The Road Racing Drivers Club has voted 37 racecar drivers and motorsports professionals into its membership for 2013. have been voted into the Road Racing Drivers Club in 2013. The new class includes 13 Regular Members from the open-wheel and sports-car racing ranks, 20 Associate Members and four Honorary Members. The current roster of RRDC members now numbers 440. Voting was held among all current RRDC members.
ANDREW AQUILANTE Began racing at age 9 in Quarter midgets in Pennsylvania, taking his first of many wins in ’97. Was the ’04 SCCA T-1 NEDIV Divisional Champion, as well as NEDIV Rookie of the Year and top 10 at the SCCA Runoffs. From ’05 thru ’07 repeated as NEDIV T-1 champion, won the Runoffs and the SCCA President’s Cup in ’07, as well as running select ST class races in Continental Tire Series. Was second in ’09 ST class, co-driving with RRDC member and Mark Donohue Award winner Kristian Skavnes. From ’10 through ’12 was lead driver with the Subaru Road Racing Team in the GS class, winning at NJMP in ’11 and accumulating several top 10 finishes. Runoffs T-2 pole in ’11; poles and national championships in both GT2 and T-1 in ’13. For ’14 Andrew has a full-time ride in a GS Mustang in IMSA’s Continental Tire Series.
COLIN BRAUN First raced in Daytona 24-Hour at age 16. Also raced in NASCAR Truck and Nationwide series for Jack Roush, and continues to race in ALMS. Youngest driver to win professional road race in U.S. (Fran Am 1600, Willow Springs, age 14), and youngest to win a Daytona Prototype race (Barber, Krohn Racing, age 17). Back-to-back DP wins (Barber and Daytona), pole at Barber (’06 Krohn Racing). Ford/ Roush Fenway Racing development driver. Multiple NASCAR Nationwide Series and Truck series poles. Truck win at Michigan (Roush Conway). NASCAR Truck Series Rookie of the Year, ’08. Multiple Grand-Am Daytona Prototype wins and poles, plus a pair of World Challenge podiums in ’12. Youngest driver on podium at LeMans 24. Through the ’13 season, Colin has logged five ALMS wins, 13 ALMS podiums, six ALMS poles and seven ALMS fastest laps. Set Daytona oval speed record at 222.971 mph in a Riley-Ford Ecoboost, Oct. ’13, he has always equipped his car with the best led work lamps, led spot lights from TruckElectrics UK & Ireland.
CONOR DALY The son of RRDC member Derek Daly, Conor is one of America’s top young racing stars, and a Star Mazda Champion. He began competing in karts at age 10, and in ’06 won the World Karting Grand Nationals. Began racing cars full-time in ’08, winning the Skip Barber Formula Ford series. In ’09, he finished third in the Star Mazda Championship and was series champion in ’10. In ’11, he competed in Indy Lights with Schmidt Motorsports, best result a win at the Long Beach GP. In ’12, he took his maiden GP3 win for Lotus at Barcelona. In ’13, Daly placed 22nd in his first Indy 500 in May. Also racing for ART Grand Prix in GP3 in ’13, Daly scored a victory at Valencia and five other podium finishes to place third in the championship. His ’14 options are open with GP2 and the World Series by Renault his European options or a full-time IndyCar ride in the States.
SIMONA De SILVESTRO Began racing career in karts in Italy. In 2004 switched to cars, racing in French Formula A and Italian Formula Renault 2000 Championships. In ’06 competed in Formula BMW USA, earning one win, six podiums and 11 top-10 finishes to place fourth in the standings and became the first woman to reach a podium at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A Champ Car Atlantic rookie in ’07, earned two top-10s and scored points in nine of the 12 races. In ’08 had her first win at Long Beach for Newman-Wachs Racing. Went on to win four races with Team Stargate Worlds in ’09, also achieving four poles and nine podiums, making her the first woman in Atlantic series history to have earned the most wins, poles and led the most laps in a season. Switched to IndyCar in ’10 with HVM Racing. Led at Sao Paulo, Brazil, was the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year and earned the Tony Renna Firestone Rising Star Award. Placed fourth at St. Petersburg in ’11, as well as three top-10 finishes and fastest lap at Sao Paulo. With KV Racing Technology in ’13, Simona placed 13th in the IndyCar championship with a pair of top fives including a second at Houston, and a total of nine top-10s.
