Brian Redman International Challenge - Vintage Weekend Features F-1 and Can-Am
World Champion, Driver of the Century, racing patriarch and racing ambassador Mario Andretti will be grand marshal ofRoad America's Brian Redman International Challenge Presented by Jaguar, (BRIC) July14-17. The legendary Andretti will appear at various activities throughout the weekend,including fan autograph sessions. A Super Ticket, for all four days is $70, and includesparking and access to the paddock, where the teams, shops and autograph sessions will belocated. Daily ticket prices are Thursday, $10; Friday, $15, Saturday, $35 and Sunday,$35. Children 12 and under will be free when accompanied by a paid adult. Ticketsand/or gift cards can be ordered online at roadamerica.com
Road America's offices will be closed Dec. 20 through Jan. 3, although InternetChristmas merchandise and gift card orders can be shipped express until Dec. 22.The July vintage event, one of the largest in the U.S., will feature a Formula Oneand a Can-Am race, both series in which Andretti competed, plus other classes forvintage sports cars. In addition to on-track activities, Road America will organize a racecar concours (car show) on Friday evening and a sports car concours on Saturdayevening, both in the Village of Elkhart Lake and free to spectators.
Mario Andretti is often referred to as the greatest race car driver of all time,having proven himself a winner at all levels of competition. His skilled and versatiledriving produced some of racing history’s most legendary accomplishments: he won theIndy 500, the Daytona 500 and the Formula One World Championship.
He won the Champ Car National Championship four times and was a three-time winner at Sebring.Andretti took the checkered flag 111 times during his career – a career thatstretched five decades. And he was competitive for all of those years: he was namedDriver of the Year in three different decades (the 60s, 70s, 80s), Driver of the QuarterCentury (in the 90s) and Driver of the Century in January, 2000.He is the leader in Champ Car pole positions with 67, Champ Car starts with 407and he is the Champ Car lap leader, with 7,587. He is the only Champ Car driver to winraces in four decades.
Andretti won two Formula 5000 races at Road America in 1974 and 1975 andthree Champ Car races, in 1983, 1984 and 1987, all of which he started from the pole.Son Michael and grandson Marco have also seen the checkered flag at Road America.Although Andretti retired from the Champ Car series in 1994, he remains activein the racing industry and in business. Other interests include the Andretti Winery inNapa Valley, Calif.; Andretti Toyota in Coraopolis, Penn.; a petroleum company innorthern California and the Mario Andretti Racing School in Las Vegas.Road America hosted its first race in 1955 and will celebrate its 50th Anniversaryin 2005.
The 2005 race schedule is:April 22-24 – Champion Cup Series (CCS) – top amateur motorcycle racingMay 13-15 – Sports Car Vintage Racing Assoc. (SVRA) – vintage sports car racingfeaturing the Australian –U.S. Austin Healey ChallengeJune 2-5 – American Motorcyclist Assoc. (AMA) – Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader,featuring top professional motorcycle racingJune 23-26 – Kohler/Chicago Region SCCA June Sprints – top amateur sports carracing, one of the largest SCCA races in the U.S.; 50th running in 2005July 14-17 – Brian Redman International Challenge (BRIC) – Grand Marshal MarioAndretti. One of the largest vintage races in the U.S. Featuring F-1 and Can-Am races.Aug. 5-7 – Ferrari Maserati Racing Days – current and historic Ferraris and Maseratis.Aug. 18-21 – American Le Mans Series (ALMS) – Exotic prototypes and productioncars; some teams will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.Sept. 16-18 – Vintage Sports Car Drivers Assoc. (VSCDA) – Bugatti is the featuredmarque along with an Elva Reunion
A Champ Car World Series weekend remains in discussion, and the schedule issubject to change.
See vscda.org for information on the cars and classes for the Vintage Sports Car Drivers Assoc.
