18 replies to this topic

[Johnny D]

TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 20, 2015) – The first wave of events for the 2016 SCCA U.S. Majors Tour is set, as thoughts shift toward the upcoming race season. A total of 20 events are currently scheduled to be held across five conferences throughout the country, with more events to be announced soon.

The new race season is set to begin much like that in 2015, with back-to-back events at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Jan. 8-10) and Sebring International Raceway (Jan. 15-17) on the second and third weekends of January, respectively.

The Southeast Conference keeps rolling with a return trip to historic, and challenging, Road Atlanta, March 18-20. The current calendar closes with another two-conference event at VIRginia International Raceway, April 15-17, which also marks the start of competition for the Northeast Conference. At least one additional event is in the works, but will be announced at a later date.

Out west, the Majors Tour kicks things off with a three-day event at Auto Club Speedway, Jan. 29-31. The next stop for the Western Conference is Willow Springs International Raceway, Feb. 20-21. A return to Buttonwillow Raceway Park, April 29-May 1, precedes Pacific Raceways, May 28-30, as the season comes to a close at Portland International Raceway, July 2-3. An additional April event will be added to the schedule.

The Mid-States title hunt will again include Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, April 9-10. The Majors will return to Gateway Motorsports Park, May 14-15, after a two-year hiatus from the facility. The conference calendar will conclude with a Rocky Mountain swing that includes a pair of Colorado race weekends. The Mid-States Conference will make its yearly return to Pueblo Motorsports Park (May 28-29) with High Plains Raceway (July 2-3) currently slated as the final race. At least one additional race weekend will be added to the calendar, but details have yet to be finalized.

The Northeast Conference is the next to start its season. The conference begins its campaign at VIR, with the Southeast Conference. The title hunt then moves to Summit Point Motorsports Park, April 29-May 1.

Watkins Glen International moves off of Independence Day weekend to June 24-26 for 2016. The final stop for the Northeast Conference will be at Pocono Raceway, Aug. 13-14. This will be the first Majors event to be held at the Tricky Triangle, which takes is nickname from the three completely different turns on the circuit. Two additional events will be added to the Northeast schedule at a later date.

The Northern Conference opener takes place April 30-May 1 at Blackhawk Farms Raceway. Racers in the Northern Conference will then have a chance to take to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, June 3-5, which will host the 2016 SCCA Runoffs Presented by Garmin VIRB. Many teams will use the opportunity to perfect their setups for the winner-take-all National Championship race later in the year.

The next round of the conference schedule heads east to Michigan for GingerMan Raceway, July 9-10. The title hunt is set to end Aug. 13-14 at Grattan Raceway. The finalized schedule will have two additional races added at a later date.

"We're very pleased with the events on the 2016 U.S. Majors Tour calendar," Deanna Flanagan, Sr. Manager of Club Racing, said. "We're excited to work with our returning events and welcome a couple new ones to the 2016 season.

"Based on feedback from our drivers, workers and host Regions, we continue to fine-tune event formats and elements to provide the best Championship-level program in amateur racing."

Some events are still under consideration, but have not been finalized at this time. As details regarding those events become available, they will be announced.

For additional information on the SafeRacer SCCA National Club Racing program and the U.S. Majors Tour, visit SCCA.com.

Listed below is the schedule for the 2016 SCCA U.S. Majors Tour, part of the SafeRacer National Club Racing Program, as of now:

Mid-States Conference
April 9-10: Hallett Motor Racing Circuit (Jennings, Okla.)
May 14-15: Gateway Motorsports Park (Madison, Ill.)
May 28-29: Pueblo Motorsports Park (Pueblo, Colo.)
July 2-3: High Plains Raceway (Deer Trail, Colo.)
At least one event will be added at a later date

Northern Conference
April 30-May 1: Blackhawk Farms Raceway (South Beloit, Ill.)
June 3-5*: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Lexington, Ohio)
July 9-10: GingerMan Raceway (South Haven, Mich.)
Aug. 13-14: Grattan Raceway (Belding, Mich.)
Two events will be added at a later date
* - Pending track confirmation

