For decades, the Sports Car Club of America™ (SCCA®) and Grassroots Motorsports (GRM) have helped automotive enthusiasts turn an interest in cars into something they can experience behind the wheel. Now, the organizations are strengthening that relationship around a shared goal: making motorsports more accessible through DIY, approachable, budget-friendly competition.

The agreement names GRM the Official Media Partner of SCCA and builds on an established foundation of member subscription benefits, shared storytelling, and programs that connect enthusiasts with opportunities to participate.

Beginning in 2027, the partnership will bring a new identity to SCCA’s Race Experience program, welcome Grassroots Motorsports Challenge cars built for $5,000 into SCCA events, and the two organizations will begin working together to develop and cultivate collegiate sports car clubs.

“For decades we’ve been involved with the SCCA as participants, board members, and above all else, members,” says GRM Publisher Tom Suddard, “and our fellow enthusiast have been reading our magazine every step of the way. Together, we can grow the hobby and get more people having fun with cars. That’s what GRM and the SCCA are all about.”

“SCCA has built its partnership with GRM piece by piece over the last two decades,” says SCCA Vice President of Rally/Solo and Experiential Programs Heyward Wagner. “It started with including their magazine in Starting Line student packs, grew through the promotion of Track Night in America®, and most recently brought the Ultimate Track Car Challenge into the Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship. Welcoming GRM founder Tim Suddard into the SCCA Hall of Fame speaks to the impact Grassroots Motorsports has had on our Club. It’s great to build on that legacy by making this partnership official.”

Introducing the SCCA Grassroots Motorsports Cup

The SCCA Grassroots Motorsports Cup, or GRM Cup, will reinvent SCCA’s Race Experience program by bringing together SCCA’s experience delivering safe, fun motorsports events and GRM’s culture of DIY ingenuity and budget-minded participation.

Building on SCCA Race Experience, the GRM Cup will offer approachable wheel-to-wheel racing for drivers with properly prepared racecars and required safety equipment. Drivers can participate without an existing competition license, with instruction and coaching supporting a welcoming, lower-pressure racing environment.

GRM Cup events will take place alongside Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge events and at participating SCCA Regional race weekends.

Through how-to articles, event previews, and coverage, SCCA and GRM will help enthusiasts understand what they need, how to prepare, and how to get on track.

Build a Challenge Car and Keep Having Fun

GRM is also reinventing one of its signature programs, moving from the traditional $2,000 budget to a new $5,000 limit for the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge Presented by Tire Rack. The higher budget supports a broader goal: helping owners and teams build cars that are fun and sustainable to use throughout the year.

The Challenge still rewards creativity and resourcefulness. Teams purchase and prepare a car within the $5,000 budget, then compete in autocross, drag racing, and concours-style judging. Safety equipment and one qualifying set of tires are excluded from the budget. The partnership will give those projects more places to play.

Beginning in 2027, GRM Challenge exhibition classes will be offered at Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour and Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge events, along with the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships and Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship. These will initially be exhibition classes without National Championship status.

Those opportunities are intended for existing and future GRM Challenge teams, collegiate clubs, and DIY, budget-minded SCCA members.

“A car built for the Challenge represents a lot of creativity, effort, and teamwork,” Wagner says. “We want to give people more reasons to build one, and more opportunities to enjoy it. The vision is a car you can have fun with all season.”

Helping Collegiate Car Clubs Grow

Collegiate sports car clubs will be a central part of the effort.

SCCA and GRM will invite existing clubs to become more engaged through approachable competition, including SCCA events and the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge. Together, the organizations will also help cultivate new clubs, connecting students with information, local SCCA communities, and opportunities to build and compete.

For students, these programs offer a shared project with a practical destination: prepare a car together, learn together, and take it to an event.

The 2027 Grassroots Motorsports Challenge takes place April 17–18 at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, FL. Visit GRMChallenge.com for event information and rules.

SCCA’s 2027 Solo National Tour, Time Attack Challenge, and National Championship event schedules will be announced soon.

Photo by Jeff Loewe

First, mark “SCCA® National Convention” on your calendar for Jan. 15-20, 2027, then come back to this article.

Welcome back!

There are plenty of reasons to attend the SCCA National Convention, especially in 2027. For starters, the event is held online, so you can join in from nearly anywhere in the world. It’s also FREE(!) to attend, and all members of the Sports Car Club of America™ are welcome (and encouraged) to take part. Consider it an open invitation to spark something new.

Did we say spark? That was no accident, because this year’s National Convention theme is exactly that: Spark.

What is the SCCA National Convention? It’s where members come together to ignite fresh ideas, build valuable connections, celebrate well-earned recognition, and fuel their passion for the Club. With nearly 1,000 SCCA members, volunteers, leaders, officials, competitors, and staff in the mix, there’s no shortage of perspectives to share, inspiration to discover, or possibilities to unearth.

Whether you want to reignite energy in your Region, take your events up a notch, sharpen your leadership skills, meet your next motorsports friend, or help steer the Club toward an exciting future, this is the place to get things moving. One conversation can spark an idea. One new connection can fuel a collaboration. And one fresh perspective can set something bigger in motion.

See? Spark!

And what’s a spark without a little celebration? The Convention also shines a spotlight on the people who make SCCA special, with awards ranging from the SCCA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to some of the Club’s top honors in Solo®, Road Racing, RallyCross®, and RoadRally.

Drivers are welcome too! The National Convention features something for everyone, including information about future programs, licensing, event innovations, and more.

You Say “And More”

More, like what? Wondering about EVs in motorsports? The SCCA National Convention will have a session involving exactly that. Want to know what the future holds for Road Racing’s Regional programs? You’re welcome to attend that session. Curious about how Track Days, Time Attack, and Road Racing can work together to elevate a Region’s weekend? Yes, there is a session that’ll go into that topic, too.

While we know some of the “and more” that will take place at the 2027 National Convention, we’re still developing many of the details, with a full listing hitting the National Convention’s webpage in early December.

