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Thirty-one new members - with a collective seven IRL / Champcar Championships, three Indy-500 wins, and dozens of major US and international road racing victories were welcomed as new RRDC members by club president Bobby Rahal.
“This is perhaps one of the most impressive group of new members in the long history of the club”, commented Rahal.
“For fifty-eight years, membership in the RRDC has been a badge of honor for outstanding racers and a select few others with legacy-level relationships to the sport. Membership, however, also infers the responsibilities of racing leadership -- representing the best qualities of sportsmanship, taking an active interest in safety and helping new drivers launch successful and enduring racing careers.
“As Mark Donohue would have put it, ‘Welcome aboard mates.”
Original RRDC Membership card from the 1950's.
REGULAR MEMBERS
Ryan Briscoe - Ryan began racing karts in 1993 at the age of eleven, and placed second in the Junior Yamaha Australian Championship – captured C.A.M.S. Junior Karter of the Year honors in 1994 and 1995. He was a factory CRG Team Driver 1996 through 1999. Signed to the Toyota Drivers Academy program in 2001 and drove as an official TDA driver through 2003 - logging nine wins. He was the 2007 ALMS Rookie of the Year, has placed fifth and tenth in the Indianapolis 500, third and seventh in the Daytona Rolex 24 Hr. Finished third in the IRL 2009 season championship.
Kelly Collins - Kelly has won many championships, and scored numerous wins for such manufacturers as Chevrolet, Pontiac, Porsche, Nissan, Honda, and BMW. In 1999 he scored class wins at both the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. In 2001, he teamed with Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Andy Pilgrim to gain a GTS podium finish in the Rolex 24 Hour driving a Corvette. He also won the Petit Le Mans in both 2000 and 2001. In 2008 he co-drove the Pontiac GXPR with Paul Edwards – scoring six podium finishes including victories at Miami-Homestead, Laguna Seca, Lime Rock Park and Miller Motorsports Park. They also finished second at Mexico City. The pair finished in the Top 10 in all but one race resulting in first place finishes in the GT Drivers’ Championship, GT Team Championship and GT Manufacturers’ Championship.
Gil de Ferran - Gil was the 2000 and 2001 CART Champ Car Champion and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500. He finished the 1991 British F3 Championship season in third, behind Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard, then won the 1992 British F3 Championship -scoring seven wins. He tested for the Footwork Arrows F1. In the U.S., he was awarded the Champ Car Rookie of the Year in 1995. On October 28, 2000, during CART qualifying for the Marlboro 500 at California Speedway, de Ferran set a world speed record for the fastest lap of a closed course, with a lap at 241.426 mph. In 2005 he moved to the BAR-Honda Formula One team as their sporting director, resigning in 2007. Drove again starting in 2008 in ALMS, making ten starts in the No. 66 Acura ARX-02a for de Ferran Motorsports in LMP1 with eight podium finishes. In 2009 at ALMS finale Laguna Seca, he ended his legendary career with pole position and victory.
Tony De Lorenzo - Tony attended an SCCA driver’s school at Watkins Glen and started racing in 1965 driving an A Sedan Corvair. He won his first regional race at Nelson Ledges, Ohio and placed seventh in class in the Marlboro 12 Hour race in 1966 (after changing a flat tire on course). Tony’s SCCA/IMSA racing career spanned 17 years, several sponsors and partnerships, and included consistent top-ten finishes. Tony raced in vintage races in a replica of the OCF GT class-winning Sebring Corvette from 1990 to 2002, winning nearly all the races. Since 1997, Tony has been successfully racing a Reventlow Scarab for car owner and college classmate Bob Sirna at the Road America vintage races. In December, 2008, Tony was elected to the Corvette Hall of Fame.
Scott Dixon - Scott became the most successful driver in the Indy Racing League Indy - scoring a record twenty victories. Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, Scott has won the Series Championship twice - 2003 and 2008 - and won the 92nd Indianapolis 500 in 2008 from pole position. At Kentucky in August that year he equaled the record for six wins in a season. Known as a consistent race finisher, he has been on the podium 48 times in the 90 races he has completed, and his ratio of wins to career starts is the best of all-time regular drivers in the IRL. Among notable awards won by Scott are the Jim Clark Trophy (1999, 2001, 2004) which perpetuates the name of the late Formula One world champion Jim Clark, and the Bruce McLaren Trophy (2003, 2008) which is awarded annually by the British Racing Drivers' Club. It perpetuates the name of the late Bruce McLaren , a fellow New Zealander, whose name lives on in the name of the McLaren Racing Team.
