Racers participating in the 2011 SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Road America, Sept. 19-25, are encouraged to register online by 9 a.m. (CDT) this Wednesday, Sept. 7 for a pool of contingency awards worth more than $2 million. The contingency fund, pooled from 42 different companies and manufacturers who support the program through the SCCA National office, will be distributed not only to the National Champions in 28 classes, but throughout the field.

The contingency programs come from all varieties of racing-related industries. Automobile manufacturers have prepared significant programs for competitors displaying the strengths of their racecars.

Volkswagen of America not only supplies the Official Pace Cars of SCCA, it also offers $5,000 to winners in the Showroom Stock C, Touring 3 and Super Touring; Under, with second- and third-place finishers earning $3,000 and $1,000. F and H Production drivers earn $2,000 for a win, $1,000 for second and $500 for third, with Formula Vee drivers earning $1,000, $750, and $500 for podium finishes.

Ford Racing is offering contingency to top finishers at the Runoffs in eligible classes with Ford power. Winners will receive $2,500, with $1,000 and $750 going to podium finishers.

Honda Performance Development offers each Honda and Acura driver who begins the Championship race a $500 bonus, along with a $100 parking fee reimbursement to help cover the costs of the event weekend. Race winners earn an additional $2,500 from HPD, with $1,500 and $1,000 for second- and third-place finishes.

Mazda North American Operations offers $5,000 for a win in eligible classes, and $2,500 and $1,250 for podium finishes. Additionally, Mazda is offering eligible drivers up to $650 in tow money for the event.

MINI USA rewards drivers in the "new" model prizes for top finishes in H Production, GT-Lite, Showroom Stock classes, Touring 3 and STU. Winners in each of the eligible classes will receive $5,000, with $3,000 and $2,000 for the podium finishers.

Nissan North America's plan rewards National Champions in eligible cars and classes with $2,000 for a win in a Nissan, Datsun or Infiniti at this year's Runoffs.

Toyota/TRD offers up to $5,000 for a National Championship, and as much as $3,000 for a runner-up finish. Additionally, Toyota drivers earning the pole position will garner a $1,000 cash prize.

The tires under those cars are a big part of going fast at the Runoffs. BFGoodrich Tires, Goodyear Tire, Hoosier Racing Tire and Toyo Tires all offer programs to those who race on their products.

BFGoodrich Tires, the Official Tire of SCCA, is in the second season of a unique program for SCCA National Champions, offering 12 tires and the opportunity to win a seat in the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. Second through sixth-place finishers can earn up to six tires for the effort.

Goodyear-shod competitors will earn a $3,000 product certificate for a win, with $2,000 and $1,000 certificates for the remaining podium finishers.

Hoosier Racing Tire extends benefits for National Champions into next season. Winners will earn four tires, plus an additional four tires for every 2012 SafeRacer SCCA Club Racing National event the driver enters.

Toyo Tires offers cash awards, including a chart-topping $7,500 for a win, to the top six places in the Spec Miata race. In addition, the seventh through last place competitors will be entered into a drawing to win one of five $500 cash awards.

Those tires, of course, must be attached to wheels, and both Forgeline Motorsports and Panasport Racing Wheels offer contingencies for using their products.

Forgeline offers $500 for a win in eligible classes, along with cash for second- and third-place finishes, while Panasport offers gift certificates for podium finishers, including $300 for race winners.

Brakes are, once again, among the most competitive contingency awards, with significant programs from Carbotech Performance Brakes, Hawk Performance, and KFP Magnum Brake Pads.

The Official Brake Products of SCCA, Hawk Performance is offering a 2011 product sponsorship for champions, with product certificates for finishers all the way through the top-10 in eligible classes. Hawk will also award a Hawk Hot Lap Award of $100 to the driver posting the fast lap in each race.

Winners using Carbotech Performance Brakes will earn a product sponsorship for the 2011 season, with certificates offered for finishing second through 10th in the event.

KFP Magnum Brake Pads offers a $200 certificate for a win in eligible classes, along with $150 and $100 certificates for the remaining podium spots.

Suspension components are another integral part of a racecar.

AST Suspension offers drivers a $750 product credit for race winners, along with a $250 and $100 credit for second- and fifth-place finishes. Hyperco is offering two free Hypercoils suspension coils for first- and second-place finishers, with one free suspension coil to third-place finishers. Moton Suspension – USA is paying $500 to the eligible driver who wins his or her class by the largest margin during the championship weekend.

Penske Racing Shocks is paying $250 in product credit to qualifying National Champions, with $150 and $100 going to respective podium finishes.

Fluids of all types are essential for a racecar, and world-class companies are participating in this year's Runoffs contingency program. Sunoco offers a fuel contingency, while Mobil 1 and Red Line Oil do the same for engine oils.