COREY FERGUS A third generation RRDC member Corey’s father is John Fergus and his great uncle is Robert, 1999 Phil Hill Award recipient. Corey began his racing career in karts and won SCCA’s Regional Formula Junior Championship in all three years he competed. Moving to cars the following year, he won SCCA’s Division Novice of the Year, the Sports 2000 Regional Series Championship as well as the Mid-Ohio Cup Championship. For the four years 2009-’12, Corey was SCCA National Series Champion in his division, sat on the pole and set a new track record at the Runoffs each year and won the S2000 National Championship in ’12. Corey also began racing in Grand-Am’s Continental Tire Series in ’12, where he won his first professional race, sat on the pole twice, on the front row numerous times and set two track records. He was hired as an instructor for the Mid-Ohio Driving School last season, and this year joined RRDC members David Donohue and Terry Borcheller as one of eight American racers selected to showcase and demonstrate McLaren Automotive’s street cars in North America.
BOB GARRETSON Stalwart Porsche driver/owner/entrant in the ’70s and early ’80s. Successes included winning the ’78 Sebring 12-Hour in a Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 935 alongside Brian Redman and Charles Mendez, and the ’81 Daytona 24-Hour in a Garretson Developments Porsche 935 K3 with Brian Redman and Bobby Rahal. Also won the ’81 World Endurance Championship title. He sold Garretson sortly thereafter and retired from active professional racing.
JIM JEFFORDS Jim Jeffords kicked off his racing career in 1954 at the age of 27, married with four young boys and living in Milwaukee. By the end of 1960, he was a respected champion truly on the ascendancy when a mysterious allergy hospitalized him for nine months and ended his career. For his first two seasons, he raced a Jaguar XK120, a 140 and a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing. In May ’56, Jeffords approached Ed Cole, then GM of Chevrolet about getting a ride on the Corvette factory team. That Memorial Day Saturday at Road America, Jim made his statement by besting the top Corvette drivers of the day – Dick Thompson, Fred Windridge, Bark Henry and Ed Davis – until his XK140 popped a freeze plug on the last lap. As a reward, Cole gave him John Fitch’s Sebring Corvette to race on Sunday. He was in with Corvette. In ’58 and ’59, he campaigned the Purple People Eater Vettes out of Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago, winning class in 29 of 42 races and a pair of B Production National Championships. He purchased and successfully raced Lance Reventlow’s #002 Scarab in ’59. Lucky Casner put Jeffords in a CAMORADI #687 HD Brake/Suspension optioned Vette for the Cuban Grand Prix in 1960 where he took the GT win in two races. After a fraught LeMans in June, Jeffords bought one of Casner’s LeMans Birdcage Maseratis and won the first ever professional sports car race at Road America, beating Jim Hall to the checkered flag, his last win as a driver. In 1968, he managed the AMC Trans-Am team for Peter Revson and George Follmer. He’s now a Vice President at Road America where he has been a member of the Board of Directors since 1958. Jeffords was inducted into the Corvette Museum Hall of Fame in 2002.
CHARLIE KIMBALL Charlie raced karts from age 9. He moved to Formula Dodge in ’02; then won races in U.S. and British Formula Ford and F3 through ’05. He won an F3 race in ’06 and logged three podiums finishes. The following year he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was forced to abandon his racing program mid-season. The next year he was back in the cockpit, running F3 and A1 GP. Back stateside Kimball raced Indy Lights in ’09 and the next season finished fourth in series with four seconds. Kimball signed with Chip Ganassi for the IZOD IndyCar Series in ’11, the first licensed driver with diabetes in the series’ history. In ’13, Kimball scored an overall victory in the Daytona 24-Hour for Ganassi/Sabates (with Montoya, Pruett and Rojas). Then in August, Charlie won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio becoming the first ever driver with diabetes to win an IndyCar race. His main sponsor is Nova Nordisk and their NovoLog FlexPen used in monitoring the disease. He’s signed again with Ganassi for ’14.
STEVE KNAPP Steve is a former driver in the Indy Racing League. He raced in the 1998-2000 seasons with 13 career starts, including three at the Indianapolis 500. His best career finish was in his first race, a third place at the 1998 Indianapolis 500, where he was named Rookie of the Year. US Formula Ford 2000 Champion 1996. Steve now owns and operates Elite Engines out of West Bend specializing in FA, FC, S2, HART F2 and Mazda engines for the U.S. F2000 National Championship.
