International Race of Champions

The International Race of Champions, known as IROC, was an American Motorsports Association, organized the All- Star Race. An IROC- season consisted of four races, which were held almost exclusively on ovals in recent years. A normal driver's field consisted of twelve riders.

  • 3.1 road course race in IROC
  • 3.2 The race tracks

History

The series was founded in 1973 by the president of Riverside International Raceway, Les Richter, and Roger Penske. Mark Donohue won the first title in 1974. The cars used at that time were Porsche Carrera. Donohue won the fourth and final race of the 1974 season and it was to be his last victory, for he died in a training of the formula a year later 1

Because of their similarity to the NASCAR driver's field of the series consists largely of NASCAR drivers. The last goods not originating in the NASCAR Champion of the IROC was Al Unser Jr. in 1988. However, there were also very many successful " open wheel " drivers such as Sebastien Bourdais, who began in 2005 and in Fort Worth on the Texas motor Speedway won.

In 2007, the IROC could not find a main sponsor and initially postponed the first two races of the season in Daytona Beach and Fort Worth. However, since there is still no sponsor could be found to put the series on their operation.

Cars

Models used

Auto-identification

By 2003, all cars had a different color, which should make the identification easy. There were also starting numbers on the cars, but they were necessary for the identification of a vehicle not necessarily. On the side doors were in large type the last name of the driver. One exception there was only Mario and Michael Andretti as they competed together in the race, then the first names were written on the side door. After each race, the numbers were redistributed, the first one received for the next race, the # 1 and so on. However, the colors of the numbers were firmly connected. So it could be that a driver was driving the blue # 1 in a race and the next then the orange # 5, which ultimately does not speak for easy identification.

In 2004, Crown Royal became the new principal sponsor, sparking from True Value, so was connected a change in the car identification. First of all vehicles were white, then they should be painted in the colors which have the drivers in their regular racing series. All drivers should also get the number they use in the regular series. So drivers could be more easily identified.

A single exception there were. Helio Castroneves, of the start number 3 would have to go to the Regulations, drove the # 03 since the start number 3 was the number of the late, legendary Dale Earnhardt.

IROC- routes

Road course race in IROC

From 1991 to 2005, no road course races were driven in IROC. In the 2006 season there were then but the return than you at Daytona International Speedway, and the non drove infield track the pure oval.

The racetracks

On a total of 17 routes of the IROC race were held, twelve of which are ovals, five are road courses. The Daytona International Speedway is the distance to the most races were held, the Nazareth Speedway, the track where discharged the fewest races. It is the only track that visited the IROC only once. The last race on a pure road course there was in 1991 at Watkins Glen. The winner was then Rusty Wallace.

IROC- winner

  • Motorsports Association
  • Sports Association (United States)
Al Unser, Jr. Sébastien Bourdais Fort Worth, Texas Chevrolet Dodge Pontiac Mario Andretti Auto Club Speedway Bobby Unser A. J. Foyt Bobby Allison Cale Yarborough Bobby Labonte Kurt Busch IROC XXX Tony Stewart
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