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47-530: Rally America was founded in 2002 by CPD Rally Team owner Doug Havir, who provided scoring and reporting services to the Sports Car Club of America 's ProRally Championship. The two companies worked in tandem until the end of the 2004 season, when the SCCA withdrew its involvement in U.S. stage rallying. The SCCA then made the decision to sell all commercial and sanctioning rights to Rally America. In 2005,

94-566: A 3-litre engine capacity and were to be the main competitors in events counting towards the FIA's newly renamed World Championship for Makes from 1972 to 1975. Unlike the old Group 5, there was no minimum production requirement. For the 1976 season the FIA introduced a new Group 5 "Special Production Car" category, allowing extensive modifications to production based vehicles which were homologated in FIA Groups 1 through 4. These cars would contest

141-560: A Fiesta in Rally America and the X-Games. While not often contending for top overall spots they were good cars for those contesting the two-wheel-drive championships and for beginners. The Volkswagen Jetta , Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Beetle all had many appearances and much success in Rally America events. The Scion Rally xD debuted in the two-wheel-drive category at the 2010 Oregon Trail Rally with Christopher Duplessis at

188-536: A gear lever knob made of Balsa wood. When Porsche was first visited by the CSI inspectors only three cars were completed, while 18 were being assembled and seven additional sets of parts were present. Porsche argued that if they assembled the cars they would then have to take them apart again to prepare the cars for racing. The inspectors refused the homologation and asked to see 25 assembled and working cars. On April 20 Ferdinand Piëch displayed 25 917s parked in front of

235-404: A program that doesn't take over the entrants entire weekend. TNiA goes to well known tracks like Road America, VIR, even Sebring and Lime Rock. There are also smaller club tracks like CMP, AMP and Pitt Race. TNiA puts on about 150 events a year, totaling nearly 10,000 entrants each year, and as of 2024 has been running for 10 years. In recent years, the SCCA has expanded and re-organized some of

282-504: A regional or a national racing license. Both modified production cars (ranging from lightly modified cars with only extra safety equipment to heavily modified cars that retain only the basic shape of the original vehicle) and designed-from-scratch " formula " and " sports racer " cars can be used in Club Racing. Most of the participants in the Club Racing program are unpaid amateurs, but some go on to professional racing careers. The club

329-559: A whole new car for the Sport category with one underlying goal: to win its first overall victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans . In only ten months the Porsche 917 was developed, based upon the Porsche 908 , with remarkable technology: Porsche's first 12-cylinder engine, and many components made of titanium, magnesium and exotic alloys that had been developed for lightweight hillclimb racers. Other ways of weight reduction were rather simple, like

376-536: Is Jerry Hansen , (former owner of Brainerd International Raceway ), with twenty-seven national championships. The fivve national classes of the formula group are Formula Atlantic (FA), Formula Continental (FC), Formula Enterprises 2 (FE2), Formula F (FF), and Formula Vee (FV). The SCCA dropped its amateur only policy in 1962 and began sanctioning professional racing. In 1963, the United States Road Racing Championship

423-560: Is a relatively recent split. The Great Lakes Division was split from the Central Division at the end of 2006. Group 5 (racing) Group 5 was an FIA motor racing classification which was applied to four distinct categories during the years 1966 to 1982. Initially Group 5 regulations defined a Special Touring Car category and from 1970 to 1971 the classification was applied to limited production Sports Cars restricted to 5 litre engine capacity. The Group 5 Sports Car category

470-617: Is also the source for race workers in all specialties. The annual national championship for Club Racing is called the SCCA National Championship Runoffs and has been held at Riverside International Raceway (1964, 1966, 1968), Daytona International Speedway (1965, 1967, 1969, 2015), Road Atlanta (1970–1993), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (1994–2005, 2016), Heartland Park Topeka (2006–2008), Road America (2009-2013, 2020), Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (2014), and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2017). In 2018,

517-704: The 1976 SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship . Current SCCA-sanctioned series include Trans Am , the GT World Challenge America for GT and touring cars , the Global MX-5 Cup , and the F1600 Championship Series , F2000 Championship Series , and Atlantic Championship Series for open-wheel racing. SCCA Pro Racing has also sanctioned professional series for some amateur classes such as Spec Racer Ford Pro and Formula Enterprises Pro. SCCA Pro Racing also sanctioned

