As we work to address the challenges of delivering a great Nationals experience while bumping up against participation limits inherent in a four day format, we need to examine all past practices and find ways to plan and execute Nationals in more effective ways. For 2019, we are trying a new approach to assigning classes to run days for Solo Nationals in order to better balance participation numbers for each set of run days.
Each year SCCA publishes the list of days each class will run at Nationals approximately six months before the Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals takes place. Trying to predict class sizes and create a balanced schedule is challenging given that each new season brings shifts in class participation. Instead of delaying the announcement of all class run days, we have chosen to announce a core group of class run days now, while holding out a small number of classes to be assigned once we have participation data from early national events in the 2019 season.
A lot of thought went into choosing the “TBD” classes. We know that this is outside of the norm, but hope you understand this decision was made in an effort to bring you a better balanced 2019 Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals.
Run days for classes listed in the To Be Determined column will be announced no later than the weekend of Spring Nationals.
You can find the Run Days PDF on SCCA.com by
following this link, and clicking on Run Days as of 3/6/2019.
Sports Car Club of America® (SCCA®) has announced that Hoosier Racing Tire will continue as the required “spec” tire for SCCA Spec Miata (SM) competition through the 2021 racing season.
Since 2012, Hoosier tires have been the required rubber for SCCA SM class racing. In 2014, the Hoosier SM7 tire was introduced and has been in use now for six years. Development and testing of a new SM8 dry tire occurred last year. But with a shift to the new Penske shock package in 2019 for SM, the decision was made to conduct additional evaluation of both the SM7 and SM8 before any mandatory change would be considered for SCCA Spec Miata competition.
At the request of the Spec Miata community, however, Hoosier has developed a new wet weather tire specifically for the SM class. The new SM Wet tire provides a more durable compound to the current Hoosier H2O, which has been the spec wet tire for more than a half-dozen years. The Hoosier SM Wet is now available and will be mandatory in U.S. Majors Tour/Hoosier Super Tour competition beginning June 3, 2019, as well as for the 2019 National Championship Runoffs® being held in October at VIRginia International Raceway. Deanna Flanagan, SCCA’s Director of Road Racing, said the current Hoosier H2O may be used in SCCA Regional competition through the end of 2019, after which the SM Wet will be the lone wet weather option at all Summit Racing Equipment SCCA Road Racing events.
“Hoosier has been extremely attentive in responding to the desires of the Spec Miata racing community,” Flanagan noted. “The company is committed to supplying tires that provide the best overall experience for SCCA Spec Miata racers, and they’re well known for outstanding service and technical support at SCCA events coast to coast. They also back the Spec Miata class compliance program, and offer more than $150,000 in product contingency annually for Spec Miata alone. Simply put, the SCCA is extremely fortunate to have a partner as great as Hoosier Racing Tire.”
Bruce Foss, Hoosier’s Business Unit Manager for Circuit Racing Tires, stated, “Our goal at Hoosier Racing Tire with regard to Spec Miata is to simply be the best tire partner the class has ever experienced! We are totally committed and dedicated to working with the SMAC and the class constituents to achieve the best value in the industry for a spec tire! This includes an appropriate balance of performance, durability, and price.”
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: Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of SCCA; Sunoco, the Official Fuel of SCCA; and Tire Rack, the Official Tire Retailer of SCCA. To learn more, please visit http://www.scca.com.
SCCA Pro Racing and its F3 Americas partners redefine Formula Atlantic racing
The debut of the F3 Americas Championship Powered by Honda introduced the next generation chassis for the Formula Atlantic class in SCCA Road Racing competition. In an effort to attract drivers who are looking to maximize their racing opportunities with a cost-effective competition package that doesn’t sacrifice safety, speed or style, the F3 Americas program developed a new contingency program targeted to drivers age 35 and over. With more than $15,000 in cash and prizes available, the Masters Cup contingency package will award top drivers who are at least 35 years old with cash prizes at each event. The Masters Cup points-leading driver at the end of the season will receive the Masters Cup Champion contingency prize package.
“The Ligier JS F3 chassis is a fantastic opportunity for drivers to not only participate with the F3 Americas Championship, but continue racing with Formula Race Promotions or run at the SCCA Road Racing regional or national level.” Sydney Davis Yagel, SCCA Pro Racing General Manager said. “Our goal with the Masters Cup is to provide a platform for drivers to get the most out of their investment by giving them multiple on-track participation opportunities.”
Eligible F3 Americas Masters Cup drivers will automatically be entered in to the program when applying for an F3 Americas license. Being a Masters Cup driver does not exclude competitors from F3 Americas Championship event podiums and payouts as long as they comply with all the 2019 F3 Americas Sporting Regulations.