Chris Dyson - In addition to co-driving the #16 ALMS Mazda Lola Coupe, Chris manages Dyson Racing. In 2008, Chris and his teammate, Guy Smith, drove their Porsche RS Spyder to sixth in the LMP2 driver’s championship - starting off the year with a class third in the 12-Hours of Sebring. In 2007 Chris and Guy were fourth in the LMP2 standings. In 2006 he had three podiums and six top fives in ten races for sixth in the ALMS LMP1 championship. Chris finished second in the ALMS LMP1 championship in 2005 with six seconds and a third in ten races. In 2004, he garnered six of nine podiums in ALMS LMP1, for fourth in the final standings. In sixty-four starts in the ALMS, he has twenty-six podiums to his credit. Finished seventh at LeMans in 2004 and fourth at the Silverstone. In 2003 he won the ALMS LMP 675 championship in his first full year in the series scoring four wins including the class win at The 12-Hours of Sebring. Chris won five races in the Rolex Grand-Am Series in 2002, missing the championship by two points.
Calvin Fish - Calvin began his racing career in karts at age thirteen. He then moved to Formula Ford in 1979 and soon British Formula Three. He then came to the United States and competed in various classes of SCCA competition as well as IMSA GT. He was the 1987 Formula Atlantic Champion and then made fourteen starts in the Indy Lights series. He returned to sports cars and was the GTO class winner at the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona in 1990. Calvin is one of the few drivers to beat Senna in Formula Three and Formula 2000. He is currently an analyst announcer for the Speed Channel in the US and covers the Speed World Challenge, Rolex Grand Am Series, and the American Le Mans Series.
Marino Franchitti - Marino began racing career in karts at age eight. Prior to his sports car debut in 2001, his previous experience had been in single-seaters . After emerging from the Jim Russell school, he contested selected rounds of Formula Vauxhall for several years. Won 2001 the British GTO Championship driving for Porsche Cars Great Britain in a Porsche GT3 RS -taking eleven podiums, eight class wins and two fastest laps. Drove one round of the FIA N-GT Series in 2001 and finished seventh at Spa. Placed tenth among 220 starters at the Nurburgring 24 Hours. Earned a podium finish at the Spa 24 Hours race in 2006. Two other podium finishes in 2006 FIA GT championship included GT2 win in Ferrari F430 GT at Adrian. He was instrumental in the development of ALMS Acura ARX-01a chassis. Currently drives for the Patron Highcroft ALMS team.
Brian Frisselle - The son of sports car racer Brad Frisselle, Brian had his first racing experience behind the wheel of a go-kart at Jim Hall's Kart Racing School, which he attended when he was ten years old. In the summer of 2002, Brian participated in seven Skip Barber Regional race weekends, garnering four podium finishes. His career highlights include: Winning the final three races of the 2003 Skip Barber National Championship; Earning his first podium in a professional series - the 2004 Star Mazda Series race at Laguna Seca, Competing in his first 24 Hours of Daytona, Qualifying second at the Mexico City 250 in 2006 - a Rolex career best. Won Rolex races at Montreal and Watkins Glen in 2008.
Burt Frisselle - Also the son of sports car racer Brad Frisselle, Burt also got his first experience behind the wheel at Jim Hall's Kart Racing School where he demonstrated his innate talent by being the fastest driver in the class. In 2003, Burt made his rookie debut in the Barber Dodge Pro Series and had an impressive season - narrowly missing the Rookie of the Year title, but was thrilled to claim second place among the rookies and sixth place overall. His career highlights include taking the pole, achieving victory, and setting the fastest race lap at his first race weekend in the 2002 Formula Dodge National Championship along with bringing the No.6 MSR car from seventh to claim second in the last ten minutes of the race at Watkins Glen in the 2004 Grand American Rolex Series.
