2006 SPEED World Challenge Schedule Complete - Denver, Long Beach Added
2006 SPEED World Challenge Schedule Complete; Touring Cars Return to Denver, GT to Debut at Long Beach TOPEKA, Kan. (Dec. 20, 2005) - SCCA Pro Racing announced today the addition of two venues to its 2006 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge calendar, bringing the season total to 10 races each for SCCA SPEED GT and Touring Car. For the first time in series history, SCCA SPEED GT will join the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach for the 32nd running of the historic event. It will be a quick turnaround for the series, which will race Saturday, April 2 in St. Petersburg, Fla. before hauling across country for the event in Long Beach, Calif. one week later. "We're delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the always exciting SPEED World Challenge GT on the streets of Long Beach," said Jim Michaelian, Grand Prix Association of Long Beach CEO. "The variety of cars and close competition will create tremendous interest for our fans and also provide us with a great concluding race on Sunday afternoon." SCCA SPEED Touring Car will also join the Champ Car World Series once during the 2006 season, but at Denver for its second-consecutive appearance at the CENTRIX Financial Grand Prix of Denver, Aug. 11-13. "We are thrilled to have the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Touring Car join us again for the Fastest Three Days in Denver," CENTRIX Financial Grand Prix of Denver General Manager Jim Freudenberg said. "World Challenge brings a fresh format and approach to auto racing in North America that creates the excitement and competitiveness Denver fans have come to expect." "We're very excited to add two premiere events to complete our 2006 SCCA SPEED World Challenge schedules," SCCA Pro Racing Acting President Garret Mudd said. "Long Beach and Southern California represent a huge market for our brand of racing, which has proven to be the most popular and relevant form of production-based racing in North America. Similarly, Denver has demonstrated an innovative approach and set new standards for street racing and festivals in North America over the past few years. It is important that we continue to associate and showcase our series with industry leading events like Denver and Long Beach. The two races bring the season total for each series to 10, completing the 2006 schedules. For more information, please visit www.world-challenge.com <http://www.world-challenge.com/> . -30- Attached: 1. Image of Eric Curran (Acura RSX), winner of the 2005 SPEED Touring Car Race in Denver. Mark Weber Image 2. Image of SPEED GT driver Lou Gigliotti (Chevrolet Corvette), who is a former Long Beach Grand Prix winner in Trans-Am. Mark Weber Image 2006 SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships Calendar 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 April 7-9 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Long Beach, Calif.* Champ Car na/Sun May 19-21 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio ALMS Sat/Sun June 23-25 Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. NASCAR Sat/Sun July 14-15 Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah ALMS Sat/Sat Aug. 11-13 CENTRIX Financial Grand Prix of Denver, Denver, Colo.** Champ Car Sun/na 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 * - SPEED GT only ** - SPEED Touring Car only _______________________ 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/>