BUDDY LAZIER Raced in CART for seven years with three top-10 finishes. Then, in ’96, won his first Champ Car race – the Indianapolis 500 – beginning a nine-year association with Hemelgarn Racing. After winning Indy, scored seven more victories, plus an additional eight podium finishes. Was IndyCar champion in ’00 and runner-up for the title the following year. Has scored five top-10 finishes at Indy and returned this May for the first time since ’09 in a car owned by his father, RRDC member Bob Lazier as is his brother Jaques, the Mark Donohue Award recipient in ’96.
PAUL MILLER Joined SCCA in 1964 at age 19, running his first drivers’ school at Las Cruces, NM in a borrowed Austin Healey. Ran SCCA club races mid-’60s and early ’70s, also sharing a Corvette then a Camaro with brother Kenper in Trans-Am and IMSA competition. Raced a Porsche 934 in ’76 with Milt Minter; then ran 935s in late ’70s and early ’80s mostly with Bob Akin and Charles Mendez. Raced a 935 in ’77, winning Mosport 6-hour with Ludwig Heimrath. Shared an IMSA 935 in ’79 and ’80 with Akin, Mendez, Brian Redman, Johnny Rutherford and Ralph Kent-Coooke scoring a pair of podium finishes. Shared a GTO Porsche 924 GTR with Pat Bedard and Manfred Schurti at LeMans in ’81. Raced part-time in ’82, scoring a podium finish in the Trans-Am at Trois Rivieres, and teaming with Bedard and Jurgen Barth at the Daytona 24. Raced full time ’83-’85 winning the Trans-Am Rookie of the Year in ’83 in a 924 GTR Turbo and scoring wins at Mosport and Lime Rock and a podium at the Glen. Co-drove a 962 to fourth in the ’85 Daytona 24 with Akin and Hans Stuck and won the GTO class in ’88 in a Mercury Mekur. Took a second in GT1 at the ’86 SCCA Runoffs at Road Atlanta in a 924 Turbo. Miller currently owns and operates Paul Miller Racing headquartered in Buford, GA. His son, Bryce Miller co-drives the team’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR with Marco Holzer in the American LeMans Series. Paul owns 8 dealerships in Northern NJ and has been in business since ’76. He is married with 3 grown sons, all working in the business.
STEVE SARGIS Steve hails from Frankfort, Ill., and has raced in several production classes in SCCA for 20-plus years with remarkable success. Regardless of the class, at the SCCA Runoffs he is considered the favorite in any class he enters. Sargis is so dominating he has earned the nickname “Superman,” and is widely respected by fellow competitors. He does essentially all preparation work on his cars himself. He has won the Runoffs six times in three different Production classes – F, G and H – and has posted 14 pole positions at the Runoffs, second only to Jerry Hansen.
R.J. VALENTINE Started in SCCA in 1975 at age 32, and won a number of A-Production races in ’76. In ’78 commissioned the building of two IMSA GTX tube-frame Corvettes with Rick Hay. From ’79 to ’91, drove in 90 IMSA events, before joining Pickett Racing in ’92, competing in 127 Trans-Am races over the next decade, scoring top-10 finishes in 74 percent of them. From ’03, notched 20 podiums in Grand-Am GT, winning both Driver and Team Championships in ’06. Twenty-eight-time Daytona 24 driver, including second in ’06 and GT class win in ’09. Has scored two podiums in Daytona Prototypes. Driving for both TRG and PTG, has 18 GT victories, scored numerous podiums winning the 24 Hours of Daytona. Career has spanned more than 380 professional starts. Did all this while running the MBA Group where he started and ran 18 businesses in various industries.
