit Board are available for all sessions through http://www.scca.com/live.

Entry lists, full event schedules and more information available at http://www.sccamajors.com.

Photo: The Northeast Conf. wraps up its 2016 schedule this weekend at the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour at New Jersey Motorsports Park

Every relocation in Runoffs history has involved a measure of uncertainty on the part of drivers, volunteers and organizers. This was true in 1994 when the Runoffs departed Road Atlanta and headed north to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. While this year’s return to Mid-Ohio is not a true maiden voyage, it will be for many in attendance. Involved participants have changed roles and come and gone. A few will treat this visit like the good ol’ days and pick up where they left off in 2005. Some are struggling to recall what it was like to race at Mid-Ohio 11 years ago. Time will tell whether the new blood or tried and true will have the advantage when the SCCA returns to Mid-Ohio.

The following is an excerpt from the December 1994 edition of SportsCar magazine, recapping that year’s Runoffs event:

“Moving the Runoffs to Mid-Ohio was like breaking in a new pair of shoes. You know you need new shoes, but the old ones are just so comfortable.

After 24 years, Road Atlanta was like those old shoes. You knew the motels and restaurants. You could drive the back roads to the track without a map. You could walk to a corner of the paddock absolutely confident of finding someone you hadn’t seen or talked to in 51 weeks.

Even if you were familiar with Mid-Ohio (and an amazing number of leading contenders managed to run both Mid-Ohio Nationals this year), you were not accustomed to 620 competitors filling out the farthest reaches of the normal paddock into the field normally used for crew parking. You weren’t accustomed to SCCA officials working out of trailers parked on the beautiful lawn behind the garages. And, finding old friends became an adventure, even with the helpful paddock map.”

In the last few years, we’ve gotten accustomed to the feeling of finding your way around a new track at the Runoffs each year. This year will be no different. Mid-Ohio will look different from the average regional, or even Majors, weekend. There will be a helpful paddock map, and there will be adventures. We’re looking forward to them.

Registration is open for the 2016 SCCA Runoffs Presented by Garmin VIRB. Click here for more information.