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, 1983 or 2007.

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] IROC is on hiatus in 2007 and hopes to return with sponsor in 2008. Many think IROC has closed but president of IROC says it has not yet closed down. On IROC's website the final line in a tribute to the past 30 years reads "It's now time to reflect on the past 30 years. More to Come, It was reported on jayski.com on october 28 2007 That the IROC series was auctioning off its fleet of cars since a series sponsor could not be found." It is closer than ever for IROC to be shut down.

[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's car would feature blue trim with a #6 (pre-2007, that is; in 2007, he switched to the #01 U.S. Army car with Ginn Racing).

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 shared one car in an IROC first. Grand American Road Racing drivers Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor each drove 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 have been 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 until May 2006 because he was under 21.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] IROC Champions

[edit] See also

• Race of Champions
• Race of Champions (Brands Hatch)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• IROC website - Caution: Audio on linked page.

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