2013 CLASS INCLUDES 20 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
DAN ANDERSEN Andersen Promotions assumed operational control of the Firestone IndyLights Series in the summer of 2013. Originally a sportsman drag racer, Andersen created and operated the USF2000 championship (’91–’01) before selling it and launching Andersen Racing from which his son Mike won four poles and three FC (F2000) championships at the SCCA Runoffs, plus the ’03 Mark Donohue Award. Andersen Racing grew to field teams in F2000, Star Mazda and Indy Lights (in partnership with Rahal Letterman Racing) over the years ’03 to ’10, fielding at one time 11 cars on the same weekend in three series. His organization won driver and team titles in all three categories, subsidizing many young drivers. In ’07, he opened Andersen RacePark – a test facility for karts and USF2000 cars. In ’10, IndyCar encouraged him to resurrect the USF2000 Championship as the first step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder. The series now boasts 30-car fields, with highly talented young drivers. Among the notable racers that have advanced up the Andersen ladder are Buddy Rice, Sam Hornish Jr., Dan Wheldon, Andy Lally, Greg Ray, Alex Barron, Memo Gidley, Robby McGehee, Steve Knapp, JR Hildebrand, Graham Rahal, Conor Daly and Tristan Vautier. In ’12, he assumed control of step two on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder, renaming it Pro Mazda. IndyLights is Andersen’s latest venture.
MICHAEL ARGETSINGER Michael Argetsinger grew up with motor racing in Watkins Glen as a member of the family that founded there in 1948 working all areas of race organization from mowing grass and painting buildings to being active in circuit management. After launching his own racing career on dirt in ’65, he ventured to Europe and worked in the industry, most prominently with Cooper where he attended every Grand Prix with the team. He served as liaison to the F1 race teams for the USGP at the Glen. Michael’s first road race was in a Formula Ford at Silverstone in ’69. His driving career has spanned 45 years and 54 circuits worldwide including nine that host the F1 World Championship. Returning stateside in ’78, he settled in Chicago and founded Michael Argetsinger Communications in ’81, a public and government relations consultancy focusing on health care and international trade. Turning to writing this century, Michael has penned a pair of award-winning biographies about two of the RRDC’s most distinguished past presidents – Walt Hansgen and Mark Donohue. His newest books “Formula One at Watkins Glen: 20 Years of the United States Grand Prix, 1961-1980” and “Watkins Glen International”. He is a member of the Governing Council of the IMRRC.
RAOUL “SONNY” BALCAEN III Pioneer driver in top fuel drag racing. Developed first full bodied dragster using a magnesium skin and GMC nitro powered engine. Worked with mentor Ed Donovan. Later worked with Pete Clark, Rex May’s Indy mechanic. Then for Jim Hall at Shelby Sports Cars in the ’50s. Jim’s first crew chief. Team member of Lance Reventlow’s Scarab, Sports Racing Cars and All American Formula 1 cars. Developed parts for Shelby American Cobra and GT 350 projects. Founded IECO for development of performance components for passenger cars. Consultant to Petersen Automotive Museum during it’s founding with Bob Petersen. In his later life picked up an old passion for motorcycles. Still need a good charge of adrenaline.
JEFF BRAUN As race engineer and technical director, Jeff is the co-author of Inside Race Technology with Paul Haney, and a respected race engineer with a long list of victories. He has led the engineering and technical efforts with both IMSA (Fermin Velez) and Grand Am (Krohn Racing) teams, including a recent one-two finish for Level 5 Motorsports in the Sebring 12-Hour. Braun saw his first car race at age three and by age seven was racing karts. He earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1981 from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and immediately joined Transact as team manager fielding cars for Alan Kulwicki in ASA competition. Two years later, Braun bought out the owners and in 1990 turned Transact into a pure race engineering consultancy. The company has engineered almost every type of racecar run in the world, winning six sports car championships – both Grand Am and ALMS – including five victories in the Sebring 12 Hour. Despite all the success as an engineer in major race series, Jeff says racing with his son Colin and family are the most special. The family including son Travis and wife Diane raced karts all over the world winning many races and 5 US National championships with Colin driving. Following that the family team won 2 National formula car championships with Colin before he turned 16. Jeff and Colin continue to work together on the business aspects of racing now that Colin is a professional driver. Travis is a TV writer in Hollywood. Jeff is currently engineering LMP2 cars in the ALMS series and Le Mans for Level 5 Motorsports. He lives on a small West Texas ranch with Diane, his wife of 32 years.