There’s also “more” in that numerous SCCA Divisions are hosting Divisional Conventions…like:

More info to come on those, too.

Get Ready

All of this sounds great, right? The only bad news is you can’t register yet – registration will open Dec. 1. Two weeks later, on Dec. 15, we’ll be back with the complete National Convention schedule.

For now, there’s nothing to do except for marking your calendar and getting ready to spark new ideas, fuel your passion, and help shape what’s next for SCCA.

You can also prep by downloading the Whova app on your iPhone or Android phone, since Whova is the central location for your SCCA National Convention experience. Whether you use the phone app or not, you can also use a web browser and Whova’s webpage to get in on the Convention fun.

Join us Jan. 15-20, 2027, and see what a little spark can set in motion.

SCCA National Convention

Photo by Adam Brooks

Once you’ve decided to own a competition vehicle that will need towing to the track, you’ve got a long road in front of you – not because towing is particularly difficult, but because there are a few major decisions to be made before you hit the road. For one – and this will at least partially dictate which tow vehicle you get – you need to decide what your trailer needs are. This is exactly the topic the editors at Hagerty recently tackled.

Hagerty, SCCA’s Official Insurance Partner, has a media arm that generates tons of written and video content at hagerty.com/media. Not long ago, one of Hagerty’s editors, Benjamin Hunting, stepped into the ins and outs of picking the automotive trailer that’s right for you.

“Whether it’s a fender position failure, too much tongue weight, an incompatible brake-and-hitch system, or a trailer that’s simply too bulky for the job (or too lightweight for the load), there are numerous considerations to make when trying to choose the best towing platform for your specific needs,” Hunting begins.

Before diving into the details, the article first covers safety: “No matter the trailer, improper loading and securing is typically the number one failure we see,” Chad Anderson, Material Damage Specialist at Hagerty, says in the article. “Too much weight in front of the axle or too much behind will cause a towing nightmare. A good rule to remember is the 60/40 method, with more weight in front of the axle. Also consider that too short of trailer, with a loaded vehicle hanging over anywhere, is also a recipe for disaster.”

The categories he covers are open trailers, tow dollies, and enclosed. Hunting points out that while enclosed trailers seem to have many upsides, there are also negatives to consider, like aerodynamics, ease of loading, and more.

“It can be more difficult to load a vehicle into an enclosed trailer (especially if the angle of the ramp door at the rear is too abrupt), not to mention finding one that offers you an escape door that’s properly positioned so you can exit the car after you’ve driven it inside the carrier,” Hunting points out.

“Finally, theft remains an issue, even for enclosed trailers. Thieves are often opportunists, but some bad actors might assume that since you’ve taken extra steps to protect your vehicle, it’s potentially valuable enough for them to take a risk with a break-in.”

Next, the article moves on to accessories, like tire racks, winches, lockable storage bins, ramp extenders, trailer brakes, and more.

Hunting’s conclusion? “The single best piece of advice when it comes to choosing a trailer is to have a good understanding of the type of towing you’ll be doing the most often,” he writes. “Avoiding the temptation to buy more trailer than you need – whether it’s length or weight capacity – will save you serious cash. If your tow vehicle has enough muscle, you can also probably skip springing for a lightweight aluminum chassis.”

There’s more to this story – a lot more. For that, read the entire article by clicking here.

Photo courtesy Hagerty / Benjamin Hunting

The Sports Car Club of America™ Hall of Fame Class of 2027 has been unveiled, honoring five SCCA® legends whose on- and off-track achievements have earned them a place among the organization’s most distinguished members.

Ron Babb, Kas Kastner, Brian Redman, Tim Suddard, and Cliff Tufte form the illustrious class of honorees, which will be officially inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame in January 2027 during the SCCA National Convention.

Since the Hall of Fame’s inception in 2005, the SCCA has recognized an extraordinary group of individuals whose contributions have helped shape the Club and the world of motorsports. Past inductees include racing greats Roger Penske, Carroll Shelby, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, and Bobby Rahal, along with influential figures such as Paul Newman, Denise McCluggage, and Lyn St. James. From championship-winning drivers and innovative engineers to dedicated volunteers and leaders, each has left a lasting mark on SCCA’s history, carrying forward a legacy that continues with the Class of 2027.

Learn more about the SCCA Hall of Fame by clicking here.

What follows is a summary of the accomplishments of those who will be inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame as the Class of 2027.

Ron Babb

An active autocrosser since joining the SCCA in 1980, Ron Babb was successful on the Solo course and in developing programs at both the Regional and National level. A cofounder of the Northwest Region Solo program in the 1980s, Babb brought administrative developments learned from his Naval career to the program. He mentored other NorPac Regions who were improving their own programs and encouraged members to make the long tow to what is now called the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships in the heartland, often leading a caravan himself. Prior to smart phones, his 20-year tenure as Nationals Chief of Info provided information to competitors on site, including live results. On the course, Babb is a four-time National Champion, adding to his Hall of Fame legacy.

R.W. “Kas” Kastner

R.W. “Kas” Kastner changed the way SCCA competitors approached their cars. As a driver, Kastner was the 1959 E Production National Champion, but his real legacy came off the track. Already running the Triumph Competition Department, he was the winner of SCCA’s Best Technical Article award in 1963. Here, he developed manuals and, eventually, books explaining how to extract performance from Triumphs under the now-famous motto: “never be beaten by equipment.” His models allowed competitors to extract the maximum performance from a car using what amounts to factory support in their own garages. He finished his career in charge of Nissan’s successful IMSA GTP program. Along the way, he served as the Cal Club Region chief driving instructor, was the SCCA National Licensing Chair, and was on the Cal Club Board of Governors, which comes in addition to his being a team manager, team builder, and mentor.

