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Heartland Park Topeka is losing not one but two major races in 2009.
The Sports Car Club of America announced Monday this is the final year of a three-year contract to hold the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Heartland Park. They are scheduled for Oct. 6-12.
....
The Sports Car Club of America's National Runoffs didn't attract the crowd organizers hoped for at Heartland Park.
With the loss of the Runoffs, Raymond Irwin, owner of Heartland Park, said Tuesday he would no longer host the SCCA Solo Nationals after they are completed Sept. 16-19.
Despite the losses of the two races in 2009, Irwin said the track still has a full schedule of about 270 events this year.
"This isn't going to hold us back," he said.
...
Irwin said he spent $800,000 to put on the SCCA National Runoffs in 2007, which attracted 700 cars racing in 25 divisions but few spectators. He said he made his money back from the event, but it wasn't a huge return on investment. He said the event was more profitable for the community because drivers and their teams spent money on hotels and restaurants while they were in Topeka for two weeks.
But Irwin said he gave away his track for free to the SCCA to host the Solo Nationals in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
"It wasn't doing anything for us," Irwin said.
A lesser known, but still important race, the Solo Nationals is hosted by the Kansas Region SCCA. The event moved to Topeka from Salina in 1995.
It had been held at Forbes Field's massive fields of asphalt, but was moved to Heartland Park in 2006, where it attracted about 275 drivers.
The Solo Nationals attract participants who are weekend drivers. They typically race their own stock vehicles, such as Mini Coopers and Mazda Miatas.
On the other hand, the SCCA National Runoffs are considered the pinnacle in amateur motorsports racing.
The National Runoffs are like the U.S. Amateur in golf.
Jim Julow, president of the SCCA, said the organization has formed a group to examine where to host the Solo Nationals in 2009.
He said the SCCA would like to keep the Solo Nationals in the Topeka area.
"Out of 35 years, it's been in Kansas for about 30 years," Julow said. "My Solo people were waiting on a decision on the Runoffs. This is something they want to keep in this area."
Last weekend, the SCCA board of directors voted to move the SCCA National Runoffs in 2009 to Road America, located in Elkhart Lake, Wis., which is east of Oshkosh.
Julow declined to say what the vote was by SCCA board members, except to say it wasn't unanimous.
About 2,000 people — drivers and their support crews — came to the track for last year's National Runoffs.
Economic development experts said the event brought at least $3 million in direct spending to Topeka.
"I was shocked that it was moving," said Mike Kerchner, senior editor with National Speed Sport News, a motorsports magazine. "I thought it would be there for awhile because the headquarters is there, too."
The SCCA moved its corporate headquarters to Topeka in 2002 from the Denver area, where it was located for more than 30 years.
Julow said SCCA headquarters will remain at Forbes Field.
"We are very happy here," Julow said Tuesday. "We have a 20-year lease."
Kerchner said he hadn't expected the National Runoffs to move because it was at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for 10 years and Road Atlanta for 23 years.
Julow said the SCCA has changed its philosophy because leadership would like to see the National Runoffs held in various locations around the country.
Heartland Park's road track is about 2.5 miles in length compared with the four-mile track at Road America.
"Road America has an incredible following," Kerchner said. "It's one of the top three or four in road racing. It's a four-mile circuit that is spread through woods and hills. It's a beautiful place."
"It's really a unique and beautiful place," Kerchner said. "That will help draw people to that circuit."
-reprinted from Nasioc.com
Heartland Park Topeka is losing not one but two major races in 2009.
The Sports Car Club of America announced Monday this is the final year of a three-year contract to hold the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Heartland Park. They are scheduled for Oct. 6-12.
....
The Sports Car Club of America's National Runoffs didn't attract the crowd organizers hoped for at Heartland Park.
With the loss of the Runoffs, Raymond Irwin, owner of Heartland Park, said Tuesday he would no longer host the SCCA Solo Nationals after they are completed Sept. 16-19.
Despite the losses of the two races in 2009, Irwin said the track still has a full schedule of about 270 events this year.
"This isn't going to hold us back," he said.
...
Irwin said he spent $800,000 to put on the SCCA National Runoffs in 2007, which attracted 700 cars racing in 25 divisions but few spectators. He said he made his money back from the event, but it wasn't a huge return on investment. He said the event was more profitable for the community because drivers and their teams spent money on hotels and restaurants while they were in Topeka for two weeks.
But Irwin said he gave away his track for free to the SCCA to host the Solo Nationals in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
"It wasn't doing anything for us," Irwin said.
A lesser known, but still important race, the Solo Nationals is hosted by the Kansas Region SCCA. The event moved to Topeka from Salina in 1995.
It had been held at Forbes Field's massive fields of asphalt, but was moved to Heartland Park in 2006, where it attracted about 275 drivers.
The Solo Nationals attract participants who are weekend drivers. They typically race their own stock vehicles, such as Mini Coopers and Mazda Miatas.
On the other hand, the SCCA National Runoffs are considered the pinnacle in amateur motorsports racing.
The National Runoffs are like the U.S. Amateur in golf.
Jim Julow, president of the SCCA, said the organization has formed a group to examine where to host the Solo Nationals in 2009.
He said the SCCA would like to keep the Solo Nationals in the Topeka area.
"Out of 35 years, it's been in Kansas for about 30 years," Julow said. "My Solo people were waiting on a decision on the Runoffs. This is something they want to keep in this area."
Last weekend, the SCCA board of directors voted to move the SCCA National Runoffs in 2009 to Road America, located in Elkhart Lake, Wis., which is east of Oshkosh.
Julow declined to say what the vote was by SCCA board members, except to say it wasn't unanimous.
About 2,000 people — drivers and their support crews — came to the track for last year's National Runoffs.
Economic development experts said the event brought at least $3 million in direct spending to Topeka.
"I was shocked that it was moving," said Mike Kerchner, senior editor with National Speed Sport News, a motorsports magazine. "I thought it would be there for awhile because the headquarters is there, too."
The SCCA moved its corporate headquarters to Topeka in 2002 from the Denver area, where it was located for more than 30 years.
Julow said SCCA headquarters will remain at Forbes Field.
"We are very happy here," Julow said Tuesday. "We have a 20-year lease."
Kerchner said he hadn't expected the National Runoffs to move because it was at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for 10 years and Road Atlanta for 23 years.
Julow said the SCCA has changed its philosophy because leadership would like to see the National Runoffs held in various locations around the country.
Heartland Park's road track is about 2.5 miles in length compared with the four-mile track at Road America.
"Road America has an incredible following," Kerchner said. "It's one of the top three or four in road racing. It's a four-mile circuit that is spread through woods and hills. It's a beautiful place."
"It's really a unique and beautiful place," Kerchner said. "That will help draw people to that circuit."
-reprinted from Nasioc.com
– Sports Car Club of America, Inc. announced today the results of a vote by its Board of Directors that will move the National Championship Runoffs® to Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wis.) in 2009. Road America will become the sixth venue to host the event, dating back to 1964.
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