Al Speyer, who helped lead Firestone’s triumphant return to open-wheel racing in the mid-1990s and became an influential motorsports executive during a pivotal period in INDYCAR history, died Oct. 27 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was 73. Speyer’s nearly 39-year career with Bridgestone Americas featured not only Firestone’s return to INDYCAR but the assurance it remained […]
Les Unger, long-time manager of American motorsport programs for Toyota, passed away last week. Unger spearheaded the Japanese auto manufacturers involvement in U.S. racing, starting with sponsorship of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and was instrumental in establishing the popular Toyota Pro/Celebrity race at the famed California street circuit. As National Motorsports Manager […]
At last Sunday’s WeatherTech Night of Champions event in Atlanta, IMSA officially welcomed nine new members into the IMSA Hall of Fame. Another combination of legendary cars, drivers, and architects of North American sports car racing. Six were people and three were cars. And one of the nine was in both categories. How can this […]
2025 Spirit of Competition Award Honoring Lyn St. James Saturday, October 18 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Join us for a daytime celebration at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum as we present the 2025 Spirit of Competition Award to trailblazing racer, author, mentor, and advocate Lyn St. James. For more than fifty years Lyn has […]
Robert Clarke, founder of Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) when it was known initially as Honda Performance Development (HPD), passed away at age 75. Clarke had been at the helm of HPD from its 1993 founding, where he established the new Honda racing subsidiary in Santa Clarita, until January 2008 where he shifted into […]
The 2025 Corvette Hall of Fame inductees are: Kim Baker in the Racing category, Chuck Jordan in the GM/Chevrolet category, and the team of Charley and Jim Robertson in the Enthusiast category. These inductees were announced by the National Corvette Museum during its 31st Anniversary Celebration on September 2, 2025, recognizing their significant contributions to […]
RRDC member, John William Bornholdt, age 97, died Wednesday at 08/20/2025, 9:03PM. In Huntingdon, PA. John was an official in many auto racing positions beginning in 1955. He was a Chairman of the Stewards at some of the first American professional road racing series, the United States Road Racing Championship and later for the CanAm […]
SAFE IS FAST WELCOMES DARREN LAW Fellow racers, We are delighted to welcome Darren Law as SAFEisFast’s new Executive Director, a leading role in providing free championship-winning advice to the next generation of aspiring racing drivers. Darren takes over from Jim Mullen, who has served as Executive Director and Creative Director since SAFEisFast’s inception in […]
See IROC Cars and Stars at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion A raucous field of 24 IROC race cars will join the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the first time, Aug. 13-16. This group is stacked with racing legends from a variety of disciplines, including NASCAR legends Jeff Gordon, Kurt […]
Racing Celebrities Hobbs, Varsha and Punch to Host IMRRC Argetsinger Award Gala Honoring Brian Redman at Corning Museum of Glass on September 4, 2025. Dinner open to public; tickets still available WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 5, 2025) – Motorsports icons David Hobbs, Bob Varsha and Dr. Jerry Punch will host the International Motor Racing Research Center’s […]
David Hobbs Returns to Lime Rock Park Racing legend David Hobbs returns to Lime Rock Park this Labor Day weekend as Guest of Honor at Historic Festival 43. His iconic 1974 Carling Black Label McLaren IndyCar will be on display, and fans will have the rare chance to meet Hobbs in person and get his […]
RRDC LEGENDS: Scott Pruett Master Of The Rolex 24 Fellow racers, With a record 10 class wins and five outright wins at the Rolex 24, Scott Pruett is the master of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. His wins at the Sebring 12 Hour and 24 Hours of Le Mans also make him an endurance racing […]
LONDON (July 11, 2025) – “POWER UNLEASHED: Trailblazers Who Energised Engines with Supercharging and Turbocharging,” by RRDC member, Karl Ludvigsen, is NOW available in the U.S. This three-volume landmark work by the award-winning author takes the reader on the roller-coaster ride of supercharging and turbocharging throughout automotive and aviation history. Supercharging in all its forms […]
