VROC Championship Includes Charity Pro-Am Races at IMS, VIR, and Road Atlanta
Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) announced today that it would present a championship points series it calls the Vintage Race of Champions (VROC) in 2019. VROC builds on the success of the SVRA Charity Pro-Am races that began at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2014. Virginia International Raceway (VIR) hosted a second pro-am this past September. A new pro-am will be presented at the March 28-31 Road Atlanta weekend, making for a three-race series. Plans call for two championship trophies to be awarded – one for both an amateur and a professional racer.
All three races will benefit charity. The new Road Atlanta Charity Pro-Am will support Hope For The Warriors, a national nonprofit organization that provides assistance to combat-wounded service members, their families, and families of those killed in action. The organization focuses on those involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and their families. The SVRA race weekend will run during their Month of the Military Child.
“Hope For The Warriors is proud to recognize the service and sacrifice of military children,” said Robin Kelleher, CEO. “Alongside SVRA and their VROC Charity Pro-Am Race, we will celebrate their warrior spirit and open our Drive for Hope program to benefit our youngest heroes during the Month of the Military Child.”
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Brickyard Invitational Charity Pro-Am will benefit the Morgan Adams Foundation. The Morgan Adams Foundation supports laboratory and clinical research in the area of pediatric cancer, with an emphasis on tumors on the brain, spine, and central nervous system. The Brickyard Invitational will be presented on a new date in 2019 – August 1 through 4.
“We are new to the SVRA family and very appreciative of their support,” said Morgan Adams Foundation Founder and Executive Director Joan Slaughter. “For us to partner with Tony Parella and everyone at SVRA is a wonderful opportunity to benefit children and young adults fighting cancer.”
The VIR event will benefit IGNITE – the Autism Society of North Carolina’s community center for young adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s syndrome. IGNITE was founded by The Evernham Family Racing for a Reason Foundation – a nonprofit established by legendary NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham and his family. Evernham, with professional co-driver Boris Said, won the VIR race in 2018.
“All of us at the Evernham Family Racing for a Reason Foundation appreciate the hard work, generosity and professionalism of Tony and his team,” said Evernham. “The races are great fun for everyone involved and the fundraising has done much for the important work of IGNITE.”
“The pro-am races have not only been a great benefit to charity, but they have proven to be a hit with fans,” said SVRA CEO Tony Parella. “They get unprecedented access to their heroes from IndyCar, NASCAR, Trans Am, IMSA, and short track racing, many of which have become frequent competitors in our races beyond the pro-am events.”
SVRA officials have set a goal of expanding the VROC series to five races with a television package and entitlement sponsor by 2020. Many of the professionals who have competed are veterans of the old International Race of Champions (IROC) series. All have been champions at some point in their careers. Al Unser, Jr., Bill Elliott, Bobby Labonte, Ron Hornaday, Paul Tracy, Willy T. Ribbs, and Jimmy Vassar are among the legends who have participated in previous years. Once again, the cars they will race are 1963 to 1972 vintage Corvettes, Camaros, and Mustangs of SVRA “Group 6” A and B Production.