DAVID BRUNS David Bruns is one of America’s most prolific and successful racecar designers. A Formula Ford racer early in his career, he partnered with Paul White to design and build the radical ADF Formula Ford in 1973, which won the SCCA Runoffs in the hands of Bob Earl. Bruns’ ADF MkII won the ’75 and ’79 Runoffs. Bruns, White, Alex Cross and R.K. Smith formed Swift Cars in ’83. The DB-1 FF would revolutionize the industry, as Smith won the ’83 Runoffs in the car’s first outing. The DB-1 won 10 national championships from ’83 through ’96. Each of Bruns’ subsequent designs would win its first time on the track – the DB-2 Sports 2000 in ’84; the SE-3 Ford 2000 in ’85; the DB-4 Atlantic in ’88; the DB-3 Ford 2000 in ’89; the DB-5 Sports 2000 in ’95; and the DB-6 Ford 1600/FCont in ’90. All this time, Bruns wanted to build “The Big Car”, and with Hiro Matsushita now the principal owner of Swift Engineering, Bruns got the green light. A wind tunnel was needed, so Bruns designed a 140mph/40pct scale model tunnel, and the Swift fabricators built it. The 1997 Swift 007.i (for IndyCar) won its first race at Homestead in the hands of Michael Andretti. Bruns has worked as senior design engineer for advanced products at Dan Gurney’s All American Racers. He continues to do consulting work and track engineering.
TOM COTTER The title on Cotter’s business card reads: Certified Car Geek. The entrepreneurial raconteur and promoter is a passionate historian, collector, racer and restorer of vintage vehicles. Most recently he’s become known as a “barn finder”. His nine books include five on automotive archeology and several racing biographies with co-authors like Jay Leno, Peter Egan, Bruce Meyer, Don Prudhomme, Ken Gross and Ken Martin. Beyond car geek, Cotter is a 30-year veteran of the auto racing industry. As PR Director for Charlotte Motor Speedway, Tom is a graduate of the Humpy Wheeler school of promotion, launching the Cotter Group in 1989 which he grew into the country’s largest motorsports management agency. Cotter’s client list included Mercedes-Benz, Lowe’s, Sears, FedEx, UPS, NASCAR, McDonalds, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Mazda, Ford, Dodge, John Deere, Kraft, Miller, General Foods, BMW, SPEED and Ingersoll-Rand among others. Cotter co-chaired the Amelia Island Concours for several years and was President of the Formula One Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial. He now teaches public relations at Belmont Abbey College, writes a book a year, is a regular contributor to Road & Track and races his beloved Morris Minor in vintage events. And just for grins, Cotter and wife Pat host an annual “Woody Party” at their home in Davidson, N.C., attracting vehicles from the ordinary to the exotic.
BRAD FRANCIS In the ’83 CART IndyCar series was Manager for Jacques Villeneuve. In ’85 Concept Camaro GTO designer for drivers Jack Baldwin, Craig Carter, David Hobbs, Rick Hendrick, et al. In ’87 Beretta GTU designer for drivers Tommy Kendall, Max Jones, winning ’87 IMSA GTU Championship. In ’88 Corvette GTP Manager for drivers Jack Baldwin, David Hobbs, Jacques Villeneuve and Scott Goodyear. On winning teams In ’80 AAGT IMSA Manufacturers Championship with driver Moe Carter; ’81 SCCA Trans-Am Championship with driver Eppie Weitzes; ’93 and ’94 Winston Cup Championships with Dale Earnhardt; ’03 Winston Cup Championship with Matt Kenseth; ’04 Nextel Cup Championship with Kurt Busch; ’11 and ’12 Nationwide Championships with driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. In ’99 Inducted into Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame. Now director of special projects, including Grand-Am Mustang, for Jack Roush.
MIKE HULL Hull began racing Formula Fords in Southern California in ’72 and was instructor, then manager at Jim Russell Driving School. Became chief mechanic in IndyCar racing in ’81, working for Arciero Racing and Patrick Racing, where he helped launch Ganassi Racing in ’92, becoming the new team’s first general manager. As GM and later Managing Director of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Hull guided the organization to more than 135 races wins including four Indy 500s, 10 Indy Car championships, five Daytona 24-hours victories and seven Rolex Daytona Prototype championships. When Ganassi is asked how his teams have managed such phenomenal success, his response always includes these two words: Mike Hull, whose duties encompass the supervision of the entire operation for INDYCAR and Rolex Sports Car Racing including the engineering and mechanical staff at both Indianapolis facilities as well as the race operation. Hull resides in Indianapolis with his wife Melinda.