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564-469: The FIA ) announced that the new International Championship for Makes would be run for Group 6 Sports-Prototypes limited to 3 litre capacity for the four years from 1968 through 1971. Well-aware that few manufacturers were ready to immediately take up the challenge, the CSI also allowed the participation of 5 litre Group 4 Sports Cars manufactured in quantities of at least 50 units. This targeted existing cars like

611-618: The Impreza vehicle, had already become the most numerous competitive rally car in North America. Subaru became a sponsor of the series and many prizes and other incentives were provided by the company both for rally in general, and Subaru driving teams in particular. A fully stocked parts truck was dispatched to all national events, offering Subaru teams unique access to parts and expertise on scene. There were discounts on parts for teams using Subaru Rally Team USA parts. Mitsubishi

658-662: The International Motor Sports Association . The autocross program is branded as "Solo". Up to four cars at a time run on a course laid out with traffic cones on a large paved surface, such as a parking lot or airport runway, without interfering with one another. Competitions are held at the regional, divisional, and national levels. A national champion in each class is determined at the national championship (usually referred to as "Nationals") held in September. In 2009, Solo Nationals moved to

705-582: The Lincoln Airpark in Lincoln, Nebraska . Individual national-level events called "Championship Tours" and "Match Tours" are held throughout the racing season. The SCCA also holds national-level events in an alternate format called "ProSolo". In ProSolo, two cars compete at the same time on mirror-image courses with drag racing -style starts, complete with reaction and 60-foot times. Class winners and other qualifiers (based on time differential against

752-610: The United States . Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers. The SCCA traces its roots to the Automobile Racing Club of America (not to be confused with the current stock car series of the same name ). ARCA was founded in 1933 by brothers Miles and Sam Collier , and dissolved in 1941 at the outbreak of World War II . The SCCA was formed in 1944 as an enthusiast group. The SCCA began sanctioning road racing in 1948 with

799-561: The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup during its time. The SCCA is organized into six conferences, nine divisions and 115 regions, each organizing events in that area to make the events more accessible to people throughout the country. The number of divisions has increased since the SCCA's foundation. Northern Pacific and Southern Pacific started as a single Pacific Coast Division until dividing in 1966. Rocky Mountain Division

846-476: The World Rally Championship . At the end of the 2004 season SCCA dropped ProRally and ClubRally. A new organization, Rally America , picked up both series starting in 2005. Road rallies are run on open, public roads. These are not races in the sense of speed, but of precision and navigation. The object is to drive on time, arriving at checkpoints with the proper amount of elapsed time from

893-401: The 2009 X Games . Driven by Tanner Foust, Ken Block and Brian Deegan, three open-class Ford Fiestas were dominant (two of the three claimed podium positions) throughout the weekend. Block, the eventual winner, praised the car, while Foust has said he would like to see a factory-backed Ford Racing team competing regularly in Rally America. For 2010, Ford announced that they would be sponsoring

940-497: The 3.5 atmo engine formula, reminiscent of events nineteen years previous. In an effort to reduce the speeds generated at Le Mans and other fast circuits of the day by the unlimited capacity Group 6 Prototypes such as the 7 litre Fords, and to entice manufacturers of 3 litre Formula One engines into endurance racing, the Commission Sportive Internationale (then the independent competition arm of

987-462: The Porsche factory to the CSI inspectors. Piëch even offered the opportunity to drive one of the cars, which was declined. During June 1969, Enzo Ferrari sold half of his stock to FIAT , and used some of that money to do what Porsche did 6 months earlier with the 917, to build 25 cars powered by a 5-litre V12 in order to compete against them. With the financial help of Fiat, that risky investment

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1034-414: The Rally America website. The engine is turbo charged and must be based on a production engine with the power being limited by the use of an inlet restrictor. The body must be recognizable as the original car. There is a minimum weight also enforced dependent on the engine. 2.5L or less naturally aspirated 4WD production vehicles with no minimum weight. Like the open class the body must be recognizable as

1081-484: The Runoffs will go back west to Sonoma Raceway . In 2019, the race will be held at Virginia International Raceway a track where the race has never been held. It was announced on 15 June 2018 that the Runoffs would go back to Road America in the year 2020. On 25 May 2019, the weekend of the 2019 Indianapolis 500 , SCCA announced they will be returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021. The current SCCA record holder

1128-675: The World Championship for Makes series from 1976 through to 1980 and then the World Endurance Championship in 1981 and 1982. The Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft also used these regulations from 1977 until 1981. The only non-circuit events that used Group 5 cars were in the Giro d'Italia automobilistico rally. The rules restricted the width of the car, therefore cars were built with standard body widths but wide mudguard extensions. The regulation required only