Motorsports & Broadcasting Legend David Hobbs to Attend 2025 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Eelgance Born in Royal Leamington Spa, England, David Hobbs—affectionately known as “Hobbo”—is a distinguished figure in the world of motorsport. His illustrious career spans over three decades, during which he competed in nearly every major racing series, including Formula 1, Formula 5000, Trans-Am, […]
RRDC LEGENDS: Mike Shank: The Win That Changed Everything Fellow racers, The 50th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona was a special moment for Mike Shank’s team, taking a breakthrough win in their Ford Riley. In the latest instalment of our RRDC Legends series, Mike recounts the day that changed his family’s life forever. Mike […]
THE BEST WAY TO CRASH Minimizing Damage To Yourself, Your Car and Competitors Fellow racers, Unfortunately, in our line of work crashing is inevitable. But there are things you can do to crash “safely” to help protect your car, yourself and your fellow competitors. In our latest video, our champion drivers give their advice on […]
This is the official biography of RRDC member, Arie Luyendyk, written by Arie and Mark Koense. Arie candidly tells his fascinating life story, how he climbed the adventurous, sometimes hopeless road to the top and ultimately conquered the American dream. The difficult early years, his success in the Indy 500, his father Jaap, his admiration […]
The City of Gardena, California plans to honor Ed Iskenderian at the next City Council meeting, Tuesday, June 10th. The meeting begins at 7:30pm PT, and can be viewed live on the City of Gardena YouTube Channel and it will also be on the same channel for future viewing. The Gardena YouTube page is at: […]
Few drivers epitomize SCCA open-wheel racing more than 82-year-old RRDC member, Dave Weitzenhof, the 2025 WeatherTech Chicago Region June Sprints Grand Marshal. Winning four Formula F National Championships in the ‘70s and ‘80s was no small feat. But add to that a Formula Vee title in 1972, then a pair of Formula Continental titles during […]
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 6, 2025) – Englishman Brian Redman, who has claimed nine road-racing championships in his 60 years of competition, will receive the 11th annual Cameron R. Argetsinger Award from the International Motor Racing Research Center at a gala presented by Sahlen’s at the Corning (N.Y.) Museum of Glass on September 4, 2025. […]
More than 300 Drivers and Motorsports Pros Featured in SAFEisFAST Tutorial Films RRDC’s online driver development program SAFEisFAST surpasses 300 contributors The films have amassed 7 million views in 174 countries Champions from F1, IndyCar and IMSA advise next generation of racers SAFEisFAST brings together rival teams and drivers to support RRDC’s educational mission LEWIS […]
The Corvette Hall of Fame proudly announces its 2025 class of members-elect, who will be formally inducted during a ceremony on Friday, August 29, 2025, as part of the National Corvette Museum’s 31st Anniversary Celebration. Established in 1998 by the National Corvette Museum, the Corvette Hall of Fame stands as the highest honor in the […]
RRDC President, Bobby Rahal, on remembering engine builder Ed Pink. “We lost another valuable RRDC member in late April, when Southern California engine guru Ed Pink passed away at the age of 94. “Ed was one of the most prolific and successful engine builders on the drag racing scene from the ’60s on. He […]
RRDC President, Bobby Rahal, on remembering long-time RRDC member, former Formula 1 racing driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Jochen Mass who passed away on Sunday, May 4th, 2025. “I am greatly saddened by the passing of my friend Jochen Mass. He was not just a distinguished driver but a gentlemen and true […]
All proceeds from silent and live auctions benefit The Mark Donohue Foundationand The Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 11, 2025) – The Road Racing Drivers Club, in cooperation with the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, celebrated the Grand Prix’s 50 years of racing through the streets of this port […]
Tickets to gala celebrating 50 years of racing in the streets of Long Beach, presented by Firestone and honoring Andretti, Unser Jr. and Redman, still available LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 4, 2025) – Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel, an elite entertainment destination in Southern California, will support the “Victory Lap After Party” at […]
Tickets to gala celebrating 50 years of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, presented by Firestone and honoring Andretti, Unser Jr. and Redman, still available LONG BEACH, Calif. (March 24, 2025) – SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), whose mission is to foster the success of the automotive aftermarket, and PRI (Performance Racing Industry), a key […]