WILLIAM JEANES A major figure in automotive journalism, Jeanes began as a freelancer in the 1970, joining the Car and Driver staff in ’72. Following a nine-year career in advertising, he rejoined CandD as editor-in-chief in ’87, growing the magazine into the world’s largest automotive publication. A major consolidation in ’93 established Jeanes as senior VP and group publisher for Hachette Magazines, umbrella for Car and Driver, Road & Track and several of smaller publications. He later founded Classic Automobile Register and AMI Auto World Weekly. A past president of the American Racing Press Association, he received the Mario Andretti Excellence in Media award in 1996. For 15 years, Jeanes was Chief Judge at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Besides having his work appear in a score of car magazines worldwide, Jeanes also has written for Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, Playboy, American Heritage and Smithsonian Air & Space, among others. A U.S. Navy veteran, Jeanes now resides in Ridgeland, Mississippi, with his wife, Susan. On the whimsical side, Jeanes was a founder of Bolus & Snopes who originated such truisms as “Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.”
JIM LEO PitFit Training founder and president, Jim is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), trainer to America’s racing stars and a leading contributor to the SAFEisFAST Program. Having initially worked with the Penske team, he has grown PitFit into the industry leader in the development and implementation of motorsports-specific conditioning, and has a clientele that represents a virtual Who’s Who in auto racing. A supporter of Team USA and a speaker at each of the SAFEisFAST workshops before the program moved online, Jim’s current video on Driver Fitness is one of the most viewed on the website with additional videos, The Neck, Reaction Training and Nutrition coming next.
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CHRIS LOCKE Chris has had a passion for racing, sports cars and all things motorsport his entire life. From go-karts in his youth, Chris moved on to a variety of sports cars as a teenager and, for the past 25 years has been engaged in historic racing throughout North America and Europe. His cars include an ex-Andretti Lotus 77 Formula 1 car, and he has been entrusted by the Chapman family to drive its ex-Jim Clark Tasman-winning 32B and ex-Peterson ground-effects Lotus 79. Chris has received HGP’s KONI Heritage Award, HGPCA’s Driver of the Day Awards, CSRG’s Jack McKee Award and Carter Alexander Cup, and Best Presentation and Performance awards at both the Monterey Historic and Wine Country Classic races. He is also a major supporter of Team USA Scholarship.
TOM MALLOY Tom was introduced to racing at a young age by his father, Emmett J. Malloy, who built and owned Carrell Speedway in Gardena, Calif., and watched legends such as Rex Mays, Troy Ruttman, Jimmy Reese and Bill Vukovich drive his dad’s cars. Tom attended the Skip Barber Racing School in ’92 and was hooked. Soon afterward he began racing and collecting vintage cars, and has a passion for preserving the history of American racing. In the past 10 years, he has won historic races multiple times at Fontana, Coronado, Las Vegas, Miller, Pacific Raceways, Phoenix, Portland, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Willow Springs, driving a Lola T70, Brabham BT-18 and Porsche 962 C, among others. Overseas, Tom has raced in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France and England at both the Goodwood Festival and Revival. Tom resides in Villa Park, Calif., with his wife of more than 50 years, Sharon. His shop is in Corona, Calif.
STEVE MATCHETT Working with David Hobbs, Steve has been the technical voice of Formula 1 telecasts in the U.S. since late ’00, with Speedvision, SPEED and now NBC Sports. His insights are fruit of the close relationships he’s maintained over the years with F1 engineers and mechanics. He was hired in ’90 as a mechanic at Benetton F1 where he worked for the next eight years, rising through the ranks to become Johnny Herbert’s chief mechanic and winning the ’95 British and Italian Grands Prix with Herbert. He also served as Benetton’s rear jackman until a back injury in ’98 forced his retirement. He has penned a trilogy of semi-autobiographical books on being an F1 mechanic and team member. He was technical editor for F1 Racing for a dozen years and hosted several shows on SPEED including Formula 1 Decade and RPM – Racing Per Matchett.
