The Road to Oz: 2006 Runoffs Preview

The Road to Oz: 2006 Runoffs Preview

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (October 9, 2006) - Topeka won't know what hit it. The SCCA
National Championship Runoffs(r) are go for launch and over 700 of the
country's best amateur racers are ready to pound the pavement at
Heartland Park Topeka.

 

The 43rd running of the Runoffs commences with four days of qualifying,
October 9-12, then showcases three days of the finest grassroots racing
anywhere from October 13-15. Seven days is just barely enough to contain
the activities of the 25 classes, a record number of classes for Runoffs
competition. Also a possible record in the making is the number of
Runoffs starters. With 755 entries, this year's event is on course to
break the record set in 2004 at Mid-Ohio of 709 starters.

 

This year's class total blossomed thanks to the addition of two new
classes, Touring 3 and Spec Miata. Although perennial favorites E
Production, Formula Vee and Spec Racer Ford are each topping 40 entries
this year, the new Spec Miata has toppled them all, amassing 61 entries
for the 2006 Runoffs.

 

With half the Spec Miata field made up of Runoffs rookies, two former
champions can be found in the mix: Marc Hoover (2001 DSR) and Harry
Manning (2003 SSB).

 

Other former Champions seeking to make headlines at this year's event
include John Heinricy, of Holly, Mich., who seeks National Championship
numbers ten, eleven and twelve this year when he competes in Touring 1,
American Sedan and Showroom Stock C. Should he win, it would be
Heinricy's sixth consecutive Touring 1 Championship and fourth
consecutive American Sedan Championship. Local driver Kent Prather, of
Wakarusa, Kan., will aim to please the hometown crowd by taking his
fourth G Production Championship in the last five years.

 

Another storyline for 2006 is the venue. Following 12 years at Mid-Ohio,
the Runoffs moves to Heartland Park Topeka for the first time in event
history. The 2.5-mile road course has undergone millions of dollars in
renovations and has put in a huge effort to bring itself up to caliber
for this National Championship event. The new location could put new
faces on top of the podium, and a fresh venue also means racers are
facing a clean slate when it comes to lap records; every one of them
will be set this week.

 

If you're not lucky enough to be in Topeka, Kan. This week, log onto 
www.scca.com <http://www.scca.com/>  to read all the stories, watch live
timing and scoring and catch a photo of your favorite club racer in
action. You can also catch each of the 25 races on SPEED in November.

 

-30-

 

Attached: Amy Ruman will battle for the GT1 title (Weber image).

Credit: SCCA/Mark Weber

 

Erin Cechal

SCCA Public Relations Specialist

800/770-2055

ecechal@scca.com