TOPEKA, Kan. (Nov. 13, 2008) - The latest edition of the 2009 SCCA Pro Racing Rulebook, containing regulations for SCCA World Challenge, SCCA Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup and Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, is now available on the SCCA Pro Racing Web site.

The PRR has undergone major revisions for 2009. In addition to the new World Challenge Touring Car rules which have been reworked to cut costs for teams, each section has undergone an extensive review by the SCCA Pro Racing technical department to provide clear and concise language. The book has also been re-sized to a 4.25" by 9" format, making it considerably more portable.

By Erin Cechal - SCCA

TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 31, 2008) - WC Vision and SCCA Pro Racing have released more than half of the planned 2009 SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships schedule.  The 2009 season will return to many familiar fan favorites and is framed by a season opener at Sebring International Raceway and finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

By Erin Cechal - SCCA

BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 3, 2008) - While Chip Herr, of Lititz, Pa., led every lap of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED Touring Car Finale Presented by Toyo Tires®, the focus of the race was glued on third through fifth place, where the battle for the 2008 SPEED Touring Car Drivers' Championship was unfolding. Michael Galati, of Olmsted, Ohio, and Pierre Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., completed the podium at Road Atlanta, site of the Petit Le Mans Presented by the Totally New MAZDA6. Battling with his teammate all the way to the finish, Peter Cunningham, of Milwaukee, Wis., crossed the finish line in fourth, to take his fifth World Challenge Championship.
 

Attached image: Chip Herr leads Michael Galati and Pierre Kleinubing at Road Atlanta.

Credit: ©SCCA/Mark Weber

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (Aug. 26, 2008) - The SCCA Pro Racing Mosport SPEED World Challenge Races Presented by Toyo Tires will have fans on their feet when they air Wednesday, Aug. 27, on SPEED.

By Erin Cechal - SCCA

CANADA (Aug. 24, 2008) - Michael Galati, of Olmsted, Ohio, took his second SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car win of 2008, topping the field in the Mosport SPEED Touring Car Presented by Toyo Tires at the Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport. After some last-corner Mosport International Raceway fireworks, Jason Saini, of Fort Worth, Texas, clinched the Rookie of the Year honors by finishing second, and Milwaukee's Peter Cunningham completed the podium, clinching the Manufacturers' Championship for Acura.

By Erin Cechal - SCCA
CANADA (Aug. 21, 2008) - With the end of the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge season closing in fast, the series heads north of the border to one of the most unpredictable circuits on the schedule for the Mosport SPEED World Challenge Presented by Toyo Tires, part of the Mobil 1 Presents the Mosport Grand Prix weekend.

Believe it or not, this weekend is the penultimate round of the SCCA SPEED Touring Car Championships. Following Mosport, teams have the month of September off before heading to Road Atlanta for the finale. With the top three in the Drivers' Championship separated by only five points, this weekend will be crucial to each contender's title chances. Luckily for RealTime Racing, all three of those contenders park under its canopy. 

CANOGA PARK, CA (August 15, 2008) Jason Saini brought a Tri-Point MAZDA6 to the podium for the third time this season in Sunday's SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship race in Elkhart Lake, Wis., finishing third.  The 50-minute race on the epic 4-mile Road America circuit was a nail-biter from start to finish, with MAZDASPEED teammates Charles Espenlaub and Jim Daniels both battling hard and finishing just outside the top-10 in 11th and 14th respectively.

"What a crazy race!" exclaimed Saini after climbing out of his MAZDA6 in victory lane. After missing the pole in qualifying by less than two hundredths of a second, he was bent on catching Acura pilot Kleinubing, who would eventually finish second to the BMW of James Clay.  

August 8, 2008 (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin).  The 2008 race season started off on a high note, both on-track and off.  An underdog win by the Castrol Syntec SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 team at the Rolex 24 at Daytona saw Mazda take its 22nd class win in the American 24-Hour classic.  Less than a month later, all eyes turned to the unification of open wheel racing.  While that was welcome news for race fans, it created a great deal of additional work for many organizations.  Mazda was hit especially hard with four Mazda-specific series directly impacted, and has spent the past six months in rebuilding schedules for 2008 and 2009. 

After a dramatic crash at Watkins Glen, Jim Daniels piloted his newly-revived MAZDA6 Touring Car to third place in Sunday's race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.  Round Seven of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship marked Daniels' first trip to the podium in his debut season.  Teammate Jason Saini, who qualified third, took the checkered flag in fourth place after pressuring second-place Peter Cunningham for most of the 27-lap contest marked by yellow flags and restarts.  Charles Espenlaub, piloting the third MAZDASPEED/StopTech/Racing Hart MAZDA6, only made it past the first corner before a spin and hard shunt ended his race in the gravel trap outside Turn Two.  

Mazdas will be occupying five of the top ten starting spots at Mid Ohio Sunday.

Mazdas will occupy the second row, with Cleveland native Jason Saini missing the second spot by just 0.003-second in his No. 74 Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6 with a lap of 1:33.571 (86.873 mph). Chip Herr, of Lititz, Pa., who was fastest in practice in the No. 97 Mazdaspeed/Tindol Motorsports MAZDA6, will start fourth after turning a fast time of 1:33.658 (86.792 mph).
 
Dino Crescentini, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., completed the top five with his best qualifying effort since moving to RealTime Racing, with a 1:33.695 (86.758 mph) in the No. 46 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX.
 
Charles Espenlaub (MAZDA6), Jim Daniels (MAZDA6), Michael Galati (MAZDA6), point leader Pierre Kleinubing (Acura TSX) and James Clay (BMW 325i) completed the top 10. The top 13 cars were all within one second of the pole position time.