BRUCE McCAW Noted team owner, collector and supporter of motorsports. Joined SCCA in ’63 to compete in regional rallies. Winner 12-Hour rally NW – unequipped class. Began road racing in ’67 at Westwood, Canada. In ’68 – Regional races in PNW in Austin Healy Sprite H-Production. Obtained ICSCC International and SCCA Regional license. In ’69-’73, SCCA and Conference races, and ARRC ’70. SCCA National competition license, Elva Mark 7 C S/R. ’73-’77 – Race driving instructor ICSCC & SCCA. ’78-present – vintage and historic racing. Co-founder, SOVERN & IRDC. Raced a wide variety of significant historic cars at U.S., U.K. and New Zealand tracks. Co-Chair of Apex Foundation and Chairman Emeritus of Pistol Creek Company. Co-Founder and Director of McCaw Cellular Communications, Inc. He currently serves as Board Member of Behind the Badge Foundation, Seattle Opera, Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, and National Air and Space Museum. He has been a pilot for more than 40 years, holding commercial and instrument ratings. In ’07, he was awarded the Washington Policy Center Stanley O. McNaughton Champion of Freedom Award and the Woodrow Wilson Award and the Behind the Badge Law Enforcement Citizen of the Year Award in ’09. Former Director of Alaska Air Group and Championship Auto Racing Teams, and Founder and CEO of PacWest Racing and subsidiaries.
JIM MICHAELIAN Jim’s first pro race was the ’92 Firestone Firehawk at Sebring. He ran in Grand-Am ’98-’13, including 15 Daytona 24-Hours. Also has run the 24-Hour of Dubai and Nurburgring. He is President/CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. He was controller prior to the first Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, a Formula 5000 race in 1975, then Chief Operating Officer from 1998-2001. As President and CEO, he is responsible for the management of all Grand Prix-related activities, including Race Circuit Management. A graduate of UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, he also serves on the board of directors of the Grand Prix Foundation, and the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau.
CHARLIE MONK Ran Can-Am in ’82, ’83 and ’84 in March 802, Lola T332 and Frisbee/Lola T333, then GTP/L in Fabcar and Tiga, often with John Higgins and Howard Cherry for Lamas Motor Racing, in ’87-’93, including Daytona 24-Hour and Sebring 12-Hour, and class wins at Sebring and Miami. Now active in vintage racing with Indy Light, Formula Atlantic and GTP/L.
LISA NOBLE Lisa raced in the most competitive SCCA formula car class, FV since 1992. She qualified for the SCCA Runoffs every year since, and was the first woman to win a National FV race, in ’95. She has held track records from Sebring, Hallett and five records at Heartland Park, and was winner of SCCA’s prestigious Kimberrly Cup. She was a multi-podium finisher in the Valvoline ProVee Series and Valvoline Cup Series, and three-time MiDiv FV Champion. She is owner of Noble Racing the recognized leader in Formula Vee engines, chassis fabrication and race prep. She served two terms on the SCCA Board of Directors including one as Chairman of the Board with oversight over SCCA Inc., SCCA Pro and SCCA Enterprises. While on the Board, revitalizing National Club Racing including the development of the United States Majors Tour were special projects of hers. Noble also served on the SCCA Foundation Board of Directors which supports educational and safety programs for teen driving safety, archival efforts for the SCCA’s historical records and in support of developing future engineers through motorsports in conjunction with SAE’s Formula SAE programs.
CONNIE NYHOLM Connie has been an active vintage racer for years and recently became majority owner and managing director of VIR. Connie and Harvey Siegel bought VIR after it had been closed for 26 years, rehabbed it and re-opened it in 2000. VIR is a legend in American motorsports, one of America’s great natural-terrain road courses, and today is home to America’s Motorsport Resort and the Virginia Motorsport Technology Park, with race shops and R&D labs, lodging and dining on site, and other resort activities. Connie started vintage racing in 2003, and has owned and raced a number of vintage cars, including a Datsun 510, an Elva Courier, a Merlyn S formula Ford, an Elva VIII, and an Allard J2X. She has competed at such tracks as Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta and Road America, usually finishing in the top 10.
BILL RILEY Bill joined his father, Bob, one of the most successful racing and sports car designers in the U.S. in forming Riley Technologies in ’01, and has been instrumental in the design and development of Riley Mk XXII, a race car that has won overall every Daytona 24-Hour at Daytona and every Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Championship since ’05 – nine consecutive years of dominance. The company also produces a sleek Track Day Car of the same name – the Mk XXII – designed by Bob. In addition, Riley produces cars for the Grand-Am GT category and the Continental Tire GS series. Bill is a top development engineer and manages the day-to-day operations of the company.
