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Mario Andretti Named Grand Marshal For Road America Vintage Race
Brian Redman International Challenge Vintage Weekend
Features F-1 and Can-Am
Elkhart Lake, Wisc., Dec. 17, 2004World Champion, Driver of the Century,
racing patriarch and racing ambassador Mario Andretti will be grand marshal of
Road America's Brian Redman International Challenge Presented by Jaguar, (BRIC)
July 14-17. 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 includes parking and access to the paddock, where
the teams, shops and autograph sessions will be located. 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. Tickets and/or gift cards
can be ordered online at www.roadamerica.com
Road America's offices will be closed Dec. 20 through Jan. 3, although
Internet Christmas 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
One and a Can-Am race, both series in which Andretti competed, plus other
classes for vintage sports cars. In addition to on-track activities, Road
America will organize a race car concours (car show) on Friday evening and a
sports car concours on Saturday evening, 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 versatile driving produced some of racing historys most legendary
accomplishments: he won the Indy 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 that
stretched five decades. And he was competitive for all of those years: he was
named Driver of the Year in three different decades (the 60s, 70s, 80s),
Driver of the Quarter Century (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
407 and he is the Champ Car lap leader, with 7,587. He is the only Champ Car
driver to win races in four decades.
Andretti won two Formula 5000 races at Road America in 1974 and 1975 and three
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 active
in the racing industry and in business. Other interests include the Andretti
Winery in Napa Valley, Calif.; Andretti Toyota in Coraopolis, Penn.; a
petroleum company in northern California and the Mario Andretti Racing School
in Las Vegas.
Road America hosted its first race in 1955 and will celebrate its 50th
Anniversary in 2005.
The 2005 race schedule is:
April 22-24 Champion Cup Series (CCS) top amateur motorcycle
racing
May 13-15 Sports Car Vintage Racing Assoc. (SVRA) vintage sports car
racing featuring the Australian U.S. Austin Healey Challenge
June 2-5 American Motorcyclist Assoc. (AMA) Suzuki Superbike
Doubleheader, featuring top professional motorcycle racing
June 23-26 Kohler/Chicago Region SCCA June Sprints top amateur sports
car racing, one of the largest SCCA races in the U.S.; 50th running in 2005
July 14-17 Brian Redman International Challenge (BRIC) Grand Marshal
Mario Andretti. 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
production cars; 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
featured marque along with an Elva Reunion
A Champ Car World Series weekend remains in discussion, and the schedule is
subject to change.
See www.vscda.org for
information on the cars and classes for the Vintage Sports Car Drivers
Association.
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