Brian Redman

Even today, Brian Redman is known as the consummate race car driver. A current and active member of SCCA’s Central Florida Region, Redman was the only person to win three consecutive SCCA Formula 5000 championships in the mid-1970s. The Burnley, England, native was a Formula 1 racer and won at Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring. Off the track, Redman has been an unofficial promoter of SCCA activities, including the Stewards program, and an official promoter of vintage racing across the United States, with his legendary cat elevating his notoriety even more in the sport.

Tim Suddard

From the time Tim Suddard joined the SCCA in 1983 after attending his first autocross, he has provided a voice for the Club on a National and global level. As the founder of Grassroots Motorsports Magazine, which began as Auto-X, he was a cheerleader for programs that may have been overlooked on the larger motorsports stage. He was an autocross promoter near his home in Daytona Beach, FL, and introduced the first event program to what is now the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships. His magazine amplified programs like SCCA Hill Climbs and was an early proponent of SCCA’s Track Night in America® Driven by Tire Rack program. That theme continues today, where Grassroots Motorsports Magazine reaches an audience of more than six million enthusiasts through print and digital outlets.

Clif Tufte

In the 1950s, Clif Tufte envisioned the future of motorsports taking place on permanent racetracks. As the road racing tide turned away from temporary courses on Strategic Air Command airports and public roads in the 1950s, Tufte conceived of, raised the funds for, designed, and built Road America outside of Elkhart Lake, WI. As the track’s first president and promoter when Road America opened in 1955, he and his team provided the blueprint for every permanent road course to come. The first race held at Road America came in September 1955 and was an SCCA National, won by fellow SCCA Hall of Fame member Phil Hill. Tufte retired from the track in 1978, prior to his passing in 1981 at 84 years old.

Photo Caption: (Clockwise from far left) Ron Babb, Kas Kastner, Brian Redman, Tim Suddard, and Clif Tufte will be inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame in January 2027.

The Sports Car Club of America™ teamed up with Bridgestone to put the Potenza RE-71RZ to the test at the 2026 Tire Rack SCCA® Solo® National Championships. Club Spec MX-5s, Club Spec Mustangs, Club Spec Caymans and Solo Spec Coupes ran the RE-71RZ alongside other tires, and autocrossers had the chance to drive a variety of cars and share their honest feedback. Watch what members had to say about the tire, then explore the Club Spec classes and Bridgestone’s Potenza lineup.

For the first time in five years, Arizona Region plans to bring its SCCA® Hill Climb to Greenlee County with the rebirth of the Clifton Hill Climb – and all the locals now know about the upcoming April 16-18, 2027, event thanks to the Eastern Arizona Courier and Arizona Region’s RE Jim Cantrell.

“The hill climb’s roots in Clifton [AZ] stretch back to 1966, according to Jo Amm Stratton, whose family has been involved with the event for four generations,” the Courier’s Brooke Curley reported in the article. “Stratton said her husband, David ‘Dave’ Stratton, had previously worked as a corner worker for the Jerome Hill Climb before the family moved to Clifton. By 1966, he had formed a local car club when the Four Cylinder Club from Phoenix began looking for a new location for its hill climb.”

The report says the Clifton Hill Climb ran through 1982, before taking a hiatus until events in 1989 and 1990. The event has run somewhat inconsistently since then, but with drivers always waiting to enter every time it returns.

The 2027 Clifton Hill Climb, the article states, will use the same canyon course outside of Clifton, AZ, as past events – that means the course will be 1.9 miles in length and involve 22 turns spanning 586 feet of elevation change.

The Clifton Hill Climb is also expected to include a parade through town, making this a memorable three-day event.

“It’s a very unique event not allowed in many communities anymore,” Cantrell told the Courier. “They used to be far more common and this is a historic venue and event and it’s great to still be able to do one. The famous Pike’s Peak event in Colorado later in the summer is a supercharged version of the Clifton event, but racers from that community come to Clifton as a means to practice and mechanically sort their cars for the big event.”

Read the entire article on the Eastern Arizona Courier’s website.

Registration for the April 16-18, 2027, Arizona Region Clifton Hill Climb is slated to open Nov. 1, 2026. For more information, check out Arizona Region’s website at azscca.com.

Photo courtesy cliftonhillclimb.com

Fresh off an appearance at the 2026 Mission Foods SCCA® National Championship Runoffs® at Road America, Northwest Region’s Asad Nikadambaev is making the news. In his Runoffs rookie debut, the 15-year-old Spec Racer® Ford Gen3 racer qualified his No. 144 car on the outside pole at the Runoffs, ahead of drivers like Bobby Sak, Caleb Shrader, Robeson Clay Russell, and more. Unfortunately, his race came to an early end, but the media attention around him didn’t.

Shortly after the Oct. 28-Oct. 4, 2026, Runoffs took place, Newsweek published an article on the young racer entitled “For a Teenage Racing Driver, Success on the Track Means Building a Business.” There, the author spoke to Asad and his father Odil about the realities of attempting to become a professional racer. Odil said he was quoted a number into the hundreds of thousands of dollars for Asad to get a seat in a pro series.

“Most families can’t afford that. Neither can we. At that point we need to look for partners,” Odil told Newsweek.

The solution? Asad launched a social media presence and started racing SRF3 with SCCA.

“Asad’s breakthrough came earlier this year in the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in California,” the article states. “Driving in a Spec Racer Ford Gen3 –a fast closed-wheel vehicle with a top speed of 150 miles per hour – Asad stunned the crowd by beating a slew of national champions to secure first place.”

“This honestly means so much,” Asad told Newsweek. “Me, my dad, my entire family, we’ve been sacrificing so much to get to this point already, and we’re already planning to sacrifice so much more just to get to the top of motor sport.”

Read the entire Newsweek article by clicking here.

Photo by Jay Bonvouloir

Winning on the racetrack begins long before the green flag waves. From preparing the car to mapping out a season’s schedule, racers know that success takes more than a heavy right foot. The best pre-season plans include covering ALL the details, including one that might seem small but can make a big difference: choosing a race car number and ensuring it’s yours for the entire season to come.