Sunoco, the Official Fuel of SCCA, is handing out a $100 cash prize to the top finisher in every class, along with a $50 prize to the Sunoco Hard Charger for the driver who gains the most positions from the beginning of the race to the finish. Drivers in the GT-3 race are eligible for up to $1,000 for a top-six finish from the fuel company.

The Official Oil of SCCA, Mobil 1 offers $500 cash and a Mobil 1 racing suit for a National Championship. Runners-up will receive a $400 product certificate, while third-place finishers will earn a $250 certificate. All drivers who register for the Mobil 1 program will receive a hat and tire pressure gauge.

Red Line Synthetic Oil also offers a custom Red Line Oil Sabelt driver suit to National Champions participating in their program, with $400 and $250 product certificates to second- and third-place finishers.

Throughout the week of qualifying, Gumout, the Official Performance Chemicals of SCCA, is supporting racers with the Gumout Pole Award, rewarding fast qualifiers with a $400 cash bonus and the top three finishers in each class with a product kit. GT-2 competitors can earn cash from Gumout for finishing in the top six, including a $1,000 prize for winning the race.

Likewise, Black Magic, the Preferred Automotive Detailing Products of SCCA, is rewarding the top six finishers in the Touring 2 class with an identical payout. In a unique contingency, the best appearing cars from six categories as selected by a panel of judges will earn cash prizes, including a $400 prize for the car judged tops in category.

Before, during, and after an on-track session, drivers are using various technologies to analyze a run. Most drivers are using some type of in-car video and data systems to help improve lap times.

Race Technology USA is offering significant discounts on their DL1, VIDEO4, VIDEO4+GPS, DASH2, DASH3 or DASH4Pro systems and accessories to podium finishers not already using their products and gift certificates for parts and upgrades to those who are.

Race-Keeper is offering $250 cash to winners and $150 product credit to podium finishers for supporting their video and data logger, while AiM Sports is offering an AiM Solo lap timer for a Runoffs race win at Road America in every class.

Two racing service providers are also supporting customers with contingencies.

Taylor Racing Engineering is rewarding National Champions with a $250 product certificate, while Tilton Engineering offers product certificates up to $100 for first through fifth place.

Several retail outlets for accessories also offer contingencies.

SafeRacer, who was the title sponsor all season long of the SafeRacer National Series, is giving a pair of Alpinestars Racing Gloves to the first eligible driver to cross the finish line in every class, as well as to the eligible "Hard Luck" driver who starts the race but completes the fewest laps. Safer Racer will also hold a random drawing among all participating drivers to award 10 custom SafeRacer driving suits and 10 $500 SaferRacer gift certificates. Pegasus Auto Racing Supplies offers fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishers gift certificates worth up to $75 in each race. Summit Racing Equipment offers top-five finishers up to $200 in select classes.

While every racer wants to go fast, safety is the most important aspect of a race weekend.

With SCCA Club Racers required to run a head and neck restraint system in 2012, HANS Performance Products is offering a $50 product certificate to the top 10 eligible finishers in all classes at this year's Runoffs. Simpson Performance Products is offering a $150 gift certificate to all National Champions, and will award a $750 and $500 certificate to participating drivers through a random drawing.


Additional accessories are always a part of a Club Racer's program, and several companies will support those.

Pace American, the Official Trailer of SCCA, is offering cash to the top-six finishers in the E Production class, including $1,000 to the race winner. All classes can earn contingency from Holliday Canopies, whose program offers a $300 Custom Road Racing Canopy product certificate to all program participants. Current owners can claim a $150 cash price in lieu of the product discount for a class win. Grassroots Motorsports Magazine is awarding subscribers who win in any class a $100 prize.

Spec Racer Ford and Formula Enterprises competitors can win $800, $400 or $200 from SCCA Enterprises for finishing on the podium. Staubli is offering those same classes, along with four other open-wheel classes, a $150 product certificates for drivers finishing on podium. Touring 2 and Touring 3 class National Champions, under a program offered by Pirelli World Challenge, will receive free entries for the 2012 season if the winner chooses to make the leap to SCCA Pro Racing. Other podium finishers will receive a single-event entry if they choose to extend their racing career to the Pro Racing ranks. Winning drivers in Formula Continental, Formula Enterprises, Formula Ford or Formula Mazda can receive a $5,000 entry certificate for the 2012 USF2000 National Championship.

More than 540 participants have already registered to fight for Championships in 28 different classes, following four days of qualifying in the days leading up to the races.

All 24 races will be aired live through SpeedcastTV.com beginning Friday, Sept. 23 and concluding Sunday, Sept. 25.

For more information on these contingency programs and how to register to participate, visit http://www.scca.com/contingencies.aspx?hub=1&cid=9. Drivers must register for contingency programs prior to competing and are encouraged to do so online before Sept. 7. Following that date, participants can register at the track. Program descriptions should be read carefully to ensure all requirements are met. Failure to meet any listed requirements will result in forfeiting of awards.

More information on the SCCA National Championship Runoffs is available at www.scca.com/runoffs.