New Pro Miata Endurance Series formed.

[imported_Webmaster]

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contact:
Ken Grammer, President
434-797-1866 office; ken @ usenduro.com

United States Endurance Racing Association Formed

DANVILLE, VA. (December 29, 2005) – The United States Endurance Racing Association, Inc. announced its formation today. Based in Danville, Virginia, USERA will develop and promote endurance automobile racing throughout North America.

The first endurance series being developed by USERA will be the Spec Miata Endurance Championship which will provide low-cost endurance racing for the highly popular production based Mazda Miata sports cars that are prepared to the “Spec Miata” racing rules.

“We are very excited to announce the formation of both the new Association and the new Endurance Championship,” said USERA founder and President, Ken Grammer. “The Spec Miata is ideal for the aspiring endurance race driver and team. We are providing a great opportunity for teams to compete in a cost effective professional endurance racing series.”

The Spec Miata Endurance Championship will consist of three hour or longer races culminating with the naming of driver and team champions. USERA is planning an eight race schedule with $10k per race in base prize money.

Announcements concerning membership in USERA and more details on the Spec Miata Endurance Championship will be forthcoming.

About USERA
Founded in 2005, USERA develops and operates professional endurance road racing championship series throughout North America. For more information on USERA, visit www.usenduro.com (http://www.usenduro.com).

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PRESS RELEASE

Media Contact:
Ken Grammer, President
434-797-1866 office; [email protected]

USERA Spec Miata Endurance Championship to be Sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing.

DANVILLE, VA. (January 9, 2006) – The United States Endurance Racing Association, Inc. announced today that it has reached an agreement with SCCA Pro Racing, Ltd., of Topeka, KS for SCCA Pro Racing to provide sanction of the 2006 USERA Spec Miata Endurance Championship. Any competitor holding an SCCA Competition License or SCCA Course Marshal License will earn credit on their SCCA license for participating in the Spec Miata Endurance Championship.

“We are very pleased that SCCA Pro Racing will be sanctioning our Championship,” said USERA President, Ken Grammer. “SCCA Pro Racing has been the ultimate name in race sanctions in America for over 60 years and having them as our sanction partner demonstrates not only our commitment to excellence, but our desire to provide the highest quality Championship series to our participants.”

The Spec Miata Endurance Championship will consist of three hour or longer races culminating with a season ending Driver and Team Champion. USERA is planning a six race schedule for 2006 with $10k per race in base prize money.

“We’re pleased to be a part of the inaugural season of USERA Spec Miata Endurance Championship racing,” SCCA Pro Racing Acting President Garret Mudd said. “The format provides an excellent grassroots endurance racing opportunity that did not previously exist in the United States. This fits in nicely with the other opportunities that are available to Miata enthusiasts through SCCA Club Racing and the all new SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup.”

About USERA
Founded in 2005, USERA manages the Spec Miata Endurance Championship. For more information on USERA, visit www.usenduro.com or call 434-797-1866.

# # #

[Knestis]

Originally posted by Webmaster@Dec 30 2005, 03:37 PM
... an eight race schedule with $10k per race in base prize money.
Like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Let the mayhem commence. :D

If you missed them, it's a shame but watching Renault Cup racers compete for a $3000 first place check in $7000 cars was REALLY fun. Everyone had bodyshop sponsors and some of those cars looked like they were built of modeling clay.

K

[Greg Amy]

Oh, yeah. That would be a race I'd pay to watch. Race in; no way. Watch, yeah baby! - GA

[lateapex911]

Who are these guys??? Where is the 80 large coming from?

WHICH Spec Miatas will it be for, the current version, or next years pro version...the '06s with the sealed motors, trans, and rear ends??

Who does teardowns?? hee heee....

Is "Spec Miata" a trademarked name??

[lateapex911]

Answered my own questions, sort of...

"Championship Rules:

The Miata Endurance Championship is being sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, Ltd. Therefore the Championship will be governed by Article 1 of the 2006 SCCA Pro Racing Regulations for the operation of the series, and the 2006 USERA Miata Endurance Championship Rules for technical operation of the series. Any amendments or clarifications to these rules will be posted on the USERA web site at www.usenduro.com."

[jlucas]

Under thier FAQ:
"A: Event entry fees for 2006 will be $975 US for events that are less than six hours long. Longer events will cost $1,200 US.
Event fees will be listed provided on the event entry form. Late entries will be charged $250 US extra."

Ouch!

[Knestis]

That helps explain where the purse comes from. Reverse Robin Hood wealth redistribution, where the guys who spend the most dough have the best chance of getting more from those with lower budgets.

K

[Wreckerboy]

Originally posted by Knestis@Dec 30 2005, 10:02 PM
If you missed them, it's a shame but watching Renault Cup racers compete for a $3000 first place check in $7000 cars was REALLY fun. Everyone had bodyshop sponsors and some of those cars looked like they were built of modeling clay.

K

69639


The first Pro event I ever went to was a Renault Cup race at LRP. In the rain. It seemed like there were millions of the damned things droning their way through the esses. It also seemed, to paraphrase some NASCAR driver, that only about half of 'em knew the esses were paved!

[JamesB]

Yeah, should be fun to watch at the least.

[RP Performance]

Originally posted by Knestis@Dec 31 2005, 03:02 AM
Like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Let the mayhem commence. :D

If you missed them, it's a shame but watching Renault Cup racers compete for a $3000 first place check in $7000 cars was REALLY fun. Everyone had bodyshop sponsors and some of those cars looked like they were built of modeling clay.