For competitors planning to hit the track in the 2027 Summit Racing Equipment SCCA Road Racing season, now’s the time to get that piece of the puzzle sorted. Drivers participating in the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA® Super Tour and U.S. Majors Tour® can reserve their numbers for the upcoming season, helping ensure one less thing to worry about when race weekend arrives.

Reserving a car number for one or more Conferences in the U.S. Majors Tour (which includes the Hoosier SCCA Super Tour) is not mandatory, but it does allow racers to rest easy knowing their car number should stay the same throughout the season.

How it Works

Those competing in any of the U.S. Majors Tour’s six Conferences (Southeast, Southern, Western, Northeast, Mid-States, and Northern) can choose to secure a single or two-digit car number for their Conference of choice. Racers who will be competing in multiple Conferences can reserve a three-digit car number beginning with the number “1,” reserving their car number in all six Conferences.

The numeral “1” can only be used by the current SCCA National Champion in each class.

Drivers with a 2026 U.S. Majors Tour series registration will have from Oct. 30, 2026, at 9 a.m. Central Time until Nov. 7, 2026, at 9 a.m. CT to reserve that same Conference number for 2027.

On Nov. 7, unreserved numbers will be released into the general pool, allowing others to reserve that number. This means that for those who are reserving a number for the first time, Nov. 7 is your date to know.

What it Costs

Number registration for a single U.S. Majors Tour Conference is $50, with a second Conference adding another $50 – car numbers that are available include 0 through 99, with “1” only available to defending National Champions.

Reserving your car number in all six Conferences costs $150 and requires that the number be three digits, beginning with a “1” (so 100 through 199).

Get Your Number

Ready to claim your number for the season? Use the button below to get started with your reservation. You’ll also find the class groupings for Hoosier Super Tour and U.S. Majors Tour weekends, plus additional details to help you make your selection.

Reserve Your Majors Number

The Fine Print

Reserving a car number in one, two, or all U.S. Majors Tour Conferences is not a guarantee that you will be able to use your car number at each event during the season. Number reservations must be made at least 14 days prior to event registration. Also, dual-Conference events with duplicate number requests will give the reserved number to the driver who registered for the event first.

Photo by Jeff Loewe

It was a first for SCCA®, as the Sports Car Club of America™ hosted the inaugural Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship, where three days of intense competition at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, TX, culminated in one amazing podium celebration. While SCCA Time Attack has been around in its current form for nearly a decade, the Oct. 22-25, 2026, event marked the first time the Club would crown National Champions – and this event did not disappoint.

While cars didn’t officially hit Eagles Canyon’s 2.7-mile FIA circuit until Friday, Oct. 23, there was action on-site all day Thursday thanks to the Time Attack National Championship (TANC) test day and the Grassroots Motorsports Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge (UTCC).

UTCC competitors were blazing around the track’s 15 turns all day Thursday, with that competition coming to a close by day’s end. Between UTCC’s sessions, many TANC drivers dialed in their cars for the coming three days of competition.

The weekend’s conditions were what many would call “Chamber of Commerce” weather, dropping into the 60s overnight and peaking in the low 80s. This, combined with partly cloudy skies for much of the event, kept the track fast – as evidenced by the 17 new track records set on Friday and Saturday while TANC ran Eagles Canyon in the counterclockwise direction.

It wasn’t all CCW, though, as mid-day Saturday saw a swap as drivers headed clockwise, setting the fast time that would add to their CCW time to become part of their overall score and determine who would be SCCA’s first Time Attack National Champions.

National Champions

The listing below is SCCA’s first Time Attack National Champions, listed by class name, driver name, vehicle, and cumulative time for the weekend. An asterisk denotes a new lap record set for a CCW lap.

Complete event results can be found here:

Event Results

Superlative Awards

What makes SCCA’s Time Attack program so great is that while everyone is there to compete, they’re also there to have fun with friends. To recognize this, SCCA presents a number of Superlative Awards to celebrate achievements beyond the competition.

Spirit of Time Trials
The Spirit of Time Trials is one of the most important awards presented at the event. This award recognizes the person who upholds the ethos of SCCA Time Attack, which is to bring joy to the sport, be it as a helpful hand when someone needs it the most, spreading the word about the sport, or anything else which shows that motorsports is, first and foremost, a community. This year’s Spirit of Time Trials award was presented to Alan Lani.

Fastest Lap Cup
This Cup places the name of the event’s fastest driver on it. This year’s fastest lap was 1:57.004, posted by Jackie Ding.

Worker’s Choice Award
Presented by Grassroots Motorsports and decided by the workers, Ben Smollen received this award.

Fastest Classic
Presented by Grassroots Motorsports for Classic Magazine. The award goes to the fastest “older” vehicle at the event. At this year’s event, the “classic” was a 1989 Nissan 240SX driven by Mat Beck, who posted a fastest time of 2:01.575.

True Grassroots Award
Presented by Grassroots Motorsports, this award goes to the driver who represents a true grassroots approach to motorsports. This year, Darryl Paul received the honor.

Top Novice
Also presented by Grassroots Motorsports, this award can be presented to a novice who turns the fastest lap time, wins their class, or, while being brand new to the sport, embodies what SCCA Time Attack is all about thanks to their enthusiasm and spirit. This year, James Clem was presented with the award.

Other Awards

Special Thanks

Beyond the event’s participants, coaches, and other volunteers, a special thanks goes to the SCCA partners who helped make not only the 2026 Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship happen, but also aided in the success of the entire 2026 Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge season.

The list is long and their contributions many. For starters, the event couldn’t happen without Tire Rack, the Official Tire Retailer of SCCA. Then there is Hawk Performance (the official Brake Products of SCCA), which offered discounts on brake products to all TANC participants; Hagerty (the official Insurance Partner of SCCA), which offered discounts on track insurance; and Sunoco (the Official Fuel of SCCA), which stocked the track with Sunoco 260 GT 100 octane fuel.

Then there’s Grassroots Motorsports, which brought UTCC to the event weekend.

