Innovative Program Protects Entrants’ From Losses Due To Weather
The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) has announced the motorsports industry’s first guarantee to protect competitors from losing their entry fees due to rain. The Entry Protection Program (EPP) applies even if the races are conducted and the protected competitor does not withdraw – provided the official U.S. Weather Bureau-announced precipitation accumulation is at least one inch between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on either Saturday or Sunday.
“We decided to take this step to give owners and drivers a greater sense of control over their own destinies,” said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. “We understand a driver doesn’t get the same satisfaction from driving in the rain as he or she does in the dry. For a relatively small fee, the SVRA EPP protects them from losing their entry investment during a rainy weekend even if they do participate.”
Parella came up with idea following the rain-drenched SVRA weekend at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) September 25-27. That event saw persistent rain for three solid days, even creating standing water at some points of the course. Typical of road racing, the races were conducted despite the inclement weather but many drivers withdrew to protect the investment they have made in their vintage racers.
The EPP applies to 13 of the 16 race weekends on the SVRA’s 2016 calendar. The venues it applies to are: Sebring, Amelia Island, Auto Club Speedway, Sonoma, Road America, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), Mid-Ohio, Portland, Watkins Glen, Coronado, VIR, NOLA and the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The price for EPP coverage is $39 for ten events with a $49 fee for Watkins Glen and $59 for IMS and COTA.
About SVRA - The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association is the premier vintage racing organization in the United States. Founded in 1981 the SVRA has over 2,000 active members. It will sanction 16 events in 2016 at some of the finest racing venues in the United States, including: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sebring, Road America, Watkins Glen, Auto Club Speedway, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Sonoma Raceway, Portland International Raceway, NOLA Motorsports Park and Virginia International Raceway. The rapidly growing organization hosted the first U.S. Vintage Racing National Championships at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas in 2013. Further information on SVRA, a complete annual schedule, and entry lists can be found on the SVRA website. Also be sure to check our Facebook page and YouTube channel which currently boasts a library of over 190 action-packed videos of events.