SKIP BARBER INDUCTED INTO THE MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME OF AMERICA Skip Barber reached motorsport’s highest echelon this week when he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame. At the official celebration in Daytona Beach, Florida, on March 10 to 11, Barber’s legacy as a visionary who reshaped American motorsports was cemented. As a […]
“My Travels On Racer Road: Can-Am and Formula 1 in their golden age,” by Pete Lyons, is now available in the U.S. As Sir Jackie Stewart states in the book’s Foreword, “Pete Lyons was one of the best journalists in Formula 1 at the time I was racing.” Lyons himself writes that when he became […]
Fellow racers,Mario Andretti once said, “It’s amazing how many drivers think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.” That’s because the best know that your pedal inputs are all about weight transfer. The concept of steering with your feet might sound odd, but understanding it will help you lower your lap times and be more […]
Bob Sharp passed away Feb. 28, 11 days shy of his 86th birthday. Sharp was the east coast driving force for the Japanese entry into motorsports; Peter Brock was Sharp’s west coast equivalent. Between 1965 and ‘76, Sharp drove a variety of Datsuns and Nissans to six SCCA national championships: 1967 (FProd, 1600); ’71 (BSedan, […]
The popular Bring A Trailer online auction site is offering a special VIP package, the sale of which will benefit The Mark Donohue Foundation of the Road Racing Drivers Club and The Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach. The Auction ends this Thursday, March 6. Bidding is at https://bringatrailer.com/listing/experience/. Also benefitting these initiatives is the RRDC […]
Firestone returns as presenting sponsor of the expanded Road Racing Drivers Club annual legends dinner in Long Beach, California, on Thursday, April 10. The 2025 gala will celebrate the 50 years of racing on the streets of Long Beach, California, and will honor Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr. and Brian Redman – legendary drivers from […]
Fellow racers, the latest instalment of our RRDC Legends Series features two-time Le Mans winner and Porsche factory driver Patrick Long. In this video, we sat down with Patrick to hear his advice for young drivers and about his time as Porsche’s sole North American representative for 18 seasons. Patrick also recalls his debut victory at […]
Longtime Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles will now also be president of the NTT IndyCar Series, a move that Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles says will benefit both organizations. “Doug is the perfect guy to lead us in this time with this opportunity,” Miles stated. “Doug is well understood to be one […]
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach founder and visionary Chris Pook — who is largely regarded as the father of modern-day street course road racing in North America — will be doubly honored at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) 37th Induction Ceremony Presented by Toyota Racing Tuesday, March 11, at the Hilton […]
Bob Bailey, the founder of Racemark International, a manufacturer of automotive-interior products and a member of the RRDC since 2015 told this story Wall Street Journal contributor A. J. Baime about being reunited with his 1968 Porsche 911L. “I grew up in a little town in upstate New York called Burnt Hills and started racing […]
Tim Cindric is stepping back from the day-to-day operations of Team Penske where he has served as president for 25 years. Cindric joined Penske in 1999 and oversaw all competition operations in NASCAR, IndyCar, and sports car racing in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship. In addition, Cindric oversees Penske Technology Group, Penske Restoration, […]
Road Racing Drivers Club President Bobby Rahal and Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President Jim Michaelian cordially invite you to the RRDC Celebration of 50 years of the Grand Prix of Long Beach presented by Firestone. Donations and proceeds from Silent and Live Auction items benefit The Mark Donohue Foundation, which supports the RRDC’s SAFEisFAST initiative, […]
Charlie Peter, winner of both the 2024 Touring 2 and GT-2 SCCA® National Championships, was named the recipient of the Road Racing Drivers Club’s (RRDC) Mark Donohue Award. Peter was honored at the annual RRDC members’ dinner on January 22, prior to the running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the season-opening round of the […]