Finally, there are the companies that offered contingency programs at the event, which included Hawk Performance, Öhlins (the Official Suspension System of SCCA), Falken Tires, and Nissan/NISMO.

2027?

The 2027 Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge schedule, including the date and location of the second annual Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship, has yet to be announced – but rest assured, the announcement is soon to happen.

To keep up with the latest news, check timetrials.scca.com, like SCCA’s Time Trials Facebook page, and subscribe to SCCA’s weekly newsletter, SportsCar News.

Photo by Gregory Pfaff

In 2026, the Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge included a point series that involved a West and East series. While many drivers chose to enter events near them, Jessica Mignone decided to try her hand at winning in one (or potentially both) series. That meant travel was in her future.

“When I heard about the East and West circuits for the Time Attack Challenge, I decided I was going to win them, which means I had to start driving at every track I could get to,” the SCCA Lone Star Region member reveals. “I started at Eagles Canyon [in Decatur, TX] and I decided to go out to Thunderhill [Raceway Park in Willows, CA]. I wasn’t able to hit all the tracks out there, but I made a whole trip of it – I’m from California originally, so I went out and visited friends out there. Then within the same three-week span I went out to Carolina [Motorsports Park in Kershaw, SC].”

She also entered and competed in the inaugural Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship during the Oct. 22-25, 2026, weekend at Eagles Canyon.

Which car did she select for this? An NC Mazda Miata built for one of SCCA’s newest classes, Club Spec MX-5. The Club Spec concept involves a build once, run anywhere mentality. Another important aspect is drivability and reliability.

“I had some experience with Miatas before … [and] when I heard about the spec series, I knew I wanted to do it simply because it was a spec series and I knew it wouldn’t be an arms race,” she explains. “I love the idea of a spec series because it’s all about the driver and not necessarily about the car. I also liked the idea that we would be able to do multiple things with one car.”

The car was originally built for autocross, with her co-driver being an autocrosser. When he stepped back from competition, she decided to upgrade the safety level of the car with a class-approved roll bar, seats, harnesses, and removable steering wheel and take it to the track.

“The speeds are so much faster on the track, it’s just common sense to upgrade the safety level,” she says.

Eventually, every car put on the track will have issues, and Mignone’s adventure is no exception, but she found the community made that a non-issue.

“The car has had issues, as all race cars do, but the good thing is I see the same people everywhere I go, so I went out to Thunderhill and got help out there when the car had trouble, [and] I’ve gone out to Carolina and gotten help from people I knew when the car had trouble,” she says, adding, “I’ve never had anything massive since it’s a newer gen Miata.”

What advice does she have for someone traveling the country to hit events far from home?

“You really have to keep up on general maintenance,” she says. “You have to make sure your fluids are all good. I go through the car before I go on a big trip … so I check the brake fluid, the coolant, all those kinds of things. Then I always check the tires – I always bring an extra set of tires just in case.”

Anything else? “Bring all of your tools,” she adds. “The good thing, though, is that community of racers – if there’s a piece you don’t have, there’s always someone who has a tool to help you out.”

Learn more about the Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge by clicking here.

Photo by Gregory Pfaff

When it was announced that the inaugural Tire Rack SCCA® Time Attack National Championship would take place at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, TX, on Oct. 22-25, 2026, things got serious. The Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge had traveled to Eagles Canyon in early 2025 prior to this announcement, but by the time the same event rolled around in May 2026 (and everyone knew the National Championship was coming), it was obvious that drivers were lighting the wick. Resetting 11 of the existing track records during that weekend, drivers dropped the mic in four Max classes, three Tuner classes, two Sport classes, and both Club Spec classes. That begged the question: Come the 2026 Time Attack National Championship, was there more time to be had?

With partly mostly clear skies and temperatures in the low 60s to low 80s anticipated throughout the weekend, Time Attack National Championship drivers took to the 2.7-mile, 15-turn FIA-spec circuit just northwest of Fort Worth in the counterclockwise direction midday Friday, Oct. 23, for their first timed session, with another timed session taking place later that day. The competition began again on Saturday morning with the final CCW timed sessions.

It was then that we knew just how determined everyone was to call themselves a National Champion, because 17 track records had just been reset.

New Track Records

The Opposite Direction

Things flipped midday Saturday as the competition changed from CCW to clockwise as drivers put in their first timed CW session.

The track length and number of turns remain the same, but Eagles Canyon becomes a different beast. Instead of a fast right-left jog off the front straight that leads into an uphill run, competitors face a tight right-hand, double apex 180 followed by another 180 that dips hard to the left. Meanwhile, the lead onto the enormous back straight swaps from a flowing downhill sprint into a tight left-right with a blind crest in the middle.

Put another way, it’s the same track, but a very, very different challenge.

Saturday’s Town Takeover

Following Saturday’s final session, many drivers took their competition vehicles to nearby Decatur, a picturesque Texas town of 6,500 people, where everyone parked their Time Attack cars in or around the town square in front of The County Seat, a popular local bar and hangout. As the sun set, locals checked out the cars while drivers chatted and headed toward the local restaurants that surround the city’s historic courthouse.

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It was a truly unique experience in a historic Texas town.

To Come: Crowning National Champions

The track goes hot once more on Sunday at 8 a.m. Central Time, where drivers get two more shots at Eagles Canyon Raceway before podium celebrations begin and SCCA crowns its first-ever Time Attack National Champions.

Keep up with the action via live timing, and check out the event page for more info (like the day’s schedule).

Event Page     Live Timing

Photo by Gregory Pfaff

There’s been plenty of excitement surrounding the Oct. 22-25, 2026, (and inaugural!) Tire Rack SCCA® Time Attack National Championship for over a year, and it’s finally here. More than 100 drivers are currently at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, TX, for SCCA’s very first Time Attack National Championship, with every one of them ready to tackle the FIA-spec circuit’s 2.7-mile, 15 turn road course, which boasts a 2,200-foot front straight – not to mention a back straight that offers thrills leading onto and off of it regardless of the direction the track is run.