Memo (José) Gidley - Memo began his career racing Karts. In his early years, he sold his apartment to fund his career and spent 4 months living in his car. He worked at the Jim Russell racing school as a mechanic to fund his career…eventually getting a chance in Champ Car with Derrick Walker in 1999, although this was as a short-term replacement. He did the same task for Gerry Forsythe a year later, and Chip Ganassi in 2001 - twice coming close to race victories. Since 2005 he has competed full time in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, co-driving with Michael McDowell to a victory in the Mexico City season finale.
Joey Hand - Joey began karting in 1995 and accumulated three US Championships, and seven National Championships. In 1998-1999 he raced in the Formula Mazda Pro Series scoring eight poles and nine wins. Drove for Valvoline Team USA in 1999-2000, competing in the Formula Palmer Audi series in England. Has raced in the Toyota Atlantic Championship, the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series (GT), American Le Mans Series (GT2), Grand American Road Racing Series (DP & GS) and the SPEED World Challenge (Touring Car). During this time he has ten wins, twenty-eight podiums and two poles. Was named the Toyota Atlantic 2001 Rookie of the Year and has received the Gilles Villeneuve Award (2002) and the Jovy Marscelo Sportsmanship Award (2003).
Tony Kanaan - Tony won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car - winning three times. That season he completed 3,305 laps, making him the first IndyCar Series driver to complete every possible lap in a season. He also led 889 laps in thirteen separate races to establish an IndyCar Series record. Tony is also the only driver to lead the Indianapolis 500 in each of his first seven starts, though he has yet to win this flagship event. He has a total of fourteen IRL race victories. He was the 1997 Indy Lights champion and his first major victory was the U.S. 500 at Michigan International Speedway for Forsythe.
Denise McCluggage - Denise was a race car driver from the 1940’s to the 1960s, and was a sports reporter for the New York Herald Tribune during the 1950s. She received the International Automotive Media Conference’s IAMA Recognition of Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, was enshrined in the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2001, and inducted into the Sports Car Club of America Hall of Fame in 2006. She was an outstanding race-car driver and is one of the most highly regarded journalists in the business.
Greg Pickett - Greg is a former SCCA Trans-Am Champion who holds the distinction of winning Trans-Am races in four different decades. Scored his first win in 1978 en route to the championship title. Won the GTO class in the 1987 12-hours of Sebring in a factory-backed Protofab Chevrolet Camaro. Returned to racing in 2007 and scored his seventeenth career Trans-Am win at Road Atlanta in 2009. Claimed a hugely popular LMP2 class win in the 2010 12-hours of Sebring.
Ben Pon - Ben competed internationally in Porsche sports cars throughout the 1960s and early 70s. He is a multiple class winner at LeMans and the Nurburgring. His career includes three FIA GT Cup starts and one class win, four World Sportscar Championship starts and at least six class wins in other non-championship events. Made one F1 start - the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix which ended in a violent crash and his vow to never race single-seaters again. Since his retirement from racing, he has turned his attention to the wine trade and is now known for his Bernardus Winery in Carmel, California.
Graham Rahal - Graham, the son of RRDC President Bobby Rahal, began racing karts in 2001, and moved into Formula BMW Series in 2004. His career has spanned the Formula BMW USA series, the Star Mazda series, the A1 Grand Prix, Formula Atlantic, Champ Car World Series and the Indy Pro Series, encompassing 81 races with three poles and seven wins. Graham is the youngest winner in Indycar history - capturing the St. Pete GP in 2008 at age nineteen.
Ed Swart - Ed’s racing career spans fifty years and 485 races - beginning with karting in Europe. He started his three of his own racing teams, competing in the European FIA Touring Car Challenge Championship - with three wins, the Dutch National Touring Car Championship - with five wins, and FIA Sports/Prototype races. Finished second in the Springbok Series in South Africa. He has been a member of the Board of the Vintage Auto Racing Association and spent two years as its President. In 1999 Ed started the Historic Racing Organization (HSR-West in California, which has grown over the last ten years to include over 400 active members and running 6-8 events each year. Ed has been honored by the KNAC (Royal Dutch Automobile Club) for his contribution to the Dutch auto racing sport, and served as the Clerk of the Course for the Dutch F1 Grand Prix races and all the National and International races at Zandevoort, the Netherlands.
