Hilliard, Ohio, April 11, 2016 – It’s George Follmer Week in Long Beach. Follmer, the only driver to have won both the Trans-Am and Can-Am championships in one year (1972), will be honored by the Road Racing Drivers Club at the “RRDC Evening with George Follmer presented by Firestone” in Long Beach, Calif., this Thursday, April 14, prior […]
PIERMONT, NY – April 5, 2016 – In less than three short years, SAFEisFAST has taken and maintained its leadership position as the preeminent online motorsports instructional tool in the industry by tapping the wealth of experience and knowledge of the Road Racing Drivers Club’s membership. Creator Tom Davey has leveraged the site’s quality and […]
HILLIARD, Ohio, March 29, 2016 – American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will support the RRDC Evening with George Follmer presented by Firestone by hosting the cocktail reception on April 14 for the seventh consecutive year at the Road Racing Drivers Club’s eighth annual West Coast banquet, held prior to the 42nd Toyota Grand Prix of Long […]
AUGIE PABST: BEHIND THE WHEEL “Augie Pabst: Behind the Wheel” is now available for order! Orders from the UK and Europe will ship immediately. U.S. orders will ship after April 15th, as will orders from the rest of the world. Augie has signed 400 copies which are only available directly from the publisher – Dalton […]
DYLAN MURRY 22nd GORSLINE SCHOLARSHIP WINNER SEBRING, Fla., March 17, 2016 – Dylan Murry, of Cumming, Ga., was presented the 22nd Gorsline Scholarship by John Gorsline at the 64th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh From Florida. With this scholarship, Murry, 15, will work with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, on an individually-designed […]
Amelia Island, GA, March 16, 2016 – The 21st edition of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and Auction was staged this past weekend at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Resort on one of Georgia’s most scenic barrier islands. Bill Warner’s charity shindig drew a record 315 concours entries and thousands of guests to visually embrace a […]
For the seventh consecutive year, Firestone will be the presenting sponsor for the RRDC’s annual celebration in conjunction with the Long Beach Grand Prix. This year’s festivities will honor George Follmer. Previous honorees were Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Roger Penske, Jim Hall, Brian Redman, Mario Andretti and Bobby Unser. These “RRDC Evenings” are acknowledged as one […]
BRIAN REDMAN: A RACER’S MEMOIR, 1965-1975 RRDC members Brian Redman and Jim Mullen have come together to produce Daring Drivers, Deadly Tracks. A racer’s memoir of a dangerous decade, 1965-1975, a 300-page memoir covering the period from one of the top competitors of the day. Packed with photographs, the volume provides a vivid account of Redman’s […]
The following is a recollection of a Road Racing Drivers Club Skid Pad Seminar with Mark Donohue and Bill Mitchell on June 17, 1972 – an anecdote from Frank Del Vecchio’s notebook: “Checkered Shorts.” Drivers and cars: Paul Keeler – March 722 Formula B, Mike Rand and Frank Del Vecchio – March 712 Formula B […]
Hilliard, OH, Feb. 11, 2015 – RRDC President Bobby Rahal invites you to the annual Long Beach Banquet, Thursday, April 14, featuring George Follmer and his racecars: “Talk to Penske. Talk to Redman. Talk to Jones, Hall, Gurney, Haywood, Posey, Morton, Bell, and any top competitor from the ‘60s, ‘70s and early ‘80s. All will […]
DAYTONA, Fla., January 30, 2016 – Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi, of Pittsburgh, Pa., has been named the recipient of the 2015 Rolex Bob Snodgrass Award of Excellence. The announcement was made during the traditional prelude to the Rolex 24 At Daytona – the Grand Marshal Dinner – which was held at the Daytona 500 Club on […]
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 28, 2016 – Scott Pruett, known as a savvy and disciplined racer with a record 60 victories in IMSA competition, was honored by the Road Racing Drivers Club with the 2016 Phil Hill Award. RRDC president Bobby Rahal made the presentation at a dinner on Jan. 27 prior to the running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the […]