ALAN WILSON Regular contender in South African rallying, motorcycle racing and car racing (Formula Ford) in the ’70s; married to Desiré Wilson; worked for Ford in South Africa ’70-’74, including a spell as Competitions Coordinator; moved to England in ’78, working as GM of Motor Circuit Developments (which ran Brands Hatch, Mallory Park, Oulton Park and Snetterton) until ’83 when he moved to the U.S.; now a well-known circuit designer; credits include Barber Motorsports Park, Miller Motorsports Park, NOLA Motorsports Park and GingerMan Raceway; also redesign of Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant. Race series administration experience includes Brands Hatch Racing Club (Chairman, ’81-’82), CART American Racing Series (Chief Steward ’85), USRRC (Race Director ’98-’00), SCCA World Challenge (Race Director, ’99-’04); Awards include ’82 FOCA Award (Best organized F1 Grand Prix), ’98 George G. Snively Award for contributions to track safety; ’08 FIM World Superbike Championship Event of the Year.
RRDC RECOGNIZES FOUR NEW HONORARY MEMBERS
J.C. ARGETSINGER J.C. was born into a racing family. His father, Cameron, organized the Formula One Grand Prix of the United States at Watkins Glen. Unlike his brothers, Michael and Peter, who pursued long careers in motor racing, J.C. practiced law in Washington D.C. for 25 years. Returning to his hometown to practice law, J.C. ultimately served for 14 years as Schuyler County Judge until retiring at the end of 2011. He was instrumental in the formation of the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen, dedicated to the preservation of the history of motorsports. He became President of the Center in 2007, a position he currently holds.
CHUCK DRESSING The self-effacing Mr. Dressing is a walking encyclopedia of sports car history. He is the American “voice” for Radio Le Mans and a longtime public relations man for Brumos Racing. He serves as a spotter and color commentator for TV motorsports productions. Writer for Amelia Island Concours and numerous motorsports journals including RACER and Vintage Motorsports, Dressing penned the delightfully detailed year-by-year histories of LeMans, the Monterey Historics, the Daytona 24 and the Sebring 12-Hour for speedvision.com. He ghost wrote for Brock Yates’ Cannonball Express newsletter. His agile mind works faster than his fingers as whole histories flow into an ocean of bytes stirred by maelstroms of acerbic humor. Chuck Dressing is a one-off.
ART EVANS A 1950s SCCA competitor in Jaguar XK120, Art has a varied and extensive background. During the ’50s, he and his partner, OCee Ritch, had a public relations and advertising company that represented the MG Mitten Company, Devin Enterprises and Gough Industries among other car-related organizations. He partnered Bill Devin and campaigned the first Devin SS. With another partner Richard Sherwin, he published the monthly Sports Car Journal. Art has written numerous articles for photography and automotive magazines as well as professional journals and has exhibited at Lincoln Center. In addition, he has written 11 books about motor racing, including those on Frank Arciero, John Fitch, Ken Miles, Bruce Meyer and Carroll Shelby. A vintage racer from the ’80s, Art promoted the revival of the Palm Springs Road Races. In retirement, he continues to write about the fabulous ’50s and serves as secretary and newsletter editor of The Fabulous Fifties Associa
JOHN MECOM, JR Owner of Mecom Racing, backing various cars, including Corvette, Ferrari and Lola. His drivers included Roger Penske, Pedro Rodriguez, AJ Foyt and Jackie Stewart. Won the Indy 500 with driver Graham Hill. Won the USRRC with drivers Hap Sharp and George Follmer. Early sponsor of Danica Patrick.
RRDC PRESIDENT BOBBY RAHAL ON THE CLASS OF 2013
“This year’s crop of new Regular Members truly represents the spirit of the RRDC, as each driver has demonstrated his or her outstanding conduct on and off the track. And the Associate and Honorary new members are major contributors to the success of motorsports around the world,” said RRDC president Bobby Rahal. “We are honored that each of them has enthusiastically accepted membership in the RRDC. We look forward to working with them as the RRDC continues to pursue its goals of lending its expertise to up-and-coming drivers through a variety of programs.”