Michael Valiante - Michael began racing karts and earned a full-season scholarship in the Skip Barber Series. In his first season, Michael was both the Series Champion and Rookie of the Year. He moved on the Barber Dodge Pro Series and then to the Toyota Atlantic Championship. In 2002 he won three races and led the points going into the final round in Denver, only to lose the championship to Jon Fogarty. In 2003 he finished third in the championship - again scoring three victories. In 2006, Michael competed in the Grand-Am series, where he and co-driver Rob Finlay finished ninth in the final standings. In 2007, as co-driver of the No. 19 Chip Ganassi Racing entry, Valiante recorded a career-best second-place finish at Iowa Speedway and six top-ten finishes. In 2008 Michael joined Wayne Taylor Racing and took the Dallara chassis to its first victory in the Grand-Am series. He also captured three pole positions, four podiums, two second place finishes and a third alongside teammate Max Angelleli. In 2009, Michael joined Michael Shank Racing and had four top fives, two podiums and four fastest race laps.
Jimmy Vasser - Jimmy won the 1996 IndyCar season Championship driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series. He made his CART debut in 1992 and qualified for the Indianapolis 500, setting a record for the fastest qualifying run by a first-year driver. Jimmy won four races in 1996 season, clinching the championship at the season's final race. In 2004 he became co-owner of PKV Racing (now KV Racing Technology) and was a driver for the team. In 2004 he broke the modern CART–Champ Car record for the most consecutive starts. Jimmy retired from open wheel racing in 2006, but remains active in his ownership role. He temporarily came out of retirement to drive in the final Champ Car World Series event at the 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. In 2006, he competed in three Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series races, including the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Dan Wheldon - Taking up karting at the age of four in his native England, Dan progressed through the junior ranks of motor racing during his school years. Moving to the United States in 1999, he spent several years in the F2000 Championship Series, the Toyota Atlantic Series and the Indy Lights series. In 2002, he moved up to the IRL for two events, with Panther Racing. The following year Wheldon joined Andretti Green Racing and collected Rookie of the Year honors. In 2004, he won his first IRL race at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan, ultimately finishing as runner-up to teammate Tony Kanaan in the championship with three wins. He won the 2005 Indianapolis 500 as well as the IndyCar Series championship. His six victories in 2005 also broke the IRL record for most victories in one season Jr. In 2006, he won the 24 Hours of Daytona endurance sports car race driving for Ganassi. On his 30th birthday, he took his 15th career victory in the IndyCar Series - winning the 2008 Iowa Corn Indy 250. Moving from Ganassi, Wheldon drove the Panther car to a second place finish in the 2009 Indianapolis 500.
Desire Wilson - Desiré is one of only five women to compete in Formula One. She entered one F1 World Championship Grand Prix in 1980 with a non-works Williams FW07 prepared by Brands Hatch Racing, but failed to qualify. She also raced in the 1981 non-championship South African Grand Prix. She became the only woman to win an F1 race of any kind, when she won at Brands Hatch in the short-lived British Aurora F1 series, which mostly featured older F1 cars. As a result of this achievement, she has a grandstand at Brands Hatch named after her. Following her attempts in Formula One, Wilson participated in other disciplines including IndyCar and sports car racing. In 1982, Wilson entered the Indianapolis 500, but failed to qualify.
Justin Wilson - Justin began racing karts in 1987. In 1998, he was a finalist in the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award and won the inaugural Formula Palmer Audi championship, taking nine race wins, including six of the final seven. A year later, he graduated to the FIA International Formula 3000 Series and won the championship in 2001 - setting a record winning margin in the process. He raced in the Champ Car series from 2004–07, scoring 4 wins. He competed in Formula One in the 2003 season with Minardi before signing with Jaguar Racing for the final five races of the season. He was the winner of the 2001 International Formula 3000 championship. He currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Bruce Canepa - As a youngster, Bruce began racing Quarter Midgets and Go-Karts, then graduated to Super Modifieds and Sprint Cars. He competed successfully in IMSA and Trans Am in 1978. Co-drove a Porsche 934 with Rick Mears and Monte Shelton to a third-place overall finish in the 1978 Daytona 24 Hours, and continued scoring podium finishes in IMSA in 1979 with a Porsche 935. From 1980 to 1982 he co-drove the MOMO 935, and teamed with Bobby Rahal and Jim Trueman in a March GTP for the Daytona 24-hour. He also raced his own Porsche 962 in West Coast IMSA events. He is also a multiple Pikes Peak competitor and record holder. He continues to compete successfully in historic racing, and his Canepa Design firm is a leader in automotive design, restoration and sales.