Daytona Beach, Fla., Jan. 27, 2016 – Judy Stropus, former professional timer/scorer, race-car driver and award-winning publicist, received the 2015 Bob Akin Award from the Road Racing Drivers Club at a dinner on Jan. 27 prior to the running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the season opener of the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Each recipient of this honor, […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 20, 2016 – Roger Penske’s fabled Team Penske is celebrating its 50th Anniversary during the 2016 racing season, and “The Captain” hosted a gala in Charlotte on Jan. 20, inviting team members, drivers and sponsors who were part of the operation which dates back to its first race in the 24 Hours […]
HILLIARD, OH, January 22, 2015 – Good stuff has happened in the past few months to a number of our members: Chip Ganassi, Bobby Akin, Rick Knoop, Dan Davis, Ryan Dalziel, Hobbs-Matchett-Diffey, Juan Pablo Montoya, Hans Stuck, the late Bob Snodgrass, Graham Rahal, Scott Pruett, Toly Arutunoff, Bob Bondurant, the late Denise McCluggage, Michael Keyser, […]
IndyCar driver Justin Wilson has succumbed following injuries suffered in the IndyCar race at Pocono. “We at the RRDC are saddened by the loss of one of our members, Justin Wilson. Justin was a talented race-car driver in the prime of his career who was often described by some of his fellow members as a “gentle […]
Quick Vic, Slick Pick 2015 RRDC Daytona Dinner Vic Elford to Receive Phil HIll Award There once was a driver named Vic With an awesome motor sports schtick He’d turn up the wick To make every pass stick And rarely step on his … brakes Memo to Drivers: If you are RRDC and reading this […]
RRDC PRESIDENT RAHAL EARNS “SPIRIT OF COMPETITION” AWARD RRDC president Bobby Rahal was presented with the 7th annual “Spirit of Competition” Award at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia on Oct. 29, at a dinner hosted by the Museum’s founder and Executive Director Fred Simeone. RRDC member Bill Warner was the M.C., and RRDC […]
Fifteen race-car drivers and motorsports professionals have been voted into the Road Racing Drivers Club in 2014. The group includes 10 Regular Members from the open-wheel and sports-car racing ranks, three Associate Members and two Honorary Members. The current roster of RRDC members now numbers 460. Voting was held among all current RRDC members. “This year’s lineup […]
SCCA RUNOFFS – MAZDA RACEWAY – MONTEREY, CALIF. The annual SCCA Runoffs meeting of RRDC members was held on Oct. 7 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, at the site of the 2014 SCCA National Championship Runoffs. It was a beautiful California night at the Red Bull Energy Center overlooking the circuit, where members and guests […]
SAFEisFAST.com is offering the chance for young racing drivers around the world to win a custom-made, top-level racing suit from Stand 21 just be answering a few questions about racing safety. The brand new “La Couture” model, launched in March 2014, is homologated to the very highest FIA 8856-2000 standard. Used by the likes of […]
Ex-Formula One racer Karun Chandhok will be the next Online Driving Instructor for the RRDC’s SAFEisFAST instructional web site. Chandhok will be competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans this week and will be teamed with Bruno Senna to drive for Mahindra Racing in the new FIA Formula E championship, starting in September. One […]
John Bishop, perhaps the most influential person in the history of American professional road racing, passed away Thursday in San Rafael, Calif., of complications from a recent illness. Bishop was, in the most complimentary sense, an egregious opportunist – a visionary who could spot marketable trends and formulate the pathways to successful products. His products […]
The RRDC lost two members and the daughter of one of the Club’s founding members in May. Of course the whole world learned of the passing of Sir Jack Brabham, May 19. A smaller circle of friends are mourning the loss May 10 of Lucie Cunningham-McKinney, a daughter of Briggs Cunningham, and Col. Joe Hauser […]
Sir Jack Brabham, one of motor racing’s giants, passed away quietly at his Gold Coast home in Australia today. The three-time Formula 1 World Champion was 88. Every major news outlet in the world has paid homage to the ARAF flight mechanic who became a racing legend. Tributes appear in RACER, Autoweek and Autosport. Quite […]
Three members of the RRDC – Bobby Rahal, Chip Ganassi and Leo Mehl – are to be inducted next week into the Auto Racing Hall of Fame housed in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. The induction ceremony is on the program of the annual Indy 500 Oldtimers dinner, set for Thursday evening […]