Northeast Conference
April 15-17: VIRginia International Raceway (Alton, Va.) – with Southeast Conference
April 29-May 1: Summit Point Motorsports Park (Summit Point, W. Va.)
June 24-26: Watkins Glen International (Watkins Glen, N.Y.)
Aug. 13-14: Pocono Raceway (Long Pond, Pa.)
Two events to be added at a later date

Southeast Conference
Jan. 8-10: Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, Fla.)
Jan. 15-17: Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, Fla.)
March 18-20: Road Atlanta (Braselton, Ga.)
April 15-17: VIRginia International Raceway (Alton, Va.) – with Northeast Conference
At least one event will be added at a later date

Western Conference
Jan. 29-31: Auto Club Speedway (Fontana, Calif.)
Feb. 20-21: Willow Springs International Raceway (Rosamond, Calif.)
April: TBD
April 29-May 1: Buttonwillow Raceway Park (Buttonwillow, Calif.)
May 28-30: Pacific Raceways (Kent, Wash.)
July 2-3: Portland International Raceway (Portland, Ore.)

[MPR22]

Who puts these things together,  zero events in the Southwest Division?  

Colorado getting 2 events is just more of the same silliness.  We are not traveling those distances to win the Mid Div Championship.  Last years runner up was David Zippie he raced 3 events with next to no participants.  This is a continued failure.  

 

"The Mid-States title hunt will again include Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, April 9-10. The Majors will return to Gateway Motorsports Park, May 14-15, after a two-year hiatus from the facility. The conference calendar will conclude with a Rocky Mountain swing that includes a pair of Colorado race weekends. The Mid-States Conference will make its yearly return to Pueblo Motorsports Park (May 28-29) with High Plains Raceway (July 2-3) currently slated as the final race. At least one additional race weekend will be added to the calendar, but details have yet to be finalized."

 

They are bragging about the Annual trip to Colorado that had a combined 147 participants in all classes over 2 weekends.  

[Johnny D]

Who puts these things together,

The same people that scheduled the Runoffs at Mid-O on the same weekend as the NASA Nat's ??

J~

[Pat Ross]

From this schedule it is obvious that the SCCA has conceded the Southwest Division to NASA. 

[Johnny D]

From this schedule it is obvious that the SCCA has conceded the Southwest Division to NASA.

 

J~

[tLinder]

Who puts these things together,  zero events in the Southwest Division?  

Colorado getting 2 events is just more of the same silliness.  We are not traveling those distances to win the Mid Div Championship.  Last years runner up was David Zippie he raced 3 events with next to no participants.  This is a continued failure.  

 

"The Mid-States title hunt will again include Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, April 9-10. The Majors will return to Gateway Motorsports Park, May 14-15, after a two-year hiatus from the facility. The conference calendar will conclude with a Rocky Mountain swing that includes a pair of Colorado race weekends. The Mid-States Conference will make its yearly return to Pueblo Motorsports Park (May 28-29) with High Plains Raceway (July 2-3) currently slated as the final race. At least one additional race weekend will be added to the calendar, but details have yet to be finalized."

 

They are bragging about the Annual trip to Colorado that had a combined 147 participants in all classes over 2 weekends.  

For what's worth, good chance NOLA will be added Feb 27/28.

[Butch Kummer]

Now that I'm a civilian I no longer have any inside knowledge into the Majors Schedule, but here's what I've heard as I developed the 2016 V8RRS schedule (www.V8RRS.com):

 

Mid-States: (traditionally SOWDiv leadership and those currently in charge in Topeka have not played well together, which accounts for delays in finalizing things) 

. My understanding is they didn't get their permission slip signed in time, but (as noted above) expect the Feb 27/28 weekend at NOLA to be a Majors.

. Not sure at all about another SOWDiv event, but that would make six weekends in the Mid-States conference.

 

Northern: (ditto CENDiv leadership and TCICIT)

. Expect both the June Sprints (Jun 17-19) and the Cat (Jul 30-31) to be on the final schedule

. Cincinnati Region asked to have their Apr 15-17 weekend on the Majors calendar but influential people in GLDiv feel the facility is not yet "Majors-ready" (V8RRS does, though)

. Do NOT expect another Majors at Mid-Ohio besides the June date. They will be covered up with entries if they host a PDX, so why limit their customer base by having a second Majors?

 

Northeast:

. Steel Cities proposed a May 7-8 event at PittRace but was asked if they could move it away from the Summit Point weekend, so they are looking at options.

