PHOENIX, Ariz. (January 18, 2002) -- This weekend’s Arizona Region Sports Car Club of America Snowbird Double National races at Phoenix International Raceway will mark the start of the Southern Pacific Division’s 2002 schedule. Drivers will be seeking the first points of the season that could potentially qualify them for a berth to the Valvoline Runoffs®- SCCA’s National Championship event held mid-September at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
"We are extremely pleased with the huge turn-out of cars this weekend," said JoAnne Jensen, SCCA Chairman of the Board and Southern Pacific Division representative. "The Arizona Region has been working on this event since last February, meeting every month. We have a record turn-out of cars to complement a crop of drivers from 22 states, 26 SCCA Regions and two countries."
Nearly 250 cars have been entered in 24 classes for competition in this four-day Club Racing National extravaganza, which commences tomorrow morning with qualifying. The first race of the doubleheader is slated for tomorrow afternoon, followed by qualifying and race two on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
In addition, the Arizona Region has scheduled trumpet player extraordinaire Jesse Maguire to take center stage and kick-off the event with his beautiful rendition of the National Anthem. McGuire previously had the honor of performing in Phoenix for the 2001 World Series.
The SCCA continues to groom top-notch, world-class drivers in the most diverse racing organization in the world. As the SCCA enters its 58th year of existence, nearly 62,000 members within 109 regions across the country compete in over 1000 sanctioned events per year.