SCCA: Going for the Gold: Amateur Drivers Put Pedal to the Metal
3 October 2000
STAMFORD, Conn. (Oct. 2, 2000) -- For most of the world, the 2000 Olympic Games are a distant memory -- races run, laps led and home runs hit. The coveted gold medals have been awarded and the thousands of Olympic athletes have returned to their homelands. But for more than 600 men and women, the real games are just beginning. North America's top amateur sports car drivers will compete Oct. 2-8 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) Valvoline Runoffs. Known as the "olympics of auto racing," the weeklong event brings road racers from around the country together to compete for national championship medals in 24 different classes. Speedvision will air 13 hours of live coverage from the event, beginning Oct. 6 at 1:30 p.m. ET. On Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, the 24-hour cable station's coverage kicks off both days at 1:30 p.m. and will continue until 6 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. The SCCA is a 55,000-member, non-profit organization featuring the most active membership participation in motor sports today, holding more than 2,000 amateur and professional motor sports events each year. The Valvoline Runoffs is the club's largest event with an estimated 15,000 people expected to attend. True grassroots motor sports participation is the backbone of the organization, with more than 100 regional chapters throughout the United States. "It's the thousands of men and women who work on their own cars -- adding performance equipment in order to compete in amateur competition events across North America throughout the year -- that make up a lot of Speedvision's viewing audience," said Robert Scanlon, Speedvision's executive producer and senior vice president -- programming and production. "When an event like the Valvoline Runoffs comes up, it is definitely circled on the Speedvision calendar as an important event for our broadcasting team. To be able to televise this event live to all the 'weekend warriors' who can't be there in person is what our network is all about."