Speaking of which, the format of the event will see all Time Attack National Championship drivers complete runs in a counterclockwise direction, then they’ll swap to clockwise. The fastest time from each direction is then added together and the driver with the fastest cumulative time in each class will be named an SCCA National Champion.

Keeping track of those lap times is easy, too, as live timing will appear on timetrials.scca.com. You can also follow along on SCCA’s Time Trials Facebook page

Live Timing Time Trials Facebook Page

What is an SCCA National Champion?

SCCA’s “National Champion” title is steeped in history.

Since John Fitch claimed SCCA’s inaugural Road Racing National Championship in 1951, legends including Phil Hill, Roger Penske, Peter Cunningham, and Randy Pobst have helped shape the sport’s history. Autocross has carried its own National Championship tradition since 1973, producing standout champions such as Tom O’Gorman and Bryan Heitkotter. SCCA also crowns National Champions in RoadRally and RallyCross®, with the RallyCross National Championship taking place barely one week ago.

With the inaugural 2026 Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship, SCCA Time Attack joins those ranks, giving drivers a shot at earning a title that shows that you’re the best of the best in the sport.

Beyond Competition

SCCA Time Attack competition goes beyond the battle for the win, and this year’s Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship takes that to a whole new level. For one, this year the event will take over an entire city.

With a population of 6,500 people, Decatur is a quintessential small Texas town, but this weekend, it will also see more than a hundred Time Attack drivers descend on the city, turning Decatur’s town square into a car show and party on Saturday evening.

“Everybody parks the [competition] cars in town and people from all around the area check out the cars,” explains Brad Flack, Eagles Canyon Raceway’s General Manager. “People drive in, go to the local restaurants, get a drink, and hang out for the evening. The courthouses [in these small towns] are from the mid- to late-1800s, and this is one of the coolest ones out there. It’s on a square, and around the square are restaurants and shops, and people can hang out and walk around for hours.”

Who Will Win?

While the event’s entry list can be found here, that doesn’t tell you who will win each class. The truth is, nobody knows who’s going to win until the event’s over, but that didn’t stop us from assembling a series of polls where you could vote for your favorite drivers.

Those articles were divided into two parts, one covering Sport, Tuner, and Club Spec, with the second article diving into Max and Unlimited. Check out the articles and vote!

Who Will Win?

Special Thanks To…

The Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship is made possible by support from numerous SCCA partners.

For one, there’s Tire Rack, which is not only the Official Tire Retailer of the SCCA but also the title sponsor of the event. It’s likely too late now to order tires for the Time Attack National Championship, but keep Tire Rack in mind as the 2027 season nears.

Everyone’s got to stop at some point, and Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of the SCCA, is here to help. Time Attack National Championship participants have all been emailed a coupon for 20% off a single purchase at Hawk’s website.

Hagerty, SCCA’s Official Insurance Partner, offers on-track insurance for events just like this one. Head to Hagerty’s HPDE Insurance Quick Quote portal and pop in your information to get a quote and purchase a policy for the weekend.

Sunoco, the Official Fuel of SCCA, can also be purchased on-site at Eagles Canyon, with pumps dispensing 93 octane, unleaded Sunoco 260GT 100 octane, and Sunoco Standard 110 octane leaded fuel.

Then there’s Öhlins (the Official Suspension System of SCCA), Falken Tires, and Nissan/NISMO, which (in addition to Hawk Performance) all offered contingency programs for the event.

The More You Know

The 2026 Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack National Championship is already in full swing.

Cars were slated to hit the track at 8:30 a.m. Central Time Friday, Oct. 23, with paced laps running in the traditional counterclockwise direction, followed by practice sessions 20 minutes later. The first timed sessions then take the green flag beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Saturday’s action begins once more at 8:30 a.m. CT, but around lunchtime, the course swaps to clockwise and the process repeats with a practice session and the first clockwise timed session. Two more timed sessions are scheduled for Sunday morning, followed by the podium celebration planned for 2:30 p.m.

Everything you need to know, including a detailed event schedule, can be found on the event’s webpage.

Time Attack National Championship

October has long been the month that concludes National Championship season in the Sports Car Club of America™. It’s traditionally a time to sit back and contemplate the year that was, since members are undoubtedly too tired from participating in these huge events to do anything other than recover. It’s also a month for those who watched from the sidelines to wonder how they can get involved – but for most, they hold off joining the SCCA® for a few more months.

Below is a list of SCCA members celebrating a milestone member anniversary (with us starting our listing at 25 years and then working our way up in five-year increments). These folks certainly buck the system when it comes to when they joined the Club.

Most see the fun members had at these end-of-year keystone events, then around the New Year, they set their mind to having #funwithcars and join the Club a month or two later. The 71 members listed below, meanwhile, march to their own drum. These members jumped into action before the rest, joining the Club as the season was winding down, prepping for their first SCCA event as early as possible.

More power to them!

The anniversary listing below notes each member’s name, Region of record, Division, and join/rejoin date. It’s important to point out that join dates for 1981 and earlier may list the first of the month rather than the actual day of membership.

