What made the ARRC so prestigious?

G

gran racing

Super Moderator
Maybe this is a silly question and the answer is simply just because. I was thinking about the upcoming NARRC race, and wonder why this (or other regional championship events) are not as big of an event. Is the ARRC officially the national IT championship race or has it simply become thought of that way over time?

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Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude
 
The ARRC. You got to love it. I am by no means an expert so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I think the name American Road Race of Champions started and may have been the early name of the Runoffs. The 1st ARRC was held at Riverside, California, hosting national classes. Some are still around some dead AP-HP, FV and other formula classes, also something they called sedan.
In the late 60’s the ARRC was moved to Daytona. Cobras raced in AP and BP. Sweet
Then in the early 70’s maybe 72 Road Atlanta got the joy of having the ARRC. EP had 4 240Z’s going into turn one leading the pack. 30 years later and the car is still winning.
I don’t know when the name runoffs came into play but it replaced the ARRC in the late 70’s and stayed in Atlanta. The runoffs then moved to Mid Ohio.

The ARRC we know and love was reborn in the early 90’s. I think Road Atlanta has the rights to the name. The region billed it as the IT runoffs so people came as they still do. The early ARRC’s had people from Texas to New England probably more diverse but I am just thinking of people I know did well those early years.

It is viewed as the IT runoffs because it is billed that way and simply that. Should the ARRC be moved to bring more cars. NO. The South East has the car counts. West of the Mississippi they are lucky to get 10 car fields of all IT classes. Central isn’t much better having only three or four 15 one class IT fields a year. The north east does have several cars but Florida alone almost has the same number. Only place I have ever seen a 50+ ITS car field was in Florida. ITA probably gets its highest car counts in the North East, but so what. Atlanta works well as the home of the ARRC because it is close to most of the IT racers and has good highway accessibility for most of the country. VIR would work well if and only if you forgot about the people who raced in the central division.

I see no point in moving it or having a second race made to be direct competition because the ARRC at Atlanta always puts on a great show. ITA in 2003. wow.

The 3 greatest races I have ever seen have been at the ARRC. This is coming from someone who lives on Speed (TV).

ITB in 2000. Sam vs Richard vs Albin vs Keane
ITB 2001. Sam vs Buras vs Randy Pobst
ITB 1997 I wish I knew all the names Eric Foss vs Ed York vs Terry Borcheller vs a norther Audi Gt and VW

The ARRC is also a stand alone event not the last race in a series or the first. The only draw to the race is the prestige. Other than that it is just another regional.
 
Dave, the ARRC was the official name of the SCCA National Championships before they were known as the "Run-Off's"

And yes, the modern day "ARRC" is the psuedo IT National Championships, but just like the "Run-Off's" at Mid-Ohio, until they move the venue around from coast to coast, it will continue to be the eastern part of the country's championship.

Tim
 
One correction to the above. The American Road Race of Champions is NOT billed by the Atlanta Region SCCA as an Improved Touring National Championship event.

The event is billed as a Championship for Regional class-only cars. We have open-wheel, Club S2, SPU, SPO, TCC (Corvettes) and Spec Miata joining us too. We have seen a noticeable increase in open-wheel participation in the last year or so and it is very welcome. We also anticipate some help in promoting the open-wheel cars from a very well done publication a little north of the border this coming year.

The current ARRC began when the Runoffs left Road Atlanta in 1993 and the track was looking for an event to replace it. In 1994 the event was started and received a lot of support from then owner Jim Kanely and a marketing guy you probably have heard of, Kurt Spitzner (now of GRM). Road Atlanta does own the ARRC name nowadays and I always get a good chuckle out of it. It was the SCCA who let the trademark expire and Kanely had the foresight to nab it up much to their chagrin. Oh well, ya snooze, ya lose.

The history of the ARRC can be found at: http://www.arrc-online.com/arrchistory.html

One of my greatest honors in working the event was bringing back the two guys generally credited with the vision to build Road Atlanta in 1969, Dave Sloyer and Earl Walker, to the event in 2000. These guys went through a tremendous amount of hassle to get the track built and made friends and some enemies along the way.

And one great race finish was missed. Anyone who recalls the race to the checkered in 2001 (2002?-its a blur these days) between Chet Wittel and Sylvain Tremblay in ITS say it is one of the most exciting witnessed. Sylvain tried a pass in the grass on the inside of Turn 12 to sneak by Chet, but came up just a little short.

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
OPM Autosports
ITS Honda Prelude (for sale)

[This message has been edited by bobpink (edited July 13, 2004).]
 
Originally posted by racer_tim:

And yes, the modern day "ARRC" is the psuedo IT National Championships, but just like the "Run-Off's" at Mid-Ohio, until they move the venue around from coast to coast, it will continue to be the eastern part of the country's championship.

Tim
Click to expand...

And I will even go one further...the Southeastern Championship. Not all the top drivers and top cars can get there but you won't find a better single-event for IT.

AB

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Andy Bettencourt
ITS RX-7 & Spec Miata 1.6
New England Region R188967
www.flatout-motorsports.com
 
This may have been brought up before, but have attempts been made to get this event televised?

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Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude

[This message has been edited by gran racing (edited July 13, 2004).]
 
The ARRC will never get the publicity it may deserve until the SCCA recognizes and endorses it as the championship for regional classes.

