USRRC Rolls Into Lime Rock (Dodge Dealers Grand Prix)
27 May 1999
By David TrefferThe AutoChannel
The USRRC (United States Road Racing Championship) Series rolls into Lime Rock, CT this week-end for the 1999 Dodge Dealers Grand Prix. The festival week-end of racing, held at one of the nicest motorsport venues in the United States, is one of the best deals for the fans. With seven races on the schedule it will be sensory over-load for the motorsport enthusiast. The seven races will be held on Saturday and Monday. Three on Saturday and four on Monday. Lime Rock Park is not allowed to conduct races on Sunday due to the local ordinances. Thus, it is one of the few racetracks that purposely schedules the main event to occur either on Saturdays or on holiday week-ends that include Mondays. This year, by the way, the Monday races will be held on the actual day of Memorial Day not just the observance.
The racing begins in earnest on Saturday afternoon. The Neon Challenge, which has quickly become a favorite for the fans and entrants alike, kicks-off with a 20 lap race. Known for large fields and lots of fender-rubbing action the Neon Challenge could have over 40 entries. The first turn on the first lap at Lime Rock has seen its share of bent machinery by the time the field reaches turn 2. Following the Neon Challenge the World Challenge GT Race will hold a 45 lap race. The field for this years event will be well-represented. Rounding out the day will be the World Challenge Touring race which will be a 40 lap affair. Squeezed into the middle of all this will be the practice and qualifying for the Barber Dodge Series, BF Goodrich Tires Trans Am Series and the USRRC Can Am/GT Race.
The two main events of the week-end will be the Trans-Am and the USRRC CanAm/GT.
Both races will be observed not just for the on-track activities but for the off-track discussions. Their is little question that the American Le Mans Series(ALMS) has become the dominant road racing series in North America. The race in April at Road Atlanta proved that the series has depth. On the other hand the USRRC seems to be searching for a reason for its existence. With only five races on the USRRC schedule it is possible that this might be the last year for the Can Am class being run under SCCA sanction. The Trans-Am Series on the other hand will survive not matter what lays ahead for the USRRC. This is not to say that the USRRC does not conduct good races. Far from it. This years Rolex 24 at Daytona was a superb race with a record number of entries. But Daytona, like Sebring, is a given. It comes down to economics and marketing exposure for your sponsor. Right now the ALMS is the best thing going in sportscar racing. The future for that series seems very bright. The same cannot be said of the USRRC.
Regardless of the internal problems, the week-end of racing at Lime Rock is the best ticket in North America. Seven races for $60.00 dollars....what a deal! No where else in the sporting world can you buy a ticket with so many hours of motorsports entertainment. Hopefully, Lime Rock is a preview of what heaven looks like.
Looking for something to do at the last minute this holiday week-end. Lime Rock has just the ticket.
Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.