25-YEAR MEMBERS
Name, Region of Record, Division, Join/Rejoin Date
Aaron J Anselm, Steel Cities Region, NE, 10/4/2001
Druann Bosien, Houston Region, SW, 10/29/2001
Debra Eymann, Phoenix AZ Solo® Region, SP, 10/11/2001
Brian FitzGerald, Glen Region, NE, 10/5/2001
Bridget FitzGerald, Glen Region, NE, 10/5/2001
Mallorey FitzGerald, Glen Region, NE, 10/5/2001
Adam Grzech, Northeastern Pennsylvania Region, NE, 10/3/2001
Cameron Healy, Oregon Region, NP, 10/3/2001
Jeffrey P Holbrook, Houston Region, SW, 10/30/2001
Kevin W Kirchoff, Indiana Northwest Region, GL, 10/23/2001
Stephen Kohn, Colorado Region, RM, 10/25/2001
Alan Leukhardt III, Cal Club Region, SP, 10/10/2001
Jay Masotta, New England Region, NE, 10/25/2001
Thomas Roberts, Chicago Region, CN, 10/31/2001
Diana Kimiko Sudo, San Francisco Region, NP, 10/17/2001
Jonathan Wolff, Western New York Region, NE, 10/3/2001
Scott Woosley, Ozark Mountain Region, MW, 10/17/2001

30-YEAR MEMBERS
Name, Region of Record, Division, Join/Rejoin Date
Gary W Bartlett, Indianapolis Region, GL, 10/16/1996
Karter Bollmann, Houston Region, SW, 10/3/1996
James R Harrison, Wichita Region, MW, 10/31/1996
Frederick M Howden, San Diego Region, SP, 10/22/1996
Scott Johnson, Ohio Valley Region, GL, 10/29/1996
Nita D Keirn, Fort Wayne Region, GL, 10/29/1996
James E Knab, Finger Lakes Region, NE, 10/8/1996
Joe Leonard, Central Florida Region, SE, 10/24/1996
Diane Nekich, Milwaukee Region, CN, 10/17/1996
Stephen Wheeler, Finger Lakes Region, NE, 10/17/1996
Dana Wiehl, New England Region, NE, 10/21/1996
Margaret Zukawski, Northeastern Pennsylvania Region, NE, 10/8/1996

35-YEAR MEMBERS
Name, Region of Record, Division, Join/Rejoin Date
Brian Beasley, Central Florida Region, SE, 10/17/1991
Mark E Farnham, Neohio Region, GL, 10/17/1991
Theodore Giovanis, Washington DC Region, NE, 10/24/1991
Bradford Green, Northwest Region, NP, 10/29/1991
Nick Leverone, New England Region, NE, 10/31/1991
Rory T Osborne, North Carolina Region, SE, 10/4/1991
William A Schmidt, Kansas City Region, MW, 10/17/1991
Monica Shaw, Des Moines Valley Region, MW, 10/9/1991
Evan H Webb, Washington DC Region, NE, 10/23/1991
Vicki Weinhold, Milwaukee Region, CN, 10/7/1991

40-YEAR MEMBERS
Name, Region of Record, Division, Join/Rejoin Date
Jeffrey M Bishop MD, Florida Region, SE, 10/24/1986
Tom Clayton, San Francisco Region, NP, 10/21/1986
Rocky Hendrick, Central Carolinas Region, SE, 10/13/1986
William R Spellerberg, St Louis Region, MW, 10/28/1986
Deborah Wilson, Atlanta Region, SE, 10/13/1986

45-YEAR MEMBERS
Name, Region of Record, Division, Join/Rejoin Date
Michael G Angus, Chicago Region, CN, 10/1/1981
Bob Brewer, Cal Club Region, SP, 10/1/1981
Karen Grant, Atlanta Region, SE, 10/1/1981
Mark Robert Holland, San Diego Region, SP, 10/1/1981
Larry Hubert, Washington DC Region, NE, 10/1/1981
Elizabeth M Pemberton, Nebraska Region, MW, 10/1/1981

55-YEAR MEMBERS
Name, Region of Record, Division, Join/Rejoin Date
Mike Bachman, San Francisco Region, NP, 10/1/1971
Claire Ball, Chicago Region, CN, 10/1/1971
Duane S Eitel, Arizona Region, SP, 10/1/1971
David K Foote, New England Region, NE, 10/1/1971
Mark Gifford, Houston Region, SW, 10/1/1971
Charles W Hilliar, Chicago Region, CN, 10/1/1971
Joseph L Hobbs, Hawaii Region, SP, 10/1/1971
Dan Miklovic, Northwest Region, NP, 10/1/1971
Bill Opperman, Chicago Region, CN, 10/1/1971
Ron Pellman, Indianapolis Region, GL, 10/1/1971
Cynthia Pomeroy, Chicago Region, CN, 10/1/1971
Patrick Prevenas, Blackhawk Valley Region, CN, 10/1/1971
Frederick M Rosevear, Milwaukee Region, CN, 10/1/1971
Rick Ruth, Chicago Region, CN, 10/1/1971
Fred Sasser, Chicago Region, CN, 10/1/1971
Jerilyn J Wilson, St Louis Region, MW, 10/1/1971

60-YEAR MEMBERS
Name, Region of Record, Division, Join/Rejoin Date
Robert E Allen, San Francisco Region, NP, 10/1/1966
Cecil N Harris, Houston Region, SW, 10/10/1966
Anton Mallner, New York Region, NE, 10/1/1966
Karen Mattacotti, Milwaukee Region, CN, 10/1/1966

65-YEAR MEMBERS
Name, Region of Record, Division, Join/Rejoin Date
H Leslie Blumberg, Wiregrass Region, SE, 10/1/1961

It’s a longstanding tradition for racers to gather in Weatherly, PA, and climb a hill. Since 1961, a one-mile stretch of road – aptly named “Hill Street” – has been home to the Weatherly Hillclimb, where drivers converge to see who can make it to the top in the shortest amount of time. Featuring hairpins, sweepers, and even a section where some cars can catch air, this SCCA®-sanctioned hill climb hosted by the Weatherly Hillclimb association not only features something for competitors, but also fans of the event, with a news station broadcasting the entire event.

On Sept. 19, 2026, WFMZ-TV 69, based out of nearby Allentown, PA, and the Pocono Television Network set up a broadcast from the event, with hosts and multiple cameras covering the run up the hill. In addition, they hosted guests to speak about the event, the cars, the history of the event, and more.

Being sanctioned by the SCCA, the event utilized SCCA Time Trials rules in addition to the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association’s supplementary regulations. The Weatherly Hillclimb was a two-day event – Saturday brought touring and timed runs, with Sunday being only timed runs.

The broadcast can be viewed on WFMZ-TV 69’s website on demand using the link below, with the video broken into two parts.

