Schedule Released for 2019 SCCA Runoffs at VIR

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 2, 2019) — Sports Car Club of America® (SCCA®) has unveiled the event schedule for the 2019 SCCA National Championship Runoffs® taking place Oct. 8-13 at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) in Alton, Virginia.

SCCA Test Days on VIR’s 3.27-mile circuit will precede three days of qualifying that begin Tuesday, Oct. 8. Each of 28 car classes will have 18-minute sessions on track each qualifying day. Tire Rack Pole Award winners will be named the evening of Thursday, Oct. 10 before three days of racing commence. Activities are slated to begin at 8 a.m. local time each day, and races will be 15 laps or 40 minutes — whichever elapses first.

Based on survey responses, some classes are projected to have a large turnout. A maximum of 90 cars can start a single class National Championship race. If a class has more than 90 entrants, additional qualifying sessions will be added. A “Last Chance” qualifying race will take place Thursday afternoon for any classes with more than 90 cars, ensuring each participating driver has the opportunity to take a green flag at the 2019 Runoffs.

“Our experience over the past several years has taught us to build some flexibility into the qualifying schedule that can address large car counts,” said Deanna Flanagan, SCCA Director of Road Racing. “By utilizing a ‘followed-by’ schedule during qualifying and having a little extra time before and after lunch, we’ll be able to make adjustments to address groups with large subscription while still keeping them in the same time window as their scheduled National Championship race.”

A total of 26 separate races will be conducted over three race days. Events slated for Friday, Oct. 11 are Touring 4, E Production, Prototype 1, Spec Racer Ford Gen3, Super Touring® Lite, Formula 500, American Sedan®, GT-3 and Formula Enterprises 2/Formula Enterprises. Saturday, Oct. 12 features Touring 3, Super Touring® Under, H Production, Formula Vee, Spec Miata, GT-2, Formula Continental®, GT-Lite and Formula 1000/Formula Atlantic®. The Runoffs conclude Sunday with B-Spec, Touring 2, Prototype 2, F Production, GT-1, Formula F, Touring 1 and Formula Mazda. A detailed schedule can be reviewed at the 2019 Runoffs event webpage.

Of course, there’s a lot more going on at the 56th Runoffs. Monday evening will feature a Kick-Off party in downtown Danville, Virginia. Thursday, Oct. 10 is when the annual All Participant Party will occur, which includes acknowledgement of the Tire Rack Pole Award winners and the Workers of the Year presented by Mazda. Additional activities during the week will be announced at a later date.

Recognized as one of Car and Driver magazine’s top six road courses in the nation, VIR draws thousands of spectators each year for some of the best road racing in the country. Its uphill Esses and sharp elevation changes not only make it a fan and driver favorite, but VIR has also received international acclaim and rave reviews as one of the most exciting road courses in all of motorsports.

Opened in 1957 as one of the country’s first permanent road racing circuits, the first official event at VIR was an SCCA race that attracted stars like Carroll Shelby, Carl Haas, Bob Holbert and Augie Pabst. Since then, the track has become a fixture in SCCA racing and a favorite among drivers due to its high-speed straights, challenging turns and dramatic elevation changes.

While racing is the heart of VIR, the expansive 1,300-acre property is so much more. America’s first true “motorsport resort,” it’s an entire vacation destination with a number of onsite hotel and lodging options. Within the property’s rolling hills and miles of lush forest, guests can enjoy unique amenities such as the exclusive Driver’s Club, dining options, spa, karting, skid pad, and even shooting sports. Located near Danville and South Boston, Virginia, the circuit is within 45 minutes of 1,500 hotel rooms and 100 restaurants. Contact VIR at lodge@virnow.com or call (434) 822-7700 x101 for lodging assistance.

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 at the winner-take-all, single race Runoffs format through dozens of separate races over three days. VIR joins Riverside (1964, 1966, 1968), Daytona International Speedway (1965, 1967, 1969, 2015), Road Atlanta (1970-1993), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (1994-2005, 2016), Heartland Motorsports Park (2006-2008), Road America (2009-2013), Laguna Seca (2014), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2017) and Sonoma Raceway (2018) as Runoffs hosts.

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: Hagerty, the Official Insurance Partner of SCCA; 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 www.scca.com.

VIRginia International Raceway is one of America’s premier road courses, offering professional and amateur racing for modern and vintage classes while providing contemporary resort amenities. A prominent test facility for the automotive industry, VIR has the distinction of being named one of the top six courses in North America by Car & Driver Magazine, and southern roots and hospitality make it one of the friendliest. Conveniently located at the Virginia/North Carolina border, VIR is just a short two-hour trip from Richmond and about an hour and 15 minutes from both the Piedmont-Triad and Raleigh-Durham International Airports. VIR offers amenities such as lodging, dining, a spa, an exclusive driver’s club, karting, off-road racing, shooting sports, skid pad and more. VIR’s hospitality features also make the property an unparalleled venue for corporate retreats, team building, special events and other group experiences. For more information, visit www.VIRnow.com, Facebook or Twitter.

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