Peter Giddings - Peter became interested in sports and competition cars in the late 1950s and has rebuilt/supervised the restoration of a number of historic landmark racing cars, including the 1924 Lyons GP Bugatti, the Frazer Nash Union Special, several Monza Alfas. In 1959 Peter began his racing adventures in a 1928 Frazer Nash and gave a great account of itself at circuits and hillclimbs such as Silverstone, Brands Hatch, and Goodwood, By 1961 Peter had qualified for a full FIA international license. fastest time of day at a Ferrari club event at the In 1985 Peter won the coveted “Phil Hill Trophy”, which was presented to him personally by the great Juan Manuel Fangio. Peter is a multi-time champion of the North America Ferrari/ Maserati Historic Challenge.
Vic Skirmants - Working as a turn marshal inspired Vic to attend drivers school at Waterford Hills in 1965. He raced a 1956 356 Speedster at Waterford, Harewood and Mosport in Canada as well as local SCCA Regional Races and was the Canadian EP Champion in 1972. He began SCCA national racing in earnest in 1977 and raced in the Nationals through June of 1997, qualifying for the SCCA Run-Offs every year since 1978, with the exception of 1979. To date he has started 696 races, and has 310 first place finishes in class or overall. He continues to race a 356 and a 1962 Dolphin Porsche in Vintage events.
Ralph Thomas - Ralph has over fifty SVRA wins in a Trans-Am Triumph, six season championships in Vintage GTP, the Sebring 12–Hour and Daytona 24-Hour. He holds two speed records at Bonneville. In 1986 he founded the “Highlands Classic”, a vintage sports car event for charity that he put on for 19 years. He worked for Brumos in the 70s and is now a builder in North Carolina.
HONORARY MEMBERS
Scott Atherton - Scott is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Panoz Motor Sports Group which includes the American Le Mans Series, Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Mosport International Raceway, Elan Technologies and International Motor Sports Association. He also serves on the board of directors for Panoz Auto Development – builder of the Panoz Esperante sports car – and is active with ACCUS and the ALMS. Motorsports. Initially, he was active as a go-kart racer and amateur Formula Ford competitor. After graduating from the University of Washington in 1983 with a degree in marketing, his first professional job in motorsports involved working with the Domino’s Pizza CART racing team (Doug Shierson Racing and driver Al Unser Jr.). After nine years with Domino’s, Scott was selected to become General Manager of Laguna Seca Raceway in 1993.
Jim Farley - Jim is currently the head of Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Ford Motor Company. He started the Scion division of Toyota and served as the head of Marketing for Lexus/Toyota. He is a gearhead, a Cobra owner and a staunch supporter of racing.
Bruce Meyer - While Bruce has not raced over the years per se, his leadership of the Peterson Museum in Los Angeles plus his leadership in the Historic/Vintage automobile world qualifies him as an Honorary member. His personal collection of cars includes many of the greatest ever designed (D-Type Jag, Ferrari 250 SWB, Ferrari Testa Rosa, and the famous “Belly Tank” hot rod).
Bob Varsha - Bob is the voice of Formula One racing in the US. Teaming with fellow RRDC member David Hobbs, he anchors the SpeedTV F1 race coverage. In 2002 and 2003, Bob was the host of network TV's Champcar coverage. In 2004, he returned to his Formula One hosting duties. In 2004, Bob was also a part-time host/narrator for SPEED's coverage of the World Rally Championship, - reporting on-site from the WRC's inaugural event in Mexico. He also hosts the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, Palm Beach, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada on Speed.
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