Weatherly Hillclimb on WFMZ-TV

Photo courtesy WFMZ-TV 69

A trip across the country from past National Championship events brought extra levels of excitement to the 2026 SCCA® RallyCross® National Championship presented by Bingham Equipment Company, taking place Oct. 15-18 at the Camp Verde Equestrian Center in Camp Verde, AZ.

After two weeks of unusually heavy rain, SCCA’s Arizona Region crew and a field of competitors from across the country got all 13 runs in under the weekend’s absolutely beautiful weather.

It was a strong team effort, too. The Arizona Region RallyCross group arrived early Wednesday to prep the course areas after the wet stretch. Then on Thursday, the Region set up a practice course on each side of the site so competitors new to the surface could adjust their cars and driving.

Two areas, two personalities

The site had two designated course areas, which improved event flow, added variety, and spread out wear on the surface.

The East area hosted Friday’s four technical runs and two flowy, fast runs on Saturday afternoon. Its finer gravel tended to move where water flowed, but gripped up well in the drier spots. Drivers had to keep reading the surface, because a sudden change in grip could push or pull a car into a cone.

The West area hosted three runs of straights and switchbacks on Saturday morning, and four short-but-balanced runs on Sunday. It had more elevation change and a rockier surface that stayed well packed. A few brief, light showers fell, mostly during Heat 3’s Sunday runs, but not enough to change the surface. The site team kept the courses safe, fair, and fun all weekend.

And remember, for those who may be new to RallyCross – this isn’t a case of taking the best time from each course. Every single run counts toward the total time in this sport, meaning champions needed to be nearly perfect from start to finish.

Class results

Stock Front Wheel Drive
Sf Rick
Taylour Wargo of Los Angeles, CA, won in a 2003 Nissan Sentra SE-R, 2.036sec ahead of Gonzalo San Miguel of Draper, UT. Wargo ran a 200-treadwear front tire that worked well as the courses gripped up, and he acknowledged the choice contributed to his win.

Stock Rear Wheel Drive
Sr Rick
Josh Armantrout of Mount Pleasant, WI, won by 7.178sec in a Lotus Elise, a car that was not easy to drive on these surfaces. Little weight on the front made turn-in difficult, and pushing the speed risked understeer into the loose “fluff” on the outside of turns. Skip DuCharme of Evanston, WY, was second.

Stock All Wheel Drive
Sa Rick
Jan Gerber of Ralston, NE, won in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, 4.250sec ahead of Charles Wright of Decatur, AL. Shelton Wright, also of Decatur, finished third, 0.746sec behind. Shelton gave it a run on his final trip around the course, but a couple of cones left him third.

Prepared Front Wheel Drive
Pf Rick
Sanjay Singh of Clovis, CA, won in a Mini Cooper S by 5.303sec over Dan Sanford of Colorado Springs, CO. Singh had struggled with mechanical problems this season, but overcame those at the right time to be quick all weekend and take the crown.

Prepared Rear Wheel Drive
Pr Rick White Pickett
Jeremiah Hemphill of Sanford, FL, won in his BMW Z3. He may have faced the most pressure during the event, as his “clown shoe” BMW was often featured right here on SCCA.com and its social channels over the past year. His flat-out style beat Rob Krider of Fresno, CA, by 13.624sec.

Prepared All Wheel Drive
Pa Rick
Mark Hill of Lawrence, KS, won in a Mitsubishi Evo IX by just 1.222sec over Timothy Thompson of Leon, KS. Hill ran Hoosier H2Os for most runs, which handled the gripped-up sections well, and he survived a de-bead on Saturday that could have cost him the win.

Modified Front Wheel Drive
Mf Rick
Dwight Wood of Walnut Creek, CA, won in a Nissan Sentra by 4.452sec over Benjamin Kittrell of Salt Lake City, UT. Wood came off his last run with a drivetrain issue, a well-timed breakdown considering it held on just long enough for his entire weekend.

Modified Rear Wheel Drive
Mr Rick
Tyler Johnson-Williams of Arleta, CA, won in a BMW 330 by 9.302sec over Philip Mickleborough of nearby Phoenix, AZ, who drove a 1983 Volvo 242. Allison Sinosky of Camp Verde, this year’s SCCA Women on Track Scholarship winner, also competed in the class in her hometown event.

Modified All Wheel Drive
Ma Rick
Austin Dowda of Taylorsville, UT, won in a lightweight 1989 Honda CRX by 0.524sec over Michael Tritt of Coweta, OK – that’s the closest finish in the field. Tritt and teammate Jason Baney of Tulsa, OK, had a power advantage in their Subaru Impreza WRX STI, and the mix of courses gave each car a time to shine. Their Subaru was sidelined after Friday with a failed lower control arm bushing. With help from locals, they found a replacement and fixed it during their Saturday-morning off heat, missing no runs. Baney finished third.

UTX Max
Utv Max Rick

Kevin Jones of Porterville, CA, won UTX Max in a Can-Am X3. Jones won the class by just 2.943 seconds over Brent Longhurts of Spanish Fork, Utah in a Honda Talon. Rogerio Balbino and his Honda Talon was only 0.799sec behind Longhurts and was closing the gap, but remained third.

Specialty Awards

The Hagerty Keepin’ it Cool Award went to Sean Spring for his unwavering commitment to the event. He helped the group carry out its plans for course changes and prep while keeping things running smoothly enough to complete all 13 runs.

The True Grit Award went to Mark Macoubrie. After trouble with two of his own vehicles, a class switch, and a car breaking during practice, he found a ride with Kent Hamilton in Modified Rear Wheel Drive.

Unnamed for an official award but deserving of recognition is the AZRX volunteers for their hard work and hospitality, not to mention the presenting sponsor Bingham Equipment Company. Bingham supplied the ground equipment, side-by-sides, and other machinery that kept the courses in shape all weekend – an invaluable part of a RallyCross course.

Full results from the weekend are here:

Event Results

Photos by Rick White-Pickett / Polymath Photography