International Race of Champions
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International Race of Champions, better known as IROC, is an auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an All-Star Game or The Masters. Drivers race identically-prepared stock cars set up by a single team of mechanics in an effort to make the race purely a test of driver ability. It is run with a small field of invited drivers (6-12). It was created in 1973 by Riverside International Raceway President Les Richter and Roger Penske with Mark Donohue being the first driver to win the championship, in 1974. The cars used that year were Porsche Carrera RSRs. Donohue's win in the fourth and last race of that season was his last win as he died in a Formula One practice the next season. The series was not run in 1981, 1982 or 1983.
Due to its similarity to NASCAR in tracks and cars, the series is dominated by NASCAR drivers. The last non-NASCAR champion of the series was Al Unser, Jr. in 1988. Although open wheel drivers have had successes, as of 2005, drivers from road racing series had only won two races in the history of IROC. However, this is likely to change as a road course has returned as a regular part of the schedule.
In 2007, IROC could not find a sponsor and postponed the first two races at Daytona and Texas.[1] As of March 24th, 2007, IROC has officially closed down after 33 years of racing.
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[edit] Car identification
Through 2003, IROC was also known for its rainbow of car colors being easily recognized from all other closed wheel racing series. Car numbers were utilized for scoring purposes, but were not the primary means of identification. Instead, the drivers' surname would appear on the door of the car. Exceptions were made when Mario and Michael Andretti raced in the same events. In those cases, their first name was used. The numbers would change from race to race, with the number 1 would be given to the driver starting first, and so on. The colors would correspond to the numbers. This would make it very confusing for fans, as one week their favorite driver could be driving the blue #1 car, and the next week he could be in the #5 orange car.
In 2004, the Diageo brand Crown Royal became the series' title sponsor, replacing True Value, and the procedure changed. The cars would be identically painted in white, with trim which could be changed to represent the driver's colors in his regular racing series. Further, a driver's number in IROC would be his regular number. Thus, Steve Kinser would use green trim with the #11, and Mark Martin feature blue trim with #6.
The only exception to the numbering scheme involves the number 3. Following the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001, IROC retired the use of #3. Any driver with that regular number would use #03 instead. Helio Castroneves has raced with #03, but the car kept red trim, in reflection of his IRL car being red.
If there is a numbering conflict, another number will be substituted. In most cases, for one-digit numbers, a zero will be added in front. Otherwise a historically notable number will be run. (Penske drivers, for one instance, could use #66, owing to Mark Donohue.)
[edit] Road racing
From 1992-2005, the IROC season was exclusively run on ovals. In 2006, road courses were reintroduced to the IROC series with the cars competing on the road course at Daytona International Speedway. Also, in 2006, two drivers will share one car in an IROC first. Grand American Road Racing drivers Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor will each drive two races in 2006, trying to win the IROC title as a team, reflecting sportscar racing as a two-man team. However, in 2007, that may not be used, as 2006 Grand American Road Racing champion Jörg Bergmeister was a solo champion. Bergmeister had to split driving duties with various drivers because his regular co-driver was forced to sit out three races because they were raced with the Indy Racing League; Colin Braun, who is 17, could not race in those three races under MSA rulings.)
[edit] Notes
- IROC has historically employed former NASCAR drivers Dave Marcis, Dick Trickle and Jim Sauter to prepare the setups for their cars.
- The current model of car used in IROC is the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. There are no manufacturer designations on the cars, however, because Pontiac pulled their support from the series. The program is still allowed to use a car that resembles the Trans Am.
- Previous to the Trans Am, car bodies used were the Dodge Avenger, Dodge Daytona, Chevrolet Camaro, and Porsche Carrera.
- Certain drivers could not participate under the Crown Royal sponsorship because of contracts or age. For example, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. could not race because of a contractual agreement with his sponsor, Budweiser. Kyle Busch could not participate because until May 2006, he was under 21.
[edit] IROC Champions
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ IROC SERIES DELAYS START OF 2007 SEASON : Series Seeking Title Sponsorship, Retrived March 9, 2007
- ^ Three races only as the third scheduled race was cancelled due to rain.
- ^ Three races only because of new sponsor Dodge and the late start to the season (Talladega, Cleveland, Michigan). After Darrell Waltrip was injured in a crash at Daytona in practice for the NASCAR Pepsi 400 the day before the Cleveland IROC race, he was not replaced for the final two races.
- ^ Davey Allison was killed in a helicopter crash after three races had been completed, and only the final race, at Michigan International Speedway, was remaining. Terry Labonte was asked to drive the final race, and Allison's and Labonte's points combined were enough for the IROC championship. Labonte's winnings went to a trust fund for Allison's two children, Krista and Robbie. Alan Kulwicki had been killed in a plane crash earlier in the year after one race had been run, and Dale Earnhardt volunteered to replace the fallen champion to complete a 12-driver field, with all winnings going to charities chosen by the Kulwicki family.
- ^ After Dale Earnhardt was killed in the Daytona 500, IROC went to only eleven cars for the remaining three races. Following a 2004 rule change in IROC where drivers would be using their personal numbers, IROC added one exception -- the number 3 could not be used. Any driver whose number in a series is 3 must use 03 in IROC.
- ^ With the 2005 IROC title, Martin now is the all-time leader in IROC Championship titles with five. Also during the 2005 season, Martin took over the all-time record for IROC wins, with thirteen.
[edit] External links
- IROC website - Caution: Audio on linked page.
| Tracks of IROC |
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| Current Tracks Daytona International Speedway • Texas Motor Speedway • Atlanta Motor Speedway Former Tracks |