The top-five finishing Masters of each race will be awarded contingency points. After the final race of the weekend, the top driver will be awarded Masters Cup contingency award during the final victory podium celebration, receiving a $500 cash prize.
The SCCA National Championship Runoffs will offer Masters Cup drivers another opportunity to compete in their Ligier JS F3 race cars. Drivers can use two of their F3 Americas starts to count toward qualification for the National Championship Runoffs® event at VIRginia International Raceway. A top three finish at the Runoffs qualifies drivers for additional contingency awards from SCCA Pro Racing and its F3 Americas partners.
SCCA National Competition Runoffs Prizes:
– First Place: SCCA Pro Racing- $700, HPD- $1500, Hankook- TBA
– Second Place: SCCA Pro Racing- $500, HPD- $1,000, Hankook- TBA
– Third Place: SCCA Pro Racing- $300, HPD- $500, Hankook- TBA
At the conclusion of the season, the top-three F3 Americas Masters Cup drivers who have accumulated the most points will be awarded trophies and a contingency package at the Champions Banquet in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 3. While the full end-of-season prize packages are still being developed, the SCCA Pro Racing has determined the following cash contingency amounts.
– First Place: $3,000
– Second Place: $2,000
– Third Place: $1,000
From the Ligier JS F3 chassis to the 303-horsepower Honda Performance Development version of the new Honda Civic® Type R® turbocharged K20C1 motor and the Hankook tires designed specifically for the series, the car is completely made and assembled in the United States. The F3 Americas’ teams race chassis that meet the most current global FIA safety specification, including the first North American application of a race car Halo. Affordability is a key component to this single-engine, single-chassis spec competition with the full package meeting the FIA price-cap of $134,000.
For more information on the new Masters Cup contingency program and the F3 Americas Championship season, visit F3Americas.com or contact [email protected].
About F3 Americas Championship:
The F3 Americas Championship Powered by Honda continues the evolution of affordable, competitive and technologically advanced open wheel racing that was established by the successful Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda that debuted in 2016. This next level of open wheel racing meets the demands of racers and teams looking to grow their capabilities into more sophisticated and powerful machinery. The F3 Americas Championship aligns with the global FIA development ladder philosophy of using common components to provide a cost-efficient, reliable, and powerful racing structure as drivers ascend through the levels on their way to U.S. or global racing success.
F3 Americas 2019 Schedule
– April 5-7: Barber Motorsports Park with IndyCar Series
– April 18-20: Road Atlanta with F4 U.S and FRP
– June 21-23: Pittsburgh International Race Complex with F4 U.S.
– July 26-28: Virginia International Raceway with F4 U.S. and FRP
– Aug. 22-24: Road America with NASCAR Xfinity Series, Stadium Super Truck Series and Trans Am
– Sept. 13-15: Sebring International Raceway with F4 U.S.
About SCCA Pro Racing:
SCCA Pro Racing is a division of Sports Car Club of America, Inc. – a 60,000-member organization dedicated to motorsports events. SCCA Pro Racing provides full-service organization, operation and sanction for numerous professional racing series like F4 U.S. Championship and Trans Am. SCCA Pro Racing is a voting member of the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS) – the FIA delegate for this country.
About Honda Performance Development:
Honda Performance Development, Inc., (HPD) is Honda’s racing company in North America and is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Founded in 1993, HPD is the technical operations center for Honda’s high-performance racing programs. HPD specializes in the design and development of race engines, chassis and performance parts, and technical/race support. HPD also offer parts and race support to Honda and Acura grassroots motorsports racers, and are expanding its support of racing series and programs that make Honda racing products available to all racing styles, from karting and Quarter Midgets to the highest levels of pro racing. hpd.honda.com
About Ligier Automotive:
As of 1st January 2019, Onroak Automotive North America has been rebranded Ligier Automotive North America. Ligier Automotive offers a wide range of racing cars in different motorsport categories: single-seater (Ligier JS F3 and the Ligier JS F4), sports-prototype (Ligier JS 53 EVO 2, the Ligier JS P4, Ligier JS P3, Ligier JS P2, Ligier JS P217 and the Ligier Nissan DPi) and GT with its latest car, the Ligier JS2 R. For more information, check out our website http://www.ligierautomotive.com and follow us on our new official social media pages (@ligierautomotive on Facebook, @ligierautomotive on Instagram and @ligierautomotiv on twitter).
About Hankook Tire America Corp.:
Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing and marketing to deliver high-quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Hankook America markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance and ultra-high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire Co., Ltd., a Forbes Global 2000 company headquartered in Seoul, Korea, and led by President and CEO Hyun Bum Cho.