I got into it with my region (OVR) months ago over the fact that it will pay the Runoffs entry fee for any OVR member entering it. So why not pay the entry fee for any OVR member who's entering the ARRC? I just got the "the ARRC is not recognized by the SCCA" answer and it got quickly shot down. Kind of salty, one sided, and elitist if you ask me. I'm sorry I race in a Regional class but I pay the same dues as the guys you're sending to the Runoffs do.

I have made the trek from Columbus, OH to the ARRC every year since 2001 but have yet to race there. 2001 - injury; 2002 - jury duty until Friday afternoon; 2003 - injury again. Please, please let me make it this year. Personally, I'd have to rank 2003's ITA race and both the 2002 and 2003 SM races as some of the best I've ever seen.

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Kevin
Ruck Racing
'92 ITA Acura Integra RS
'92 ITC Honda Civic CX
'85 ITC Honda Civic S
'95 ITS Honda Prelude Si
 
<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">It was the SCCA who let the trademark expire and Kanely had the foresight to nab it up much to their chagrin. Oh well, ya snooze, ya lose.</font>
Click to expand...

and,

<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">I just got the \"the ARRC is not recognized by the SCCA\" answer and it got quickly shot down.</font>
Click to expand...

Hmm. Nah...

G
 
Your point is?

>Hmm. Nah...

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
OPM Autosports
ITS Honda Prelude (for sale)
 
Hmm... anyone know anybody at SPEED? ARRC would be incredible! I also wouldn't mind seeing some Drift competitions - but that's another story...
 
A Southeast race only? Hardly. While the numbers of racers from far away has not been huge, some great racers have been among them. I think winners have come from California and Canada even. And lots of winners have come from MW, Cendiv and NEdiv.
 
Originally posted by Super Swift:
...also something they called sedan.
Click to expand...

I remember the "Sedan" classes. The 510 raced in "Sedan," BS (no joke intented) IIRC.

Originally posted by Super Swift:
EP had 4 240Z’s going into turn one leading the pack.
Click to expand...

That is incorrect. Back then the 240Z was in CP. There was also a DP which included (among others) the Porsche 924.


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George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com
 
I know it certainly is not typical for ESPN to televise racing (not sure why they don't), but has anyone ever approached them? Heck, if they air wonder sports like fishing and my favorite poker???

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Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude
 
History. There was an IT Runoffs held at Heartland Park in '93(?) and then Atlanta Region picked up on the idea. I was there for the first 4 or so ARRC's and still use my in-car video of the very first qualifying race which we dubbed into Stan Hind's in-car for a multi-perspective view of the race, as my "instructional" tape when I give talks to civic or other groups about my racing. 5 laps; too many lead changes and close calls to count. I started second behind Chuck Mathis and finished second behind Chuck, but a whole lot happened in the interim. If you cant get excited from from it, you dont like racing. Ahhh, the memories!
 
Originally posted by gran racing:
... but has anyone ever approached them? Heck, if they air wonder sports like fishing and my favorite poker???

Click to expand...

You can get anything on the air if you come up with advertisers willing to buy the airtime. Television works only partially because content is interesting to viewers: The harder sell is making it attractive to the people who write checks to the networks to buy the airtime. The Summit 12 Hours got aired because someone fronted the money to do the production (the 944 team that was showcased in the coverage) and the program was sold to SPEED with advertisers already on board.

The same kind of package would guarantee that the ARRC could get on the tube but that's a fulltime job, pulling all that together.

I'm in the minority maybe but while the racing at the ARRC has traditionally been very competitive, I don't see it as a true "national championship" until there is some mechanism in place to assure a representative sample of the cream from all of our divisions.

It IS a hell of an event and Atlanta Region has done a great job raising its profile and quality over the years.

As to history, it is VERY interesting to look at the de-evolution of A through D production, the death of the Sedan category - and birth of GT - and the lessons that might apply to IT and other current classes. But that is a separate thread.

K
 
The best races I've ever seen, anywhere, ever, have been at the ARRC. Last year's ITA battle topped the list. The lead changed between 4 cars on pretty much every lap, the last one included.
I make sure that I try to paddock where I can spectate as much as possible when not working on my own car.

Hey Ruck, what do you plan to race at the ARRC this year? It must be tough to have to pick from 5 race cars
wink.gif
.
I vote ITC, but I'm prejudiced like that.
 
Don't forget that this weekend , July 24-25 is your last chance to practice for the ARRC. It is a Sarrc, ECR and PRO IT, wow, three races to practice.

We have indications that the ARRC will have more contingency this year than last year. TV coverage was discussed in the past, but $50,000 was just a little out of our budjet. Would TV coverage be worth an increase of $150 per entry?? Just a thought!


The normal Labor Day races will be held at Atlanta Motor Speedway's road course. The track is in good shape and has passed the initial inspection and with the needed safety corrections, we will be ready to return to AMS. It will be a 3 day event for Dbl Sarrc and a PRO IT. We will run clockwise using the Nascar turn 3-4 chicane and most of the origional road course. We have secured both Nascar garages for competitor parking, aprox 90 spots , they will be avalible for $30 with elect included. The garages are clean, new and well lit and will be a pleasure for us to use. They are new type, not like the ones at Daytona, or shall I say the ones that were/to be torn down for new ones to be built. We need to charge for the spaces as we needed to pay extra for them, but knew you would want them. Each garage will have a spot for Your rig just outside your garage spot parked as the nascar rigs. Out side Motorhome sites will be avalible also. More info to come, probaby there will also be a test day on Friday. Will post when details are finalized.

Thanks and see you soon, Fletcher
 
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