K

69639





I hate to tell you but there really is not a $7k miata or at least one that can run anywhere near the front. Most front running cars are $20k plus and up to $30k. Hard to believe but true.

[RacerBowie]

Originally posted by RP Performance@Jan 4 2006, 09:38 PM
I hate to tell you but there really is not a $7k miata or at least one that can run anywhere near the front. Most front running cars are $20k plus and up to $30k. Hard to believe but true.

70094



He was talking about the Renaults....

[RacerBill]

Originally posted by JamesB@Jan 4 2006, 05:28 PM
Yeah, should be fun to watch at the least.

70064


Takes me back to the first SS race I watched at LRP. Having been used to all the unmuffled race cars on slicks, We were at first startled when the announced said that the field had received the green flag, and there was almost dead silence - then the agonized scream of 30 sets of street tires (no R compounds back then) sliding through Big Bend, turns 3, 4 & 5 heading up into No Name Straight!. We were laughing so hard we almost rolled off the hill!

Anyone remember the glass mugs they gave out as worker gifts at the Car & Driver Challange Cup races (with the right handed and left handed models?)

Back in the box, dammit! :D :D :D

[RP Performance]

Originally posted by RacerBowie@Jan 5 2006, 12:01 PM
He was talking about the Renaults....

70124



I guess I should have read it better.

[Knestis]

Point is still valid, Bret - and the sad part is that a lot of those guys in pro-built $30K cars treat them like they are Dixie Cups, too...

K

[JamesB]

Interesting tidbit here

SCCA Pro Racing to Sanction USERA Spec Miata Endurance Championship

SCCA Staff Writers

Spec Miatas now have a formal endurance series. (Weber Image)
TOPEKA, Kan. (January 10, 2006) – SCCA Pro Racing Ltd. announced today that it would sanction the inaugural season of the United States Endurance Racing Association Spec Miata Endurance Championship.

“We’re pleased to be a part of the inaugural season of USERA Spec Miata Endurance Championship racing,” SCCA Pro Racing Acting President Garret Mudd said. “The format provides an excellent grassroots endurance racing opportunity that did not previously exist in the United States. This fits in nicely with the other opportunities that are available to Miata enthusiasts through SCCA Club Racing and the all new SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup.”

Announced by the USERA in 2005, the Spec Miata Endurance Championship will consist of three hour or longer races culminating with a season ending Driver and Team Champion. A six race schedule, beginning at Carolina Motorsports Park in late March, is planned for 2006, with $10k per race in base prize money.

Any competitor holding an SCCA Competition License or SCCA Course Marshal License will earn credit on their SCCA license for participating in the Spec Miata Endurance Championship.

“We are very pleased that SCCA Pro Racing will be sanctioning our Championship,” said USERA President Ken Grammer. “SCCA Pro Racing has been the ultimate name in race sanctions in America for over 60 years and having them as our sanction partner demonstrates not only our commitment to excellence, but our desire to provide the highest quality Championship series to our participants.”

About SCCA Pro Racing
A wholly owned subsidiary of Sports Car Club of America, Inc., SCCA Pro Racing is a leading sanctioning body for motorsports events in the United States. A member of the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS), SCCA Pro Racing owns, operates and sanctions the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships and the Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook, as well as provides sanctioning and various operational services for other series, including Formula Drift, Formula Russell Championship Presented by Yokohama and Spec Miata Endurance Championship. For more information, please visit www.sccapro.com.

About USERA
Founded in 2005, USERA manages the Spec Miata Endurance Championship. For more information on USERA, visit www.usenduro.com or call 434-797-1866.

[imported_Webmaster]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

USERA Announces Preliminary 2006 Spec Miata Endurance Championship Schedule

DANVILLE, VA. (January 12, 2006) – The United States Endurance Racing Association, Inc. announced today five of the proposed six endurance events for the inaugural 2006 season of the USERA Spec Miata Endurance Championship, including events with Busch East, Grand-Am Cup and American GT Challenge.

The Spec Miata Endurance Championship, designed specifically for the Mazda Miata sports car, will consist of three hour or longer endurance races culminating with a season ending Driver and Team Champion.

The season will kick off at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina with a three hour event run in conjunction with the American GT Challenge on March 25-26.

From there the series will swing north of the border to the historic Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario on May 19-20 as part of the traditional Victoria Day Weekend Speedfest.

July 22-23 the Championship joins the North East Ohio Region SCCA for a three or six hour event at Nelson Ledges in Garrettsville, Ohio.

September 29-30 the Championship heads to beautiful Lime Rock Park for a three hour endurance showcase Saturday morning prior to the Busch East race. Lime Rock Park is legendary for its road racing tradition as one of North America’s oldest and most venerable road racing venues. And the Busch East weekend has become one of Lime Rock Park’s highest attended weekends as the worlds of oval and road racing combine in a spectacular fan oriented racing showcase.

One week later, October 6-8, the Championship swings south again and joins the Grand-Am Cup season finale at America’s Motorsports Resort, VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. This weekend should prove to be an exciting finish to great inaugural Spec Miata Endurance Championship season.

Two additional events, one in July and one in August, may be announced shortly.

“We are very pleased by this inaugural schedule,” said USERA President, Ken Grammer. “We have a great schedule that will highlight the exciting racing the Championship has to offer to teams and fans alike.”

About USERA
Founded in 2005, USERA manages the Spec Miata Endurance Championship. For more information on USERA, visit www.usenduro.com or call 434-797-1866.

Media Contact: Ken Grammer, President 434-797-1866 office; [email protected]