NASCAR News: HMS Icon Ray Evernham Buys Iconic Racing Series for 2024 Revival

Breaking News: Rob Kauffman, the big wheel at Race Team Alliance, and NASCAR legend Ray Evernham are joining forces to revive the legendary IROC brand. Remember the International Race of Champions? It was the talk of the town with 12 top-notch drivers from various racing backgrounds, all vying for glory in equally matched stock cars over four races and a hefty prize.

The IROC Series, a highlight from 1973 to 2006, boasted champs like Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, and the likes of Al Unser Jr., A.J. Foyt, and Mario Andretti. It was a Daytona fixture, often coinciding with a NASCAR weekend.

IROC was an event in which legendary drivers including Dale Earnhardt participated

Their plan is apparently to roll out a showstopper series that offers not just races but full-on exhibitions, as stated in their recent trademark application. We caught a hint of IROC magic in iRacing during the COVID era. Tony Stewart even took a stab at recreating it with his SRX Series, but it wasn’t quite the same without all the big names. Kauffman, who’s had his hands in the NASCAR team owner’s pie, and Evernham, the mastermind behind Jeff Gordon‘s crew, scooped up the IROC name from Pelican Marketing Group, as per the records of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. But, the price tag for this deal is still under wraps.

Taking a trip down memory lane, the IROC series, stretching from the 70s to the mid-2000s, dazzled fans at tracks like Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Talladega. But what’s cooking for the tracks this time around? With all the revamping and replacements happening, it’s anyone’s guess which circuits will make the cut in this thrilling comeback brought in by Ray Evernham.

So, what led to the IROC series hitting the brakes after 2006? Well, in 2007, they hit a snag – no sponsors came forward, leading them to put the brakes on the races at Daytona and Texas. They decided to take a breather, hoping to bounce back in 2008 with a new sponsor. Unfortunately, that comeback never materialized. By March 2008, IROC was clearing out its garage, auctioning off everything from tools and equipment to cars and memorabilia, and eventually, it closed shop.

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Fast forward to January 8, 2023, and there’s a fresh start on the horizon. Ray Evernham and Rob Kauffman are apparently planning to start with just one race and then scout out more opportunities down the road.

A look back at what IROC was all about

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Back in the day, on October 27, 1973, IROC made its debut on a twisty road course near March Air Force Base. Mark Donohue led from start to finish, racing in Porsche Carreras. Donohue’s last IROC win at Daytona’s road course was also his final career victory. Initially, all races were on road courses, but after Donohue’s three wins, oval tracks joined the mix. He had hung up his racing gloves earlier but came back later that year, only to tragically lose his life in a Formula One practice session.

Riverside hosted 16 IROC races, second only to Michigan Speedway’s 22. When the series made a comeback to Southern California in 1997, much like NASCAR’s strict rules today, back in ’97, drivers could only tweak their seat, steering wheel, and pedals. Cars were handed out by luck of the draw right before each of the four events.

The whole point of IROC was to crown the world’s top driver, pulling in champs from Indy cars, Winston Cup stock cars, Formula One, and world sports car competitions. And that’s why the inaugural lineup was a who’s who of racing: sports car aces Donohue and Peter Revson, Indy car legends A.J. Foyt and Bobby Unser, NASCAR heroes Richard Petty, David Pearson, and Bobby Allison, and Formula One stars Emerson Fittipaldi and Denis Hulme.

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Back then, IROC had no qualifying rounds. In fact, the first race saw drivers drawing lots for starting positions. With IROC gearing up for a comeback, it’s a toss-up on which of the old rules will stick and what new twists might be added. Meanwhile, we’d love to hear from you – which 12 drivers would you pick to join the series? Drop your thoughts in the comments!