2006 SPEED World Challenge Initial Schedule Announced
For Immediate Release 2006 SPEED World Challenge Initial Schedule Announced; Nine of 10 Races Confirmed TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 27, 2005) - SCCA Pro Racing announced today nine of the 10 races that will make up the 2006 SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT Championship season. The final race will be announced shortly. The schedule features one brand new venue, the return of an old favorite and a new take on a traditional venue. As has been the case for the last four years, the season will begin Friday, March 17 at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. SPEED GT and Touring Car events will again be the featured races on Friday leading into the Saturday American Le Mans Series (ALMS) classic. For the second-straight year, and the fifth time in series history, SPEED World Challenge will return to St. Petersburg for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg with the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. SPEED GT will be the feature race on Saturday, April 1, with the SPEED Touring Cars racing on Sunday, April 2. The series returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the weekend of May 19-21 to race in conjunction with the ALMS. It is the eighth year the series has made an appearance at the Lexington, Ohio facility. From there, it's to the West to a familiar facility but an all-new weekend and circuit to SPEED World Challenge teams. Infineon Raceway's June 23-25 Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Weekend will feature SPEED GT and SPEED Touring Car races, using the short course for the first time. The series, which held its first-ever race at Infineon Raceway, then called Sears Point, in 1990, makes its 12th trip to Sonoma, Calif. After a two-week break, it's off to Miller Motorsports Park for the inaugural Utah Grand Prix, featuring both SPEED World Challenge races on Saturday, July 15, as well as the ALMS race. Miller Motorsports Park is a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility featuring a 4.5-mile road course-the longest in the United States. The series visits its second track over four miles Aug. 18-20 as it makes its return to Road America in conjunction with the ALMS. It will be the 11th trip to the facility in Elkhart Lake, Wis., and the first since the 2004 season. For the second-straight year, Labor Day (Sept. 1-3) will be spent north of the border at Mosport International Raceway for the series' lone Canadian appearance in 2006. It will be the 16th season (of 17) that Mosport has appeared on the schedule-more than any other facility. After running at Road Atlanta in April 2005, the series moves its Braselton, Ga.-appearance to late September as part of the Petit Le Mans week. Both races will be held on Friday, Sept. 29, one day prior to the ALMS endurance event. For the third-straight year, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will host the season-ending races for both series, moving the date back one week to Oct. 20-22. It is the ninth time the series has competed at the Monterey, Calif. facility. One additional event will be added for each series shortly, bringing the season total to 10 races. For additional series information, please visit www.world-challenge.com <http://www.world-challenge.com/> . 2006 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Championships Schedule of Events Date Venue With Race Day TC/GT March 15-17 Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Fla. ALMS Fri/Fri March 31-April 2 Honda GP of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Fla. IRL Sun/Sat May 19-21 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio ALMS Sat/Sun June 23-25 Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. NASCAR Sat/Sun July 14-16 Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah ALMS Sat/Sat Aug. 18-20 Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis. ALMS Sat/Sun Sept. 1-3 Mosport Int'l Raceway, Bowmanville, Ontario, CAN ALMS Sun/Sat Sept. 27-29 Road Atlanta, Braselton, Ga. ALMS Fri/Fri Oct. 20-22 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif. ALMS Sun/Sun Note: One event will be added at a later date for each series Schedule and race days subject to revision. Attached: SPEED World Challenge returns to Infineon Raceway in 2006, but this time with NASCAR NEXTEL Cup in June. Credit: (c) Mark Weber/SCCA -30- _______________________ Eric Prill Director of Communications Sports Car Club of America SCCA Pro Racing/SPEED World Challenge 785-357-7222, 785-232-7228 fax 800-770-2055 toll free 785-250-7920 mobile eprill@scca.com www.scca.com <http://www.scca.com> , www.world-challenge.com <http://www.world-challenge.com/>