SCCA World Challenge, Runoffs stay on SPEED in 2007

BRASELTON, Ga. – Sports Car Club of America announced today that its hallmark road racing properties, the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge® and SCCA Club Racing National Championship Runoffs®, have finalized contract extensions with SPEED Channel for 2007.

All SCCA SPEED GT and Touring Car Championship races will continue to be broadcast on SPEED, as they have been each year since the network’s inception in 1996. SPEED will also retain the title sponsorship of the series for the eighth-straight season with the option to relinquish naming rights should another entity come along.

“We’re excited to announce our continued partnership with SPEED Channel, and this should put to rest any rumors that may have been floating around about the future of the series," said Jim Julow, SCCA, Inc. President and CEO and Acting President of SCCA Pro Racing. “SPEED World Challenge is, without a doubt, the most relevant racing property in North America to automotive enthusiasts, and we’re proud to continue the series into its 18th season in 2007."

Also included in the agreement was an extension on the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, an event often referred to as the “Olympics" of motorsports. The Runoffs features nearly 800 amateur drivers from across the country battling in a single-race national championship format in 25 classes.

“We are so excited to be continuing our relationship with SCCA," said Bobby Akin, SPEED Vice President. “At SPEED, we have a goal of covering the best that motorsports has to offer and we feel the World Challenge and the Runoffs certainly fit in the category of being the best in their segment. The World Challenge provides some of the best, most competitive road racing in the United States. The Runoffs are the Super Bowl of grassroots sports car racing. It’s a week unlike any other in motor sports and SPEED is proud to bring this unique event to television for another year."

“Nothing showcases our grassroots programs like the competition at the Runoffs," added Julow. “It is important to our Club activities to have this event on television, and SPEED has done a fantastic job for the last 10 years."

This year’s Runoffs, which is held Oct. 9-15 at Heartland Park Topeka, will be broadcast on SPEED this November and December.

The 2007 schedules for the SPEED World Challenge Championships and Runoffs will be announced at a later date.