1175-542: The aging Ford GT40 and the newer Lola T70 coupe. In April 1968, the CSI announced that, as there were still too few entries in the 3 litres Group 6 Prototype category, the minimal production figure to compete in the Group 4 Sport category of the International Championship of Makes would be reduced from 50 to 25 starting in 1969 through to the planned end of the rules in 1971. This was mainly to allow

1222-467: The bonnet, roof, doors and rail panel were left unmodified. The rules however did not mention headlight heights, therefore when Porsche originally were to enter the 935 with the production headlight, they read the rules and discovered the loophole, therefore they raced the 935 with the hallmark flat nose. The category was also mostly associated with the wide boxy wheel arches and extravagant body style. The category would be banished after 1982 in favour of

1269-528: The class winner) then compete in a handicapped elimination round called the "Challenge". Points are awarded in both class and Challenge competition, and an annual champion is crowned each September at the ProSolo Finale event in Lincoln, Nebraska. The SCCA sanctions "RallyCross" events, similar to autocross, but on a non-paved course. SCCA ProRally was a national performance rally series similar to

1316-715: The concurrent Group 1 and Group 2 Touring Car categories. Group 5 regulations were adopted for the British Saloon Car Championship from 1966 and for the European Touring Car Championship from 1968. The Special Touring Cars category was discontinued after the 1969 season. For the 1970 season, the FIA applied the Group 5 classification to the Sports Car class which had previously been known as Group 4 Sports Cars . The minimum production requirement remained at 25 and

1363-441: The driver three points: one for starting, one for finishing, and one for coming in 10th+ place. Rally America did not maintain manufacturer scoring or provide recognition for vehicle successes. Most cars are selected by their drivers or teams with the vast majority being entered without any special involvement by their manufacturers. Subaru was an integral part of Rally America from its inception. The Subaru WRX STi version of

1410-454: The end of that year. Surprisingly, Ferrari decided to give up any official effort with the 512 in order to prepare for the new 1972 season regulations. But many 512s were still raced by private teams, most of them converted to M specification. As a result of the rule change, sports car racing popularity suffered and did not recover until the following decade, with the advent of Group C which incidentally were forced out of competition in favour of

1457-426: The engine capacity maximum at 5 litres as had applied in the superseded Group 4. Group 5 Sports Cars contested the FIA's International Championship for Makes in 1970 & 1971, alongside the 3 litre Group 6 Prototype Sports Cars . During 1970 the FIA decided to replace the existing Group 5 Sports Car category when the rules expired at the end of the 1971 season, so the big 917s and 512s would have to be retired at

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1504-469: The help of Air Force General Curtis LeMay , a renowned enthusiast of sports car racing. LeMay loaned out facilities of Strategic Air Command bases for the SCCA's use; the SCCA relied heavily on these venues during the early and mid-1950s during the transition from street racing to permanent circuits. By 1962, the SCCA was tasked with managing the U.S. World Sportscar Championship rounds at Daytona , Sebring , Bridgehampton and Watkins Glen . The club

1551-539: The higher-speed events under the Time Trials banner. These include Performance Driving Experience ("PDX"), Club Trials, Track Trials, and Hill Climb events. PDX events are non-competition HPDE -type events and consist of driver-education and car control classroom learning combined with on-track instruction. The Club Racing program is a road racing division where drivers race on either dedicated race tracks or on temporary street circuits. Competitors require either

1598-693: The homologation in Group 4 of cars such as the Ferrari 250 LM and the Lola T70 which had not been manufactured in sufficient quantities to qualify (unless, in the case of the Lola T70, the open Can-Am cars were counted as well). Starting in July 1968, Porsche made a surprising and very expensive effort to take advantage of this rule. As they were rebuilding race cars with new chassis every race or two anyway, they decided to conceive, design and build 25 versions of

1645-567: The inaugural Watkins Glen Grand Prix . Cameron Argetsinger , an SCCA member and local enthusiast who would later become Director of Pro Racing and Executive Director of the SCCA, helped organize the event for the SCCA. In 1951, the SCCA National Sports Car Championship was formed from existing marquee events around the nation, including Watkins Glen, Pebble Beach , and Elkhart Lake . Many early SCCA events were held on disused air force bases, organized with

