SCCA Club Racing Adds Touring 3 Class to National Competition

The Mazda RX-8 will be one of the eligble cars in the new National Touring 3 class at SCCA events in 2006. (Photo courtesy of SCCA/Digital Race Photography

TOPEKA, Kan. – Sports Car Club of America’s Board of Directors has approved a new national-level class, Touring 3, for the 2006 season.

The T3 class, which ran previously as a regional class only, will join the Spec Miata class as a new addition on the national scene next season.

“There are a number of sports cars and sedans currently being produced that fit between the Touring 2 and Showroom Stock B performance level,” SCCA Club Racing Director Terry Ozment said. “We expect Touring 3 to follow suit with Touring 2 and become one of the fastest-growing National classes.”

Among the newer model cars that will call T3 home are: Audi TT Quatro, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Ford Mustang GT, Lexus IS300, Mazdaspeed Miata, Mazda RX-8, Mini Cooper S w/ John Cooper Works package, Saturn Ion Redline, Scion TC and Subaru Impreza WRX.

With the addition of T3, there are now 25 national classes in SCCA Club Racing, the most since there were 25 in 1996.

In more SCCA news, former Lime Rock Park general manager Garrett Mudd has been named acting president of the organization.

Mudd, who was the vice president of marketing for the SCCA, assumes control of the day-to-day company management and will lead the overall direction of the sanctioning body and its entities, including the SPEED World Challenge Championships.

Mudd was general manager at Lime Rock from 2000-2002.

Mudd was elevated to his new post following the recent resignation of SCCA Pro Racing Vice President and General Manager Mitch Wright.

Wright will remain on as an SCCA Pro Racing employee for a transitional period through the end of 2005. Mudd will continue his duties as the Vice President of Marketing for both SCCA and SCCA Pro Racing.

H. Paul Richards, 82, a former longtime competitor at Lime Rock, died unexpectedly as the result of an accident at his home recently.

Mr. Richards was active in sports car racing for more than 20 years, and was a two-time SCCA National Champion in Formula 3. In 1959, he was named “Small Car Driver of the Year” as the lead driver for Team Roosevelt.

He later raced on the Briggs Cunningham racing team with Roger Penske, Augie Pabst and Walt Hanskin. In 1960, he won at Sebring, defeating Stirling Moss of Great Britain. Driving over 60 cars during his career, he competed at Daytona, Sebring, Lime Rock and the 24 hours of Le Mans in France.