Third-generation racer Graham Rahal – a race winner in the Verizon IndyCar Series and a winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona – is currently answering visitors’ questions as SAFEisFAST Online Driving Instructor So far, Graham has tackled such topics as attracting sponsors, street courses vs. ovals, starting with karting, age as a limiting factor […]
During the RRDC’s annual banquet preceding the 40th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, President Bobby Rahal made several momentous announcements regarding the future of SAFEisFAST.com. The Club’s breakthrough instructional Web site now has a worldwide presenting sponsor in American Honda and an international ambassador in Dario Franchitti. With the help of American Honda, the […]
For those who have been patiently – or not so patiently – waiting to watch Mario’s interview by club prez Bobby Rahal from the RRDC’s Evening with Mario Andretti presented by Firestone during the club’s annual banquet at Long Beach last week, here it is. If you were there, we’re sure you’d love an instant […]
The Fast Line is the subject of the 14th online instructional video in the Advanced Driving Techniques block of SAFEisFAST.com. The paper solution to “What is the fast line through this corner?” is never quite the exact answer. So many real world conditions factor into finding that magic trajectory: track surface changes, bumps, grip, use […]
Before a capacity crowd of auto racing dignitaries, sanctioning group and series representatives, corporate executives and champion racecar drivers, Mario Andretti was honored by the Road Racing Drivers Club at the “RRDC Evening with Mario Andretti presented by Firestone” on Thursday night, April 10, prior to Sunday’s 40th running of the Toyota Grand Prix of […]
Lisa Noble has been selected president and chief executive officer of the Sports Car Club of America by its board of directors, effective immediately. Noble has held these posts on an interim basis since October 2013, around the time she was selected to membership in the RRDC. “We had a number of outstanding candidates for […]
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company will be presenting sponsor for the RRDC’s Evening with Mario Andretti April 10. This will be Firestone’s fifth consecutive year supporting the club’s Legends Banquet held annually in conjunction with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Also in its fifth consecutive year supporting the RRDC’s Long Beach celebration […]
Say these names aloud: Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Roger Penske, Jim Hall, Brian Redman – and then add Mario Andretti. You’re among the men now. At the RRDC Legends Banquet, mere mortals get to hear racing’s mythic giants spin anecdotes, confess prejudices, share opinions and tell untold stories. And every year, on the Thursday before […]
George Bruggenthies, Road America president and general manager, reported the passing of fellow RRDC member and Road America board member Jim Jeffords on March 6. “Jim Jeffords was the definitive example of a gentlemen racer with a heart of gold,” said Bruggenthies. “He loved racing for the thrill of competition, not for the money. Jim […]
The new SAFEisFAST video is all about What It Takes To Be a Race Engineer. The 10th installment in the Career Development instructional block explains the skills and personality teams are looking for in a race engineer. Jeff Braun, chief race engineer for Level 5 Motorsports, leads this insightful piece with Roger Griffiths (Technical Director […]
In officially announcing the Honored Guest at the annual RRDC Legends Banquet in the run-up to the Long Beach Grand Prix, our president Mr. Rahal, paid homage in a note titled “That’s Mr. Andretti To You!” It almost sounded like he’d lost a bet; but really, it’s all true. According to Bobby: “Had his parents […]
Charlie Earwood, one of the best liked and most respected people in the motorsports industry, passed away today, Jan. 28. His death was first reported on Facebook by his son and fellow RRDC member Terry Earwood. “After failing health the past year, my Dad, Charles ‘Charlie’ Earwood passed away in his sleep peacefully at home […]
The only person surprised by Hurley Haywood being named recipient on the RRDC’s Phil Hill Award was Hurley Haywood. “When Bobby (RRDC President Rahal) called me up and told me I was going to get the Phil Hill Award, I was really shocked. Any time you could be in the same sentence with Phil Hill […]