. I have no idea what the second TBD weekend is for NE, maybe make the Mid-Ohio Majors a dual-conference event like it was in 2015?

 

Southeast:

. I know TCICIT asked Atlanta Region to host a Majors at Barber and CCR to find a date a Charlotte that works, but don't hold out hope for either one.  Unless they count NOLA and Summit as dual events again I'm not sure how they'll get six weekends for the SE.

 

Western: (substitute "SFR" for "SOWDiv" and "CENDiv" above)

. Figure the April date will be an SFR event, most likely Thunderhill

 

As always, YMMV...

[Jim Drago]

 

 

They are bragging about the Annual trip to Colorado that had a combined 147 participants in all classes over 2 weekends.  

 

Have never been and no plans on going either.  

[chris haldeman]

Have never been and no plans on going either.

High plains is a very nice track and fun too drive. On and off course" just ask Ross" lol.
Sadly pueblo has been said too me too be very boring. Both Colorado races get a very low turn out. I would attend high plains again if there will be a better turn out. I do wish there was a majors in Texas but??? Only real options are tws or Cota. Tws is always said too be closing and Cota is expensive. Sadly that's what we got

[chris haldeman]

I will add I was surprised too not see kansas on the schedule? Facility is great, area is very convinent too the racers with ample motels and good surrounding the track. Track was the best roval I've seen short of Daytona.

[FTodaro]

Any word from the those at the top if the Majors program is going to try and reduce the number of days to compete or said another way have practice on Friday and just qualify on Saturday morning and race in the afternoon?

 

My Major's participation is going to decline significantly if I have to take off Wednesday to travel, Thursday to practice like many events this year. Just to hard for me to take that much time off.

[Terry Hanushek]

 

Northeast:

. Steel Cities proposed a May 7-8 event at PittRace but was asked if they could move it away from the Summit Point weekend, so they are looking at options.

. I have no idea what the second TBD weekend is for NE, maybe make the Mid-Ohio Majors a dual-conference event like it was in 2015?

 

The other NEDiv Major will be at NJMP on 22-24 July, another missed agreement date

 

Terry

[Tom Sager]

Any word from the those at the top if the Majors program is going to try and reduce the number of days to compete or said another way have practice on Friday and just qualify on Saturday morning and race in the afternoon?

 

My Major's participation is going to decline significantly if I have to take off Wednesday to travel, Thursday to practice like many events this year. Just to hard for me to take that much time off.

Agree and many others do I'm sure.  

[Danny Steyn]

Any word from the those at the top if the Majors program is going to try and reduce the number of days to compete or said another way have practice on Friday and just qualify on Saturday morning and race in the afternoon?

 

My Major's participation is going to decline significantly if I have to take off Wednesday to travel, Thursday to practice like many events this year. Just to hard for me to take that much time off.

 

Make sure you are writing letters on this to Lisa Noble and the BOD. I urge you all to write. Taking off Wednesday to travel is definitely going to impact my racing attendance next year

[Todd Lamb]

To clarify - don't select SM for these letters on crbscca.com. This needs to run all the way up to the CRB directly.

[Jim Drago]

High plains is a very nice track and fun too drive. On and off course" just ask Ross" lol.
Sadly pueblo has been said too me too be very boring. Both Colorado races get a very low turn out. I would attend high plains again if there will be a better turn out. I do wish there was a majors in Texas but??? Only real options are tws or Cota. Tws is always said too be closing and Cota is expensive. Sadly that's what we got

just too dam far.. likely 15 hours plus..  

[Johnny D]

[quote name"]

My Major's participation is going to decline significantly if I have to take off Wednesday to travel, Thursday to practice like many events this year. Just to hard for me to take that much time off. [quote /]

 

 

What do you guys think this is, NASA. 

 

J~

[FTodaro]

Make sure you are writing letters on this to Lisa Noble and the BOD. I urge you all to write. Taking off Wednesday to travel is definitely going to impact my racing attendance next year

 

 

To clarify - don't select SM for these letters on crbscca.com. This needs to run all the way up to the CRB directly.

Will do.

[Johnny D]

While you're at it have them change the dates for the Runoffs or do the schedule so SM is early in the week so Danny can go to Watkins Glenn.

 

J~