1692-418: The inaugural Rally America National Championship was run, incorporating most of the events previously sanctioned by the SCCA. In 2011, Vermont businessman Bill Fogg took over ownership of Rally America from Havir. The points are awarded based on final position, as well as achieving a point for starting the race and one point for finishing the race. Thus, finishing a race will automatically earn

1739-506: The manufacturer. These are based on the old FIA Group 5 and Group 2 standards. Both are limited on weight, displacement, and must be based on cars with a production of 1000 per year. Power may be sent to either the rear wheels or the front wheels . Sports Car Club of America The Sports Car Club of America ( SCCA ) is a non-profit American automobile club and sanctioning body supporting Autocross , Rallycross , HPDE , Time Trial , Road Racing , and Hill Climbs in

1786-464: The original car. The chassis generation must match the appearance and modifications of the car. Thus, one can take a chassis from a 2006 Subaru WRX and put a 2003 WRX shell around it, but all parts must be allowable for a 2003 WRX. Engine displacement cannot be more than 2.6 liter with multipliers, and a limiter is placed on any forced induction system. A minimum weight is also enforced. Many other parts can be replaced, as long as they are an option from

1833-461: The previous checkpoint. Competitors do not know where the checkpoints are. Track Night in America is a track experience program sanctioned by the SCCA. The program is designed to be low barrier to entry, and accepting to all skill levels. Events happen all over the country, on week evenings usually between Tuesday and Thursday. SCCA planned week night track events to keep costs down, as well as build

1880-404: The same support from the factory. They were considered as field fillers, never as candidate for a win. At Porsche, however, JWA Gulf, KG Salzburg who were then replaced by Martini Racing for the following season, received all direct factory support and the privateers like AAW Shell Racing and David Piper Racing received a much better support than Ferrari's clients. The 917 instability problem

1927-462: The wheel. In 2011, Duplessis switched to a Ford, and the Scion xD was piloted by Andrew Comrie-Picard . In 2009, Rally America narrowed down the number of championships. The regional rallies have many categories split into two events, such as 2 Wheel Drive being split into a separate championship for Group 2 and Group 5, as well as the addition of an Open Light. A list of the full rules can be seen at

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1974-527: Was Subaru's primary competitor in North America, with its Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution series of cars. In the hands of competitive drivers, the Evo proved a challenge to the larger quantity of WRXs, often edging into top three finishes. Ford Motor Company has had a long history in rallying item rallycross both World Rally Championship and in North America. Ford made a unique appearance in American rallying at

2021-662: Was also involved in the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix . SCCA Executive Director John Bishop helped to create the United States Road Racing Championship series for Group 7 sports cars to recover races that had been taken by rival USAC Road Racing Championship . Bishop was also instrumental in founding the SCCA Trans-Am Series and the SCCA/ CASC Can-Am series. In 1969, tension and infighting over Pro Racing's autonomy caused Bishop to resign and help form

2068-611: Was formed. In 1966 the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) was created for Group 7 open-top sportscars. The Trans-Am Series for pony cars also began in 1966. Today, Trans-Am uses GT-1 class regulations, giving amateur drivers a chance to race professionally. A professional series for open-wheel racing cars was introduced in 1967 as the SCCA Grand Prix Championship . This series was then held under various names through to

2115-405: Was made, and surplus cars were intended to be sold to racing customers to compete for the 1970 season. Within 9 months Ferrari manufactured 25 512S cars. Ferrari entries only consisted of the factory cars, tuned by SpA SEFAC and there were the private cars of Scuderia Filipinetti, N.A.R.T., Écurie Francorchamps, Scuderia Picchio Rosso, Gelo Racing Team and Escuderia Montjuich which not receive

2162-471: Was redefined in 1972 to exclude the minimum production requirement and limit engine capacity to 3 litres. From 1976 to 1982 Group 5 was for Special Production Cars, a liberal silhouette formula based on homologated production vehicles. In 1966 the FIA introduced a number of new racing categories including one for highly modified touring cars, officially known as Group 5 Special Touring Cars. The regulations permitted vehicle modifications beyond those allowed in

2209-468: Was resolved with a revised rear hatch, which was called 917K (Kurzheck). There was a long tail version known as the 917LH (Langheck). Towards the end of the 1970 season, Ferrari entered some races with a new version of the 512, the 512M which had a revised bodywork For 1972, the FIA applied the Group 5 classification to what had previously been known as the Group 6 Prototype Sports Cars category. These cars, now officially Group 5 Sports Cars, were limited to

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